Page 49 of Alice and Her Shifters (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 2)

“Only to a point,” Milo added. He took a few moments to run everything through his mind. He nodded. “This could work.”

He knelt to the ground and used a finger to draw a layout of what the red witch’s estate looked like. He then pointed out the key areas and explained where things were. When he got to the layout of the estate, he gave a loose account of where everything was and what to expect.

“Once we shift,” he said, pointing at the narrow passageway to the front door, “Calvin and his war buddies will take point at these three spots. These are where the guards will likely be. Take them out and form up here.”

“That’s a window,” Calvin said.

Milo glanced at him. “Yes, I know this. But I will already be inside and have it open.”

“With luck, you mean?” Calvin asked.

Milo waved him away and then continued. “Alice will then walk up the pathway and through the front door. The throne room is on the right. But she won’t be there. She will likely be up the stairs in her chambers, of sorts.”

He looked up from his drawing and stared deep into my eyes. “This is where you take over. Don’t fall for her tricks. Remember everything I’ve taught you and take her out. Do this, and we can finally get you home.”

I let out a deep breath and nodded. The plan still felt really loose but at least we were further along than we were beforehand. I picked at the last bits of bacon and stopped listening while I chewed. My mind was distracted by the fact that my life with these men was about to be over. It was what I wanted from the beginning.

So why did I suddenly hate the idea now?

20

CALVIN

Walking back into the hands of the red witch was not part of the deal I had made with Milo. Yet here we were, getting ready to do that exact thing. Sure, the plan was made, but I had issues and endless questions… particularly when it came to Milo and him going into the red witch’s estate first.

The entirety of this whole trip had been one shoddy decision after another. Milo needed to be upfront with everything. And months ago. Not just when it suited him to enlighten me with a few of the smaller details, or when he decided to regale Allison with his charming lies and half-truths. I saw right through him.

I swore he was purposefully trying to keep us all in the dark, and that didn’t sit well with me. Everything about this situation and the so-called “plan” stank of a trap. Especially since he insisted on being the one that walked into Camelia’s house first. As always, Milo was hiding something.

I tried to let it go for the next few days. After everything we had been through, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the feeling continued to gnaw at me and grate on every nerve. We had a couple of hours before King and Jasper showed up at Camelia’s estate, and I hated the idea of them walking into a trap on top of Allison. The three of them didn’t deserve to be betrayed by Milo.

And I had put off confronting him long enough.

Milo stepped out of the woods, returning from a small hunt. As he approached the mill, I headed him off.

“Calvin,” he said with a quirked eyebrow. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like what you have to say to me.”

I held up a hand to him and said, “Before we set this big plan of ours into stone, I have a question.”

Milo rolled his eyes and sighed. “Of course, you do.”

“So, you know what I’m going to ask then?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t read minds.”

“Funny,” I snapped. “Why don’t you tell me what you haven’t already shared?”

“What are you talking about?” Allison asked, joining my side. “What’s going on?”

I held up a finger to her. She scoffed.

“Go on, Milo,” I said. “Share with the class.”

All eyes settled on him. If that bothered him, he didn’t show it. He simply met each of our gazes and plastered a look of annoyance on his face. Outside of his disdain for Allison sleeping with Aidan and me, he’s shown little emotion. This little reveal of his was doing nothing but confirming my suspicions.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” he said meeting my gaze. “If you’ll excuse me, I want to clean up before Alice and I have one last training session before the big test.”

He stepped to the side and continued toward the mill.

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