Page 53 of Predator

Remember… oh. I remember. I remember how, when I was Jolie, Remy tried to convince her to leave Lucas, choosing a partnership with him instead. And I also remember how sure Remy was that I would fall for him after my recent arrival in Winter Creek.

But betrayal? Does he really see it as a betrayal that I picked my fated mate over him?

He waves his hand again. Not because he’s casting any spell—though I learned my lesson after he blasted me in the back that one time—but because he’s entering into a conversation with me, knocking aside that last topic. “It doesn’t matter. The years were long, but worth it. We will try again, Fallon. We’ll rule the coven together?—”

I nod. “Oh, yeah. That settles it. You are nuts.”

“Not nuts. Only determined to have what should’ve always been mine.” Remy grins. It’s that winning smile that once made me think his sharp features were alluringly attractive. Now, though? Ugh. “That you came to me tells me I’m right.”

“I came for my friend?—”

“You came because you did what you were born to. A wolf with magic… you’ll lead the coven now, with me at your side.”

Um… no. I won’t be doing that. But how does he know? How does he know that the coven is leaderless after what I just did?

Before I can ask, Remy tilts his head slightly. The afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window winks off of his golden hoops. “I think I might prefer you as Fallon. Jolie… she was weak. She chose the Alpha, but how could she hope to survive him when she couldn’t even defeat a wild wolf?

“Of course,” he adds, his smile taking on a dark edge, “a charmed wolf is a lot more dangerous.”

What?

Remy sees the confused look on my face and laughs. The bastard laughs. “Is that something else you forgot? Because I told you, Fallon. I’m the one who charmed the wolf to chase Jolie, to show her that it wasn’t worth it to forsake the coven for a dog.”

He did tell me that. At the time, I didn’t have any idea what that meant. I didn’t even know the truth of who Jolie was or how she really died… but the wolf in Lucas’s cabin? It was controlled by Remy to slaughter Jolie in the rain?

Is that what he’s telling me?

I’m not the only one trying to mask sense of what he just confessed.

Jeannie looks from me to Remy, back at me again before settling on him. “Wait a second.”

Remy looks surprised that Jeannie is speaking. “You’re supposed to play your role, little hostage. I caught you. I brought you here to control my new bride. Now be quiet.”

First of all, ew. I’m not his bride. Jolie rejected his sleazy ass for good reason, then ended up being killed because some fuckers just don’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer. I would’ve done the same, but if he thinks he can use Jeannie Lipton to keep me in line… well, he’s kind of right, but just until I can figure out how to free her.

Only… I don’t have to.

Ignoring the ill-disguised anger he spewed at her, she simply says, “You’re the one who killed Jolie Bordeaux?”

Did I think I was shocked when I saw Jeannie’s subdued expression in the photograph and realized she was in Winter Creek? That’s nothing compared to the heat in her accusation as she pushes her tied-together hands off of the floor, leaping gracefully to her feet.

First, because I’ve never seen Jeannie movie as easily as that. Then, because I would’ve flopped about on my belly, only able to crawl, if the witches had tied my hands behind my back. No way could I have done that as a human—and she’s human.

Isn’t she?

I convinced myself that it was one hell of a coincidence that had Jeannie somehow tracking me down in Winter Creek. That, or my grandmother sent another of her coven to snatch someone from my old life to control me. Jeannie and Lorelei are identical twins. I can tell them apart, but an outsider wouldn’t be able to. And even if they tried to take my best friend and got my frenemy instead, she’s still a Lipton. I’d do anything for those girls.

That’s why I fell right into Marie’s trap, after all. Only… was it hers?

Or has Remy been playing the long con of getting revenge for Jolie rejecting him all those years ago? He killed her—he killed me—and, now that I’m back, he thinks I’m going to give up Lucas for him so that he can get what he wants.

My bond is unbreakable. I’m not worried about that. Lucas is mine, and I killed my grandmother to keep him. If I have to do the same thing to the male witch, I will.

I don’t have to do that, either.

One twist of her wrists and the rope is torn in half. She hunches over and, in a burst of her ruined clothing, she goes from the Jeannie I’ve always known to a pure white wolf in the blink of an eye.

I gape, Remy jolts, and Jeannie attacks.

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