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Her eyes flashed. "I could make your life difficult."
I couldn't help but respond with a bitter laugh. "That would be nothing new. Now, if you'll excuse me." I took a few steps away. "I can send for your maid if you like?"
She shrugged, but made no move to get dressed. "Do what you want."
I wished I could, because what I wanted was to be alone in a room with a naked, willing Viva, not the Alpha's wife.
I nodded curtly, backed out the door, and shut it quickly behind me.
"Don't open that door for anyone except her maid or the Alpha," I said to the guards. "And don't go inside." I didn't know if it was me she wanted to satisfy her urges, or justsomeonewho wasn't her husband. Either way, I wouldn't take the risk, one of these men would find it harder to say no than I did.
"Yes, sir," one of the guards replied.
I nodded and hurried off down the corridor. I hoped to Hades my face wasn't flushed. I could be as stony faced as ever, but colour in my cheeks might lead to speculation. I need time to think, without my subordinates asking questions.
What the hells did I do?
If I told the Alpha, he would be furious. If I didn't tell him, but she did, he'd be furious. No doubt she'd sayIcame on toher.
I had a sinking feeling whatever I said or did, I was firmly in the shit right now. And pissed Gwendolyn put me there. And for what? Did she just want some fun, or was she trying to cause trouble? She'd certainly done that.
I ran a hand over my head. I could tell Dex, but he would feel the need to tell Devlin. In the end, he would do what the Alpha told him to do, even if it meant exiling me from the Vault.
The more I thought about it, the less likely it seemed I'd get out of this with my balls intact.
I cursed Gwendolyn under my breath for getting me into this situation. I cursed myself for turning my back on her. If I saw her start to undress, I could have left sooner, or maybe stopped her.
I slammed my fist against my leg in frustration. That was all I could do right now. That and keep my stony mask in place. I would rather stand on the side of a cliff and look down than go back into the audience room, but I had no choice.
I pushed past the throng that gathered around the door, hoping to be let inside. If the Alpha felt like it, he would let them in, but it might not be today, or tomorrow. The crowd would still be here until he finally did. Or left the Residence.
Mutters followed me into the room, but I closed the door on it. They could grumble all they wanted, it wouldn't make Devlin move any faster. If anything, it would have the opposite effect. Surely they knew that?
I pressed my lips together. Of course they knew. Some of them would want to keep others from speaking to the Alpha. Hades only knew why. Everyone had some kind of agenda.
I hesitated outside the screen as the Alpha spoke.
"…rumours about some shifters wanting Dex to take over as Alpha." Devlin's tone held a clear warning. If the rumours were true, heads would roll.
I stepped around the screen and resumed my place near the Keeper.
Dex glanced at me, then back to Devlin. "People talk. It doesn't mean anything," he said lightly.
"People—" Devlin said slowly. "Lined the streets to shout your name. And more, they called for my downfall. Are you denying that?" His expression became more dangerous.
Dex managed to appear unruffled. "I sent you word of that myself. I assured the crowds you have their best interests at heart. I also made a donation to the Temple to discourage them from stirring up trouble."
"Ahh, the Temple." Devlin nodded. "The heart of dissent." He turned his attention to Knox. "Should I expect them to raise an army against me?"
Knox sat with his elbow on the armrest of his chair, his cheek resting against his knuckles. He shook his head.
"Not an army, no. They operate by speaking in the shadows, or during services. They may have stirred up the crowds. The donation will have helped. They're more interested in accumulating wealth than making trouble. But—" He glanced toward Viva.
"But?" Devlin prompted. His eyes narrowed; he clearly expected to be pissed off by what he heard.
Knox moved to rest the opposite cheek on the opposite knuckle. "If they know Comus is loose on the world, they might become more dogmatic."
"Or start to worship him." Viva wrinkled her nose in the cutest way. She looked hesitant, then added, "He seemed to think he was entitled to call himself Alpha too." She winced as she finished speaking.
