SCARLETT

It had been just under a week since Roman and I had visited one of Nyx's packs. I couldn't stop thinking about the vast number of gifted wolves being forced into obeying his every command. None of them looked happy. Instead, their faces were masked with despair and turmoil. They were all being pushed to their limits, which wasn't fair.

Just because they were born to be different didn't mean they deserved to be treated poorly. None of us had asked for this.

However, if we were going to bring down Nyx and put a stop to his parade, we were going to need our friends behind us. I'd been thinking long and hard, and I'd finally decided it was time to tell Brandon and Erica what I was. Fear surrounded me, filling my bones and taking over my body, but Roman would be by my side.

He wouldn't let anyone hurt me - not that I believed Erica or Brandon would try. I was just concerned they wouldn't accept me. Would they call up Nyx and hand me over? No. They weren't like that. They hated his guts.

"You've got this, baby," Roman told me, taking my hand. His eyes flickered down to my mark for a brief second, and I quickly turned it around, hiding it from him. It was a habit I had, and I knew it was going to take me a while to get over it.

I hated people looking at it, and I'd convinced myself that the scarlet stain was ugly. The thought of Roman inspecting it made me nauseous.

We were currently waiting in Roman's office for Erica and Brandon. Roman had called them here to discuss some 'business', but really, we were going to be telling them that I was a gifted wolf. Luckily, the office was soundproof, too, so nobody outside would hear our conversation.

"Do you think they'll hate me?" I asked, worrying my lip between my teeth, and my mate released a slight chuckle, stepping closer to me.

"Scarlett, how could they?" He grinned, kneeling to my level to look at me directly in the eyes. His emerald orbs encaptured me, causing me to almost melt into a puddle on the office floor.

As the days went by, I became more desperate for all of Roman. I'd imagined what he would feel like inside me more times than I'd cared to admit, and I'd always have to have a cold bath to calm my nervous system down. Fuck, I wanted all of him.

"You're horny at a time like this?" Roman questioned me, and my eyes widened, my mouth popping open.

The side of his lip curved upwards. "I can smell your arousal, Scarlett." He seemed to enjoy my reaction. "But I won't be the only one who can, so unless you want Brandon and Erica to sense how wet you are for me, I suggest you take a few deep breaths."

He was teasing, making my thighs slicker than before, and I cursed at him, turning to clamp my eyes shut and focus on anything other than my glorious mate. What had I done in my past life to deserve such a beautiful man?

I heard Roman shuffle around, and the sound of fabric moving caught my attention. Roman was adjusting himself, meaning he was also aroused, and I smiled to myself as I tried my best to push my sexual thoughts from my racing mind.

Suddenly, a fist rattled on the office door, and I took one last deep inhale before opening my eyes. Roman pulled the door open to reveal Erica and Brandon, and after they took a seat and arched their eyebrows at my mate, I moved to stand in front of the desk.

"I'm guessing you have more news on Nyx?" Brandon questioned, his mate nodding eagerly beside him.

"Not exactly," I said, twiddling my thumper nervously. Erica followed the action, narrowing her eyes at me with intrigue, and she cocked her head as I opened my mouth to speak again. "Before I say this, I want to thank you two for being so welcoming. I've never really had a family, and you opened your pack up to me with kind hearts. It means a lot."

A smile formed on Erica's face, and Brandon dipped his chin in a nod, looking slightly confused. "What's going on?"

Sweat accumulated on my hairline, and I shakily wiped it away, my heart thundering inside my chest. However, Roman helped to calm my nerves, placing his hand on my lower back and rubbing soothing circles.

"I don't know you're going to take this," I admitted.

Erica's mouth curled downwards. "You're not leaving, are you?"

If she'd asked me that question a little while ago, I wouldn't have been so sure of my answer, but now, standing in front of them - my new family - I was sure I was staying. This was my home.

I shook my head. "No, well, I hope not."

"She's not," interjected Roman, his jaw tightening as he swallowed.

"What is it, Scarlett?" Brandon said, his eyebrows collapsing in on one another.

Okay. Here we go. Was I really going to admit out in the open what I was? This went against every instinct in my body.

"I'm not exactly who you think I am. I'm so sorry I haven't been honest with you, but this is all new to me. I never believed I'd actually be accepted," I started, my face paling. Fuck it, if they hated me for what I was, then that was on them. I hadn't asked to be born with a gift, and if I had a choice, I'd be normal.

"Take your time," encouraged my mate after sensing my reluctance.

I nodded, offering Erica and Brandon a small smile. "I'm a gifted wolf."

Silence.

Well, that wasn't a good sign.

Erica and Brandon remained frozen as if the Ice Age had just reoccurred and trapped them in ice blocks. They didn't move an inch for what felt like forever, and after around thirty seconds of silence, Roman cleared his throat.

"Are you going to say something?" he pressed.

"I'm just... I don't know what to say," Brandon said breathlessly, his gaze dropping to my hands, trying to take a peek at my mark. However, I had it hidden with my sleeves.

"You're a gifted wolf?" Erica stood, her hand clutching her swollen belly. "Like a real gifted wolf? What the hell? What's your gift?" A smile crept up onto her face, and relief blooded my system.

"Um, I can control people's emotions."

Brandon stood along with Erica, humming with interest. "Have you used them on anyone here?"

A small laugh escaped my mouth. "I knew you'd be worried about that, but don't panic. I haven't manipulated your emotions. There are limitations to my gift, and the effects are only temporary. I can't technically control anyone."

"How long have you known?" Brandon asked his brother.

Roman shrugged. "A little while. I figured it out on my own, but when Scarlett first arrived, I was none the wiser."

"So, you have a mark?" Erica rounded the desk, pointing to my hand, but I kept it in the same position, nodding once. I wasn't comfortable showing people my mark, and it was going to take me a little longer to work up the courage to show everyone up close. "How have I never noticed it before?"

I shrugged. "I guess if you're not actively looking for it, it's not something you notice."

Brandon clicked his tongue. He looked unsure of how to react. He wasn't an open book and didn't express emotions a whole lot, and it was hard to tell what was going on in that head of his. I could practically see the cogs turning, though - trying to work out the best way to react while remaining respectful. "Is that why those rogues showed up? Because they were after you?"

Roman chewed on the inside of his cheek, taking my hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze as if to say, Brandon is just worried. Don't panic. He's just trying to digest the information.

"Nobody knows about Scarlett's identity," he explained. "I believe the rogues showing up was merely a coincidence. They were clearly on the hunt for something, and my guess is that they were after gifted wolves. Nyx is ramping up the hunt, so people are as desperate as ever to find him some and get in his good graces."

Brandon nodded in understanding. "My concern is that the pack will be at risk, but we will stand by you, Scarlett. Nobody will hurt you. We can promise you that."

I thanked him, smiling sadly. That was my fear, too - that I was putting the pack in danger. It had been the reason my parents had handed me over in the first place. I was a sitting time bomb.

"Did you really think we'd disown you because you're a gifted wolf?" Erica asked me, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into a tight hug. "It's a hell of a shock, yes, but this is who you are, Scarlett. You were born gifted for a reason, and there's no way we're giving up on you."

Tears pricked my eyes. I was being accepted, and it felt magical.

"You're working at such proximity to Nyx, though," Erica exclaimed. "Roman, that's too dangerous. I understand you want to find out as much information about his plans as possible, but it's risky having Scarlett on the front line."

"I know that, and so does she," Roman said with a tight jaw. "But Scarlett refuses to sit back and watch. She wants to be a part of this, and I feel it's wrong for me to stop her from doing so. She's doing this for her own kind. Her safety is my number one priority, Erica, don't worry."

"You didn't find any more useful information about him from your visit, though, did you?" Brandon checked, tapping his fingers against the mahogany desk. "How are we actually going to take him down?"

Roman sighed, running his hand through his hair. "No, we didn't discover any new information, but we're working on it. Right now, it's about keeping Nyx close and waiting until he reveals more. We know the location of one of his packs now, and that's a big step, but we just have to wait until we get more."

"Do we have that time, though?" Erica asked, worried. "Nyx is discovering more gifted wolves by the Enclave Clan is growing. We can't wait until he has every gifted wolf in the area. We won't be able to take him."

Her words caused my mate to stress, and he gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists. "It's all we have right now."

"No," I stated, shaking my head. "It's not all we have."

Everyone turned to look at me with furrowed brows.

I'd spent the past few days thinking about how I was going to take down Nyx, and I'd finally come up with something. However, Roman wasn't going to approve of it.

"I have an idea," I said, sighing, turning my mate. "But you're not going to like it."

He cocked his head. "What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "I need you to hand me over to Nyx."