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

alleviated somewhat when Kai and Remy humorously voiced their ardent approval of Alex’s proposal, and Alcaeus joined in, urging me to indulge myself, and granting me permission to punch Alex’s head through every wall in his home.
    Though I felt considerably more subdued, as Kaleb approached to reclaim his seat next to mine, a growl unwittingly rolled past my clenched teeth. Kai took notice, and after he subtly, silently gestured to Kaleb, the irksome American relinquished his seat to Kai, who came to sit beside me. I gave him a weary half smile of gratitude, and he mouthed, “You okay?”
    I leaned closer in order to whisper the fear at the forefront of my thoughts, willing my voice not to crack. I could feel myself unraveling. I had to unleash my distress to someone, and Kai seemed like the best candidate in the room.
    “What’s going to happen to Raul? If he reaches the Salvatellas?”
    Before Kai could reply, Alessandra swooped in and encroached upon our private conversation. “We’re going to do everything in our power to rescue Raul from the Salvatellas.” She looked to Alex and Alcaeus. “Isn’t that right?”
    Stupid me. Nothing was private in a house full of supernatural eavesdroppers.
    “Without question,” Alex instantly chimed in from where he stood, staring fixedly at me.
    “May I sit with you?” Alessandra asked with a shy smile as she settled in next to me on the oversized chair.
    I was too physically and emotionally drained from my paranormal outburst to fight her suddenly infectious, motherly nature, and eventually I allowed her to embrace me and run her fingers through my hair while the meeting of supernatural minds resumed. Alex went back to his seat but persisted in watching over me, worry etched in his features.
    My dimwitted she-wolf wanted it to be him comforting us rather than his sister. Briefly, I closed my eyes in a vain attempt to block out Alex’s presence in the room, but that only served to make his scent stronger.
    I listened as impassively as possible while Alcaeus revealed the supposed “facts” of how my brother had betrayed the Reinoso pack. Alcaeus confirmed what Guadalupe had intimated, that Alex had been livid upon discovering Raul’s relationship with Alessandra, believing that Raul was merely using his sister to further his own agenda.
    As punishment he’d decreed that Raul immediately be restationed in Nepal, reassigned to what Raul considered a far less important and interesting project than the one in the Americas that he had been actively involved in for the greater part of five years. Alcaeus referred to the project in the Americas as the “Rogue Mission.”
    Alex’s audacious interference in his sister’s love life had, naturally, infuriated Raul. According to Alcaeus, Raul had flat out refused to relocate to Nepal, unwilling to be separated from Alessandra. But following a particularly nasty confrontation during which Alex apparently attempted to force Raul’s obedience through compulsion—only to discover just how enduring Raul’s mind resistance was—Alessandra intervened and begged Raul not to push Alex’s wrath any further, advising him to go to Nepal and wait it out until Alex cooled off.
    Though Alessandra’s actions were hardly surprising to me now—after witnessing firsthand her dysfunctional relationship with Alex—I could only imagine the outrage and betrayal my brother must have felt when she ultimately took her little brother’s side over his. Allegedly, Raul then accepted his fate and agreed to leave for Nepal within the week, but not before informing Alessandra that they were through.
    Two days later, Raul vanished without a word to anyone. Within three weeks’ time, his location was discovered when Gabriel Salvatella made contact with Alex, informing him Raul had come to him seeking to join his pack and tendering privileged Reinoso security intel in exchange for Gabriel’s protection. Gabriel offered to deliver Raul back into