Page 55 of Queen of Vengeance

It was late afternoon by the time Zane arrived at Diesel’s home.

“His evil lair, Jax and I used to call it. Strange that I would find him here now. It’s like I’m losing Jax.” The thought unsettled Zane right down to his bones.

The guards let Zane in without much of an issue.

After all, he had worked with them so many times before… Even if he had caused problems during the last job.

Zane went to where he knew Jax would be—in the training room.

That was where Jax went when he needed to blow off steam.

Zane took this as a good sign, hoping Jax was just as upset over Lea’s predicament. He watched Jax shift in only a few seconds, which was something only a werewolf that shifts a lot could do.

It wasn’t usually a good sign.

A werewolf that could shift like that was usually into some shady business.

“How long had Jax been working this closely with Diesel to shift like that?” Anxiety seized Zane’s chest.

For the first time, Zane didn’t recognize his friend.

“Jax.”

Jax turned around and smiled, sweat pouring over his brow. “Zane, I was expecting you.”

“I can see that. Pretty impressive. When did you start being able to shift so fast?” Zane tried to hide his concern, but Jax was too smart to fall for it.

“There’s nothing wrong with being prepared for everything.” Jax grabbed a towel and wiped his face.

There was a twinkle in Jax’s eye that Zane had never seen before. He got the same detached and excited look when Diesel ordered them to rob that farm.

Jax enjoyed a certain aspect of violence and power, and Zane feared that the most.

“I thought we both agreed not to get too caught up in your uncle’s business, but now I hear from your mother that you frequent this place. What’s going on with you, Jax? This isn’t like you.” Zane’s usual well-mannered composure curdled. He was using every ounce of patience he had in his body.

“Or maybe this is just like me. Maybe this is who I had to become for my family—for you.” Jax snapped back at Zane.

Zane took a step back. He couldn’t believe what he heard from his best friend—someone he had seen as a brother. Now, Zane and Jax couldn’t be further apart. “Don’t you care that Lea is in jail? Something is wrong here, and you know it! She would never do something like make illegal potions, let alone try and transport them.”

“Or maybe you just don’t know her as well as you thought.” Jax brushed off Zane’s emotional plea.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing… She has always stuck her neck out for us, even to her detriment sometimes. She has never faltered. She has never failed us.” Zane’s argument was losing steam, and he could see Jax was losing his patience.

“She failed me.” Jax seemed to speak before he had a chance to think about it. His face scrunched as if he tasted something disgusting. His deep green eyes burned into Zane.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Zane could tell that Jax was pulling back.

“I suppose you haven’t read the news report from this morning. I believe my uncle still has it, if you were interested in learning about the truth.” Jax’s eyes flickered from panicked to triumphant. It appeared he managed to bury whatever fear was plaguing him.

Zane stood silent in rage and fear. He could sense that whatever Jax was about to tell him was going to be life altering. Was he prepared to know?

Jax sighed, “It’s about Lea. She confessed to her crimes this morning. They gave her a thousand-year sentence.”

“A thousand years… A life sentence?”

Zane couldn’t catch his breath.

His fingernails turned to claws as he ripped his chest.

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