Chapter 185: Chapter 184

Lanie “Gabriela, what is it?” Braden asked, a concerned look on his face.

| was desperate to hear her answer, but if she was here with Malachi, then no one was trailing Orion.

What if he’d already captured Mason? What if he was torturing him right now?

My mouth went dry, and the place on my neck where Mason had claimed me tingled.

“He’s in danger.” Lily was freaking out, too, but stating the obvious wasn’t helping.

| braced myself to hear the worst-that Mason had been captured and killed, but | wasn’t expecting what came next.

“Orion has what he needs,” Gabriela said. “Two hyrbid babies.”

Wait, what? Two babies? But they weren’t...they couldn't be....

“No,” Xander said firmly. “It's not them. Tell me it isn’t them.”

He rushed down to the spell border where Gabriela and Malachi still stood on the other side. Zane followed him as if in a daze.

“| wish | could say it’s not, but..” Malachi trailed off, his handsome face was twisting in disgust. “I’m afraid your father’s plans run deeper than we'd even imagined, Xander.”

Xander looked at Gabriela. “What is he talking about?”

| watched them closely, my heart hammering so hard it made me nauseous.

“Do you know much about Alice’s family, Xander? Do you, Zane?” Malachi asked.

Their faces scrunched in concentration, but they remained silent.

“It took her years to be mated, did it not?” Malachi asked. “And when she finally was, who did she get mated to?”

“Gregory and Lucas,” Zane said, his voice barely a whisper. “The men Orion paid off to mate hybrid she-wolves so he could use them for testing.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Alice was a hybrid, too.”

Everyone turned to look at me. Xander’s and Zane’s faces morphed into masks of shock and horror.

My heart panged for them. They'd had no idea what kind of danger Alice was in, what kind of danger their pups were in.

But deep down, | also felt a terrible, ugly jolt of jealousy. Alice and | had been the same, | wasn’t stronger or more special than her. And Mason, Xander, and Zane had all loved her, too.

or knew Mason Constantine, but the twins were only useful to Orion if their vampire side came from an ancient bloodline.

Malachi nodded.

“She’s not from my bloodline, but I’m one of three surviving ancients,” he explained. “The others...they don’t live in this region. |

don’t know who her ancestors were, but I’m guessing Orion does.”

“F uck!” Xander cried, pressing his palms to his hands. “Where are the twins now?”

“With Orion,” Gabriela said. “He’s bargaining with the Council before he hands them over for testing. We don’t have much time.“

My heart ached for the twins. They were so little, so innocent, and Stella could have just as easily been in their place.

G ods, it wasn’t fair. We had to stop this.

“Why did he have to run?” Zane asked, his voice rough with emotion. “Why did Mason have to be so fucking st upid?”

Ahorrible sound ripped from Xander’s throat, something between a cry and a snarl. Zane wrapped his arms around him, but his whole body was shaking, too.

“Where is he?” | was almost afraid to ask, but | had to know. “What did Orion do with Mason?”

“| wish | could tell you, Malachi said: “Gabriela didn’t see him.”

Xander picked up his head. “What do you mean?”

Gabriela took in a shaky breath. “I was living with him again. In the hunting lodge. | convinced him | wanted in on his plan, but |

was working for Malachi this whole time.”

Sh it. No wonder she looked so pale and terrified. Orion had probably tortured her, too.

“Then come in here, you're not safe out there,” Xander said.

“| can’t,” Gabriela said. “The spell won’t let me through the barrier. But it’s okay. Malachi and | are going to wait for Orion to leave, and we're going to head him off. We're going to bring the babies back.”

Looks of confusion and concern passed between me, Braden, Xander, and Zane.

“Say you succeed in bringing back the twins,” Zane said. “Then what? Orion won’t stop coming.”

“| know,” Malachi said. “That’s why I’m going to kill him.”