Chapter 182: Chapter 182

~ NYSSA

I glanced at Aria then back at Eric who stood in the doorway, not even bothering to hide his grin.

“You’re not going to tell me?” he drawled. “Well, I guess it means we’re staying in then.”

“Is there any way we can convince you to just turn a blind eye?” Aria asked but he shook his head.

“Not a chance.”

She exhaled deeply, running her hand through her hair. “Fine, you can come with but you have to keep your mouth shut about it.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Are you asking me to lie to the King?”

“I’m asking you not to offer up information unless you’re directly asked, and if you are asked, shut up and let me handle it,” she snapped, brushing past him without another word.

He watched her walk away, an amused grin tugging at the corner of his lips. Mischief and intrigue danced in his eyes; a combination I was all too familiar with.

“Whatever you’re thinking,” I warned him. “Don’t.”

He turned to me with a carefully neutral expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I could’ve let it go then, could have pretended I didn’t know what I was talking about and let it slide, but there was too much at stake.

“You’re my friend and so is she. If you’re going to pursue her, then make sure it’s because you’re serious about this shit. I’m not going to be caught in the middle.”

“She’s mated and suddenly she gives relationship advice,” he drawled.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m serious, Eric. I would love for you two to get together. Hell, I’m your biggest shipper, but I can’t let you ruin a good thing on just intrigue.”

He opened his mouth to speak but whatever he wanted to say was cut off by the horn blaring loudly.

Aria sat in the passenger seat, shooting us a glare. “Are you fucking coming or not?”

After putting the coordinates into the GPS, we drove slowly to the meetup point. The air was thick with tension and unspoken words albeit for a multitude of reasons.

Eric and Aria avoided looking at each other for the duration of the drive. If I were in a better place, I would have tried to step in, tried to make sure that they were good, but I was too tense. All I could do was sit still, wringing my hands in my lap as my heart hammered violently against my chest.

“Are you sure you have the right place?” Eric asked as the car began to slow down.

I double checked the message and nodded. “It’s correct, why?”

“Because we’re here.” He pulled the car to a stop, frowning slightly at the empty parking lot. “Why would we be asked to come here?” I shrugged. “Do you even know this person?”

I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head. “Not exactly, they reached out to me.”

He turned sharply, eyes widening to the point of saucers. “Are you fucking insane? You brought us out in the dead of the night to meet with a stranger?”

“They said I could come with someone!” I exclaimed, raising my hands in surrender. “They wouldn’t do that if they were bad.”

He turned to Aria. “You allowed this.”

Aria shrugged. “The other option was letting her go alone. I made an educated decision.”

Eric scoffed, turning the key in the ignition. “I’m not doing this shit, we’re going—”

“Wait!” A flash of movement up ahead caught my attention. “Turn on the headlights.”

Eric did as I asked and that was when I saw him. He stood a few feet ahead of us, hidden between two large cars. He was covered from head to toe in black with a large baseball cap thrown over his head.

“That’s him,” I murmured, opening the car door.

I heard Eric call out to me but I ignored him, hopping out immediately and heading straight for the male.

Heavy footsteps followed behind me but I ignored them. I knew Eric would keep me safe no matter what. All I had to do was focus on the male.

As I approached, I took a discreet sniff, frowning when I realized that he didn’t have a scent; not in the usual way at least. It was the most unusual thing I had ever experienced. Even humans had their own scents. He was… blank, completely empty.

All I could smell was the thick layer of dust and decay that clung to the clearly abandoned car park.

“I’m here,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I see you came with people. I expected to see your mate.” His voice sounded the same way it did over the phone.

I shrugged. “Does it matter who I came with? Who are you?”

“Allister.”

I frowned when I realized that he wasn’t glancing my way. He kept his head down, as if trying to hide himself from me.

“Is there a reason you don’t want your face seen?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “Are you hiding something?’

“Not in the way you think, no.”

I felt a firm hand wrap around my shoulders as Eric tugged me backwards slightly, away from the stranger.

“Show your face,” he said, voice cold and detached. “Who are you?”

Allister lifted his head slowly and a gasp left me.

His skin was pale and gaunt, cheeks sunken and eyes hollow as if he’d been starved for days on end. His eyes were a deep, dark color; so dark that I couldn’t make out the exact shade. Tendrils of dark hair stuck out from underneath his cap and when he smiled, there was something sinister about it.

“I’m a friend of your parents,” he said slowly.

I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hide my eagerness and curiosity. “Which ones?”

He smiled knowingly, leaning back against the car behind him. “Both. I took you from your real mother, and I handed you over to the wolves you raised you.”

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