~ ROWAN

A curfew was instated for the pack and judging by the responses I got from Jeremiah, they were not pleased about it.

"Everyone is on edge," he told me as we sat in my office. "There have also been a few... whispers."

"What kind?" I asked, sitting up straight.

He didn’t speak immediately. He just glanced around the room, wringing his fingers in his lap as if debating his next words. I knew that the odds of me not liking his next words were high, but I waited patiently for him to speak.

"About the Luna," he continued, his words careful as he watched me. "Some believe that she is a spy for the king."

"Why would Nyssa ever do that?"

He shrugged. "I don’t think they truly believe that, I think they’re just worried and worried people say shit all the time. This is very unlike anything we have ever had to deal with, and they’re scared. Hell, I am too."

I pursed my lips tightly. "Focus on the curfew. I need Evelyn in my office before the end of today, and I need someone who knows shit about the vampires."

"Would you like me to send my spies out of the pack?" he asked but I shook my head.

"Going out of the border is too dangerous. There has to be someone in this damned pack who is old enough to know something about these bastards... something that can help us."

"Of course, your majesty," he murmured, head bowed low. "Anything else?"

"For now? No."

He stood to his feet and after one last respectful bow, he walked out.

I waited until the door clicked shut behind him before exhaling deeply. Exhaustion lined the corners of my eyes, and each heavy exhale felt like a weight was being lowered onto my pack.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also concerned regarding the vampires. There was something off about the king yesterday, something that told me he wouldn’t be like any of the other adversaries we had faced.

I wasn’t sure if it was the boredom in his eyes, or the excitement and mirth that danced across his face when Nyssa arrived. It all seemed like a game to him, and that was the most terrifying part of it all.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts and I glanced up as Evelyn walked into the office, her hands folded neatly behind her.

I hadn’t expected her to arrive so soon, not when Jeremiah had only left my office a few minutes ago.

"I was already in the palace... your majesty," the last two words came out strained, and she bowed low, but her movements were stiff.

I knew I was not her favorite person at the moment. Nyssa told me all about her explosion in the hospital.

"Sit," I said simply, gesturing to the seat in front of me.

She hesitated for a moment before lowering herself. "I assume this is about the vampires."

I nodded stiffly, not bothering to deny it. "How much did Marlene teach you about them?"

"Not much," she admitted with a shrug. "She said the less I knew the better. She taught me how to hunt and feed and occasionally told me ab out her time at the palace, but nothing else. She didn’t like to speak much about it, and I see why now considering that the moment she did... she died."

Her voice was thick with emotion and she glanced down towards the ground as she spoke.

"I am sorry for your loss." She couldn’t hold back her snort. "You do not think I am?"

"I think you are trying to protect your mate," she said simply. "The rest of us do not matter in the grand scheme of things. My mother was collateral damage."

"I did not intend for your mother to die, Evelyn. I did not cause it and I sure as hell did not advocate for it."

"But you would let it happen again if it helps you to protect your mate," she said coldly. "And I understand it, I truly do, what I didn’t understand was why you had to send someone to threaten me into silence."

My spine went rigid and my mouth pressed into a thin line. "I don’t understand."

"I came here today to officially remove myself as a member of this pack. After all, I have served my usefulness to you. I have told you everything I know about vampires."

"You have told me nothing—"

"I told your sister," she said, her words landing like a bomb. "She came to me yesterday morning. I presume she came on your behalf."

I opened my mouth to speak but no words would come out.

I did not send Aria to her. Hell, I did not even know Aria had gone to her. After our last encounter outside her door, I had not laid eyes on my sister. I had no idea what fucking game she was playing at, but I was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Tell me what you told her," I said, turning to Evelyn. "Everything."

She sighed and began speaking.

There was nothing that inherently stood out among the things she said, and it was clear she did not know much.

By the time she was done, I still had my questions.

"Thank you," I paused for a moment before adding. "I truly am sorry about Marlene, and for what it is worth, if I could have prevented it, I would have."

Her eyes widened in surprise but she said nothing, merely gave me a tight smile and stood to her feet. She reached the door when she suddenly stopped and glanced over her shoulders at me.

"There is one more thing," she said softly. "Marlene always used to tell me to be careful about dreams. She said the king was an expert at warping dreams and manipulating them. It’s not a vampire skill set, just something he learned over the years."

I leaned forward on my elbows, trying desperately to hide the relief that coursed through me. "Tell me more about that."