For a single instant his eyes wavered, struck by something. A flicker of unease surfaced, as if he suspected I might have already uncovered the truth.
But he dismissed the thought just as quickly, and the surface calm settled back into place.
No. She loved him that deeply. If she really knew, there was no way she could stand here looking this composed.
With that reassurance, his emotions steadied again, and his tone returned to its usual cool detachment.
"Don't listen to Grandfather. The Nightfang Pack can provide for you. I promised my brother I'd look after you properly. I won't betray his trust. So don't think about leaving. You stay where I can keep eyes on you."
A laugh escaped me when I heard that.
It tasted of bitterness and irony too tangled to name.
I couldn't make sense of him. If I simply left, everything would fall neatly into place. He could stand openly at Chloe Ashford's side without having to manage me, without worrying that one day I'd notice the cracks in his disguise.
So why was he acting as though he didn't want to let me go?