Gypsy Moon (All The Pretty Monsters #4)(9)

“Vance. I’m letting him know how stupendously we’ve fucked up. Something tells me Arion is going to be in a lot more pain than usual for this downing.” His eyes flick to mine. “Omega or beta, this bitch is insane enough to take him and thinks she won’t be punished when he awakes or returns after a short stint of death. Why is she so confident?”

“Does it matter?” I ask him.

“It matters very much,” he says quietly. “Because Violet is very protective of us—even Arion. It’s just a matter of time before she releases the monster inside her that doesn’t stand a chance against a den of mad wolves. Whether or not Violet can kill the leader depends on how skilled and knowledgeable that leader truly is.”

“She handled her own against my wolves,” I remind him through a growl. “And they were much better trained—”

“Fifty sane wolves with a weak vendetta is nothing compared to hundreds of feral wolves with a growing horde mentality that is certainly going to spread like hive fire when the vampire alpha arrives and stirs up their instincts. She likely won’t stand a chance then,” he goes on, quieter.

I wish I could argue, but again, in my head, I see Bobo charging the fray of wolves after a horrible tantrum brought on by a panic attack. He made a dent, but he was quickly brought down and torn apart.

Clearing my throat, feeling worse about that than ever, I tug at my collar.

“Tell Vance I’ll owe him a debt if he finds her in time. It’ll give him incentive,” I state quietly.

Damien’s eyes narrow on me, but he types out the words.

The wolves are about to lose some of their freedom they take for granted. Chaos is too effective.

Chaos can’t be controlled.

Chaos sends the world into a tailspin.

“Order is all there can be,” I say to myself, quoting Vance…and hate him all the more for being right.





CHAPTER 3





VIOLET


“I’m saying Arion has always felt like a package deal because that’s how he presents himself. But he’s not in this weird package deal. He’s still in love with Idun,” I’m arguing with Shera, who is determined I have to seal this deal with Arion the second we’re out.

“Of course he’s still in love with Idun,” she says distractedly, standing in just her bra and panties, as I tuck one set of threads into my bra. “She’s the only woman he’s ever been with, but he had you spread on that desk like you were his next favorite meal.”

I pause adding the next set of threads to my cleavage, my hand freezing midair, as I look at her a little wide-eyed.

“She’s been underground a thousand years and she’s still the only woman he’s ever been with?” I ask on a small rasp, eyes blinking.

She tenses and looks over at me, painting a smile on her lips, as she ties her long, red hair back the best she can.

“I realize that makes this all seem that much more daunting, and I didn’t mean to say that. So let’s pretend I didn’t and focus on the part where he can’t keep his hands off you, shall we?” she suggests too hopefully.

“Sure. I’ll forget that Arion—who by your own confession isn’t aware of the severity of his actions because he’s had his soul mostly ripped out of him…so that he could be with Idun for all eternity—hasn’t once in his very long life been with anyone else but Idun. Easily done,” I state flatly, and then roll my eyes. “He can still be with Idun, and I can still be his friend, and to be honest, three guys is actually a lot of work. And I genuinely don’t fully know what’s really going on. I’m still rolling downhill, not taking time to process,” I tell her seriously.

She starts to say something, but stops as she purses her lips. “I can imagine those particular three would be incredibly exhausting in all meanings of the word,” she concedes. “Arion is a hell of a lot of work just as his beta. I couldn’t imagine being his girlfriend.”

“Thank you.”

“But you still have to take Arion, Violet, because they are a package deal, whether they realize it or admit it,” she goes on as I continue stuffing my bra.

When Shera smells the next meal coming, she’s going to give me the word.

We have a semi-decent plan, and her nose is all we’ve got to work with for phase one.

“They’ve fallen into step from the moment you arrived in town, and they became the predators circling their prey with a remembered prowess. They were waiting for Arion,” she tells me like she’s filling in some blanks for me, as I attempt to stay focused on the important part—the escape plan.

“Arion rises early, upsets all sorts of vampire mutiny plots, and cleans house like he knows what’s been going on all along. I’m quite happy that I’m a loyal, good beta. I get to carry on without the sheer terror the others are facing,” she adds with a smile.

The smile falls quickly when she continues. “When the alphas are together, things slowly start getting tidier. Arion rose and they stopped circling you. Next, they started pressing in on you, slowly dividing and conquering, while keeping you surrounded. You’re not rolling downhill, Violet; you’re tangled in their web. You’re already theirs. Arion is a package deal.”