Page 40 of Forbidden Daddy Mate

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The next two days and nights moved at a snail’s pace. Finally, though, it was the third night. The Silver Wolves met at my house, and we all rushed to the meeting place.

I stopped the rest of the wolves just shy of the clearing. The longer they stayed hidden, the better.

Alone, I emerged in the clearing. That sweet smell over the stench of death and decay crept through the crisp air, and moments later, Varin strutted into the clearing, a smug smirk on his face.

“Where is she?” I demanded.

“Nearby and safe.” His eyes swept across the clearing, scanning to see if I’d brought any reinforcements. “Are you alone?” he asked.

“Of course,” I lied. “Are you?”

“Naturally.” He looked the epitome of honesty, but I had no doubt he was lying. “Before we bring out our star guest, I figure we should finalize the terms. Any particular way you’d wish to die?”

“Of old age in my bed,” I growled. “But that doesn't tend to be the MO for Silver Wolves. I have a question of my own, though.”

Varin held out his palms, splaying his fingers in a clear go ahead gesture.

“You said the entire house belonged to you,” I said. “There’s no way we picked it by coincidence, and you knew who we were. Which means you somehow knew we would pick that house. How?”

Varin grinned. “You don’t think I’ve been planning this for ages?” he asked. “I’ve been dreaming about this ever since you murdered my father. I’ve been keeping track of you for ages.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” I snarled.

He ignored me. “Tell me, whose idea was it to go away for Christmas? And who found the house in the first place?”

“Jenn,” I said. I remembered how excited she’d been when she’d shown it to us.

Varin’s smile grew malevolent, sinister enough to curdle milk. “And how do you think she found out about that house?”

All thoughts of fighting, even of Freya, vanished from my mind as the implication hit home. I froze, everything seeming to stop as fear mixed with rage.

“You got to her,” I said. “How the fuck did you do that?”

“It was easy. A couple compulsions, and she didn’t remember a thing. I told her what to do and which house to pick, and she thought she came up with it herself. You have no idea how close I was to slicing her pretty little neck and letting her bleed out in the middle of the room,” he jeered. “You deserved it after what you did to my father. But I figured that would ruin the surprise.”

I couldn’t help it. I lunged, shifting in mid-air. Moments later, I heard someone else crashing through the clearing. I didn’t need to look to know who it was. Klyte was Jenn’s mate. He would be just as furious as I was at what the vampire had said. But it also meant our cover was blown.

In the moment, though, it didn’t matter. All I cared about was sinking my teeth into Varin’s throat. Before I could reach him, someone barreled into me, knocking me to the ground mid-jump. A dozen vampires streamed through the trees, racing toward me. At the same time, Jameson’s howl echoed through the clearing. Answering snarls reverberated around me as the Silver Wolves all raced into the fray.

In the span of a handful of seconds, the peaceful slice of forest had turned into a battlefield. The vampire that had knocked me over leered over me, his smug look of glee turning to one of horror when I clamped my jaws around his arm and yanked.

One vampire down, I raised my head, taking in the battle playing out in front of me. Through the chaos and carnage, I looked around, panting. I tried to find Varin in the crowd. It was the only way to end this.

But he was nowhere to be seen.

Chapter 20 - Freya

I cracked my knuckles, leaning against the wall next to the knobless door and running through my plan again. The next time someone came to bring me food, I’d fake being hurt or injured. I knew they needed me at least okay enough to show Malcolm I was unharmed. When they came close to checking on me, I’d distract them long enough to run out and slam the door shut behind me. Once I did that, then I could find my way outside and figure out where I was.

I fiddled with the necklace still in my pocket. They hadn’t searched me when they’d brought me in, and it had sat pressed against my thigh this entire time. That was how I planned to distract the guard. At the moment, it was the only weapon I had.

It wasn’t a solid plan. I could see a dozen different ways it could go wrong, and even if it went perfectly, I still wouldn’t be able to shift unless I found a way to get the collar off. But it was something. I wasn’t going to just stand here and twiddle my thumbs. If I could get out, then I was certain Malcolm would be able to find me.

As I tried to figure out how I was going to fake being hurt, however, the door began to crack open. Shit. I wasn’t ready. I scrambled, trying to readjust and improvise in the time it took for the door to open.

Except when it opened, it wasn’t the normal guard who brought me food. Tyr blocked the doorway, smirking at me.

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