Page 20 of A Shadow of Betrayal

Hushed voices immediately break out across the room, and I watch as Monroe's eyes widen with surprise as Lennox growls under his breath, shooting me a dirty look. “Everyone is dismissed for the evening,” he shouts. His raised voice causes the people who had been standing at attention near the couches, to nod in confirmation and move in different directions, leaving us in the room by ourselves.

“Are you sure?” Monroe asks Lennox, looking me up and down with a studious look. He's not glaring like Lennox has been, but he doesn't seem very happy. “There hasn't ever been a lost soul in our Bloodline’s history,” he adds, making me roll my eyes. “She does have the right eye color for it, but she’s so…”

“If you say small, I swear I’m going to lose my mind,” I grind out, fisting my hands at my sides, then wince, mentally cursing myself for being stupid enough to press on my injured palm. But seriously? In what world is five foot eight small for a woman?

“The temperament matches as well,” Monroe adds with a chuckle as Lennox glares daggers at me.

“Ranger Smith, you would do well to hold your tongue unless you are asked a direct question,” Lennox growls under his breath, stealing my attention from Monroe as he steps between us. “Umbra Monroe is your superior, and you will listen to his every demand, am I clear?”

I open my mouth to let him know that, no, it is not clear. I have no idea why this man is my superior, and all I want to do is go home, but I'm cut off when someone shouts my name.

“Meyer?!”

Glancing up at the staircase to our left that leads to the second level of the cabin, I lock eyes with a familiar set of warm brown ones, and I can feel my lip curve into a smile as Theo barrels down the steps and races for me.

“Jesus Christ, girl. I’ve been freaking worried about you! What the hell took you so long?” he says without taking a breath as he rushes me with his arms outstretched like he’s going to scoop me up in a hug. I grin and step forward, but before Theo can grab me, Lennox's hand snaps out, grabbing Theo by the back of his neck and stopping him dead in his tracks, making my eyes widen in surprise.

“Hey, dude! What the fuck?” Theo shouts, kicking out at Lennox while trying to twist free. Lennox easily dodges the kick before pushing Theo several feet away from me, then glares at him like a naughty puppy as Theo regains his balance and turns on the much larger man. “What the…” Theo’s voice trails off when he realizes who’s in front of him, and I can visibly see him swallow and take a step back as Lennox’s gaze hardens.

“Ranger Drakos,” Lennox states in a clipped voice. “I dismissed the Rangers to their rooms for the evening. Why would you think you were an exemption to that order?” Theo’s eyes flick to me, and I give him a tense smile, hoping he won't do something stupid like piss off Lennox.

“I heard that Meyer was here and wanted to make sure she was okay,” Theo says, standing up tall and surprising me with his confident voice. I feel myself smiling, his worry over me making me feel a bit better about this whole situation.

“Thanks, Theo,” I whisper, wishing the two men standing between us would leave so that I could talk with Theo and see if he knew a way off this damn mountain. Theo turns and gives me a beaming smile at my thanks, which I return.

“Ranger Smith is not your responsibility, Drakos. You’re dismissed,” Lennox snaps, making Theo flinch, his smile faltering as he steps further away from the big man, which pisses me right the hell off.

“Don’t be a dick, Lennox! Theo’s only trying to be nice,” I snap, jumping to my new friend's defense, my anger boiling and getting the better of me. A brief moment of silence follows my words, during which you could hear a pin drop before Theo’s wide brown eyes flick from me to Lennox, fear taking over his features.

“Regalis,” Monroe murmurs, worry heavy in his voice as Lennox slowly turns and looks at me over his shoulder. His dark green eyes are glowing with fury, and I can feel the air shift around me, making my heart skip a beat as the hairs on my arms rise to attention.

Shit.

“Meyer,” Theo hisses, moving to step forward, but Monroe is quick to intervene, stepping forward and grabbing Theo before he can stupidly throw himself between the angry Umbra Hunter and me.

I keep my eyes on the now extremely pissed-off Hunter and stupidly take a step back, making his nostrils flare, his eyes narrowing on the slight movement as he spins on his heel and moves faster than my eyes can see. Suddenly big fingers wrap around my wrist, and I’m twisted toward the stairs, Lennox forcibly shoving me forward, making me stumble over my feet as I go.

“You will learn to keep your mouth shut and respect your superiors, Ranger Smith, or you will find that you’ll flounder and not survive the trials in front of you,” Lennox hisses in my ear, his hand firmly clasping my hurt hand behind my back.

“Let her go!” I hear Theo shout behind me, but I’m unable to look back and make sure Monroe isn’t hurting him.

“I didn't ask to be here,” I hiss back, my anger hitting a whole new level at being manhandled this way. “And I don’t give a damn about your rules or who my superiors are! I was taken against my will and want to go home!” I shout the last part as I’m pushed up the stairs, my feet trying and failing to keep me upright, and I fall forward. My arm and shoulder scream in pain when Lennox yanks me back toward him, keeping me from face-planting on the ugly green carpet but straining the muscles in my shoulders to the point that I cry out.

I can hear Lennox curse before his other hand grabs my opposite arm, and he heaves me up, taking me off my feet with an ease that terrifies me as he barrels up the rest of the stairs. When we reach the second floor, Lennox carries me down a hallway lined with small sconces, the candles on them casting a warm glow off the log walls toward the big double doors at the end.

“Let. Me. Go,” I grind out between clenched teeth, refusing to acknowledge the burning pain in my shoulder as I kick back, striking Lennox’s shin, making him growl under his breath.

“If you run,” Lennox starts, ignoring my kicking, his hot breath racing over my sweat-slicked skin, making me shiver in response. “If you try to escape now that the Seniorem has found you…” He continues his brisk pace as he practically races down the hall until we reach the doors.

I gasp in surprise when I’m suddenly dropped to the ground, his hands shifting from my arms to my shoulders, turning me so that I’m facing him before he shoves me against the rough logs behind me, his angry green eyes only inches away as he hunches forward, getting down to my eye level.

“The Seniorem will mark you as a rogue and send the Regalis Senior Umbra Hunters to take you out,” he says, his big hands shaking me enough to jar me when I don't respond. “You will die, Ranger!’ he grinds out, punctuating each word with a slam of his fist against the logs near my face, “Get that through your thick skull right now because there are no second chances. There is no going home, no returning to your life before. This right here…” he whispers, looking around us at all the wood and candles. “This is your life now. You will learn how to deal with it. You will learn our ways and what is expected of you,” he snarls, his face coming so close to my own that if I were to lean forward a fraction, our lips would brush. “And if you ever call me by my given name in front of another Hunter again, you will not like the repercussions.”

“I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to do that!” I shout, pressing forward and making Lennox jump back from me like I have the plague, so our lips don't touch. I mean… I did know better, but Lennox doesn't need to know that Theo’s mom told me that. It was honestly a mistake. I have been calling him Lennox in my head, and it kinda came out while I was mad about how he was treating Theo.

“And that's why I’m letting you off with a warning, Ranger,” Lennox bellows in return, his eyes flashing with so much emotion I’m not even sure what it is.

“A warning? This is your idea of a warning?” I scoff, my head swimming from everything I've been through today. “How am I supposed to know all the rules? You guys kidnap me, then expect me to just… what? Follow you around like a damn dog and do as I’m told? Be seen and not speak or be heard? Where the fuck have I even been brought to, Umbra Regalis?” I sneer, drawing out his name and making his lips pinch together in response. “The eighteen hundreds? And why the hell does everyone here in a position of authority have a dick swinging between their legs?”

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