Chapter 36

Adrian

"It couldn't have gone any better, could it?"

Miles laughed out loud from the back seat, putting his legs up on the cream-colored leather of my sports car and stretching out. Actually, I would have liked to tell him not to do that, but my mood was just too good for that. Instead, I stepped on the gas and drove straight through the yellow light.

"Considering it was your idea, yes," David laughed with amusement. Not only did he laugh as infrequently as I did, but his ash-blond hair was a little messy. It reminded me of when all three of us were young and silly, romping across the meadows of Nicolaj's mansion. Back then, we hadn't known that one day, we'd be chasing whatever was playing in the meadows.

"Just shut up, David, and finally realize that I'm the one with the good ideas."

"Oh, the one with the good ideas, huh? Did you hear that, Adrian?"

I snorted in amusement and pushed the gas pedal down further, savoring the open road with my new black Ferrari.

The basic idea had been mine, however Miles had given it the setting and the schedule. None of this would have been possible if we hadn't relied on the temperament of those involved.

"These mutts are unpredictable and can barely control themselves," I just snorted, remembering Monday's conversation, the alpha dog and his whole pack and how out of control his oldest son was behaving. When it was his turn next, the pack would go down, which would solve the problem itself, or worse, become our problem.

"Do you think the human girl will cause problems?" David asked now calmly again, looking at me.

"It's working to our advantage right now. Believe me, if the Alpha sees that a human has been dragged into this, we'll not only turn the pack and witches against each other, but we'll also fuel each of the internal conflicts a bit," Miles explained from behind me. There was satisfaction in his voice.

It was a coincidence that a human had gotten in the middle of this planned event because we had actually checked all the walk-throughs beforehand.

"The most important thing is that we have the camera footage," David commented.

A stick flew forward from the back seat in confirmation, and David caught it between his thumb and forefinger.

"What do you think, little brother." Miles sounded amused. Apparently, he was still resting on his accomplishments.

David just shook his head, being the older of the two at 23. And in fact, the three of us weren't brothers. David wasn't even a born DeLoughrey.

"Good," I said and drove through the increasingly dark and foggy forest, finally turning into the DeLoughrey estate's rough forest access road with a soft squeal of tires. A few ravens shot up in fright, almost crashing into my windshield, as they always did.

Since I was brought here, the fog has blanketed this territory and kept the wolves from venturing in. The forest is silent on this part of the island, and one can sense any intruder from miles away.

However, it was rare for anyone to stray in here, because what idiot would want to mess with a pureblood Ruisangor, or better, with Nicolaj? Prestige, fortune, and the best training ensured that he trained his clan to be an easily underestimated weapon. If one could put it that way, our clan had supremacy in all of Canada, if not soon in all of North America, were it not for the Order of Tenebris in California.

The DeLoughrey clan had been headquartered here in Blairville since the founding days, and that would not change anytime soon. This part of the island was ours.

The fog lifted, and I had to stop again to wait for the electric steel gate to open in front of me, held in place by moss-covered walls that surrounded the entire property.

Two stone angels were looking down at my car from the right and left, probably still considering whether to allow me to enter the Receptum. Often, I felt watched by the countless statues on our grounds.

But no one was watching me. I was the watcher.

After the gate opened, I hit the gas once more to get across the gravel driveway between the entrance and the old baroque-style mansion that loomed 500 yards in front of us, like a castle.

"There's someone waiting for you, Adrian..." Miles teased, and by now, he had sat down sensibly again.

I sped up one last time.

"Don't overdo it."

"Don't be a killjoy, David," it came from behind me.

Miles was right. A little fun was a must.

Then I slammed on the brakes, turning the steering wheel, and the car spun slightly on the flying gravel before coming to a stop.

Within seconds, I turned off the engine, and all three of us got out.

How good it felt to be able to live at normal speed again. This campus, with its slow life, was already hanging out of my throat.

"Ten minutes late."

On the stairs, arms folded behind his back and wearing one of the newer suits, stood Bastien. He eyed me, then the knee-high planting in front of the building's large windows, which by now must have had a zillion gravel stones in it.

"We had unfinished business," Miles chirped with a bit too much glee, and I gave him a punishing look.

"I hope you didn't have too much fun, boys."

If he knew why we were late, I would bleed. Not that my mentor was particularly punitive, however, he should be taken seriously because he was the best trained, next to Nicolaj and Camille. And since he had literally moved mountains to get us to this institution, he would give me a good hard time.

"Oh, don't worry about Adrian. He's safe with us."

Miles patted Bastien on the shoulders with a grin and walked past him inside the building.

Lucky for him, David had the USB drive.

He, too, disappeared into the entrance.

"Fortunately, it's the other way around," my mentor sighed, his eyes on me.

I came up the stairs slowly, eager to see what moral lecture awaited me today.

"Take your training sessions more seriously. You know I don't want to be to blame if Nicolaj is disappointed in you, and you don't want his punishment either."

He eyed me in a scrutinizing way.

"Take him apart properly, Bastien," it came gleefully from inside.

Couldn't Miles keep his mouth shut for once?

"What had I told you about your feelings?"

I tried not to screw up my expression.

Of course , he was reading me again.

I straightened my Rolex Submariner and came up to his step, which had a good view of the wide lawn with the many oaks in front of the wall.

A good playground for children. At least, that's what it had been for me and the guys back then. Just like the parks on the other side of the estate, with the rose gardens and the lakeshore overgrown with water lilies and adorned with small gothic pavilions which overhung the shore and could sometimes be found in the nearby forest.

"I always notice you slacking off when Nicolaj is away on business."

Bastien was right, and it annoyed me. I knew he didn't mean it in a blaming way, which didn't make it any better.

If there was anything I hated, it was his pity and concern.

His hand settled on my shoulder, and I turned to face him.

Here , you didn't do that. You didn't touch unless you were in combat or named Miles, who couldn't care less about the rules. Otherwise, you didn't show any feelings. It was best not to feel anything. Unless you were Bastien, and you were allowed to do anything.

Sometimes, I felt something like envy toward him, but since he could feel it, it often reminded me that he too had had to pay a price early on. Even though he never talked about his training with Nicolaj.

His private life was none of my business. He was my mentor, and I was his student. Nicolaj had made that clear.

"I want you in the garden in five minutes. Bring the swords."