Page 173 of House of Lilith

And I take a step back, folding my arms and gritting my teeth.

“What’re you talking about?”

That makes me let out an angry scoff. “Oh, you don’t even remember future Mrs fucking Aalders getting you drunk so you’d talk about me and myprivatefucking business?”

By the time I’m done, I’m almost yelling.

But it doesn’t faze him. “She didwhat?” he asks with a frown. Then he shakes his head. “Wait. You told me I no longer needed to help keep you away from her. So what’sthisnow?”

“None of your fucking business,” I snap as I move to walk away, cursing myself for succumbing to the temptation in the first place.

“You’re my alpha and my family, Boss,” Ricky pleads as he comes to block my way again. “How is it not my business?”

I lock eyes with him, throwing him a nasty little smile. “The fact, Ricky,” I start, slowly and through gritted teeth, “that you were there for me when I broke up with Aisling, and the fact that I was there for you when you wanted to stop moping around and get out of your shell…” I pause for a second. “It doesnotmean we’re family.”

Nowthatmakes him go pale in the face. “I think you’ve let yourself lose sight of the bigger picture here, Dahrian,” he says somberly.

“Oh really?” I drawl.

“Yes,” he says with a nod. “The Game is tomorrow and you’re not here as a care-free student. You’re here as the alpha that the Archon made her right hand.”

“Yeah,” I say, nodding angrily as I keep my eyes locked with him, “and I kept the peace and stayed until the end. And if Brogan weren’t locked up someplace they’re not letting me into…” I find myself starting to raise my voice again. “Maybe I would’ve asked for further fucking orders, but seeing as she is, I think I’ll have myself a few meagre hours of blowing off steam before I have to fight in the most dangerous Game of the entire year just so I’m finally allowed to get the fuck out of this hateful,miserableplace.”

Once I’m finished, for a second, there’s only silence.

“You’re missing the point of all this,” Ricky says in a hushed voice. And he takes a step closer. “Tomorrow, Dahrian, it’stomorrowthat’s the point of all this. It's me, you, Aine and Lorcan against Nyx and Max. Don't you see? You’re going to be saving your family, becoming a Professor, and who knows what else? Because I myself already see you as the Archon’s successor. No, not just see you. It can onlybeyou, since there’s no one more capable of protecting the school than you. But all of that, it can only happen if tomorrow is executed well. Which is why, in a way, tomorrow is the day your future starts, and you need to be ready.”

With that, he gives a nod and expels a breath, waiting for my response.

But there’s this silence in my head where a snarky, ethereal voice used to be. “Is tomorrownow?” I drawl menacingly.

He just looks at me as if it’s the first time he’s seeing me. Like a fucking idiot. It only makes my anger flare up even more.

“Then I don’t give a shit,” I snarl at him, I turn on my heel and I start marching over to the rest of the pack, who are all standing outside the round cast-iron fence closing off the Pull.

“What’re we waiting for?” I let my voice boom across the gardens, making my pack get all feverish, just like I am. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 31 - Nyx

WhenIstepoutof the bathroom, I’m not feeling any better, but I at least seem to havesomecontrol over myself.

And I find Max out on the hallway, scrolling on his phone, seemingly waiting for me. And I start marching up to him, determined to start paying all my attention tohim, the man I’ll be marrying and spending the rest of my life with.

So it’s with a smile on my face that I come to stand in front of him, saying, “I’d like another dance, please.”

To my surprise, when he looks up at me, putting his phone away, I find a dead serious face.

“Your brother,” he starts so somberly, it instantly makes my eyebrows pull down, “he’s out in the Gerhardt Yard.”

Also known as the Junkyard — the problematic kids’ hangout spot.

I feel myself start to fume. “So?” I ask, forcing a flatness into my voice.

“I think you should go talk to him.”

“I’m in no mood for him right now.”

I see his jaw clench. “He’s making a spectacle of himself, Anastasya,” he says through gritted teeth.

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