Page 26 of Huntress and the Splintered Court
“I’m going to kill that hunter one day.” He eyed me realizing there was more. “What aren’t you saying?”
“Who do you trust most in your pack?”
“Adam and Trey, it’s why they’re my top guys,” he said without even considering.
I bit my lip, but I’d had my suspicions about him in the past. “He said that one of the wolves you trusted most is betraying you.”
“And you think Trey?”
I shrugged not wanting to say it. Gideon trusted him, and if I accused Trey, it felt like I was challenging Gideon. But how was it that I was suspicious of him then the vampire admitted someone close to Gideon betraying him.
“I’m keeping an eye on him, Isabel, just like I promised. Nothing has been brought to my attention that’s noteworthy except that he’s having an affair with a human woman and sneaks off when he can to be with her.”
“What if that’s a ploy? What if he’s meeting someone?”
Gideon was already shaking his head. “I’m thorough. Not only does my team listen inthe entiretime, but they also use thermal heat imaging to be sure there’s no one else hiding. It’s just Trey getting his rocks off.”
“There’s something we’re missing.”
“We’ll figure it out.” He glanced at the bodies once more. “Let’s get back downstairs and help sort things out. I’ll send someone here to clean up.”
* * *
“Bad ass,”Adam stated plopping down beside me on the couch in Gideon’s office. With our room beinghandled, I’d taken up residency there, with the Alpa’s permission to call to Eric. He needed to be aware of what had happened.
“What is?” I muttered busily clicking away at my computer wishing I could just leave the program open, but Eric had put security in place for a reason. Somewhere in the manor was a betrayer. I didn’t need them gaining access to the Order’s resources. It was bad enough that Reed was helping out. Perhaps security was why Gideon had gifted me the laptop with the finger scanner.
“Are you kidding? I saw the damage you did to those vampires. Cold blooded.”
I froze as a chill ran down my spine. Every muscle coiled tightly. The way he was basking in the vampires’ deaths was unnerving. He seemed to relish it, when the very idea of what I’d been forced to do sickened me.
“Areyoukidding?” Turning, narrowing my gaze, I stared at him in a way I never had before, full of disgust. “Do you think it was fun to do what I did? I still feel their blood on my hands.” I’d washed them several times, but my words were honest. I didn’t feel clean. “They wanted to kill Gideon, your Alpha, and kidnap me. If I hadn’t eliminated them first, God knows what could have happened. I don’t enjoy what I did. It was necessary due to the circumstances. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m in the middle of something.”
“Isabel, I’m…”
“Adam,” Gideon’s voice bellowed as he entered the room. The office door had been left opened, which was probably why Adam had invited himself in. Gideon had been doing his job as Alpha and organizing the pack’s clean up efforts while giving me the room to handle my business. “Isabel needs the space. Leave.”
Adam tensed. Gritting his teeth, he did as his Alpha demanded. Gideon stepped into the room and the moment Adam was on the other side of the threshold, the door was shut in his face.
“You okay?” Gideon asked maintaining his distance. I wasn’t some damsel in need of a big strong man to come to my rescue. Gideon knew that. His command of Adam was toeing the line, and I think he knew that too, which was why he seemed to linger by the door.
My anger over what Adam had insinuated still boiled in me. I worried if I opened my mouth, Gideon would become my target. “You know that’s not how he meant it,” he offered trying to calm me as if he could sense my fury.
“How did he mean it then?” I snapped.
“He respects what you did. Not only for a non-wolf, but a woman. I don’t think the pack was truly aware of how ruthless the petite princess of the Order could be until they saw those vampires. Even some of the men would have struggled to do what you did.”
“I know you’re right, but…”
“You don’t want to be praised for something you feel guilty over.”
“I didn’t say I felt guilty.”
“You didn’t have to,” he sighed coming to sit beside me. “I’m your mate. I can feel that you do. Even if I wasn’t, I can see the guilt weighing on you. You did what was necessary to survive. No one can fault you for that.”
I scooted closer to him resting my head on his shoulder. He stiffened unsure what to do before hooking his arm around my lower back, resting his cheek on my head. “Do you want me to leave so you can make your call?”
“No,” I whispered. “There’s no secrets between us, right?”
