The Wolf Prince's Fated Heart - Page 85

The door’s thrown open, and through it, Graham bursts in. His eyes go to Tim first, as if he wants to confirm that he’s not a threat. Then, as if suddenly remembering where we are, his glance falls on me.

“Are you okay?” he asks, taking my wrists in his hands and turning them around to inspect them. “Did he hurt you?”

“No, I’m fine,” I assure him.

“He dared to touch you,” Graham snarls, his wolf clear in his eyes. It makes my stomach somersault with fear.

Grayden steps into the room, with Garren and Gavin on his heels.

Tim cowers into himself. “Please, don’t,” he starts to beg. “Don’t kill me. I’ll never be a danger to you again. I’ll quit my job and stay far away from Cassie.”

“You don’t need to quit,” Graham tells him. “You’re fired.”

“You can’t do that,” Tim argues.

“I can, and I did,” Graham bites out. “Don’t worry, though. Where you’re going, you won’t need to work. I’m sure that your precious human government will put you in a nice prison cell, making you feel like you’re in a five-star hotel.”

“Please,” Tim begs. “You can’t do that to me.”

“Shut up, Tim!” I snap. “Try to at least pretend you have some dignity left.”

With a nod from Graham, the shadows pull Tim higher off the floor.

I step forward, my eyes locked on the man I used to share my life with. “I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. I tried very hard to ignore all those messages you’ve sent me. I even ignored the nasty rumors you spread about me around the office. Maybe if I hadn’t done all that, I’d see just how bad you really were. It might not mean much, and I’m doing this for me, not for you, but I want you to know that I forgive you. I forgive you for what you did to me. That’s all that’s in my right to forgive. Everything else, you’ll have to carry on your conscience. Goodbye, Tim.”

The shadows keep him from speaking, but his eyes hold a vast well of emotions. It’s over. We’re over. Forever.

I hold my breath and clutch my hands into fists, bracing myself for what will happen next.

In the end, the shadows carry Tim closer to Helia who puts her hand on his forehead and casts a sleeping spell on him. Just like that, the battle with Tim is over.

“I’ll have Blaine and the Dark Hunters bring him to the human authorities,” Alyssa says. “He’ll make sure that he’s given over to the people we trust.”

Garren nods.

“That was surprisingly easy,” Leia says. “I expected him to be a bit more tight-lipped.”

“Don’t underestimate the power of love,” Gavin mutters.

I shiver at the thought. Though I had nothing to do with Tim’s actions, I can’t help but feel responsible for how things turned out in the end. He accessed F-Rec for Jason because my life was threatened. If it wasn’t for me, Jason wouldn’t be able to blackmail Tim. It’s irrational to think that, especially when my rational part tells me that if he hadn’t used me as collateral, they’d find someone else.

“We should find a way to get in touch with Tiana,” Garren says. “Right now, she’s our only link to Jason.”

“Who’s Tiana?” I ask, glancing at Graham.

“There’s something I didn’t tell you yet,” he replies and takes my hand. “Let’s go up. I could use a drink.”

I let Graham take the lead as the others follow us. Sleeping Tim’s not a threat to anyone right now. Alyssa will call Blaine while Graham tells me all about this Tiana person and her involvement with Jason.

CHAPTER 18

Graham

“Are you angry at me?” I ask Cassie when we’re alone in the car. “I didn’t mean to hide this from you, but you have to understand that it wasn’t my life on the line here.”

“It’s fine,” Cassie tells me. “I’m not upset at you for not telling me about Tiana. I’m just tired. Seeing Tim like that wasn’t easy on me.”

“Where would you like me to take you?” I ask her. “Your apartment?”