Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
“I...I don't know what to say,” she said. “Talon, I'm so sorry. Not knowing that about your brother, and then with Zachariah’s mate.” She shook her head, empathy radiating from each of her features. “Has he tried to contact her? I haven't seen anyone around him since he awoke—”
“I don't think so,” I answered. “I'm sure if he did try to track her down, he wouldn't tell us about it. Each of us, minus Samuel apparently, carries the guilt of that decision, Saint more than any of us. Zachariah would never try to cause us anymore pain by bringing it up.”
Cassandra settled back against my chest, wrapping her arms around me, and holding me just a little bit tighter. She may not have had the words, but I could feel her comfort gliding down that connection we had.
I folded my arms around her, clinging to her like she was clinging to me.
“I hope that he reunites with her,” she said after a few moments of silence. “He deserves that kind of happiness after everything he's been through,” she continued, shifting to look up at me again. “You all do.”
Words clogged my throat.
It wasn't until she’d fallen back asleep that I realized the kind of happiness she was hinting at felt a hell of a lot like falling asleep with her in my arms.
CHAPTER 12
Cassandra
“How was your call with Zachariah?” I asked when Talon padded back into my chambers. It was the second call he’d been able to make in the last two weeks.
I made sure to close the door behind him before he shifted back into his vampiric form.
A muscle in Talon’s jaw flexed, something weary in his eyes. He slid on a pair of sweats as he shook his head. “Nothing new to note.” His voice had an irritated tone to it that made me swallow hard.
“Has something happened?” A pit opened up in my stomach at the thought of more innocents being killed by the Sons of Honor, no doubt with the support of my eldest brother, and quite possibly my mother.
“No,” he said. “Thankfully.”
I furrowed my brow. “Then why do you look so upset?”
“I'm not,” he said in anything but a believable tone.
“I know you're not hungry,” I said feeling nothing but irritation rattling down that connection of ours. “Did Zachariah scold you because we haven't been able to get any information?”
Talon started pacing, as if the irritated energy inside him was too much to take standing still.
“I know it's been a month since we've arrived here,” I continued, my words borderline rambling. “I know that it's been awful and it's hard to see if it's worth it since we don't have any information. I can understand how that would upset Zachariah, but even if Edward shows up tomorrow, it'll be worth—”
“But he's not here,” Talon snapped. His gaze was predator-like, his pupils slightly blown as he stared at me. “He's not here, Cassandra. He hasn't been here. There has to be a reason why, when all of our intelligence said he was coming here frequently.”
I tilted my head, anger rippling beneath my skin. “And why does it sound like you think I have something to do with that?”
His lingering curious stare was enough to make clarity snap in my mind.
“Ah,” I said, disappointment making my heart sink. “I see. Zachariah got in your head. I can understand why the leader of your hunter pack doesn't trust me. But you? How can you not trust me by now? After what you've seen. After what we've...” My voice trailed off as I sucked in a breath.
I was a ridiculously foolish girl.
Allowing my hopes to fly when it came to this male. I’d thought we’d at least come to a mutual respect and trust with each other, especially after all the feeding and fucking and shared experiences we'd been having lately.
We'd had endless talks that lasted well past dawn, sharing histories and commiserating on things that we didn't even know we had in common. I’d started to envision things beyond the island that included Talon.
A life filled with wicked fights and even more delightfully wicked makeups. I couldn’t believe I’d allowed myself to feel for this male when it was clear he wasn't even close to being on the same page.
The anger seemed to spill out of Talon, his shoulders dropping as his muscles relaxed, those blue eyes softening slightly. “I... I...”
“I've never seen you at a loss for words before, Talon,” I snapped. “Whatever you have to say, just say it. It's fine if feeding and release and a common mission was all this was ever going to be. I was just a little taken off guard because I thought I'd earned your respect and trust by now. But one phone call from your leader and all of that is so easily crumbled. It must’ve not been that strong of a foundation to begin with.”