Page 56 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

Liam

I’m in the kitchen at Mariya’s, trying to keep up with the lunch rush. It’s chaos, as usual, but today, Marco never showed up for work, and I’m fuming. Why the hell would he just bail like that?

I slam a pot down on the stove, cursing under my breath. Rosa shoots me a sympathetic look from across the kitchen. She knows how much Marco’s absence is affecting our efficiency.

I take a deep breath, trying to push aside my frustration. I’ll deal with Marco later. Right now, I need to focus on getting through today.

As if I really need another interruption, Rosa appears at my side. “Liam, someone’s here to see you.”

“Oh?” What now? I wipe my hands on my apron and follow Rosa out into the dining area.

To my surprise, it’s Alyssa.

And she does not look happy.

“Hey, Liam,” she says, giving me a small smile. “How are you holding up?”

I shrug, not sure how to respond. “Fine, I guess. What’s going on?”

Alyssa’s face turns serious. “I need to talk to you about the investigations we’ve been working on.”

Shit! This can’t be good. “Let’s talk in my office.” And we move to the back office, closing the door.

I turn to Alyssa and say, “What’s going on?”

“I’m hoping for an update. Do you have any new information? Have you been able to come up with identities? Names?”

I swallow the lump in my throat before shaking my head.

She sighs, running a hand through her hair.

“There have been no new leads,” I lie, trying to keep my voice steady. “But it has been pretty quiet on my end. I don’t think there have been any new attacks.”

But Alyssa doesn’t look convinced. “I’m afraid that’s not true. We’ve found new bodies, Liam. The news hasn’t gone public yet, but I need you to come with me to the station and then to the local morgue.”

I feel a sense of dread wash over me. More bodies. More victims. And I still don’t have any answers.

Selene?

There is no way she would do this.

She vowed to me that she did not hurt any humans. Then again, am I a fool for believing a vampire?

Fuck!

“I’m sorry, Alyssa. I can’t right now,” I say, gesturing to the busy restaurant. “It’s just me and Rosa here. The restaurant closes at nine, but I could probably slip out at eight and let Rosa close up.”

Alyssa nods, looking grim. “Alright. I guess that’ll have to do. We can meet then at my office.” She turns and heads out the door, leaving me standing there feeling overwhelmed and out of my depth.

This is bad. Really bad.

Chapter 23

Selene

Iblanch, fear pounding in my chest as Grayson’s words sink in. “What do you mean?” I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper.

He repeats himself, his tone firm. “I mean… you’re a vampire, Miss Black. And I’ve known for a while now.”

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