Page 104 of Bitten Shifter

And my heart… my heart shatters.

Chapter Forty-Six

I wrapmy arms around my waist, hunch my shoulders, and lower my gaze to the gleaming chequered tiles beneath my feet. It’s all so obvious now. They played me for a fool. On that, the vampire was right—I was being played by everyone, even those I trusted.

Was all the animosity between Merrick and Lander an act? No wonder Lander knew everything about the shitshow of my life. Merrick must have told him. At least when I was an unwitting mole, I had no idea what was happening. Merrick, though, knew exactly what he was doing.

I’m so tired—tired of men refusing to see me as their equal, tired of being treated like a pawn in someone else’s game. I can see why he did it, why it all unfolded this way, but understanding doesn’t mean I forgive him. This isn’t how a new relationship should start—especially not one built on trust.

We have walked through fire together, yet I’ve been burned to ash. It’s alwaysmeburning.

The broken pieces of my trust feel beyond repair. Merrick stomped on my feelings as though they were nothing. One man already did that to me; I vowed it wouldn’t happen again.

I drift over to the dresser, pick up the grimoire, and clutch it to my chest like a shield. Around me, the room seethes with activity as shifters and magic users hurry in and out, dealing with the aftermath of the vampire’s attack. It all feels distant, as though I’m watching through frosted glass.

Tears threaten, but I refuse to let them fall. Instead, a slow, simmering anger rises in my chest. For twenty agonising minutes, I was drowning in guilt, believing I’d let Merrick—and everyone else—down. Meanwhile, he knew the truth and never told me. Days of planning went on behind my back.

I shake my head, closing my eyes. A lone tear escapes anyway, and I swipe it away, furious with myself.

No. None of that, Lark. None of that.

“Are you all right?”

His voice makes me flinch. When did he get so close?

I open my eyes to find Merrick watching me, concern etched into his features. “We couldn’t tell you,” he says quietly. “If you had known, it wouldn’t have worked. You were never really in danger. If we’d stopped him reading your thoughts, he would have suspected something, and we would have lost control of the situation. This way, we set the terms. Everything stayed contained.”

“Did Mary know?” My voice sounds hollow, drained of feeling.

“No,” he replies. “She didn’t. Most of the council didn’t either—just Lander. He is Chief of Security; this was his operation. It was kept on a need-to-know basis. It was a well-executed plan.”

“Well-executed,” I echo dully. “Yeah. You got him.”

“You are safe,” he says, his tone gentle, as if that alone could fix everything.

“Safe.” The word tastes bitter. I nod mechanically, then turn away. “Thanks for keeping me safe.”

“Little mate?—”

“Don’t call me that.” My voice snaps like a whip. “I thought we were a team, Merrick—that we’d talk things through, make decisions together. But we’re not, are we? I’m just a convenient pawn.”

“You are not a convenience, and you are not a pawn,” he says, his voice cracking. “I love you, Lark. I’d do anything to protect you.”

“Even if it means keeping me in the dark?”

“Yes,” he says without hesitation.

His admission slices through me like a blade. I press my hand to my chest, trying to ease the ache. “Fine,” I say softly. “Can we talk about this later?”

“Lark, we need to talk now.” He growls, a low note of warning in his voice.

I snap. “Don’t you dare growl at me, Merrick Winters.” My voice rises, thick with anger. “You want to do this here? Fine.” I gesture at the crowded room. “Safe, you say? I had afascinatingconversation with the vampire—for at least ten minutes, Merrick.Ten minutes.While he gloated about how much fun it was to rummage through my head. He wasthisclose to ripping my throat out before the magic finally kicked in and stopped him. What were you waiting for, exactly?”

His face pales, horror spreading across his features. “What?”

“Oh yeah, did your buddy Lander fail to mention that?” My hands shake with rage.

From the corner of my eye, I see Riker slam Lander against the glass doors, rattling them. He jabs a finger in Lander’s face, while Lander holds up his hands defensively. Whatever excuses he’s making drip with enough smugness to stoke Riker’s temper further.

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