Chapter 0217

His hand closed around mine, shocking me. He pressed the blade deeper into his own skin.

“Then kill me now. I want you as mine in every way possible.”

My breath caught. I struggled to hide my reaction. He had shifted from being useful, to attractive, to now… desirable. There was still a long road ahead. But his willingness to die for me? That scored him major points.

The blood dribble became a steady trickle. It ran over the blade and onto our joined hands. He didn’t flinch. His stunning dark eyes remained locked on mine.

Only when my grip on the knife loosened did he release me. The blade clattered to the floor. I was silently thankful for the dark carpet. A cream one stained with blood would have sent me over the edge. That stuff is a nightmare to remove.

I watched his wound seal shut, leaving a bloody smear on his neck. Damn, he looked incredibly hot.

But no. I wouldn’t yield. Not tonight. Not after that stunt he pulled.

I sipped my coffee, making myself invisible among the passersby on the bustling street. I hadn't planned to return to the city, but it was a prime spot for observation. I needed intel on any disturbances linked to the Rogue. He had undoubtedly killed again. Rogues can't last long without feeding.

So far, nothing. Julian sighed as he took the empty seat beside me. One look from me silenced him, allowing me to focus.

It didn't take long. Faint whispers came from a group of Wolves a few tables over.

“They just vanished,” a teenager muttered, fiddling with her gold nose ring.

“And the Alpha isn’t doing anything?” the blonde girl across from her whispered.

They glanced around but didn't notice me. Perfect.

The girl with the nose ring shifted nervously. “I don’t feel safe there anymore. Two girls, our age… all they found was…” She looked around again. “Their bodies, hearts missing.”

I saw Julian’s face pale instantly.

“Get a grip,” I whispered harshly. “I know it reminds you of her, but falling apart won’t help.” It sounded cold, but it was the truth. I couldn’t afford a liability.

The girl with the nose ring continued. “My dad is speaking to your Alpha today. To see if we can relocate. I have three younger sisters. My parents are terrified for them.”

“That explains why you wanted to meet here,” the second girl said. “It must be pure chaos in Crestwood.”

Crestwood City. The next city over. Julian had mentioned Alexander was holding the Alpha hostage. But they spoke of an Alpha. Perhaps the Beta had taken charge? Honestly, I didn’t care who was in charge.

“Let’s go,” I muttered, standing up.

“Crestwood City?” Julian asked as we reached the car.

I nodded. “Seems your Rogue problem has found a new hunting ground.”

Crestwood City barely qualified as a city. More like an overgrown town. Unlike packs hidden in forests, they lived openly among humans. Not a bad strategy. Each way of life has its pros and cons. But a city layout made it easy for a Rogue to pick off victims.

They weren’t isolated from the human world either. Anyone could wander through. Someone could walk right up to the packhouse front door without a single guard stopping them.

And that’s exactly what we did.

I knocked briskly and firmly. Julian hovered nearby. He’d already told me the new Alpha would recognize him. That wasn’t an issue. The Alpha didn’t need to know about Julian’s history with Obsidian Howl. He just needed to know I was here to solve his Rogue problem.