Damn he looked familiar.
His eyes flashed from brown to amber,and he let out a sharp growl.
“You’re Veltris,” she saidsuddenly. His eyes were a dead giveaway. Purebred alphas hadbrilliant amber eyes when they were emotional, and of the alphasshe’d seen in her dreams, Veltris was the only one with abeard.
His brow arched. “I am. If you know myname, then you know my reputation. I was planning to take a battleto Wrath, but this is better. I’ll lure him here to save you, andthen kill him and the rest of the mongrels.”
Trinity swallowed again, trying tobeat back the fear that was swiftly rising within her. “If you knowthat I’m his true mate, then you know that he’s a changed male now.He was battling blood lust until he found me.”
“He was evil before theblood lust hit,” the male next to him said, spitting in disgust.“He’s been attacking our people for years.”
“He’s different,” Trinitysaid, tears stinging her eyes. She tried to push herself to herfeet, but her limbs were shaking, and she was too weak. “Please.Veltris, please don’t do this.”
“You will call me Alpha,”he snarled. “You’re alive at my pleasure. That could change at amoment’s notice.”
“Think about Gemma,” shesaid.
He jerked the cell dooropen and was on her a moment later, lifting her off the floor andslamming her into the wall. Her headache intensified, and hervision winked out. His claw-tipped hands cut into her throat as hesqueezed, cutting off her air. “You will not say her name.”
“Please,” Trinity wheezed.“She wouldn’t want this.”
He slammed her against the wall again,her head knocking and the room spinning as he dropped her to thefloor. He stalked toward the door.
Fighting through the pain and nauseathat swamped her, Trinity pushed her upper body off the floor andsaid, “Your mother was the daughter of the alpha of thispack.”
Veltris turned and faced her. “Whatdid you say?”
“Your father was an orphan.The alpha didn’t want them to be together because your fatherhadn’t been a member of an important family in the pack. Hisparents were caretakers, his mother was always sick from achildhood illness that the pack healers couldn’t help herwith.”
She cringed as he moved toward her,but instead of hurting her, he squatted down and lifted her face.“Wrath told you that, did he? Bastard. It doesn’t matter that youknow about my family.”
“Wrath didn’t tell meanything. I dreamed about you. I’m not from this world.” She spokequickly, the words tumbling from her in a rush. “I know you,Veltris. I saw you as a child. I know your story and how you cameto find Gemma. Her family turned their backs on her when she matedyou. They even sent humans after her to convince her to leave you.As much as she loves you, that’s how much I love Wrath. He and Iwere born for each other. His blood lust is because I was born intothe wrong world. He was missing his other half, just like you.Veltris, please, let me go. I can bring peace to ourpeople.”
“He’ll never want peace,”the other male said.
Trinity tilted her head and looked athim. He had dark hair and dark eyes, and a scar on his forearm.“You’re Furio. Your sister was killed by vampires. She’d gonehunting with friends and got caught in a trap. Her friends tried toprotect her, but the vampires chased them away and drained yoursister’s blood.”
Furio stared at her in disbelief. Themale next to him—Lerrin—looked at him in shock. “Is that true? Yousaid she died in a hunting accident.”
Furio swallowed audibly. “She did.Technically. How could you possibly know that?”
“A trick of some sort,”Veltris snarled. “Wrath’s doing.”
“No, I’m telling you that Iknow you. I know all the alphas who’ve had dealings with Wrathbecause I saw them in my dreams, not because he told me anythingabout you. Honestly, he probably doesn’t know half the things Iknow about you guys. But I know you. In fact, did you know that youand Wrath are related?”
He growled menacingly.
“It’s true,” she said. “Hisfather and your father were cousins, which makes you and Wrathcousins.”
“Lies!”
“I’m not lying, I swear.Wrath’s father was killed by his pack. Your father killed his owncousin because he mated a vampiress and had Wrath. You two arefamily whether you believe me or not. I can help fix the riftbetween your people and Wrath’s. There doesn’t have to be any morebloodshed.”
“It doesn’t matter if we’rerelated. It doesn’t matter if I even believe that about him. He’sevil.” Veltris leaned in close, his eyes narrowed. “Do you knowwhat he did to Gemma? She was unconscious when I found her chainedup in that hellhole they use for their den. Bruised. Bleeding. Whenshe woke, she was terrified, afraid to leave the house, worriedthat Wrath might be lurking.”
Trinity met his stare. “He didn’t hurther. She got injured trying to escape several times. I mean, she’sa rock star, dude. Your mate kicks ass. The only thing Wrath didthat was harmful was not give her food or water, but he never laida hand on her. Not like you believe.”
Veltris slammed his palm to the floorand the wood splintered. He rose to his feet with a howl that madeTrinity’s ears ring. He lowered his head, his eyes bright withanger. “No one speaks to her. No one brings her food or water.” Hestrode to the cell door and slammed it closed behind him. Turningslowly, he looked at her through the bars. “I was going to let youlive, but you pushed my goodwill attempting to use my people andtheir history against me. So now, you’ll die. But I haven’t decidedif it’ll be sweeter having you watch Wrath die first, or having himwatch you die, knowing he failed to keep you safe.”
The three males left, the outer doorlocking with a clank. Trinity stared at the bars. At the door. Atthe tiny window and the sky beyond.
She couldn’t believe that she wasgoing to die here.
Sadness swamped her, and she
