"Don't pity me." Mason let out a gruff growl. "It makes it harder."
"Sorry," I whispered. "So pinecones, huh?"
He laughed. "Yes, well, it's an acquired taste."
"I bet."
My heart picked up speed, and then I smelled him. Ethan entered the room, briskly walking by me, kissing my head. "Steak almost done?"
"I'm a perfectionist." Mason held up his hands. "Let the juices seal."
Ethan scrunched up his nose. "Her blood tastes better than that steak."
"Yes, well, her blood tastes good because she's living. She's living because I feed her."
"Werewolf has a point," I teased. "Besides, if I eat my whole steak, we're going to watch Lion King!"
"Whose king?" Ethan tilted his head. "What lion? Mason's a wolf."
And that's how I ended up spending my evening between a vampire and a werewolf, eating steak and watching a Disney movie while they argued over the animal kingdom, not to mention the lion's choice in song.
It felt right.
Like I'd finally found my place.
My home.
I had no idea that the security I felt was about to get ripped from me, from the very people I'd put my trust in.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Ethan
I TRIED TO WATCH THE CHILDISH movie. I even engaged Mason in an argument over the silly cartoon, but my thoughts were elsewhere.
On Alex and Stephanie.
On what he'd just revealed to me, betraying his own sister's confidence because he was so damn worried about what she would do — what she was capable of.
"She thinks she loves him," Alex muttered sourly. "Yet she doesn't wear his mark. It's as if he's refused to mark her, but she still… craves him."
"Sirens crave sex," I mumbled. "You know this."
"This is much different." Alex shook his head. "Something's shifted, I don't know what… but…"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "He wouldn't dare mark her for death. Immortals don't mate with each other — not in that way. It's not natural."
"That's what I said."
"We can talk later." I sighed. "I'll try talking to her."
"Thank you." Alex's body slumped against the chair. "I worry more than I should."
But really, his worrying was merited because Stephanie wanted what was forbidden for her to want.
A Dark One.
Our king.