Page 71 of The Wolf

The pain begins to ebb. My spine straightens and I can feel all my limbs again. My skin closes back together, and the ringing in my ears stops. The searing agony that had gripped me fades into a dull ache, leaving me whole again.

“You live,” he rumbles, deep and resonant, as he helps me sit up. “Good.”

“You left me!” My voice is hoarse and faint as I shove him without any strength. But my hand lingers, clutching his arm for comfort.

He bows his head and sighs heavily. “I can’t even express how sorry I am.” Then he drops to one knee, his right hand resting on his heart. “I’ll serve you for a lifetime.”

I’m upset, disappointed, and grateful all at the same time. So I let him sit with that guilt for a while longer. “Who was the witch? Do you know her?”

He doesn’t reply, his expression unreadable as his gaze shifts toward the horizon where she had vanished. After a long pause, he turns back to me. “Rest,” he commands gently.

For a moment, I do, having a short exchange with Alex, who still has about an hour to go before he reaches the Veil. He’s absolutely enraged with the gargoyle and I try to calm him down. But I can also tell that he feels better, knowing we’re about to head back home and that I’m safe with him around.

Then, the wet, gurgling sound startles me before I realize it’s coming from Emily. The gargoyle helps me up and we approach her crumpled form, her chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Her face is pallid, her skin damp with sweat, black blood all over her, but she’s alive—barely. My heart lurches.

“She’s breathing,” I say, my voice trembling as I glance at the gargoyle. “Can you help her?”

He kneels beside her, and for a moment, I think he’s about to try, his clawed hand hovering above her body. Yet, with a swift, brutal motion, he slashes her neck instead, blood cascading like a waterfall as she lets out the last choking noise.

I stumble back, horrified, my stomach turns.

“Most humans can survive possession, depending on the demon’s rank,” he explains in a low, even tone, his gaze steady on Emily’s still form. “But not being invaded by Lilith. I could have healed her body, but not her mind. There was no help for her.” His voice grows colder. “Besides, she was a hunter.”

I glance at her lifeless face, slack and vacant, like a puppet with its strings cut. The hollow expression confirms it—she had looked like someone after a lobotomy. Putting her down was…merciful.

But the weird guilt still gnaws at me. “If it wasn’t for me, she would’ve had a happy life with Dean,” I murmur more to myself, the words catching in my throat.

The gargoyle lets out a derisive snort. “You mean, if they hadn’t tried to force you into their special breeding program?” he counters. His sharp violet eyes bore into mine, and I realize, with a sinking feeling, that Alex must have briefed him on my past.

“She doesn’t have vampire blood in her system or anything?” I ask, not needing any repeats.

He leans down, sniffing her with deliberate care. “No. She’s gone.” Straightening, he adds, his tone as hard as granite, “Don’t feel bad for her. Humans aren’t our friends.”

“I’m human,” I say, barely above a whisper.

He looks at me, his eyes softening for the briefest of moments. “No, you’re not,” he replies, his voice quieter but no less certain. “You might physically look like one, but the werewolf curse lies deep in your tissues. You’re the same monster to them as the rest of us.”

The words cut deep, unexpected, and the weight of everything crashes down on me. I choke out a sob, my hands shaking as I try to hold myself together. But perhaps that realization is all I need to fully accept my place in the Veil.

I’m not an ordinary girl. I never was.

I nod quickly—too quickly—because I’m afraid if I speak, my voice will come out all wobbly and shit, betraying me.

He must sense it and steps forward. Then, out of the blue, he wraps his arms around me. He’s all firm muscle, but I didn’t expect to feel actual skin and flesh—his embrace surprisingly warm for a stone.

“Umm… Is that a hug?” I tease him, but I’m fighting off the growing lump in my throat.

“Please forgive me for leaving, my Queen,” he murmurs, his voice thick with regret.

Oh, he’sserious-serious.

I bury my face against his torso, the tears spilling freely now. Both me and Alex could be dead by now if not for him. “Thank you for coming back.”

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes searching mine. “See, you’re still so…” he begins, then stops himself. His jaw tightens, and he lets out a soft growl of frustration. “Alexander is clearly too gentle with you.”

I frown, wiping my face with the back of my hand. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It was obviously a trap set by Lilith. He wouldneverask you to leave the Veil, not without him by your side.”

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