~ NYSSA

I’d been cursed with an incessant need for knowledge.

Growing up, I thought it was a good thing because it meant that I was very good with reading. I couldn’t see a book without needing to pick it up.

Right now, I realized exactly why it was a curse.

Despite having vampires to worry about, I could not stop myself from being intrigued by the prospect of learning more about my parents. Their life was a mystery that I desperately needed to watch unfold.

"Nyssa," Eric hissed, voice low. "I know you, and I need you to walk away from this, please. Not now. You cannot afford to be distracted."

Unfortunately, I knew he was right. No matter how much I wanted to know, I had to shove that aside in favor of self preservation.

I sighed and turned back to Alisa. "I hope you heal well."

Her scream echoed through the room as I walked out and as soon as I shut the door, I felt it rattle as something slammed hard into it.

A part of me wanted to rip it open and demand for her to tell me, but I forced my legs to keep moving, ignoring the nurses who rushed into the room after I walked out.

Her screams increased in sound until they slowly died down leaving only the memory of them in their wake.

"You made the right choice," Eric whispered to me as we walked out to the parking lot. "The information wasn’t worth it."

"Wasn’t it?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. "I don’t know much about my parents. Even what the left behind for me to find was vague."

"True, but if you had agreed right there you would have been playing her game by her rules. You seem to be forgetting that you are the Luna of the largest and most powerful pack in the world. Your mate is the King. You never accept the first offer."

"What do you—" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"If you truly want the information she has, then keep her there for now, let her stew. After she’s healed, keep her on house arrest. Once all of this is over, go back, and I promise you, she will have a better offer for you."

I stared at him incredulously, a brow raised in amusement. "You’re smarter than I give you credit for."

He shrugged. "What can I say? I’m a man of many talents."

We drove back home in silence.

I lay with my head pressed against the window, staring at the scenery and the almost empty streets. The vampires had done more harm than any of us could have anticipated. Streets that used to be filled with laughing children were now empty and stalls closed early.

Everyone was constantly looking over their shoulder and it was a terrible way to live.

By the time we arrived home, I noticed that Rowan’s car was nowhere to be seen.

I turned to Eric. "Have you heard from Rowan?"

He shot me an incredulous look. "He’s your mate."

"And for some reason, he doesn’t want to speak to me," I said with a shrug. "What about Jeremiah?"

He sighed. "I’ll see what I can find out."

While he busied himself, I made my way into the kitchen, pulling out some leftover pasta from the freezer to heat it up for the both of us.

While I waited for it, I grabbed a bag of hips from the drawer and ripped it open. I threw one into my mouth only to cringe a second later and spit it out into the sink.

"What happened?" Eric asked, rushing over to me. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "I think it’s expired."

He glanced over at the bag and to my surprise, he took a piece and threw it into his mouth. "Tastes good to me."

I stared at him with wide eyes and my mouth screwed up in disgust. "You’re fucking unbelievable."

He ate another piece for good measure. "I don’t know what’s up with your taste buds but this is fucking good."

The mere sight had bile crawling up my throat. "Please take that away from me."

He made a show of chewing loudly as he walked out of the kitchen.

Only when he was gone could I finally breathe properly then as if on cue, the microwave beeped loudly, letting me know my food was ready.

We ate in the living room, me with my pasta and Eric with his disgusting chips. He let me know that Rowan was with Jeremiah somewhere in town the last he checked.

Knowing he was safe put me at ease just a little, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling me.

When the doorbell rang, I rushed to answer it, thinking it was him, but when I pulled it open and saw Aria, I couldn’t help my disappointment.

"Hi," she whispered softly. "Can we talk?"

I felt a presence behind me as Eric stepped up to the door. "I don’t know how I feel about this considering you whacked me upside the head the last time."

She grimaced. "I’m sorry about that. I really thought I was helping."

Eric merely hummed. "The King... well, he asked me not to let you in."

Aria sighed, running her hands through her hair. Her shoulders sagged with disappointment and hurt flashed behind her eyes. I could not imagine how she felt hearing that she wasn’t even allowed in her brother’s house anymore.

As much as I wanted to let her in, I didn’t want to risk Rowan’s displeasure.

"This was a stupid idea," she murmured finally. "I’m sorry, I should—"

"Wait!" I stopped her. "You can’t come in, but there’s nothing against me going out, right? Maybe we could take a drive for a few minutes, talk there, and be back before Rowan even knows I’m gone."

Eric frowned. "I don’t know how I feel about this. I’m supposed to keep an eye on you at all times."

"It’s just Aria, Eric," I said softly. "How bad could it possibly be?"