Page 84 of The Secret Mate Society

“I gathered it all up,” Ageratum nodded.“And it will be destroyed within the hour.”

“Thank you,” Trevor replied for me.“It means a lot.”

“It is not a free favor,” the demon said, still staring at me.“I will accept nothing less than that rogue’s head on a platter as repayment.He’s caused me too much trouble already.”

I didn’t trust the demon, but at least in that regard, we were both united.“You have my word,” I replied honestly.“The only way to keep Ethan safe is to kill the rogue.We’ll get him one way or another.”

“Good.Because we’re going to draw him out tomorrow, after the human’s Halloween festivities have died down.And we’re going to use your human as bait, just like we discussed.”

I did everything I could to keep the irritated growl inside me.But he was right, I had agreed to that plan.I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t think of another way to draw the rogue out either.“Fine,” I grunted at last.“At least this will be over soon.”

“Yes it will.”Ageratum shifted the box in his hands.“Now I suggest you get back to your human and stage some sort of convincing lie for why this box is gone.”He turned, heading back to the shadows.“I have some papers to burn.”

I watched Ageratum disappear into the shadows, the box of Ethan's life's work clutched in his hands.My stomach twisted with guilt and dread.I'd just betrayed the man I loved to save his life, and he would never know it.

"What are you going to tell him?"Trevor asked, his voice softer now that the demon was gone.

I sighed, rubbing my temples where a headache was forming."I have no fucking idea.A break-in?But why would someone take only that box and nothing else?"

"Maybe say it was the rogue?"Trevor suggested.“And tell him you drove him off.”

“I don’t want him to feel like he’s not safeanywhere,” I sighed.“That’s why I brought him to my house in the first place.”

“It’s Halloween now,” Trevor said.“After tomorrow night, he won’t have anything to worry about again.We’ll take care of the rogue and he’ll be safe.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, knowing things werefarmore complicated than that.“Everything will be fine after that.”

“It’s gonna be okay, Calder.We’ll figure this out.”

I nodded, already dreading the moment Ethan would wake up and discover his research was gone.Then when he finally discovered I was a werewolf… I wasn’t sure I’d survive the same look of terror in his eyes directed at me instead of the rogue.

"Get some sleep," I told Trevor, clapping him on the shoulder."I need to get back before Ethan notices I'm gone."

“Okay, boss,” Trevor nodded.“You got this.”

I nodded, turning away from him.The walk back to my house felt like walking to my own execution.Every step was heavier than the last.By the time I reached my front door, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn.I slipped inside as quietly as I could, my enhanced senses telling me Ethan was still asleep in the bedroom.The box, however, was gone.A small part of me almost hoped Ageratum’s was a fake.But of course it wasn’t.The evidence had to be destroyed.

Now I just had to make it look like a break-in.

I moved quickly, pulling open a few drawers and scattering their contents on the floor.Not too much though.I didn't want it to look like a complete ransacking, just enough to suggest someone had been searching for something specific.I overturned a lamp, wincing at the crash, then hesitated by the window, wondering if I should break it to complete the illusion.

No.Too noisy.Too dangerous with Ethan sleeping just down the hall.

Instead, I unlocked it and pushed it up, letting the cool morning air flow in.To complete the effect, I allowed my hands to shift into claws, tearing at the frame to look like it was forced open from the outside by a monster.

My heart was hammering as I worked, guilt making my hands clumsy.Every sound seemed amplified in the quiet house.Every lie I was constructing felt like a betrayal.

"Calder?"Ethan's sleepy voice called from the bedroom."Is that you?"

Shit.I'd made too much noise.

"Stay there!"I called back, injecting urgency into my voice."Someone broke in!"

I heard the rapid thump of his feet hitting the floor, followed by the rustle of clothes as he presumably threw something on.Seconds later, he appeared in the hallway, hair tousled from sleep, eyes wide with alarm.He was wearing one of my t-shirts, the hem falling to mid-thigh.

"What happened?"he gasped, taking in the disarray.

I ran a hand through my hair, making it look like I was distressed.It wasn't hard to fake."I heard something and came out to check.It was in here, Ethan.The rogue.Then it ran when it saw me."