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“I’m so sorry,” I said, even though sorry didn’t even begin to cut it.
She started sobbing and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I don’t understand how this happened. I saw the news, and I just—” She hiccupped, and I patted her back.
“Come inside. Sit down.” I pulled her over the threshold.
It wasn’t until then that I noticed the man behind her.
He was one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen—which was saying something. He radiated power, and I knew in an instant that he was an alpha. So much energy vibrated around him, he might even be more powerful than Donovan. His dark eyes met mine, and I couldn’t look away. It was a dominance thing, not attraction. I wouldn’t be the one to look away first.
He gave me a wink and started looking around the room.
Technically he’d looked away first, but with that wink, he was telling me he wasn’t playing the game.
No fair.
Dastien hit mute on the TV and stood as Beth, Shane, Adrian, and Raphael came in after them.
The brujos spotted the footage and were captivated.
Dastien crossed the room, reaching a hand out to the new guy. “Dastien Laurent.”
The man wore simple track pants and the arms of his long sleeved T-shirt bunched at his elbows. If I couldn’t feel his power, I would’ve thought he was just a normal guy. “I’m Claudia’s mate,” he said, and my jaw nearly hit the ground.
How in the hell did she get mated already? There hasn’t been enough time, let alone a full moon. I yelled through our bond.
I don’t know. But we can definitely ask.
“Lucas Reyes,” he said as he took Dastien’s hand.
For a split second, Dastien froze before shaking Lucas’ hand. “It’s good to meet you.”
Who is he? It was the first time I’d ever seen Dastien react to someone like that.
Alpha of the pack in Peru. A very, very strong Alpha. But he hasn’t left Peru in ages.
I had so many questions for Claudia, but first things first. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to find out this way. I wanted to tell you in person when you got here—not over the phone—but I woke up a bit ago and the news…”
She nodded. “What happened?”
I stood in front of the now turned-off TV and waited until everyone had found a place to sit in the small room before I started. I didn’t stop when they started sobbing, but my throat got scratchy. I had to tell them. From beginning to end. Drawing it out wasn’t going to make the truth any easier.
Still, as Beth leaned into Shane, and Claudia sobbed into Lucas’ chest, my throat grew tight and tears rolled down my face. Raphael stood behind the couch, taking the news like a good little soldier, but he was grinding his teeth so hard that his jaw was white.
When I finished, I sat on the coffee table. “I’m so sorry. I told you that you’d all be safe here with the pack. I promised to make sure you’d be okay, and I’ve broken my word. First with Raphael, and now this…” I swallowed. “I hope you know that I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. And the compound… I’m sorry. It’s burned, and I tried to stop it, but they were—”
“Covering up. Yes. It’s procedure,” Lucas finished for me.
Claudia covered her face as she started sobbing again, and Lucas moved to kneel in front of her. He whispered to her in Spanish, sweet nothings. Affirmations that it would be okay, even when we all knew that it wouldn’t be okay. There was no way that any of us could ever make this right.
With each sob of pain from my cousin, it felt like someone was stabbing my heart. I couldn’t help her. I couldn’t spare her from this, so I waited. She was going to have questions, and I needed to be here for her.
After a while, she wiped her eyes. “It’s too much. This is too much. God. I just got my brother back. I thought we’d have some room to breathe, and now this. I can’t—It’s too much.” She clutched her hand to her chest. “Everyone I knew, my whole life, it’s all gone. Even after Luciana is dealt with, what am I supposed to do? Where do I belong?”
Lucas ran his hand down her cheek. “You belong with me. We’ll make sure everyone here is safe, and then we go on with your plan. You don’t have to worry about abandoning anyone anymore. Everything we talked about is still possible. Focus on that and we’ll get through this.”
I smiled through my tears. He was nice, this guy. He was good for her, and that at least was one thing that Claudia could count on.
When she finally calmed down, Claudia met my gaze, and I knew something was coming. Her eyes were rimmed with red, but something else flushed her cheeks. I recognized the spicy scent coming from her. Pure rage. I just hoped it wasn’t directed at me. “Where is she?” She nearly spat the last word.
