Page 30 of Teeth To Rip & Tear

“I’ve still got blood under my fingernails.” I protested.

“Better hurry up and shower then.” Mitchell waggled his brows.

“Dean told me you’re his beta.” I looked him up and down. “Is this part of your job? Welcoming the wayward strays. Orientation at the werewolf compound?”

Mitchell threw his head back and let out a loud bark of laughter. “That’s me. All I need is a name badge and a tour guide flag.”

I rolled my eyes. “Who is coming to the meeting? Do I even need to go?”

“The Witches. One of the demons. All of the wolves.” Mitchell listed off. “Can you think of anything out of place in the last few weeks?”

“Is this meeting about my stalker or about the HAOB?” I wondered.

“Both.” Mitchell shrugged. “We don’t hide our presence in Locket. The town was formed many years before humans settled here. If they have an issue with the wolves, witches, and demons, maybe it’s time they moved.”

“It seems like they have an issue with the Fae.” I pointed out. “Because I was the only one targeted.”

Mitchell stepped further into the room, sitting on the end of the bed. “Can you walk me through that?” He asked. “Your husband was not aware of your Sídhe lineage. Your magic. But something changed.”

“Do you remember Faith?” I asked. “The woman who came into the store?” Mitchell had been my bodyguard at the time.

“Woman?” His nose wrinkled. “I doubt she’s legally able to drink.”

“Well, no. She isn’t.” I sighed. “Joel took a life insurance policy out on me. A lot of money, too. I doubt he planned to kill me himself, but I found the policy documents. I found the texts and hidden photo album on his phone. I confronted him, and it just went...wrong.”

“He’s hit you before?” Mitchell’s fist clenched.

“Nothit.” I rushed to say. “Not really. He’d push me, sometimes into a doorframe or down a step. Or use his shoulder to bump me out of the way. He was rude. He was always angry, but he neverhitme. Not really. The kind of thing that could be explained as an accident. When I confronted him that day, he changed. He wasn’t Joel anymore. He’s always been angry. But I’d never seen him like that before.”

“What happened?” Mitchell’s brow furrowed.

“He put his hands around my throat.” I clutched the blankets tighter. “He was going to kill me. I know he was. I just held my breath. Played dead.”

“And when you didn’t die?” Mitchell pressed, frowning. “He decided you were some unnatural thing? Some kind of demon?”

“I lay on the floor. As still as I could, I listened to Joel pack his bags. He calledheron the phone.” I continued, staring at a spot on the wall. “He told Faith he loved her and was finally free.” I held up my hand, showing my fingers. “He took the wedding ring off my finger, and it took everything I had to lay there. Limp. Dead. He draped a sheet over me before he left.”

Mitchell cursed, pressing his fist to his mouth.

“He tried to come back inside.” I let out a bitter laugh. “He must have forgotten something. Phone. Keys. Wallet? I don’t even know. He got out of his car. I watched him from the window. I couldn’t let him back in the house.”

“Your wards?” Mitchell guessed.

“No.” I let the word hang in the air. “No. I lost control. I...” I shook my head to clear it. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

Mitchell eyed me, trying to gauge my emotions, but I couldn’t tell him.

Icouldn’t.

Mitchell cleared his throat, pointing to the scar on his cheek. “Dean said you asked about my scar.” His tone was pithy, attempting to lighten the mood.

My eyes widened. “I didn’t mean—”

Mitchell waved his hand, dismissing my discomfort. “Did Kaleb tell you about the Huntsman?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“The Huntsman doesn’t choose just any wolf you know. We’re all wrapped up in his curse and can be called anytime, but he chooses the fastest. The strongest. The ones with something to prove.” Mitchell knotted his hands together and looked downto his lap. He laughed, the sound sardonic and empty. “He chose my brother. My twin. Milo.”

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