Chapter 0134

“What did you do to her?” Julian demands.

I hadn’t even realized he was awake. I wondered how much he had heard.

“She begged me. Tried to convince me the people upstairs were deceiving me. Claimed it was her home. That her parents owned the house.” She paused, voice dropping. “Only looking back do I understand—I didn’t see how sick she was. How frail. The shadows under her eyes. All I saw was the ‘liar’ Victoria had warned me about. And I believed every word.”

Brianna lowered her head. “She didn’t fight back. She was too weak.”

Listening to her was horrifying. It also revealed how much Athena had kept from me about her past. Or perhaps it was a memory she had forced herself to forget.

“Even now, I still hear the sound—her skull cracking against the wall.”

“You shifted?” Julian asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “I was just furious. And suddenly, I had the strength of a Lycan.” Her eyes locked on me. “Is she truly alive? You’re not lying to make me talk?”

“She’s alive.”

“But how? She shouldn’t have survived that.”

“The Moon Goddess wills it,” I murmured.

“How did you know she was an Alpha?” Julian pressed.

“I overheard them talking. I didn’t know what ‘Alpha’ meant. Not until I escaped. Not until I met others.”

“Victoria kicked you out after?” Julian continued, skeptical.

“No. I was so disgusted with myself, I ran. I didn’t stop until her voice—Victoria’s demands—faded from my mind.”

“What about the others?” Julian’s tone was doubtful. “If you were the first, how are there more in this area?”

“We found each other. Or rather, they found me.”

That’s bullshit! Titan snapped.

“Were they all bitten by Victoria?” I asked.

She nodded. “For someone who rarely shifted, she loved creating us.” She glanced toward the broken window. “The sun’s rising. We should get ready to move.”

Brianna headed upstairs. She didn’t seem worried about leaving us alone. Maybe there was truth in her story after all.

I don’t buy it. Julian’s voice echoed in my head. She’s playing the victim card. I don’t trust her.

You don’t have to. She said she’d help us find Sophia. All she wants is money. I can provide that.

Julian frowned. I thought you’d want her dead after what she confessed.

I do. But that won’t help us find your mate, will it?

“Don’t call her that!” he snapped.

Brianna reappeared, eyeing us suspiciously. “What are you arguing about?”

“Sophia,” I muttered.

She nodded slowly, but her eyes narrowed. “Right.” Her tone made it clear she didn’t believe us.

She dragged a heavy bag down the stairs. It thumped loudly with each step.

“What’s in there?” Julian asked.

“Weapons.” Her gaze shifted to me. “Where do you think they took this girl?”

“Somewhere called Shadow Peaks.”

She laughed. “Shadow Peaks? You packs need better naming skills. But I know the place.”

“What do you call yourselves? The ones who got away?”

“Rogues. And we are not a pack.”

“Rogues?” Julian repeated.

“We don’t belong. And we don’t want to.” She spat the words out.

“But you’ll help us?”

“As long as you don’t do anything stupid.” She smirked.

She led us almost a mile from the house to a beat-up car. Tossing her bag into the back, she ordered, “Get in!”

Brianna slid into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel tightly.

“We don’t have all day!” she snapped. “The sun’s up. Don’t you want to find your mate?”

“Get in,” I told Julian.

He took the back. I sat up front beside her.

She hit the gas, driving like the road was hers alone.

“Will you chill? We don’t need cops chasing us!” I warned.

She grinned, eyes on the road. “No police out here.”

“Stop the car!” Julian shouted after thirty minutes.

“But we need to—” Brianna began.

“I can smell her.”

She pulled over. Julian burst out, scanning the area.

“Tire tracks,” he muttered, crouching down.

“That could be anyone’s,” Brianna said.

He inhaled deeply. “She got out. She ran!”

Julian stared at the cornfield ahead. He moved toward the fence, plucking a stem.

“What is it?”

“Dried blood,” he growled.