Painted Scars

DAISY

I’d half expected Shade to lose it on Gabe for confessing his feelings.

So, it was a bit of a letdown when he just sat there on the bed, watching the drama unfold with a calculating gaze.

His self-control was out of this world, and not in a good way.

No guy who’d just found his mate should be so cool, calm, and collected when another guy confessed his love for her.

But that’s exactly how Shade reacted. It made me want to smack him and cry at the same time.

What the hell was his problem?

Raphael placed his hand on Gabe’s shoulder and gave him a disappointed look.

Gabe looked hurt, deeply wounded by such a look from the only older brother figure he’d ever known.

“The situations are the same,” Raphael said firmly, “Jocelyn White and Daisy are in the same boat. Being an alpha is about not letting emotions rule when things like today happen.”

He looked at me. “Daisy is right; she needed to be out there today. Without her, Shade would’ve been hurt worse and the fight wouldn’t have ended when it did.”

Raphael glanced at me and I winced slightly. “So yeah, while it was wrong to disobey your direct command, she was right to disobey this specific order. You need to let her off the hook, Gabe.”

Gabe’s face turned red with fresh anger. “Raphael, she—”

“Has Daisy been anything but loyal to you?” Rafe interrupted him, and by his tone, it was clear he was getting annoyed with his relative.

“She’s one of the two strongest healers I’ve ever met,” he continued. “She deserves to be appreciated for it, to be heard and listened to. You can’t let emotions guide you. That’s not how a good alpha does his job.”

Gabe looked like he wanted to kick Raphael in the balls, but he held himself back.

Instead, he gave a jerky nod and shot me an angry look. “Next time you disobey me, you will suffer the consequences,” he warned.

I gave him a serious look right back. “Next time you give me stupid orders, I will disobey them again.”

We glared at each other before Gabe turned his gaze back to Raphael.

He was about to say something, when suddenly the door was slammed open and Zavier, panting heavily, appeared.

“Claire,” he said, looking at the necromancer, “the leader of the Hunters is here to see you. He says he’s come in peace, and will only speak to you.”

Claire turned pale and glanced at Zack. Zack didn’t seem happy with what his older brother said. “How sure are you that he came in peace?”

Zavier gave Zack an annoyed look. “I checked him for weapons and he has none. But I have no idea how he snuck past all the extra sentries I put around the city, or how he knew where the Pack House was.”

“He’s immortal,” Claire said flatly, shrugging. “Immortals know things they probably shouldn’t.”

Eve sighed. “Truer words were never spoken.”

Claire sighed along with her and squared her shoulders. “Let’s go see the idiot,” she said, not sounding too thrilled about it.

I stepped forward immediately. “I’m coming with you.”

Gabe started huffing and puffing again. “Daisy Rachel Luxford—“

Raphael saved me by shooting him an intimidating, pointed look. Gabe growled but shut up.

Shade pulled himself to his feet. “I’ll come too,” he said. For a moment, I thought it was for me, but Shade barely even glanced at me.

He was looking at Raphael. “It’s best if we deal with it, not you. I don’t think we need to know how he might regard you just yet.”

Raphael nodded. “Come on, Eve,” he said, grinning at his mate, “it’s been a long twenty-four hours for us. Let the kids handle it.”

Eve yawned and nodded in full agreement. They both went back to their rooms, while Claire, Zack, Shade, and I went to the entrance hall, led by Zavier.

Once there, I saw Miles, completely healed, standing guard next to a tall man with dirty blonde hair and cobalt-blue eyes.

He was quite handsome, but there was something twisted and not entirely sane in his eyes that ruined his good looks, at least in my opinion.

He smiled at us, his eyes locking on Claire. “Ah, yes,” he said in greeting, his voice deep and amused. “That’s the body I threw to Logia. It looks much better now, I daresay.”

Zack started to growl, but Claire put a hand on his chest, effectively calming him down.

“Hello, Dorian,” she said, giving him a big smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What can we do for you after you attacked this city’s sentries?”

Dorian Masterson, the leader of the Divine Hunters, chuckled. “Yeah, about that,” he said, giving us a sheepish, almost childish grin, “it wasn’t the Hunters.”

Claire narrowed her eyes, and both Zack and Shade tensed. I, on the other hand, studied Dorian curiously and scented the air.

He smelled strongly of catnip. What the fuck?

The incredulous silence stretched out.

Then Claire spoke. “Explain, Dorian,” she said, folding her arms, “because the last time I checked, those attackers claimed to be the Divine Hunters.”

He eyed her with what seemed like an odd intrigue.

“I guess you probably figured out how we worked,” he said, “and believe me, attacking your blasted city is not how we usually roll. You know that.”

A faint British accent entered his voice and I wondered if he was foreign. Maybe that was why he smelled so weird?

“Then who were those people?” Zack asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow.

Dorian shrugged. “They were new recruits, who wanted to prove something to me by going big or going home. I told them the rules. They didn’t listen. They made fools out of themselves, those blasted kids.”

Shade’s voice was a low murmur, pulling Dorian’s attention his way. “So they were still yours,” he said, his tone hinting at the danger he posed.

Shade stood tall beside me, his expression grim. “What’s stopping us from tearing your throat out? Those were still Hunters, whether they were following orders or not. You’re their leader. If we kill you, the Hunters would be left scrambling for power.”

Dorian’s eyes sparked with amusement, and he flashed a toothy grin. He was sizing up Shade, recognizing him as the real threat. And he wasn’t wrong.

Zack might be the beta of the Millennium Wolves, but I’d always had a hunch that Shade was the stronger of the two.

“If you kill me, the Hunters would go berserk. That wouldn’t be good for the werewolves of North America,” Dorian said.

“But by letting you live, you continue to kill werewolves.” Shade’s gaze was intense, the look of a true predator.

Dorian’s grin was easy and relaxed. “I’m here to apologize for those damn recruits. I came in peace, so I won’t kill any of you damn wolves. That’s my only reason for being here today.”

His eyes darkened. “But if I see you again, and I think you’re a threat, you won’t survive the fight.”

Shade’s stare was hard and unyielding. “Your apology isn’t accepted, and we’ll keep hunting you. You came in peace, so you’ll leave in peace. But if you step foot in Lumen again, or anywhere else you don’t belong, you’ll feel our wrath.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Dorian’s grin was back, and he winked at Claire. “Good to see you again, Claire. Alive and well in your own body. Give Chloe my regards.”

Miles, who had been silent until now, tensed. His eyes held a haunted look.

“Don’t say her name,” he growled, his voice more beast than man.

Dorian looked confused. He glanced at Miles, then at Claire and Zack, who were both unusually pale and tight-lipped.

Understanding dawned on him. “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

“It’s none of your business,” Claire snapped.

Dorian’s gaze lingered on us, thoughtful.

“Chloe Danes was depressed, you know. When she was alive, and I was in Houston with my Hunters, I saw her a few times.”

He sighed. “She always had this vacant look in her eyes. Even when she was brought back with you, Claire, I had a feeling that hadn’t changed.”

Miles looked like he’d been slapped. Claire, Zack, and even Shade seemed taken aback by Dorian’s words, or maybe it was his somber tone.

He sighed again. “I bet you thought she was selfish and pathetic for giving up on life, like I assume she did. But you have to understand, she couldn’t live with herself anymore.”

He looked at Claire. “You had no problem leaving her body and going back to yours. You wanted your own mind, without anyone else in it. The only reason Chloe might have been a bit happier after you both came back was because she wasn’t alone. She always had you there.

Dorian shrugged. “When you left…unless her mate could’ve somehow taken your place in her mind, she felt completely and utterly alone.”

He sighed again. “Well, that’s my theory, but what do I know? I’m just a damn Hunter, right?”

He laughed, and his eyes flashed with madness. “Anyway, I’ll be going now, guys. Kind of disappointed you chose that silly beta, Claire.”

Zack growled a warning, and Claire shot Dorian an annoyed look. “Goodbye, Masterson.”

Realization hit me. He was leaving. I couldn’t let him go yet.

“Wait!” I called out, louder than I meant to. Everyone turned to look at me.

I kept my eyes on Dorian. “Do you know someone named Webb Montgomery?” I asked, my heart pounding.

This was my only chance to find out if Fred was right.

Dorian looked at me, as if he was seeing me for the first time. His eyes narrowed and I saw his nostrils flare. Was he smelling me?

“Huh,” he said, as if he’d figured something out. “Yes, I knew Webb. He died a few years ago, though.”

My heart pounded in my ears. “He was a Hunter?”

His gaze was intense, and I forced myself to meet it.

He tilted his head. “No, he wasn’t,” he said.

Before I could feel the disappointment, he added, “But I do wonder what the head healer of the West Coast Pack wants with a dead, sadistic bastard.”

I felt a chill. “That’s none of your business.”

He shrugged. “If you say so.”

He gave us one last, crazy look before disappearing, teleporting away as he pleased.

I hadn’t known anyone who wasn’t a Deity could do that…or was he a Deity? Not that it mattered.

No one spoke for a few moments after he left. Then Claire looked at me, her eyes curious. “Who’s Webb Montgomery?”

Claire was my friend. Shade, Zack, and Miles were not.

“He’s no one,” I said flatly, and started to walk away. “I’m going to check on the remaining patients.”

Because if I went to sleep now, I’d just toss and turn.

If I believed what Dorian said, which I didn’t want to, then there was more to Webb Montgomery.

And my gut told me that if I dug any deeper, I’d regret finding out the truth.

But I was too far gone to back out now.