Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 113332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Laurent nodded slowly. This definitely warranted an investigation. “Thank you, Elliot. You truly are a good friend. I shall be back soon.”
Elliot nodded. “Oh, I’ll be here for a while. And I can’t imagine the ghost’s going anywhere.”
Laurent took a few more steps back. “I hope you enjoy yourself. I might retire to bed.”
Elliot waved at him but was already assembling another one of his inedible concoctions, so Laurent left the room, directing his steps right back to the meetings room. He would not be ignored!
He made sure no one was in the corridor and since he didn’t have any plan, he stalked to the door and gently pressed his ear to the wood. What was the worst that could happen? If he were caught, he’d just be ushered away.
The voices were dull but loud enough to understand.
“Can’t it be pulled out of him?” Knight asked. “It’s not like he’ll die, right? He still has the ruby shard from the ghost. That should be an extra week of life at least, and we will intensify our search for more.”
“To do what? Reward Gray for his betrayal?” Fox said. He’d never sounded so serious, and it made Laurent flinch with worry. What betrayal were they talking about?
Jake was the next one to speak. “We can always punish him but still help Shadow. Come on, guys, it’s Shadow’s life that’s at stake, we’ve got to understand—”
“No!” Beast boomed. “He did the most selfish thing imaginable. The Pigeon Heart can’t be extracted out of Shadow now that it’s become a part of him. We’re fucked, and they’re at fault. We’ve sacrificed so much to get that ruby. People died at that mansion, yet Gray stole it and fed it to his man because he couldn’t wait a day longer and see how things develop.”
Laurent’s head spun, and he repeated the words in his head time and time again.
The Pigeon Heart was… lost?
Chapter 7 - Beast
The thud of the knife hitting the table was Beast’s permission to breathe again. Unshed tears glistened in Shadow’s eyes as he looked at the pool of blood spreading over the wood. Gray hissed something and covered the fresh wound with a tissue, but the pale finger that had been attached to Shadow’s hand just moments ago remained on the table like a scrap of fat separated from meat before cooking.
“He’s dripping all over the floor,” Rev said, as if it gave him pleasure to watch his son’s partner suffer. Gray said nothing and helped Shadow into a nearby chair.
“I’ve done it,” he said in a rigid voice. His body remained alert, as if he were ready to reach for a hidden weapon and take revenge for the symbolic punishment for his and Shadow’s betrayal.
Beast was too soft. His father, King, would have proposed executing both the offenders for a lesser crime than selfishly using the one thing that could protect the whole world from grave danger. He’d even given Gray and Shadow a choice between accepting punishment or leaving the club forever. The fact that they stayed meant that Gray too considered the club’s decision just, even if he hated it.
The Pigeon Heart, a ruby they’d taken such risks for, the ruby that could have locked Baal away forever, was now a part of Shadow and would remain there until they were all consumed by the forthcoming apocalypse.
But as much as Beast hated it, he couldn’t be certain what he would have done in Gray’s place. Love made people do strange things. It was a selfish emotion, and Gray had always been loyal before this. Which was why he was even getting a chance to stay in the first place. He had to pay for his moment of madness, but he was also a good man, and the club needed him more than ever.
The truth was that while Gray’s actions went against club interests, Beast felt hurt by the fact that Gray chose Shadow’s safety over that of his family and friends. But if there was still time, that wound would also eventually heal.
“Yes, you have,” Beast said, even though his mind was haunted, imagining him and Laurent in a similar situation. His husband could be so recklessly sure of himself sometimes that he needed to be controlled by someone who had experience and therefore knew better. He rose from his seat and poured some vodka into a shot glass, then approached Shadow and offered him the liquor. “Drink up, it will help.”
Knight came closer too and patted Shadow on the back once the creature downed the alcohol with a hiss. “Prospecting next year?”
Beast shook his head at Knight, but Shadow didn’t look at them as he nodded, avoiding their eyes at all cost.
Vars approached with the first aid kit and dressed the wound like a pro. The silence that overcame the room was choking Beast, dense with his brothers blaming him for the decision they’d made together. The members trickled out of the room, but Beast stayed until he was the last person left with Gray and Shadow. He didn’t know what to say to the two. What was done was done, and while he was not a sentimental man, he took no pleasure in the pain caused.