Page 40 of Understanding Fate

“I have to say it’s been a long time since one of your kind had no idea about our species,” he says, amusement apparent in his still purple irises.

“My kind? Do you mean an Unawakened?” I ask, not understanding.

He laughs again, and I feel a bit self-conscious at how he seems to be making fun of me.

“Look, I don’t really appreciate you laughing at me. I’ve been told it's rare for someone like me to exist, that I should have been found a long time ago, and then I would know all of the rules of this world, but I wasn’t, and I don’t. If you need me to fill out some paperwork or something, I’m happy to, but if you plan to make me feel stupid for things I couldn’t possibly know, you can leave,” I say, crossing my arms defiantly.

“My apologies, Ms. DelaCourt. I never intended to make you feel this way; it's just… refreshing to see someone untarnished by the stories of our past. Let me start over. My name is Alexander, and I work with the LLC, utilizing my gifts for adjudication. I’m a vampire and can see things that have happened in people's minds.” My jaw drops at the words, and I struggle to keep my heart rate even.

A fucking vampire.

Questions start flying through my mind at the thought, and he lifts his hand, signaling me to stop.

“I’m sure you have many questions, and I’m sure they will all be answered someday, but for today, I need to know about your role in the altercation between the Vegas and Reno packs. The special counsel is requesting I just pull the information from you, but it’s not really my style, and I don’t much like being given orders on how to do my job,” he says almost conspiratorially.

“What do you need to know?” I ask, trying to keep my brain from thinking of the event, knowing he can hear those thoughts.

“How did you end up in the Second’s office?” he asks, leaning back and casually throwing one of his arms over the back of the chair.

“I was kidnapped by one of the Vegas pack members and brought to the Reno pack to be used for blackmail,” I say, locking down all other thoughts.

Purple fluffy clouds…

Purple fluffy clouds…

“So Vegas traded you to Reno and then stole you back?” he asks, confusion crossing his face.

“Kind of. Hudson, the guy who took me, was just trying to get his parents back. He thought if he could trade me to Reno, Dante could negotiate for my return.”

“And did he?”

“Yeah, he made a deal for both Hudson's parents and me,” I respond, my heart aching at the thought of the next question.

“So what went wrong? Because from where I’m sitting, Reno lost their Second, and Vegas lost one of their own. How did a human like you make it out unscathed?”

“I’d hardly say a brain contusion that required immediate surgery is ‘unscathed,’ but Deacon Marlo tried to bite me, which caused my… well... Mate? I guess. Anyway, Cain flipped out and charged him, causing everyone to fight. In the chaos, Big Tony tried to kill me. Hudson intervened, saving my life at the cost of his own, and the Vegas pack took out Big Tony, trying to save us both. Look, I never wanted to be a part of any of this. I don’t belong to any pack. At least not yet,” I say, losing a bit of bravado at the end.

“You must be rather important if both sides were willing to kill for you,” he says, considering my words.

“I’m not important. I never have been, and if not for Ghost's prophecies about me being the stupid key, everyone probably would have realized that a long time ago,” I say, irritation replacing the guilt.

Alexander tenses, his attention snapping into place at the mention of Ghost’s name.

Damnit, I bet I wasn’t supposed to say that.

“How do you know Ghost?” he asks, intensity filling his voice.

“I don’t really,” I say backtracking. “Hudson and I ran into him on the way to Reno,” I finish, shrugging in an attempt at nonchalance.

He nods, and I hope that means he’s moving on.

“So you were not contacting the Reno pack for protection?” he asks.

“Of course not,” I say.

“And you are, in fact, not a member of the Vegas pack?” he questions further.

“Not yet,” I say before continuing. “But I will be once I am allowed to be with Cain. Once I’m Awakened, I will choose Vegas,” I state, confidence filling my tone.

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