Chapter 378: Chapter 378

Zane | was a little out of breath by the time | finished jogging to the bottom of the stairs. Another reminder that | really needed to find a place where | could let Blade run free more often. Brightsky might be exactly what that spider had said-self-contained. But underground tunnels couldn’t compete with a real bright sky. Me and my wolf both needed some more regular exercise.

The smell reached me before the sight. Dampness. Not briny like the ocean, but more like minerals. | could hear the slosh of water as | turned a corner of the bare concrete corridor. The room beyond was lit with hundreds of lights that gave the space a natural glow.

The ponds didn’t look natural, though. They were built of concrete, large rectangles more like swimming pools.

| spotted Greyson right away. He had a net with a long handle that he was dragging through the water. | watched as he h ooked what turned out to be a basket.

He pulled it out, dripping, and set it on the side of the pond.

“Grey!” | called out, lifting a hand in greeting.

For a second, he looked confused. When he saw me, though, he gave a wide grin and waved back. “Zane!

Hey!”

| made my way toward him. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but a spider told me you were down here.”

“They're everywhere. How do you think the hallway lighting brightens and dims as you're walking, or how the lights show you just where you want to go?”

Greyson leaned the net handle against the wall.

“| thought it was tech.”

He shook his head. “Brightsky has tons of tech, sure, but the enclavian spiders are everywhere. Most of the time you won’t even see them. I’m surprised one showed itself to you.”

Greyson put his hands on his hips and twisted at the waist, cracking his back. Then he rolled his head back and forth, cracking his neck. When he saw me looking, he laughed. “Sorry. Had a pretty solid workout earlier, and it kind of wrecked me.”

“| wish you'd called me. | need a solid workout,” | said Greyson studied me. “Next time, | will. For sure. So...

did you need something?”

[e)

“Huh?”

“You said one of the spiders told you | was down here.

Were you looking for me?”

S hit. If | said yes, was | going to look like a weirdo?

“Mostly just exploring,” | said. “But I’m glad | found you.”

“Your Alphas are in the leadership council meeting, huh? So's Charlotte. | know what it’s like to have to find ways to fill your time. Want to see ‘something cool?”

| nodded. “Always.”

Greyson opened one of the clams to show me the pearls inside. “These are worth hundreds of dollars each. | haven't been assigned farm duties in years, but sometimes | like to come down here and just check.

them out. It’s always quiet. Gives me time to think.”

He pocketed the pearls and tossed the empty shell into a container at the end of the pond.

“Seems like maybe you've got a lot on your mind,”

Greyson said. “Anything you want to talk about?”

Together, we walked along the edges of the ponds and into a long hallway on the outside. We passed a lot of doors, and when | peeked inside | could see other similar rooms. | waited until we reached the end of the hall and another set of stairs before | answered.

“| want to talk about what happened with Lanie and Charlotte, | guess.”

“What about it?” Greyson gave me a curious look as we started to climb the stairs.

| paused on the landing. “Don’t you feel...s hit. | hate to even say it. Violated?”

Greyson’s laugh wasn’t mocking. “I get what you’re saying. Yeah, at first | was kind of upset. I’d never hurt my mate like that. But...well, it’s part of being in a relationship with Charlotte.”

“What? Having your mind be controlled?” | didn’t even pretend | could understand this.

“Being tested, if it's necessary. She’s a hybrid, just like Lanie. There are lots of things Charlotte didn’t realize she could do until she was tested. I’m sure it’s all pretty confusing for you as Lanie’s mate.” Greyson eyed me. “If you want to talk about it, I’m here. | can’t promise to answer all your questions, but if | can’t, | can try to find someone who can.”

“Yeah...” | said with a nod and sense of hope rising inside me. | hadn’t realized just how much all of this was weighing on me until Greyson made the offer.

“Yeah. I'd like that. I’m not sure I'd even know where to start.”

“Tell you what,” he said with a grin. “Let’s go grab a drink, and we'll see what happens.”