Chapter Eight

Raine POV

This is where it gets worse. “It was Brax.”

The room falls into a deathly silence. Then my father shoots to his feet so fast his chair scrapes loudly against the floor.

“Are you joking?!” His voice booms. “The future Alpha of the vampire hybrids? Why the hell would you think it was okay to tattoo him?”

“Father, he was nice. He came in as a customer. By the time I realised who he was, I’d already nearly finished the piece.” My voice rises to match his. “You want to believe he’s a monster? Fine. But he stood up for me when Kai threw me across the room, even though I didn’t need protecting!”

“I don’t give a damn if he was on his knees worshipping you! Vampires, Raine? Do you have any idea what people would think?”

“Let them think whatever they want,” I snap. “My shop is not on pack grounds. I’ve always said I welcome everyone.”

“Not him.” My father leans forward over the table, palms flat, eyes blazing. “Cancel the next appointment. And you three—” he points at my brothers, “—you will watch her the entire time she works.”

“That’s not fair! It’s my business!”

His glare is ice-cold. “That’s an order. Cancel the fucking appointment, Raine. Right now.”

I swallow hard. “I have no way to contact him, Father.”

“Then the next time he shows up for his appointment, your brothers will be there to make sure you do it.”

I nod stiffly, push my chair back, and walk out of the room without another word. Outside, I drop onto the wooden bench, elbows on my knees, face in my hands.

I hate this.

I opened my shop outside the pack grounds for exactly this reason, for freedom.

I envy humans. At eighteen they can just… leave. That life is right there, just outside the gates, but it might as well be on another planet for me.

Our packs pretend to be modern, gated communities where we can run free and be ourselves. But the Alpha’s control doesn’t stop at the gates. It follows you everywhere.

“Venom.”

“Don’t, Cain.”

He ignores me and sits beside me anyway. “I get that you want your own life.”

“Who doesn’t?” I snap, lifting my head. “I’m done, Cain. I am so fucking done. If I could walk out of this pack right now and never come back, I would.”

“All this because we don’t want you tattooing a vampire?”

“No,” I laugh bitterly. “All this is because I’ve always been an outsider. Mother hates me. I’m being forced to marry Kai and let him claim me. I’m not even allowed to do the one thing I actually love anymore. I’m not allowed to find my mate.”

“Witch hybrids don’t have mates.”

“Yeah… of course.” My voice cracks. “Sorry. I forgot. I’m not allowed to find someone I love and marry them either.”

He chuckles softly. “Love is overrated.”

“You say that because you’re allowed to wait for your mate. I’m not.”

“Look, things are weird right now, but give it time. Kai isn’t a bad guy.”

“I never said he was,” I mutter. “I just… it doesn’t matter, Cain.” I stand up, brushing my hands on my jeans. “I’ve got stock to buy for the shop. I have an appointment at one, so make sure you and the others are there to vet every single customer I get.”

Standing, I walk out. Getting to the gates, they are opened and I step out into the street. I wish I could vanish, pretend I’m human. Be normal, have a normal life.

I don’t need to buy stock, but I have to get away. If I took a car my father would know. So, I walk. It helps to clear my mind, to give me something to focus on.

I watch the buildings pass by, the humans moving throughout their day. They work together, they build entire cities. They have connections all over.

Wolves... we typically stick to our packs, to doing businesses between packs. It’s smaller, and I hate that. Sure some wolves are like me with businesses open to everyone, but it’s still not the same.

“Nightbloom.”

The whisper comes from behind me, the breath hitting my neck. I go to spin, but I’m pulled inside a building, the door closing. My body is pinned. When I look up, I see Brax.

“I need to speak with you,” he says softly, then guides me through the building which I quickly realise is a hotel. Getting into an elevator, he scans a card and it moves.

It stops, the doors opening to a large penthouse. My eyes go to the windows, the scenery, the view. He pulls me through, but my mind is stuck, unsure of what to say or do.

“Are you okay?” He captures my chin, and watches me. I melt under his gaze, the way he looks at me, it’s like I’m his world, and he doesn’t even know me. “Answer me, please.”

Nodding, I turn away. “I’m not allowed to tattoo you going forward. When you come tomorrow I need to make you aware you’re not welcome anymore.”

“No one has the right to do that.”

“My father does,” I argue. “And if I don’t agree, there’s a chance Kai won’t let me continue on with the business once we marry.”

He snarls. My body slams against the window. “You’re not marrying him.”

Is he crazy? “I have no choice, Brax. What, do you think I can marry you instead?”

His eyes glaze over, and I shiver at how close his wolf is.

“You know no one in the vampire hybrid will accept me.”

“I’m not willing to lose you. I’ll find a way.”

My head shakes. “Not quick enough. If I could find a way to hide.”

His eyes widen like the idea of me finding a way to hide scares him. “Then marry him, let him claim you. Then when I find a way to be with you, I’ll do it.”

“If he claims me—”

His hand covers my mouth. “I’ll still come for you. I’ll make him break the bond, and I’ll claim you.”

He says it like it’s so damn easy, like it’s possible. “I don’t want to marry Kai.”

He cups my face. “You have to. When I become Alpha then I can claim you. Just give it some time.”

Time? I don’t have time. I also don’t have a choice, because running... I chew my lip. How can I know I can trust him? Vampires use witches, they hunt witch hybrids.

“Little Nightbloom,” he whispers, stepping closer, still cupping my jaw. “I know, I can feel your magic. I swear, I won’t let any vampire touch you.”

I go to step back, but he holds me in place. “You’re my mate. I don’t care what anyone says, they don’t touch you.” His lips brush against mine.

My body relaxes instantly, and pushes closer to him. He kisses me deeper, and then my mind goes. All I can think about is him, his hands on me, how his skin feels against mine.

I gasp as he kisses me deeper, dragging me closer. I should stop this, but I don’t want to. I don’t want Kai to be the one I sleep with first.