Page 31 of Ruthless Reign

I almost feel like Maverick; except I'm forcefully trying to find reason behind his decisions. I'm not sure if it's my Luna nature, becoming attune to questionable decisions for the sake of pack survival, or the desperate need to believe I'm truly safe, but either way, I'm struggling to truly hate him.

"Nyx," Cade says firmly, pulling me from my thoughts.

"What?" I mumble, glancing away.

It's silent for a few seconds before he steps back again, a strange expression crossing his face.

"I'm going to send you back to the room to cool off. I'll have someone come check on you shortly."

My face snaps back to his, searching his face for… I don't know,anything?

There's a new flash of concern that takes me by surprise, and all I can do is just nod my head. Realizing that I've reached my breaking point, Cade slips past me, disappearing into the hallway. He returns a few moments later with Sawyer, the older man gesturing for me to follow.

It gives me the opportunity to do what I do best in these situations, running away from Cade's office as he walks back to his desk from the door. I glance over my shoulder once before turning the corner, still spotting the concern on his face. But this time, there's a hint of pain too.

I don't focus my attention on it any more than I need to, keeping my head low until I'm back inside the bedroom. Sawyer closes the door behind him as he leaves, and I can't help but notice that I don't hear the distinctive sound of the lock. Yet, I have no desire to try to escape. Not when Lex, Maverick, and Alpha Daxton are on their way here.

And certainly not because I'm starting to feelsomethingfor the frustrating man downstairs. Definitely not.

My heart races as I sit by the window, pulling the chair closer to the glass as I perch myself in front of it.

A part of me still worries about an impending fight between the packs, but against my better judgment, I find myself starting to believe Cade.

But even if Cade is being honest and has no plans to hurt the other alphas, there's one truth I do know.

Lex, Maverick, and Alpha Daxton are one hundred percent going to want to hurt him.

And I have no idea what will happen when they do.

The sound of the door opening grabs my attention, temporarily making me forget about the nausea that's threatening me.

I look over, spotting a tall, dark-haired woman stepping into the room. She offers a warm smile, giving me a little wave as she slows her approach.

"Hi, I'm Annabelle. You must be Nyx," she says softly, stopping halfway across the room.

Standing up from my chair, I give a small nod. "That's me."

I'm not sure what else to say, so I hug my frame, waiting awkwardly for her to speak again.

"Alpha Cade mentioned that your heat is starting," she murmurs, reaching into the pocket of her black shorts. Pulling out a small vial, her hazel eyes check the contents before she bravely closes the distance to me. "This should help."

"What is it?" I ask suspiciously, but much nicer than I have been to the other New Moon members.

Annabelle holds it up, displaying the white, creamy liquid inside. "Marie makes it for us," she answers. "I'm not sureexactly what's in it—some natural herbs and ingredients. Either way, it helps stop the pain and burn."

Frowning, I reach out, gently taking the vial from her. I look at it closely, tipping it back and forth as the fluid swirls around. "It looks… gross."

"It's not thebesttaste," she admits. "But it works really well. I remember the first time I went into heat. I broke my bedroom door by clawing it with my nails—snapped three of them clean. And spent a week trying to pull out splinters." She shudders, clearly recalling the event.

I give her a sheepish, sympathetic smile. "I snapped metal chains."

"You badass," she muses warmly. "The second time, I was in the cells downstairs, so no breakage, thankfully. But then the third time, I had this and it was a huge relief."

Surprisingly, I find her friendly demeanor believable. I pop the lid off, taking a whiff of the potion—it's scentless, but I suspect it's going to taste funky. Holding my breath, I pour the vial's contents into my mouth, quickly swallowing. My face twists at the sour taste, making Annabelle laugh.

"Yeah, I did warn you it wasn't the best," she grins. "But trust me—it's so worth it."

"Thanks," I mumble, handing her the empty bottle back.

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