Seventeen

DEVIN

"I know you don't need me Valentine but I am here for you. You don't have to suffer alone." I whispered into Valentine's ear as she stopped struggling.

"I want to suffer alone," Valentine said, remaining in my warmth. She basked in her misery like it was wine and the dark place I resided grew even darker. "You are the cause of my suffering. Why should you even care what this does to me? Just reject me."

If Valentine could reject me, She would but she was only a Luna and the rejection ability belonged only to Alphas. I was selfish and I hated myself for it. I had not rejected Valentine then because what I had done to her was so evil, I would only be a true beast to reject her. It felt like kindness on my part but I would have done Valentine a great favor if I had rejected her from day one. Even now, I could not bring myself to do it despite the pain that surged through her when she saw me alive. I wasn't sure if it was love. I was accustomed to her. Many nights, I stalked the Monarch packhouse just to have a peek into her mind; What she thought about, and if she was happy. Sometimes she was. Many times she wasn't. She hated having to carry the responsibility of her parent. The title of Luna of the Monarch brought nothing but misery. I knew she hated being a leader. She was an introverted girl being forced out of her shell to run one of the biggest packs in North Meadowview. She took it up like a champ even when she could not keep up and I wanted nothing more than to take all that weight off her back and do the things she wanted me to do to her.

"I don't want to do that," I confessed. "If you cannot bring yourself to love me. I think I will settle for the hate you give."

My response seemed to jerk her back to reality. One where I was not the knight in shining armor trying his best to save a maiden in distress. I was the villain in this story and Valentine was definitely not a maiden in distress.

"I don't hate you," Valentine pushed back. "I just don't want you anywhere around me. You talk like the crow pack is not constantly messing us up. You are the one messing me up. The convergence of packs and a string of murders. If you want hate, pride yourself knowing that almost every supernatural around hates you and your brother."

I so wanted to shut her up with a kiss and watch her grow all flustered. My wolf wanted it and I bet my house her wolf craved it too but what did Valentine want? Her mind was an open book so I had to comply. For I was truly the bane of her pack. The convergence of the pack was my idea. The refusal to reject her was also mine. They had been entirely selfish actions that I had managed to successfully convince myself were done for the greater good.

"The crow pack is trying to make the lives of every werewolf in this godforsaken country better."

"No," Valentine refused to accept. "The crow is only trying to make themselves untouchable. Is that not what your parents did? Before they had to be stopped."

Some emotion flared in her vibrant eyes. It was regret. Valentine hated that she made reference to my parent, the goddess bless their souls. In her words, it made her exactly like me, a monster.

"Is that what your elders told you? That my parents did any of the things my brother and I have had to do? If your answer is yes, then it only strengthens our decision to merge with the Monarch. I'm done with playing nice Valentine. Give me an answer this night or your pack will burn."

We stood there, staring at each other. An invisible electric current hummed between us, firing off sparks of hot desire in every direction. I breathed in, hating that I had to do this. Valentine's scent clogged my nose. She smelled like wood, cumin, and ginger. It was overpowering. I knew I would have to swallow those threats if I spent another moment dangerously close to her.

Valentine looked away and cleared her throat. "I will be giving my answer to Jason and if it has to end in bloodshed, then so be it. Your brother taking my life would only be finishing what you both started that night."

Those words hurt me more than she would ever know. Her lips curled up to form a smirk. She needed this, the urge to hurt me, to make me feel the same pain that strung through her veins and heart this very moment and I wanted to kiss her and make her submit to my every touch.

"Considering how resilient you are against giving this pack out, I'd say death would be the easy way out for you Valentine. I like the sound of leaving you to deal with the consequences of your actions, should they be the wrong one." I licked my lips, ravishing the look of pure horror that filled her pale face before I walked around her and trotted towards the exit thinking only of Valentine Monarch and her addicting web of hate.

***

I ordered an Uber to return to my apartment. Jason liked his affairs private and absolutely hated walking amongst muggles. It was almost hilarious the moon goddess had paired him with one. The great mother and her witty spin of the hands of fate. I liked it among the muggles. They had it easy. Most of them at least. They could have a family without having to worry that one of their children would turn against the other or the hanging paranoia that a rival pack could one day slit the throats of everything and everyone you love. Being Jason's twin, every single member in our pack was convinced we would turn against each other in the end. It was our curse to bear after all. Many had suggested I was 'mercy killed before I grew to commit the unspeakable act. My late parent absolutely refused. They had their fears too. I had seen it in their eyes many times and the many trips we made to the coven whose imprinted the curse in the first place did not make things easy but it had been many years already. My love for my brother was unwavering and I had my bloodlust covered. As the car approached my apartment, I felt the urge to call Jason and weigh the odds of Valentine making it out of this alive and well. I proceeded to do so when my wolf insisted I proceeded with caution and use the gift instead; a unique ability Alphas were gifted with upon birth but being twins, Jason and I shared two gifts. One being the gift of sight and the second being the grace of night. Every member of the crow was connected through one singular path and that part allowed me to see through the eyes of anyone if I wished to. It was convenient for fishing out double agents and ensuring the safety of many. I shut my eyes and flicked through every consciousness in the path. After many tries, it was certain to become easier. Jason's consciousness was easy to find. A sharp spark shot through me as I connected successfully. I blinked as I peeked through his eyes. There was blood on the floor. Sofiane had been there alright but Jason was not fuming so I could only assume Olamide was either alive or my dear brother had finally gotten past his knighting phase and ended the life of that pesky fly. Then Jason tilted to the left and I dropped my gaze on his mate. The damn girl seemed to have a leprechaun as her lucky charm because her string of luck was uncanny. How the hell did she survive Sofiane? Comforted with the sight that Valentine was safe for the meantime, I cut the sight. The car stopped in front of a penthouse and I highlighted. I half waved at the receptionist on the first floor and made my way to the elevator. Olamide's string of uncanny luck seemed to find its way to me because no one cut my smooth ride and I was at the fourth floor where my apartment stood in no time. I flicked the doors open and entered when I immediately noticed something odd. My apartment had large rectangular windows which I always made sure were covered entirely by black drapes. The drapes however seemed to have been messed with and through them, scattered light flows through, gracing the air without favor and illuminating the toffee browns of the wooden floor. I also caught the lingering foul smell in the air. A fucking vampire.

"Show yourself, blood lover, your horrible smell is tainting my apartment."

"Where is my sister?" He demanded, walking out of the shadows. "You were the last person I saw at her apartment."

My eyes grew darker as I faced the intruder. A black man with hellish black eyes. One of Lilith's pet.