Page 122 of White Raven
Wren snapped her face at him. “She might not have stabbed her in the back, but she twisted the fucking knife. I’d be fine with the idea of someone like Nell dying like a dignified old bat, peacefully in her bed. If Sykes hadn’t been there busting those pieces out of the shop, Nell would probably still be here.”
“While my opinion might be a little less than valued, I’m sad to say I’ve had to take my turn telling loved ones that my patient didn’t make it. I’ve had so many heavy conversations like this. I do try to find the silver lining when I have to sit down and explain. For what it’s worth, Wren…dying peacefully in her bed sounds like a good way to go…but if the value of what she’s giving you was any indication of what her passion was, or what made her truly happy? I think she took her leave exactly where she would have wanted.”
Ambrose-2…Wren-0.
“But she was alone,” Wren breathed, hanging her head and sliding a thumb across the envelope.
“It doesn’t mean she wasn’t ready. Someone at her age, knowing the condition her body was in…it looks like she’s been well-prepared for something like this. She definitely had her affairs in order.”
If Ambrose wasn’t careful, she was going to force Wren to respect her. Maybe even like her a little. Seems Brent’s taste in women wasn’t all that shitty. Sarah, C.J., and now…
“Do I have to sign these here?” Wren asked.
Brent stepped up for that one. “No, we can do it at the courthouse. I can sign off on it as your lawyer.”
“We’ll do it tomorrow. I wanna go home.”
Brent nodded and held the folder open as he extended his hand, waiting for the envelope. Wren shook her head and tucked it into the front pocket of her hoodie as she rose from her chair. As they started to leave, Dr. Ambrose stood and cleared her throat.
“I am sorry…again. For everything. I wish you both well.”
Wren turned in Brent’s arm as he ushered her out the door.
“Thanks, doc. You’ve got myR-E-S-P-E-C-T.”
She snickered, and took her glasses off, nodding in appreciation. Wren didn’t say anything else as she followed Brent out.
CHAPTER 23
HE RUNS WITH WOLVES
“You’re late,” Dahlia crooned, twisting a slender, red-painted finger around in her platinum hair. “Do you assume that because you’ve chosen to live outside the safety of your coven, that you’re not still on the leash I’ve allowed to stretch?”
Athan plopped down in the leather chair across from her desk and toyed with the silver ring on his thumb. “I had a long night. Had some shit to attend to.”
Dahlia leaned back in her chair, studying him with predatory fire in her strange eyes. He hated those eyes. Hated every single part of her. The thought of ripping that useless unbeating flesh from her chest was overwhelming. Her mouth curled, and her chair moved as she waved her ankle over her knee. “Need I remind you that nothing takes priority over your coven? I figured you’d be more careful not to have to receive a reprimand from your queen.”
“Nobody said anything about the order of my priorities. I got caught up with a situation.”
She huffed through her nose, rolling her eyes as she put both feet on the floor. “Is there a difference? With that optimism, you’ll do a horrible job at my right.”
He pinched his bottom lip between his fingers and narrowed his eyes at the witch. “I’m never gonna be at your right, Dahlia. We have a deal, and I’m fully committed to fulfilling it to rid myself of you and this fucking place.”
“Such nasty words. That’s a great many years for something to go wrong, pet. Especially with distractions…like the new puppy you’ve taken in.”
His stomach may as well have dropped through his chair and crashed through the floor. He raised his pointer finger from his lip and directed it at her. “You don’t know the first thing about her. She’s got nothing to do with this, and if you drag her in the middle of our bullshit, you risk starting another war between vampires and wolves. I wasn’t here for the first one, and I don’t plan on being the reason for the second.”
“And how do you know there isn’t already a war? How do you know she wasn’t placed in the perfect position for you to wreck everything we have?”
“She’s not. Leave her the fuck alone.”
She smiled deviously. That cunning, wicked smirk that always meant she was up to something. Always cooking up a steaming pile of bullshit in her cauldron full of souls. The Devil herself. Wrapped up in pretty paper and topped with the most attractive bow—power.
“As you wish, dearest. Wouldn’t want you to have another reason to hate me, when your fate is sealed at my side. Eternity doesn’t have to be so vexing.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes, but I’ll never be by your side. Never again.”
“Hmm…we’ll see about that. The delivery this month seemed smaller than the last.”
