Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
How the hell am I going to pull this off?
Doubt starts to creep into my mind, threatening to take over. I swallow it down and take a deep breath.
“Well, I guess I’m ready,” I say and get up out of the chair. Mabel pulled my hair back in a low bun, looking effortlessly elegant paired with the ivory-colored dress I’m wearing. Looking at my phone as I walk, I opened the texts from Delphi. The first few are telling me about some guy who asked her out and wants my opinion on him. She sent these right around the time I got to the restaurant with Antonio and Gia. She followed up a couple hours later, and then this morning, she texted that she was getting worried.
Then she saw the news report.
Delphi: Please tell me you’re okay! Larkin is freaking out…there are rumors going around that you’re dead
Delphi: WREN I’m seriously worried!
Delphi: I just left an emergency pack meeting. CALL ME
The bad feeling starts to bubble up, and this time, I’m unable to push it down. I pause at the top of the stairs to text her back.
Me: Sorry…I’m alive…very long story. About to do a press conference with X.
She replies by the time I’m down the stairs.
Delphi: THANK GOD. WTF is going on?
Me: I don’t even know. I’ll call you later, promise.
Delphi: You better. I’m freaking out. The pack wants to meet with Xavier but he hasn’t replied to Larkin and the rumor mill is RUNNING wild.
I bite my lip. Things can’t go from bad to worse, can they? My eyes fall shut and I try to fall back in my training. Clear your mind. Keep control over your emotions. You can’t fight monsters on the outside if the monsters on the inside are winning.
It’s a weird existential struggle to see outside myself right now. On one hand, I don’t care about politics or what the pack thinks. None of it matters if I can’t break the sigil and free my soul. But the world doesn’t revolve around me, and if I dropped dead right now, everyone else has to keep going.
This is bigger than me and no one should suffer because of a deal I made. I knew what I was doing when I agreed, and it was never my intention to bring anyone else into my mess.
Yet, I did.
Me: Don’t worry. I’ll fill you in as soon as I can.
I turn my phone on do not disturb and walk through the house to Xavier’s office. He’s in there with Theo and Zeke, and they’re having a hushed conversation in Spanish. Knowing they can hear me, I don’t bother knocking but instead go right in.
“You look lovely,” Xavier tells me, coming over and sliding his arm around my waist. He’s dressed in his trademark dark suit, enhancing how intimidating he already looks.
“Thank you.” I close my eyes and lean against him, drinking up the micro-reprieve I get from feeling him against me. “Delphi says there’s a rumor going through the pack that I’m dead.”
“Interesting,” Xavier answers. “The world will see you’re alive and very well shortly.”
“Wait, I don’t have to talk, do I?” I rush out.
“No,” he replies, a slight smile coming to his face.
“Thank god,” I sigh.
“You can fight monsters and make deals with demons, but public speaking is where you draw the line?” Zeke asks.
“Yeah,” I say with a slight chuckle. “I prefer to stay out of the spotlight whenever possible.”
Theo lets out a snort of laughter. “Your life choices say otherwise.”
I give him a look and roll my eyes, but I’m thankful for his snark right now. Xavier slides his hand down my waist and takes my hand and everyone besides Antonio heads out. We go to the news station through a back entrance, avoiding all the reporters from other outlets out front. Victoria from the VC meets us inside, whisking us away. It’s interesting, being behind the scenes like this. Everything looks like how I imagined, only have seen the backstage area in movies or on TV. There are a lot of people milling about, busy working.
Two news anchors are talking right now, giving a report on something that’s happening in the Middle East. I stand quietly at Xavier’s side, doing my best to keep my mind from wandering to Vaelrik. The Order has been tapping into the demon’s power for years without anyone catching on which makes me wonder just how many Order members are involved. Everyone in upper management? Just a handful of corrupt assholes? I truly believe a majority of the Order is made up of arrogant, power hungry people who want an excuse to punish anything and anyone different than them.
How did things get to this point? The whole purpose of the Order was to stand up for what’s right, to keep evil from entering the human world. Now they’ve become the thing they’ve sworn to kill. It’s not the first organization to slowly get poisoned, and that in itself is terrifying. How do you go back? Is it even possible? Would the whole system collapse if you weeded out everyone who has been tainted?