Alpha Erased (Alpha Girl 9)
No. I wasn’t letting Tessa out of my sight. Not after tonight. Not after she just spoke to me before she fell asleep. “The magic is weakening, right? And we all heard what she said. She’s there. I don’t need more than a day.”
“You need to be sure about that.”
It was a risk, and I got that. But everything was risk right now. “I am. Go find whatever clues you can find.”
“Good. I’ll be back.” She waved Chris over.
He patted my shoulder as he left with her.
The next few minutes were excruciating. I wanted to know what they found. Hell, I wanted to be there when they found it. But it was more important for me to stay where I was. I kept my fingers on the pulse point of her neck. The steady thump-thump soothed me. I breathed in time with her and waited for answers.
My cell phone buzzed, and I glanced at it. The text was from a number I didn’t recognize.
Cassie’s fey friend is in the elevator.
I quickly called Cosette. “Your sister is here,” I said as soon as she answered. I heard the elevator ding. “She’s getting off the elevator now.”
“I’ll handle it.” Cosette hung up.
I wanted to go and help, but I wasn’t leaving Tessa alone. Not when there were fey around. If Cosette’s sister didn’t come alone—
A few seconds later, Chris, Cosette, and another girl entered the apartment. She looked almost like Cosette—the same dark blonde hair, same height, same small nose, but her eyes were different. They were an eerie pale blue and filled with ice.
Cosette’s grasp on her sister’s arm was tight as she shoved her toward the loveseat. “Sit there and don’t get up.”
Cosette’s sister relaxed in the loveseat. “How cute, sister. It’s almost like you actually care about these werewolves. Mother told us not to get close to them. You know what they can do to our kind. Is the addiction already—”
“I’m not addicted to controlling them because I don’t act on it, Georgine.” Cosette sat on the pouf and stared at her sister. “But you’ve been with Tessa. What have you—”
“I’ve done nothing but watch her.” She looked at Tessa. “I don’t like her, but I didn’t hurt her.”
I didn’t like Georgine looking at my mate. I didn’t know what the fey girl could do by just looking at her.
I eased out from under Tessa and stood in front of her.
Chris came to stand next to me.
Georgine smiled at Chris, and it was like looking at a shark. There were too many teeth in her mouth.
“Georgine.” Cosette’s voice held a threat in it.
Georgine’s smile faded, thankfully, and she turned to her sister and shrugged. “You’re no fun anymore.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder. “I owed Mother a bargain, and I wanted out of that bloody court. I couldn’t take it there for one more day, so I watched your little werewolf friend. I went to classes, Cosette. Mortal school.”
“Oh, that must’ve been so hard for you.” Cosette laughed, and it was colder than her sister’s eyes. “If you wanted no part in our feud, why did you take the job?”
“Because I owed Mother a bargain. I had to do it, even if I didn’t want the boring job. I wasn’t allowed to contact you, or I might’ve just wanted to end my misery. But I was to watch Tessa until she either died or someone came for her. I was to alert her if either happened, which I have. But your timing is great. As usual.”
Cosette huffed. I’d been in battle with Cosette, I’d laughed with her, we’ve shopped together, but I’d never seen her with family.
It was almost like watching a soap opera.
A very dangerous, possibly deadly soap opera.
And even if I didn’t like Georgine, I wasn’t sure she was evil. At least not entirely. Especially since she wasn’t fighting us.
“And why is my timing great?”
“Van has caused a bit of trouble at court today. There’s a battle going on at court, and Mother is…occupied. And since I was the only one watching Tessa, you’ve time to fix what Mother has done.” She looked at me for a second.