Fear the Heart (Werelock Evolution Book 2) by Hettie Ivers Page A

knew?”
    “Yes. I have reason to believe Raul knew to some extent what his emerging werelock blood was loaded with,” Kaleb boldly informed the room. “And so he also knew better than to tip us off to his impending powers in advance, knowing we’d have been well equipped and prepared for his resistance then, greatly reducing his chance of escape.”
    “Liar,” I breathed heatedly, shaking my head in denial, renewed hatred surging through my veins. How dare he throw my brother under the bus like that when he wasn’t here to defend himself?
    “Raul played Alex,” Kaleb asserted, his expression frank and unflinching. “He played all of us. The proof is in the security surveillance footage of him throughout the week. He barely appears to even be suffering discomfort.”
    “ Liar! ” I yelled it this time, focusing all my unreserved hostility on Kaleb, who seconds later collided headfirst with Alcaeus’ grand bookshelf.
    “Milena, please?” Alcaeus appealed, his tall, intimidating form swiftly advancing in my direction now. “I’m asking you one last time to calm down and stop this before I’m forced to stop you myself,” he cautioned in a tone that caused me to shrink back slightly and reevaluate my reckless course of action.
    “Leave her alone!” Alex interceded, placing himself between Alcaeus and me, as if to shield me from his brother.
    “Alex, I’m not going to hurt her,” Alcaeus bristled. “I’m trying to keep her from hurting herself.”
    “I know, but this is partly the blood curse, Al. I can feel it. It’s distorting her emotions. You can’t expect her to control something she doesn’t even understand. Something we barely understand.”
    Alex’s bizarre justification on my behalf left me speechless. As did his next words.
    “She needs to release it. Let her work out her rage on me,” he suggested, tilting his head and giving me a rueful, lopsided smile. “I don’t mind.”
    My brows fused. Was he for real?
    My racing emotions stalled. What was I doing letting my anger overrule my common sense? I was surrounded by six supernatural freaks who were all as old as dirt and knew full well how to brandish their impressive powers against me. I was grossly outclassed and outnumbered. Just because I’d thrown three of them around so far without suffering any retaliatory consequences didn’t mean they would humor my tantrum indefinitely.
    “Go on,” Alex prompted softly, taking a small step closer. “Throw me again,” he encouraged, his voice a velvet whisper. “It’s okay, I promise.”
    I stumbled back a step, the mad adrenaline rush that had fueled my actions thus far rapidly waning, deserting me like a faithless friend. Leaving me feeling more vulnerable than ever.
    I realized my heart was sprinting, my hands shaking. I was struggling to breathe. My eyes darted wildly around the study as they took in all the destruction I’d managed in a scant few minutes. The concerned, wary faces staring back at me throughout the room proved equally disconcerting.
    I took another step back, mumbling a general apology before stubbornly rambling that they were all wrong, that Raul hadn’t wanted this. That they had no right to lay the blame on him for the torture they’d so callously inflicted.
    “You’re right,” Alex readily acceded, advancing another deceptively casual step in my direction. His head was bowed, his posture distinctly nonthreatening. “It’s entirely my fault. And I accept full blame, Milena. Please, feel free to mete out punishment to me,” he offered.
    I stood mystified. Frightfully stumped. In my peripheral vision I noted a tearful Alessandra making her “aw” face again, and my cheeks flamed.
    I wanted to flay Alex. My wolf wanted to run to him for comfort. And I was sure in that moment Alex would have gladly allowed either to assuage his own guilt. I wasn’t ready to give him that satisfaction. Turning stiffly, I returned to my chair.
    The loathsome tension was