Chapter l375

Chapter 0375

Something was different.

Maybe he was manipulated, But I was suddenly starting to realize that that manipulation might not have all that recent.

Locking eyes with Julian, he nodded at me. “You get it. Remember how, on the night you were almost taken, Nicholas, Joyce lured Piper to the balcony and trapped her there. He wanted her out of the way in case she decided to…” He didn’t finish, but we both knew.

They didn’t want Piper to be present when I was taken. If Piper had been with me that night, I would have immediately known Jane was the one at the door, and she wouldn’t have been able to get the collar on me.

Neither of us could say that allowed without revealing Jane’s existence, and my promise to keep that secret for Piper kept my mouth firmly shut.

“But if Joyce was involved in that incident,” I said, “Then how far back does his connection to the underground go?”

“You are all talking nonsense,” the Luna said, but there was panic in her eyes. Her hand on Joyce’s shoulder wasn’t holding on quite as tightly anymore.

Joyce, meanwhile, was still playing pathetic.

“We should check for the mark,” I said, and glanced at our father for permission.

“No!” the Luna said, but there was fear in her voice. Maybe she didn’t want to

know the truth.

The King, however, could see that it was necessary. “Do it.”

I stepped toward Joyce. He immediately cowered away.

“T-this isn’t necessary!” he said, and his voice was shaking.

“Don’t make this difficult,” Julian said.

I took another step. Joyce tried to dodge from me, but I gripped his shirt and yanked it up.

There, on Joyce’s chest was a tattoo of an upside down wolf skull. The symbol of the underground.

It was not a fresh tattoo, but seemed stretched out with his growth spirts. Then he was like Veronica, taken in as a child, manipulated and groomed for the

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“S hit,” Julian said.

I understood the sentiment.

The King had gone quiet. The Queen was softly crying.

Joyce looked hollowed out and broken. He was silent now, frozen. He didn’t whimper, didn’t cry. He just sat there staring at nothing.

“We have to keep this secret,” the King said. “Terry’s betrayal was enough to break the public’s trust in us, but this? This would ruin everything…”

“We can’t just keep him around,” Julian said. “Listening.”

“How could you?” the Luna sobbed softly to Joyce. Joyce stared blankly back. Oh, my little boy.”

“Maybe we could deprogram him. He’s obviously brainwashed. We could bring him back,” I said. I looked at Julian. Like Veronica. Maybe she could even help.

Julian sighed, and I knew he was conceding. He’d been ice cold before, but now that the truth had fully been brought to light, he seemed more resigned.

Maybe he was thinking of all the intel we could get from Joyce if he did return to

us.

Or maybe he, too, was just worried about our youngest brother.

“Fine,” Julian said.

“Then we are in agreement,” the King said.

–

“Yes, we ah!” I clutched at my chest as a shot of sharp fear spi ked through me. Inside, my wolf was snarling, and throwing itself against the walls I used to contain it.

“Nicholas?” Julian asked, stepping closer.

“It’s Piper,” I said. I had no idea how I knew my words were true, but I could feel the truth in them with every fiber of my being. Wherever Piper was, she was terrified. “She’s in trouble.”

Confusion seeped over Julian’s face. He pulled out his phone. “She hasn’t pressed the tracker.”

“I’m telling you,” I/started, then growled. The wolf was winning the fight. I’d shift soon. I had to get to Piper. She needed me.

I pushed away from my family and barreled toward the door.

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Julian rushed after me. “You don’t even know where she is!”

But I did. I had no idea how.

I could feel her presence tugging on my heart. All I had to do was follow.

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