Page 89 of Haze

“Listen, I get it.” Dinah stands up from her seat, her wolf pushing forward. “Your mommy and daddy abandoned you in Romania. Then had the audacity to die on their way to, what did you call us? The colonies? Very old-world of you. But you aren’t moving in here and taking Lena’s place.” Dinah smirks.

Revecca raises her head. Dinah’s almost a head taller than her, but Revecca’s The Pricolici, there’s a lot of power there.

Dinah doesn’t back down. “First, because she’s far wittier than you are. And, second, because no matter how badly you want to be reunited with your brother and have this big happy family vibe, no one likes you. Your guards are paid to be with you, but even they’re having more fun hanging out here than you are. Third, we’re supposed to be family. Clearly that means nothing to you. But it means something here.”

Revecca’s jaw drops.

I walk to the kitchen, not wanting to cause any further theatrics. I want to feed my mate, then curl up and relax with her a bit more. But I have to admit that Dinah hit many of Revecca’s insecurities. The insider knowledge I have makes it all so much sweeter. I’ve never wished Revecca ill, but I’m not above wishing for her to be taken down a peg or two.

In the kitchen, the ‘henchman’ that Thalia made note of, with the hand tattoo, pulls out two plates from a cupboard. I know him as Patrick since I trained him for Magnus. He’s from Ireland by way of Dublin. We recently brought him, well, Magnus recently brought him into the inner circle. Regardless, he’s loyal, but not to the Ardeleans. There are only a few reasons Magnus would force Revecca to keep an Irish guard, specifically Patrick, with her. Something in Romania is not settled. The queen and her throne are in danger.

Patrick helps me get plates together of the food that Revecca cooked.

“I heard you’re out,” he whispers.

“Aye,” I answer, watching to see if he reaches for a sharp object or a gun.

“Congratulations.” He nods.

I shake my head. “Wasn’t how it should have been.”

“Finn,” Cade calls, and I turn to find him on the other side of the counter.

“Yes?” I answer.

He points to the plate. “Lena’s kinda picky. Best leave the eggplant down here.”

Thalia snorts, and Dinah laughs.

Dinah’s voice carries clearly across the space as she says, “Lena only wants your eggplant Finn. None of those aubergines.”

I shake my head, opting to plate different food for her. Plating up extras of different options, I’m about to go upstairs when Deacon descends, and Lena steps down right behind him.

“Look who I found!” Deacon laughs, beaming as he spins Lena around in a silly dance.

“Joy,” Revecca starts. “So nice for you to join us. Did you get enough beauty sleep? It’s a disgrace to your title to nap. Royalty should always be available during daylight hours—”

“How odd.” Setting the plates on the counter, I step in and cut her down myself. “I thought you were the disgrace. I mean, with The Pricolici jumping bloodlines to The Leviathan’s. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Now that you know he’s here, you need him to validate you on the throne.”

Walking out of the kitchen, I smile at her. I turn to catch her eyes over the bar. She glares at me, her bright blue eyes boring a hole into me.

She tries to command me, but it doesn’t come from The Pricolici. “Enough.”

I smile at her. I know Revecca’s secrets, and if she doesn’t want them aired, she’ll back down, “No, it isn’t enough. Why haven’t you told them the truth about why you want Cade to return to Romania?”

I spoke quietly, but we’re wolves, so it doesn’t matter. Murmurs cross over the others of the Ardelean Bloodline.

Revecca shakes her head, and boldly, I give her my back.

Lena’s standing next to Deacon. Having abandoned the shapeless sweats, she’s back in jeans and a maroon T-shirt with ‘meh’ emblazoned across her chest. Her hair hangs loose around her shoulders.

How is she always so sexy?

Given the exchange, it’s no surprise her face holds a look of confusion.

Does she not know she was born with purpose? Not only as my mate but to her bloodline?

I walk over to Lena and offer my hand to her. “I was making us plates. I intended to be back before you woke up. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when I told you I would be. “

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