Curse of Ferreus

13 - Loyalty & Other Lies

Rowan is quick to assure me that I don't have to be the one to lure Gale away from his pack. He claims they can find another way — any other way — to get the beta out on his own.

But there's nothing for it. If hunting werewolves all my life has taught me anything, it is that they are fiercely loyal to the ones they love. I'm not entirely sure of the intricacies of the mate bond — only that they believe it is fate or divine intervention — but I know well enough their reactions when their mate is taken from them.

It's a feral, explosive fury.

And it's the only way to lure Gale into our trap. Once he's dead, we can shift our focus to Elsie, and finally to the alpha pair, Alessandro and Natalia. Once they're gone, their pack will fall. Rowan and his pack will trust me, and they'll let their guard down. I can finish it all.

Easy enough.

It's the quickest route to the heart of Duskland, and I've only got one attempt to finish things. If we fail, they'll know our plan and prepare for it. They'll come charging and ready to tear this place apart.

Despite the Ferreus blood souring in my veins with every moment I spend in the company of werewolves, I can't help but feel some semblance of relief that I don't have to fight a pack on my own. Numbers are important. It's a means to an end.

"I don't like this," Rowan admits. His focus is locked on me, a spotlight burning holes in my defence, and it's a little unnerving.

I find my attention flickering between Lachlan, Beau and Morgan, instead. If only to avoid his intense gaze.

"So you'd be willing to lure him onto our land?" Morgan asks, frowning at me. Trying to figure me out.

"Obviously," Lachlan forges on, "we'll be waiting to help when you need us. You haven't got to fight him on your own. He brings his lackeys wherever he goes and they fight dirty."

Beau turns to him and says, "You'll need to brush up on your training, then."

"Morgan, come and get your dog."

Morgan sighs heavily and rubs an exasperated hand down her face. "You're like children. Rowan, what's on your mind?"

Rowan tugs a hand through his hair. "We need a bit more trust before we talk about using him as bait."

I scowl at him. I haven't raised my knife to them once outside of the alley, despite desperately wanting to, and yet he still doesn't trust me. He's the one forcing this alliance, but if he doesn't even believe in it, I haven't a hope in hell of making this work.

He levels my look with one of clinical indifference, reading my frustration as though I've just shouted at him. "I'm not talking about us trusting you," he tells me softly.

Oh.

Before I can unpack all that, he continues, "I want you to see we're not monsters. How about you watch some training? You can make your own conclusions. If you still want to help us, we'll talk plans for luring Gale."

"Ooh," Beau cuts in, eager flames dancing behind his eyes. "Please judge Lachlan, stray, he needs all the help he can get."

"I am going to hit you so hard," Lachlan vows, sending the beta a glare that has him scurrying for his life out the door. He gives chase, hot on the beta's heels.

They remind me, I muse, of Esme and myself. All it would take was a spark to unleash utter disarray. The thought summons a cavernous hole in my chest.

"You know," Morgan muses with a wry smile as their chaos fades down the hall. "Sometimes I wonder what horrible things I did in a past life to end up with his ass."