Chapter 0067
A Tense Exchange
"Right now, I don’t think it’s fear of her specifically—it’s fear of what she might become."
"You mean Trey and Cassandra?"
"They’re the only leaders left. What do you think?"
"What is it that Trey wants Neah to remember?"
Devon narrows his eyes. "What are you getting at?" He stands, stepping closer to the bars that separate us.
"What does Neah need to be reminded of?"
His brow furrows. "I don’t know what you’re asking, Alpha Dane. Is she in danger again? You have to let me out. You need to let me help her."
"She’s my mate."
"I know that," he says firmly. "But she’s surrounded by Wolves. She needs someone who understands what it’s like to be one of us."
"We’ve had this conversation before. It’s her decision to make."
Devon’s expression darkens. "She doesn’t even know you’re down here, does she, Alpha Dane? All these late-night visits, and she’s oblivious while you all dig into her past."
"Late-night visits? I’ve only been here a handful of times since you arrived."
"Your best friend comes down here often," he says with a smirk. "Seems like he’s having some relationship troubles."
I frown. "Why is Eric talking to you about his mate?"
Devon shrugs. "Sometimes, a third opinion helps."
"And what exactly do you two discuss?"
"Like I said, his problems. In return for my insight, he brings me things." He gestures toward his cell, now stocked with fizzy drinks, books, and extra clothing.
I make a mental note to have a word with Eric about this. He never mentioned it.
Devon grips the bars tightly, his knuckles whitening. "I swear to you, Alpha Dane, I’m not here to harm her. You know you have the authority to release me. You don’t have to wait for my sister’s decision."
'I still don’t trust him,' Aero growls in my mind.
I ignore him and focus on Devon. "Why would Trey and Cassandra go into the city?"
Devon tilts his head. "I’m not sure what you mean."
"They’ve always kept to themselves, hidden from other packs. No one even knew your kind existed, and now they’re traveling into neutral territory. Why?"
"My guess? The same reason anyone else goes there. They’re looking for something… or someone." His gaze sharpens. "Neah ran into them, didn’t she?"
"Eric got her out."
A grin spreads across Devon’s face. "The hero. I always knew he had a good heart."
"He’s not interested in men," I remind him flatly.
Devon chuckles. "People can be persuaded, Alpha Dane. They just need that little seed of doubt." He winks. "But anyway, if Trey and that woman went into the city, there’s a reason. Some kind of plan."
"Could they track her down?"
"Cassandra, no. Trey… maybe."
"Because of the blood connection?"
He nods. "But for that to work, he would have already needed to be nearby. Just like when I found Moonshine. I sensed it, but the closer I got, the stronger it became. That’s how I knew I was going in the right direction."
He paces in his cell, muttering under his breath. Then he stops abruptly, locking eyes with me.
"Who knew she was going?"
"My sister, her tutor, a few other women. And, of course, me and Eric."
"All Wolves, right? No other Lycans hiding in your pack?"
"Other than Neah, no. Could she have accidentally reached out to him? Opened some kind of link between them?"
"Highly unlikely. The more logical explanation is that they were already in the city for something else, and Neah stumbled right into it. They won’t come here. You have the numbers."
I study him carefully, recalling the way he had once explained the origins of Lycans. He claimed it was just a story, that no one truly knew the truth.
But what if it wasn’t a myth?
"Devon," I ask slowly, "can they create more?"