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Unshed tears turned the room blurry. The only time I’d felt anything like this was when Fane bit me to turn me. After succumbing to his embrace and the bliss passed, the torment hiding in him had bled into me.
These were his emotions, the agony that bitch had caused him and was still causing him this very instant.
I angled toward him, his focus still locked on Marissa as she and Dorian made a spectacle to torture Fane.
The desire to take his pain lanced through me with more force than a speeding train, so I took his hand and laced my fingers through his. As the debilitating emotions intensified and flowed through my veins, I clamped my mouth shut against the whimpers and sobs trying to break free.
Fane’s head snapped in my direction, his eyes wide. “What are you doing?”
“What are you talking about?” My voice came out in broken syllables, and a tear slid down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away.
He stared at our interlocked hands and then back into my eyes where he probably saw his anguish reflected in them. “Stop that. Don’t do that.”
“Not doing anything.” The amount of pain he carried would make most crumble.
But I’d been through hell too. I could take it. And I would.
As I pulled more of his emotions into me, a shudder raced over my spine, and I bit my tongue to keep from crying out, a metal tinge seeping into my mouth.
“It’s too much. Stop, Tate.”
I gave a pained smile.“You know I can take it.”
When another tear fell, Fane wiped it away with his thumb.“You shouldn’t have to.”
A broken laugh slipped out. The prick could already absorb my physical pain, and he’d tried to take on the internal scars shredding my insides apart. I was just returning the favor.
“Enough with the show, Marissa.” Sharp edges wrapped Camus’s words as they hit the atmosphere. “You said you wanted to be more involved, so I allowed you to start attending these meetings, but if you’re only here to cause a scene, you can leave.”
She pulled away from her mate and licked her lips. “Sorry, Dad. We got carried away.”
Holy shit. Marissa was the alpha’s daughter. Was that why Dorian was beta instead of Fane?
“Everyone, have a seat, and let’s get started,” Camus called as he made his way to the other end of the table.
Marissa sauntered toward the table with Dorian in tow, and they sat on either side of Camus. The tempest of agony from Fane slowed and then sheared off as his emotions leveled out, and he erected a barrier to block me. But he didn’t release his firm grip on my hand.
Ephraim gave me a thankful smile as if he knew I’d ripped the agony out of his nephew. Or maybe he noticed how we’d scooted closer and were now holding hands.
“I’ve accompanied Ephraim on meetings with packs closer to Savannah to discuss a serious issue that Head Alpha Barric has brought to our attention.” Camus’s large fingers tapped his glass as he made eye contact with every person in the room, including me. “Several shifters in various packs have been reported missing.”
A few council members blurted questions while others threw out speculations.
Camus held up his hand to halt the commotion. “We don’t have much information. No one has been found dead or injured, and we haven’t uncovered a link between victims.”
Marissa cleared her throat. “Why do we have guests at a council member meeting? They aren’t part of the pack.” A few of the other shifters nodded and murmured similar thoughts.
The alpha’s jaw ticked as he glowered at his daughter. “I haven’t had time to get to that.” He flicked his hand toward the demon shifter. “You all know Fane, and this is Tate, a former raven from the Savannah branch.”
Marissa’s jade glare drilled holes into me. “I guess you’re across enemy lines now, Tate.” My name expelled from her mouth like a bullet from a gun—fast, sharp, and piercing.
“I’m making friends.” I leaned closer to Fane, and he squeezed my hand.
“Don’t antagonize her,”he mumbled into my mind.
Her lips curled into a scowl, but before she could respond, her father spoke.
“They found Joseph Morrice’s campsite empty. No one, including his family, has seen or heard from him in four days. They assumed he was still camping.” Camus ran his hand through his dark hair, ruffling the strands. “There was no sign of a struggle. He just vanished.”
