It felt like my breath was stolen Kieran had never mentioned this fatal weakness–that in gaining power, I’d surrendered my free will to the very beings I’d most feared.
“I am not a murderer; please just… let me be.” I hated the plea in my voice but couldn’t stop the words.
“It is in your nature; demons are bringers of death, and you are part demon, so you will always be a murderer. You can’t resist what you are.”
“Why, Thalia? Why? I helped you; you would have died in the woods, but L….” I stopped, remembering the night I’d found her injured. Had she planned this all along?
“This is not about you; Kaius had taken me for granted; he had used me like I wasn’t one of the most powerful beings in the world, and so I would get back at him, but you will be my tool.”
The bitter truth struck home. I was merely collateral damage in her vendetta against Kaius. “I’d rather die than hurt him or anyone in this pack.”
“Yes, all of that and more.” Her smile turned knowing, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But I am not the first to do this; I might have taken mine on another level, but I do remember the Alpha King doing something similar to keep you from the painful truth. Truly love is weakness.”
“What?” The implication stole my breath.
Before I could process this new horror, Thalia stepped back, releasing whatever hold had kept me immobile. I collapsed forward, catching myself on my hands as I gasped for breath.
“We’ll speak again soon, my little puppet.” She moved toward the window, her form already beginning to fade. “When you least expect it, when you think you’re safe… remember who truly owns you now.”
I stood outside Kaius’s office door, my hand raised to knock but frozen in midair.
I finally knocked, three sharp raps that echoed my racing heartbeat.
“Come in.” Kaius’s voice carried through the heavy wood.
I pushed open the door to find both Kaius and Frost inside, heads bent over what looked like patrol schedules. They both looked up at my entrance, twin expressions of surprise crossing their faces.
“I need to speak to you, Kaius.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt
Frost immediately began gathering the papers. “I’ll come back later-
“No, stay.” The words came out more forcefully than I’d intended. If I was going to confront Kaius, I wanted a witness. Someone who might understand.
Kaius leaned back in his chair, his amber eyes studying me intently. What do you want to speak to me about?”
I closed the door behind me, taking a deep breath to steady myself. Have you used your Alpha aura thingy on me before?”
The question hung in the air like a live wire. Frost’s eyes widened, darting between Kaius and me.
1/2
Chapter 235
“Damn. He muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “I should go.”
“No, you will stay.” I held his gaze until he nodded reluctantly, moving to lean against the wall rather than leaving. I turned back to Kaius, who hadn’t moved, hadn even changed his expression. “Please, Kaius, don’t lie to me; just tell me the truth; I need to know.”
A long moment passed before he finally spoke. “Yes, I had.”
The confirmation hit harder than I’d expected, despite being prepared for it. “Why?”
“That you don’t want to know, trust me.” His voice was steady, but Iught the slight tension in his jaw.
“You had no right, Kaius.” Anger simmered beneath my words.
“I was trying to help; you needed that.” He straightened in his chair, his posture defensive.
“I never want my mind messed with, so you will tell me exactly why you did that else…” The threat hung incomplete between us.
“Else what?” His eyebrow rose slightly, a challenge.
“Else we are going to have a problem.”
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