lips enough to flash her
front fangs.
“No. I feel better in my wolf.”
Nox nodded once. Turning back to Riley, he crossed his arms over
his chest. Riley withdrew his bloodied fingers from the three gashes
Aya left across his cheek. His upper lip twitched, his nostrils flared,
and his amber eyes glowed with disgust.
“You killed Charles,” Nox accused, not withholding his own
78
Rhea Regale
displeasure in the disturbing revelation. Riley snorted. “You killed her
uncle.”
“If you’re looking for sympathy, I’ve none,” Riley warned. He
raked a hand through his hair. His eyes lowered to Aya, still poised
behind Nox’s body. “I don’t regret burning that bastard to ashes.”
Aya leaped. Nox grabbed her shoulders and wrestled her back to
the ground.
“Easy,” he whispered against her ear. “Let me handle this.” He
forced Aya behind him again and turned back to Riley. “You’re a
fucking fool, Riley Tormel. You’ve no idea what you’ve done.”
“I murdered the man who helped slaughter my father, all because
of that .” Riley jutted out his chin, motioning to Aya. She growled in
response. “Foul creature, you white wolf. Both of you.”
Nox sucked in a deep breath through clenched teeth and pinched
his forehead, then turned his gaze on Riley. He barely clung to sane
grounding.
“All these years you’ve lived believing your father was the target
for murder. Your father, Riley, slaughtered the Whites. Ruthlessly
tore them to shreds while others desecrated countless families, all on
orders from a bunch of insane females. Laela and her sisters wanted
the power and control those families held over the packs—”
“You have no clue what happened that night!” Riley snapped.
“And you do?” Nox stepped up to Riley, breathing hard and fast
as he coiled his anger into a tight ball that threatened to spear out of
his gut and stab the man standing in front of him. “You didn’t stick
around to see the devastation. You took off the moment you heard I
was appointed by the spirits to be her mate. Had you stayed, you
would’ve learned you’re her other mate.” Nox shoved him in the
shoulder. “You would’ve seen what your father did to her parents,
both her mother and father. You would’ve known that Charles killed
your father to protect your future mate.”
Riley looked away, his upper lip quivering and his expression cold
as steel. Nox arched a brow.
Wild Nights
79
“Aya is ours, Riley. We’re responsible for her well-being. We’re
meant to care for her, protect her with our lives. Instinct led you to do
that when your pack approached.” An icy grin touched his mouth.
“That was your pack, I assume, being that one of Laela’s sisters
headed it. I caught a blip of her telepathic call to you.”
“What?” Riley’s attention flew back to him. Nox nodded. “Eliza
separated from a pack in Colorado. She has no affiliation with Laela.”
“Eliza,” Nox drew out, “smells bitter, just as I remember. Guess
who really holds the leash if she’s leading your pack in your absence.
Not you. I’m willing to bet you’ve been played to get to Aya. I’m sure
the sisters all heard you being appointed to a white. The spirits spoke
shortly before the massacre.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Riley snubbed. He took a short, sharp breath.
His frigid gaze landed on Nox once more. “Don’t think because I
stepped between you and my pack tonight that I’m on your side.” He
looked down at Aya. Nox cast a quick glance over his shoulder just as
Aya lunged back on her haunches, preparing to attack. “Blame the
drug you injected in me for my poor judgment. I’ll be sure it doesn’t
happen again.”
Riley snickered and dove toward the trees, transforming back to
wolf and landing on all four paws. His tawny coat shimmered under
the wintry moonlight as he bounded off.
Aya yipped and sprinted after him. Nox charged behind her.
“Aya! Let him
front fangs.
“No. I feel better in my wolf.”
Nox nodded once. Turning back to Riley, he crossed his arms over
his chest. Riley withdrew his bloodied fingers from the three gashes
Aya left across his cheek. His upper lip twitched, his nostrils flared,
and his amber eyes glowed with disgust.
“You killed Charles,” Nox accused, not withholding his own
78
Rhea Regale
displeasure in the disturbing revelation. Riley snorted. “You killed her
uncle.”
“If you’re looking for sympathy, I’ve none,” Riley warned. He
raked a hand through his hair. His eyes lowered to Aya, still poised
behind Nox’s body. “I don’t regret burning that bastard to ashes.”
Aya leaped. Nox grabbed her shoulders and wrestled her back to
the ground.
“Easy,” he whispered against her ear. “Let me handle this.” He
forced Aya behind him again and turned back to Riley. “You’re a
fucking fool, Riley Tormel. You’ve no idea what you’ve done.”
“I murdered the man who helped slaughter my father, all because
of that .” Riley jutted out his chin, motioning to Aya. She growled in
response. “Foul creature, you white wolf. Both of you.”
Nox sucked in a deep breath through clenched teeth and pinched
his forehead, then turned his gaze on Riley. He barely clung to sane
grounding.
“All these years you’ve lived believing your father was the target
for murder. Your father, Riley, slaughtered the Whites. Ruthlessly
tore them to shreds while others desecrated countless families, all on
orders from a bunch of insane females. Laela and her sisters wanted
the power and control those families held over the packs—”
“You have no clue what happened that night!” Riley snapped.
“And you do?” Nox stepped up to Riley, breathing hard and fast
as he coiled his anger into a tight ball that threatened to spear out of
his gut and stab the man standing in front of him. “You didn’t stick
around to see the devastation. You took off the moment you heard I
was appointed by the spirits to be her mate. Had you stayed, you
would’ve learned you’re her other mate.” Nox shoved him in the
shoulder. “You would’ve seen what your father did to her parents,
both her mother and father. You would’ve known that Charles killed
your father to protect your future mate.”
Riley looked away, his upper lip quivering and his expression cold
as steel. Nox arched a brow.
Wild Nights
79
“Aya is ours, Riley. We’re responsible for her well-being. We’re
meant to care for her, protect her with our lives. Instinct led you to do
that when your pack approached.” An icy grin touched his mouth.
“That was your pack, I assume, being that one of Laela’s sisters
headed it. I caught a blip of her telepathic call to you.”
“What?” Riley’s attention flew back to him. Nox nodded. “Eliza
separated from a pack in Colorado. She has no affiliation with Laela.”
“Eliza,” Nox drew out, “smells bitter, just as I remember. Guess
who really holds the leash if she’s leading your pack in your absence.
Not you. I’m willing to bet you’ve been played to get to Aya. I’m sure
the sisters all heard you being appointed to a white. The spirits spoke
shortly before the massacre.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Riley snubbed. He took a short, sharp breath.
His frigid gaze landed on Nox once more. “Don’t think because I
stepped between you and my pack tonight that I’m on your side.” He
looked down at Aya. Nox cast a quick glance over his shoulder just as
Aya lunged back on her haunches, preparing to attack. “Blame the
drug you injected in me for my poor judgment. I’ll be sure it doesn’t
happen again.”
Riley snickered and dove toward the trees, transforming back to
wolf and landing on all four paws. His tawny coat shimmered under
the wintry moonlight as he bounded off.
Aya yipped and sprinted after him. Nox charged behind her.
“Aya! Let him
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