GET IT

KEVIN

Rose walks quietly into my study without knocking. Judging by the look on her face, I can tell she's still angry about the way I handled the situation earlier.

 

“How is she?” I ask calmly, pulling off my glasses and setting them on the desk.

 

She doesn't answer immediately. Instead, she sighs. “Did you really have to shout at Aveline like that?” Her voice tightens. “Don't tell me you're actually concerned about Velora?”

 

I exhale sharply and lean forward slightly. “You know that's not possible.”

 

“How am I supposed to believe that, Kevin?” She steps closer. “You loved her mother. Maybe you can't bear seeing Gemma's child suffer.”

 

Silence settles between us. The truth is, Rose is right. I did love Gemma, more than I ever admitted while she was still alive. And every time I look at Velora, the same quiet eyes, the same stubbornness set to her mouth at times… It feels like the past is standing in front of me, accusing me of everything I chose to bury. Part of me wonders if the way we’ve treated her is punishment enough… or if it’s only made the guilt heavier. But guilt is a luxury I can’t afford. Not when the alternative is losing everything.

 

What truly keeps me on my toes is her identity. If anyone discovers who she really is, the life I’ve built since Gemma’s supposed death could come crashing down. The alliances. The reputation. The careful story Rose and I have protected for years.

 

“You have nothing to worry about, honey,” I finally say. “Anyway, did she say anything to you?”

Rose presses her lips together, hesitating. “Nothing useful. But I still need to keep a closer eye on her.” She pauses, her expression hardening. “And you have to promise me something.”

 

I raise an eyebrow.

 

“My daughter is going to marry Eryx Nightbane.” Her voice is low, absolute, leaving no space for discussion. “I will not let her settle for anyone else. It’s Eryx or no one. Promise me.”

 

A quiet, humorless laugh escapes me at the intensity in her stare.

 

“Alright, honey. I promise.”

 

She doesn’t smile. I stand and walk over to her, gently turning her to face me. “Are you still mad at me, Rose?” I ask quietly.

 

My hand slides up her back before I cup her cheek. She lowers her gaze.

 

“I'm just scared, Kevin.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “What if…” She swallows. “What if it happens?”

 

I know exactly what she means. The possibility that Velora’s true bloodline could surface. That someone could dig deep enough to uncover what we buried. I understand the fear because I share it, and because some nights I still hear Gemma’s voice in the back of my mind asking me what I’ve done to her daughter.

 

I brush my thumb across her cheek. “I have everything under control.” I hold her gaze. “Velora will not find out who she is as long as we keep her under control. Do you understand me?”

 

She nods. Then she leans forward and presses a quick kiss to my cheek. I respond by kissing her properly, the brief contact easing some of the heaviness in my chest. When we pull apart, she searches my face with a small smile.

 

“I want you in bed early tonight. It's been a while.”

 

I give her a sideways look. “Is that what I think it is?”

 

She laughs coyly. “Just meet me in the bedroom. I have a surprise for you.”

 

Just like that, the heavy weight inside me shifts into something lighter. Rose turns and walks toward the door, hips swaying deliberately. I watch her until the door closes behind her.

 

I let out a quiet breath. The work can wait. For tonight, my wife is waiting for me. I walk back to the desk and begin gathering the unfinished documents and unsigned papers. They can wait until morning. But as I pull open the drawer, something catches my attention.

 

A necklace. A royal diamond necklace. Gemma’s. My fingers freeze. The air in the room seems to thin. Slowly, I pick it up. The stone is cold against my thumb, heavier than it has any right to be. For a moment I’m back in another time — Gemma’s laugh, the way she used to touch this same necklace when she was thinking, the last time I saw it around her throat before everything changed. I tell myself I haven’t thought about her in years. The lie tastes bitter. This necklace isn’t just a reminder of the woman I loved. It’s a reminder of every decision that followed her ‘death,’ every year we’ve spent making sure Velora never learned the truth, every time I looked at the girl and chose silence instead of honesty.

 

My jaw tightens. I place the necklace back inside the drawer with shaky hands and lock it with more force than necessary.

 

Whatever happened to Gemma stays buried. It has to. I straighten my shirt, push the thoughts away from my mind, and walk out of the study.

 

Tonight I don’t want to think about Gemma. I don’t want to think about Velora. And I certainly don’t want to think about what will happen if the truth ever comes out. Tonight, I want to forget it.

***

ERYX

I finally give in to the most absurd thought of actually going to the party.

 

One thing is clear: Vesper hasn’t told me everything he knows. No matter how many times I tell myself it can wait until morning, the restlessness won’t settle. Something about Velora keeps scraping under my skin — her scent still lingering in my memory, the unfinished pull of the bond I refused to complete. Every hour that passes without answers only makes the need sharper.

 

Before I can second-guess it, I’m already in the car. The engine turns over, and I pull out of the compound, following the route Vesper sent.

 

I click my seat belt into place before driving out of the compound, following the route Vesper sent earlier.

I’ve never been allowed to party. Even as a child, responsibility came before anything that resembled a normal teenage life. What other people call fun has always felt distant to me, almost irrelevant, and I imagine the reverse is true for them. Besides, I can be surrounded by people and still feel completely separate from them.

 

So, when people say I act and speak more like a grown man than someone my age, I don’t argue. They’re right. That is what being raised as the future Alpha does to you.

 

I take one last turn, and there it is, the exact address. Ross's house towers above the others, and from the outside, you'd hardly know there was a party happening inside. The second I walk in, every head snaps in my direction. A few people freeze in shock. Others stare as if they can't believe I'm actually standing in front of them and not some illusion.

 

I don’t acknowledge any of them. Their interest registers as background noise. I am here for one reason only. To find the idiot who made me drive all the way here. Even with the music loud enough to swallow most conversation in the room, my ears still catch a few whispers.

 

“God, this guy is hot. He looks like a celebrity.”

 

I almost smile. Deep down, I'm glad. Because when Velora eventually learns that I'm her mate, I don't want her to look at me and feel disappointed. She'll probably think the same thing. At least, I hope she does.

 

I have never cared about anyone’s opinion of me. Hers is already different. Somehow, the thought of her rejecting me—or deciding I don't meet her standards—gets under my skin.

 

Another girl whispers nearby. “I'm going to make him mine. I promise.”

 

I almost laugh. Pointless.

 

I make my way deeper into the house. Music, drinks, and bodies fill every available space. None of it holds my attention. My eyes scan the room until I find Vesper grinning from ear to ear, surrounded by a few half-dressed girls who seem perfectly content to hang off him.

 

I shake my head. Sometimes I still wonder how we ended up best friends. We have almost nothing in common. Then again, when Vesper decides to be serious, he becomes someone else entirely.

 

I'm about to cross the room toward him when someone steps directly into my path.

 

“Eryx?” Ross’s eyes widen, half shock, half excitement. “Yo, man. You came?”

 

“I'm here for someone,” I say flatly.

 

“Come on, man. We've got a lot of hot chicks rolling in tonight.” His voice rises above the music. Then he leans closer to my ear and drops his voice. “One babe can't be enough.”

 

I give him a blank stare. Suddenly, the memory of the library rises without invitation. The way he had put his hands on Velora, the fear in her voice, and the complete lack of consequence he expected makes something cold and precise settle in my chest.

 

“I appreciate your concern. I'll pass.” I start walking without sparing him another glance.

 

“Don't say I didn't tell ya!” he yells behind me.

 

I don’t look back. Men like him only feel powerful when they stand over someone they believe can’t fight back. That will be corrected. Just not tonight.

 

Right now, I need Vesper. Whatever he’s still holding back about Velora, I’m going to get it out of him before this night ends.