His Trouble Maker

Chapter 96

Grayson POV

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Her breathing is wrong. She’s shivering, hurting–and I can’t do a damn thing. Fuck. What kind of mate does that make me?

I scrub my hands down my face for the fiftieth time. Try to blink the image of her out of my head–But she’s still there. Broken. Bleeding. Looking at me like I wasn’t enough to stop it.

Because I wasn’t.

Because I left her.

If I hadn’t been stupid enough to walk away from that damn cabin, if I’d just stayed–if I’d listened to my instincts instead of trying to give her space like some civilized fuckin‘ coward-

None of this would’ve happened. She wouldn’t have been taken. Wouldn’t have had to shift to survive. Wouldn’t be lying there now, half–human, half- wolf, half something else I can’t name.

“You okay?” Theo asks from the corner, voice low.

I don’t look at him.

I haven’t looked at him since we got her out.

Since I saw the bruises on her hips and smelled the rot of magic and wolf–scent clinging to her skin.

I’m not done being angry with him.

I’m not sure I ever will be. But he’s the one who got me out. He’s the one who pulled me from Aria’s grip before they could shatter something I couldn’t rebuild.

So I don’t answer.

“You want a smoke?”

I grit my teeth. “Fuck you.”

He shrugs. “Sorry, man. I don’t do guys.”

Prick.

What is he doing here anyway? After Jessica’s unexpected shift last night, we were forced to run for our lives. She wounded Riot’s but I know what he did.

He killed the alpha and our father. While I am the rightful heir by name, him, killing the alpha, the power is already transferred to him.

I also knew the councils are snakes. I just didn’t know all of them would turn their back on us.

Those fucking assholes.

When I am done with my revenge, I will gut all of them and dance in their graves.

“She’s strong,” Theo says eventually, like that changes anything.

“I know.”

“She shifted. That’s rare for–“–

before he could make it sound like a good thing. “We’re not friends. I will still exile you for plotting a coup

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Chapter 96

and tosses the cigarette back in his pack. He doesn’t light it.

haven’t discussed.

lot of things. Like the fact that he knew. That he always fucking knew Riot was rising. And he didn’t stop him. Didn’t warn me. Didn’t say a goddamn word while the pack rotted

too blind to listen. Maybe he was right. But he still chose

glance at

killed him,” I say quietly, more to

“I should’ve torn his throat out that night in the ring. When he challenged me

ready,” he

didn’t know he’d

Silence again.

his weight.

rogues now,” I say. “You realize that? You, me… her. Outlaws.

finally looks over his shoulder. “You think I give a shit about the pack brand? That name means nothing if it

“It was ours.”

“Was.”

my shoulders. The

I say. “I’ll gut you myself the second I’m done

Theo doesn’t argue. “Fair.”

argument when the door creaked

Pierce.

39

and gods know what else–his shirt torn, knuckles scabbed over, a fresh claw mark across

straightens. I rise,

were dead,”

Pierce grins. “Disappointed?”

“I’m not celebrating either.”

bearing gifts,

hell do you

fully now, boots tracking dirt across the floor, and glances over at

are whispering about the girl who burned Riot’s

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Chapter 96

didn’t burn anyone,”

a brow. “No? Then you should see what’s

That stops me cold

his jacket and tosses it

three. They’re sniffing close to the eastern ravine. That buys us time. Not much,

for what?” Theo

eyes glinting. “To start

it then–like a heartbeat in my spine. Riot

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