Page 53 of Secrets and Shadows

“You son of a bitch!” Vaughn yells, his wolf materializing behind him, snarling to match his fury.

My snake hisses, ready to strike, but I hold it back. I’m giving them one chance to explain what the fuck they think they're doing, before things go south. Violence isn’t new to me—I wield it like a sword—but these are my friends.

I’ll let them have their say before I decide if it’s time for my Shadow to strike. Because when I hit, I don’t miss. When I hit, I kill.

“We fucking trusted you!” Vaughn roars in my face.

I don’t flinch. I don’t react. If this is about Lilith, they better start fucking talking now before they push me too far.

“Get your hands off me,” I warn, my voice low and deadly.

I barely finish before Vaughn’s fist comes flying at me again, his face twisted with rage and betrayal. It’s clear he’s way past the point of talking and I'm done letting him use me as a punching bag. In a split second, I wrench free from Vaughn’s grip. He’s strong, but my magic is stronger.

I vanish into the shadows, a blur of darkness, and reappear right behind Vaughn. My snake strikes, lashing at his wolf with lethal precision.

I quickly shove Vaughn against the wall, my magic rippling out to freeze him in place. “Listen to me,” I demand. “Let’s talk.”

Simon’s bear materializes next to him, teeth bared, ready to pounce. The threat is clear, but before I can react, Simon surprises me. He lunges at me, and we both crash down onto the cold, damp ground. The impact knocks the wind out of me, and he lands on top, his furious face inches from mine.

“You were a fucking brother to us, and you put Bennett first!” Simon snarls. The accusation stings, but I don’t have time to dwell on it as his fist connects with my jaw. Blood fills my mouth and a sharp pain radiates through my skull.

They must’ve overheard my chat with Bennett, and now they think I’ve turned my back on them and Lilith. As if I’d ever fucking do that.

“For fuck’s sake—I’m not working with Bennett, I’m working against her!” I spit, shoving against Simon’s weight. He doesn't budge, snarling he draws his arm back... “Stop! Lilith is my fated mate!”

Those words hit like a bucket of cold water, shocking even me. They finally know for certain I’ll never hurt her—it’s physically impossible. Our souls are intertwined, and I’d fight the entire fucking world for her if I had to.

Slowly, Simon’s grip on me loosens, his eyes still drilling into me, searching for any hint of deceit.

“I’m not lying,” I assure him right off the bat. Sure, I might lie to Bennett, but that’s only to protect the few people I care about. I can count them on one hand.

My snake, who at some point must’ve coiled around and restrained Vaughn so he wouldn’t jump in, releases him and he falls to the ground gasping for air. But because he’s Vaughn, even that won’t shut him up—no force in this realm could keep him quiet. “What the hell?” he gasps, his voice strained as he stands. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

I wince as I struggle to sit up, spitting out the blood that’s pooled in my mouth. “Because I like to keep certain things private. I never thought I’d end up with a mate, especially not someone like her. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it—and I wouldn’t have if you two hadn’t attacked me like a couple of lunatics.” I shoot them a look as I stand up. They’re the only ones who’ve ever managed to get the upper hand on me and live to tellthe tale. Anyone else would be dead by now. “I’m staying close to Bennett to figure out what she knows. You would’ve known that if you’d given me a chance to explain instead of jumping me.”

Vaughn’s guilty expression says it all. He shifts from foot to foot, unable to meet my gaze. His mouth opens like he wants to say something, but then it shuts again, the words left unspoken. But I don’t need him to say anything. It makes things less awkward. The tension fades, replaced by an unspoken understanding.

“Does Lilith know? Have you even ever talked to her? When did this happen? Was it while I had you watching her?” Simon questions almost in a frenzy. As he speaks, our Shadows melt away, leaving us standing in the dark secret hallway.

“I knew before you asked me to keep an eye on her,” I clarify. Vaughn tends to spill too much information, while Simon is more reserved and fills in the gaps when prompted. As for me, I don’t like disclosing my deepest secrets, even to my closest friends. “And yeah, I spoke to her at the masquerade.”

Vaughn comes over and gives me a supportive pat on the back, which only sends a fresh wave of pain through me. “My man,” he says, but I shoot him a stern frown letting him know I need some space, and he quickly steps back.

“But doessheknow?” Simon cuts in.

I shake my head. “Not yet. For now, I’d rather keep it between us. Lilith has enough on her plate without me piling more on.” I take a moment to catch my breath, letting the silence settle between us like a fragile truce. “We all need to be on the same page if we’re going to protect her. I can’t fight this battle alone.”

"Vaughn nods slowly in understanding, the fire in his eyes returning, but this time with a sense of pure determination.

“All right,” Simon finally says, blowing out a breath, a sign of his own agitation dissipating. “You’re right, she’s going to needall three of us. Especially with how much of a threat Bennett believes she is.” His expression softens, the fierce loyalty in his eyes returning as he glances between us. “We’ll handle this together.”

“Exactly,” I reply, the tension between us easing. “Lilith’s safety is our priority, no matter the cost.”

As we exchange determined nods, the resolve among us solidifies. We’ve always been a team built on respect and understanding, each of us balancing each other out, but this is something stronger.

“Now, if we’re done here, let’s clean up and maybe grab a drink. After today’s events, the Gods know we could use one.”

Twenty-One

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