AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There was no mistaking the look of disgust in her eyes. “But you’re a gamma.”
“Not anymore.” He pulled away from her. “I’ve changed, Mama, and I don’t go by Beniamin. I go by Horatiu now.”
“Horatiu?” She gave a funny look as if she’d sucked on a sour lemon. “What kind of name is that?”
Horatiu folded arms across his broad chest, scowling down at her. “It’smyname.”
“Beniamin is the name your fathers chose.” Turning up her nose, she waved dismissively as if she was shooing a fly. “I will not call you by anything else.”
Horatiu and Daeva exchanged wary glances before Daeva placed a hand on his back.
“Where’s Daniella?” he asked his mother through a sigh.
“Daniella and her gamma joined the Ciobanu pack. They have a cabin a few miles from here.” The old woman’s top lip pulled back in a hateful snarl. “Though they rarely visit me.”
Sheesh. Phoenix didn’t fault Daniella for not wanting to visit her mother. The woman was a prickly old hag.
Horatiu shifted from foot to foot. “The Ciobanus?”
“You don’t remember them?” She arched a fine brow, the tone in her voice as if she was speaking to a child. “They lost their mate in a farming accident a few decades ago.”
“Yes,” he said, “but they’re a lot older than Daniella.”
“You act as if she had any other choice.” The old woman let out an obnoxious snort. “Not all of us get to forgo our responsibilities and go play with demons.”
Daeva swore, digging her fingers into Horatiu’s shoulder.
“Forgo my responsibilities?” Horatiu’s nose lengthened, his voice dropping to an ominous rumble. “I was defending my mate.” He pulled Daeva beside him, hugging her close to his side. “She’s returned with me.”
Phoenix felt like a fly on the wall by this point. Not that she was complaining. She didn’t want to get involved in this drama.
The old woman didn’t acknowledge Daeva. “Your brothers. Your fathers. Have you seen them?” she asked him while twisting her apron belt between her fingers.
Phoenix’s breath hitched at her question. She cut a sharp look at Horatiu. She knew what had happened to them. They’d all been sent to a terrible fate in hell. Not that they didn’t deserve it.
“No, Mama.” He tensed, his fingers digging into Daeva’s arm. “I’m sorry.”
Phoenix didn’t blame him for lying. She would’ve likely clawed his eyes out if he’d told her the truth.
The older woman’s eyes flared as she finally looked at Daeva. “You ran into the Hoia Baciu.” Phoenix could practically feel the sting of venom in the woman’s tone.
Daeva turned up her chin. “I did.”
The older woman’s eyes narrowed. “My sons followed you.”
“They did,” Daeva said without flinching.
She looked back up at Horatiu, her features hardening. “You should’ve left her in there.”
“That’s not fair, Mama.” Horatiu shook his head, giving his mother a scathing look. “My brothers were already possessed by demons. It was too late for them.”
“She’s the reason they were possessed.” She clucked her tongue, waving at Daeva with a flick of the wrist. “The reason your fathers were killed. If she’d done her duty and mated with them, this would’ve all been avoided.”
“They were abusing me and Horatiu!” Daeva spat.
Flaming balls of rage shone in the older woman’s eyes. “They were teaching you your place because you were a wildcurva. I curse the Ancients for choosing you as their mate.”
Phoenix flinched as if the Romanian insult had been meant for her. Curva, or whore, was the worst thing to call an Amaroki female.
