Chapter 9
MICHAEL
Walking out of my father’s house and down the path toward Monique’s cottage was nerve wracking, but I tried not to show it.
My father was flushed in the face and had a tremble to his limbs that I’d never seen before. Was he worried? Excited? Or in some sort of wolf shifter drug withdrawal?
I tried to ignore the state he was in, but it was difficult. I’d been schooled since birth to respond to my father’s whims, and I could see as clear as day that he was on the edge of something terrible.
“You’re clear on the plan?” His sudden whisper jolted me out of my thoughts. At my stumble, he touched my arm gently to halt my progress.
I nodded. “Yes, Father. I seduce Monique, you take the wolves to the woods and let them leave.”
My father grinned at me. Actually grinned.
Fuck. He looks... insane.
“Yes.” Then he slapped me on the back, indicating I should move forward. I hesitated, then he tapped me again. Harder. “Go.”
I did as he said, because it was better I accompanied him than not. I didn’t think there would be any stopping him in the state he was in. He was practically vibrating with power. I prayed Monique and the wolves just followed my lead when I asked them to go along with whatever I said.
Not something I had a lot of hope in, especially when it came to Xander and Kyle, but I had no choice. My father hadn’t let me come alone. Not even for a ten-minute visit for a drink. He’d been hot on my heels from the start of the night.
When we reached Monique’s cottage, I inhaled and exhaled slowly, calming my exterior with practice, before knocking, hard.
“Who is it?” Monique called out, her voice high-pitched and nervous.
As if she didn’t know.
“It’s Michael. You said to pop by for hot chocolate.” I provided the reminder even though I knew it wasn’t necessary. I could tell from her voice that she was terrified I’d come with my dad to take away her wolves.
Well, I hadn’t been able to stop my dad from coming, but I would do what I could to stop him hurting Monique’s men.
“Yeah... coming!” she called.
I took a step back and the heat of my father’s vibrating magic seared into my back. I shuddered at the feeling of darkness flittered against me.