15. Adrianna

15

ADRIANNA

" Y ou need to leave," my mother blurts, not actually acknowledging me in any way.

"No, you need to leave," Cassian snarls, his knuckles turning white as he grips the door.

My head snaps between them, watching as anger vibrates between them, and I inch closer to my wolf.

"You don't understand," she persists, waving her arms at her sides. She's clearly frustrated. She was full of emotions the last time I saw her too, when she was waiting for me outside of the fae building on campus. Only that time, Kenner wasn't too far behind her, and I was left injured as she fled.

"You're damn right I don't understand, but if you continue to put Addi in danger, at my father's mercy, then you'll leave me no choice." Cassian's rage is so powerful I feel it surge through my thoughts and limbs, reminding me of all the things this woman has done to hurt me. Not just me, but Nora and our father too.

My mother pauses, her gaze fixating on Cassian as his warning hangs heavy in the air. "No choice for what?" she asks, nostrils flaring with irritation, like there's no reason for us to doubt her.

"For the actions I'll have to take." I still at his warning, my mind tingling with caution as his muscles bunch together with anticipation.

"Which are?"

"Do you really need me to spell it out?" he rasps, a deathly darkness tinging his words.

"Can we not do this right now?" I murmur, unsure what I'm trying to stop and whether I even want to, but she's clearly here for a reason, and her presence is a distraction in itself.

My mother offers the smallest smile my way before she takes a step back. "You can hate me later, but if it makes you feel any better, I already hate myself twenty-four-seven, and it's enough to match the hatred of the entire kingdom." Her words are sincere, which makes me pause, but it doesn't seem to affect Cassian in the slightest.

"Are you sure about that? You didn't look all regretful and pained when we spied you getting cozy with Dalton like you didn't leave a trail of disaster in your wake." The venom in his words is palpable now.

"Me and Dalton?" My mother questions, lifting a hand to her chest as her eyebrows gather.

"It doesn't matter, let's get to the point of why you're here," I interrupt, refusing to have this conversation with her now, maybe ever.

"If she's trying to play a sob story, and we're supposed to believe her right now, then we sure as fuck can call her out when her words don't match her actions," Cassian grinds out, irritation flashing in his eyes when he turns to look at me, but the emotion isn't aimed at me. I hope.

"Is this because of your mother?" my mother asks, turning Cassian to stone as his jaw tics and his pupils widen.

"What does my mother have to do with any of this?"

I try to recall any time he's ever mentioned his mother, but I come up blank. What the fuck does she mean? "Cass?—"

My words are cut off by the sound of shuffling in the distance, and the three of us whip our gazes to the right, following the sound.

"So it's true, the runt and his bitch are on my land. It doesn't quite explain why you're here, though, Constantine…?" Kenner inches toward us, a little more disheveled than usual, as his gaze narrows on my mother.

I spy a flash of panic in her eyes before she tamps it down, turning to face him fully.

"I wanted to see with my own eyes," she offers, rolling her shoulders back in defiance.

"See what?" he questions, edging closer as he stares her down.

"That they dared be here."

Kenner tilts his head at her, amusement dancing over his lips as he waves her closer to him. "Are you as intrigued as I am?"

"Always," she answers swiftly, not a single pause to be heard, but that's not the truth at all. That's not what she was saying moments ago, or was that part the lie?

Fuck.

What is going on?

"We're leaving now," Cassian states, his voice calm and unfazed, a complete contrast to moments ago.

The withering glare from Kenner confirms his next words before his lips part. "You're going nowhere."

Cassian pinches his nose, exhaling harshly as he tries to rid the agitation from his bones. "We can't keep doing this."

"You're right," Kenner states, making us pause as we stare at him.

That's a surprise.

"Good," Cassian breathes, uncertainty still clinging to him, which is completely valid when his father speaks again.

"Trinity." He calls out the name, and in a flash, the sound of more racing hearts rings in my ear. My senses are overwhelmed as more wolves appear. One, then another, and another, until there's a mini army of them surrounding the unit.

"What is this?" I ask, finally finding my tongue, and his devilish eyes land on mine for a brief moment before he spins on the spot, addressing the new arrivals along with me.

"This is a duel under the blood moon."

Cassian's sharp intake of breath sets panic in my veins. "Father."

"Say it, Trinity," Kenner insists, nudging a girl forward a step.

Her wild eyes find mine before searching Cassian's, but all too quickly, she latches back on to me. She clears her throat, taking a step toward us, and this time the confidence drifts off her in waves.

I know what she's going to say before her lips part. They're words I've heard before, too many times for my preference, but words I'm all too familiar with now. I thought I was done after the first duel. I thought I was done when Cassian dueled. I thought we were past all this shit.

I thought wrong.

"I challenge you, Adrianna Reagan. I challenge you to a blood moon duel for Cassian Kenner."