Rick's POV
"Get out. Now!"
The sharp command from Kaiden rang through the room. I didn't need to be told twice. I knew he was struggling to keep his hot-headed brother restrained, and if we stayed any longer, things could get ugly.
I grabbed Hayley by the wrist, tugging her toward the exit before she could argue. We bolted down the stairs, through the hallways, and out the main doors. The instant we hit the driveway, we dove into the car. My hands clenched the steering wheel, and I sped off, tires screeching against the pavement.
Only when we were several streets away did we let ourselves breathe, but even then, anger boiled in my chest.
The werewolves had seen us. They knew what we were.
If they told their pack, it wouldn't just expose us. It could start a war. Mum warned us to keep control, to stay hidden, to avoid attention. But I knew from the moment we moved here that this plan was doomed. Vampires trying to blend in with humans and werewolves? It was like holding fire in our hands and pretending not to burn.
And with our hunger pushing us to the edge, it was only a matter of time before something snapped.
We'd been surviving on animal blood for weeks, but it was barely enough. I could manage, thanks to my training as the future Maestro, i'd been forced to master restraint, to endure without human blood for a long period of time. But Hayley… she never listened. She still snuck out at night, chasing the taste of humans she was forbidden to touch.
The thought alone made my grip on the wheel tighten.
The red light ahead flicked on. I slammed the brakes, the car jerking forward.
"Shit," I muttered under my breath.
We stopped just in time, but my heart still raced. Hayley's rapid heartbeat thundered beside me, betraying her fear. She knew what this meant. Mum would never forgive another mistake this grave—not when werewolves were involved. Humans finding out could be handled, erased, covered. But werewolves? That was dangerous. Deadly.
And if Mum decided she was out of control… Hayley risked the dungeons of skulls. No one ever came back the same from there, if they came back at all.
I pressed harder on the gas when the light turned green, trying to steady my thoughts. But another fear lingered: werewolves had sharp senses. Kylian, Kaiden's brother, could have marked our scent. If we went back to the clan's hideout, we could be dragging danger straight to them.
The elders could defend themselves, but the fledglings? They weren't ready.
Still… where else could we go? We didn't know this town, and we couldn't fight alone. Together, with the clan, we had a chance. But unity also meant exposure. War. Punishment. Relocation.
I swallowed hard. Deep down, though, I couldn't shake a gut feeling that Kaiden wouldn't let his pack come after us. Whether it was the soulmate bond pulling at me or just my instincts. I had to trust it.
"We can't just go home, right?" Hayley's voice broke the silence.
I clenched my jaw, my tone sharp. "We have no other place to go."
She cursed under her breath. "Fine. But how do we face Mum, Dad, the elders? They'll know something's wrong the second they see us."
Truthfully, I hadn't thought that far ahead. The weight of always cleaning up her messes gnawed at me. One hundred and fifteen years old, and still as reckless as ever. Sometimes I wished she'd just… grow up.
But then, a memory surfaced.
"Dad mentioned yesterday. The elders and higher clan members are in a meeting about our living situation. They'll be tied up for a while."
Hayley's shoulders eased slightly, her relief rippling into me. Stress made her unbearable, and keeping her calm was practically part of my job as her brother. Annoying. Gross. But necessary.
By the time we pulled into the woods, I could already feel the safety of our territory pressing in. Fledglings darted about, their parents watching them closely. Our people. Our fragile little secret.
Still, my chest tightened. If the werewolves caught the faintest whiff of their blood on us…
We parked in front of our house, and Hayley turned to me, grimacing. "So, what's the plan for getting his scent off me?"
"Inside first," I muttered. No need for the whole clan to eavesdrop.
Behind our warded doors, I laid it out. "We wash the clothes. I'll spray the potion I got, then we both shower with a strong scent to mask anything left."
Her brows shot up. "Wait, you've been talking to witches?"
I froze, irritated. One witch, actually. Someone I met during training years ago. But that wasn't her business.
"It's none of your concern," I said flatly.
She smirked. "Wow. Rick, the perfect Maestro-in-training, breaking rules for a witch? That's hilarious."
"Drop it," I snapped. "Hurry up before Mum and Dad get back."
She threw up her hands in surrender, laughing as she left.
I stripped down, showered twice, scrubbed until I was sure no trace remained. Dressed in fresh clothes, I headed to the laundry. Hayley was already there, swapping her clothes into the dryer.
"Almost done," she muttered, still anxious.
Good. At least she was taking this seriously.
When I finished, I hung my clothes to dry and carried the potion back upstairs. But just as I reached my room, a knock rattled the front door.
My chest tightened. Not Mum or Dad—they had keys. So who—
Hayley burst into my room, wide-eyed. "Someone's at the door!"
I sprayed the potion across both of us in a panic. She coughed, covering her nose. "Gods, that stinks! Who do you think it is?"
Another knock, louder this time. Then a voice.
"Hellooo? Aren't you guys in there?"
Maeve.
Relief washed through me, but I kept spraying anyway. Better safe than sorry.
"I'll handle the clothes," I whispered. "You answer her."
Hayley nodded, straightened herself, and went downstairs.
By the time I joined them, Maeve was grinning. "Hi, Rick. There's a new Thai restaurant in town. I was wondering if you two wanted to come."
Hayley glanced at me, waiting. For once, I trusted her answer.
"Yeah, sure," I said. "I'll grab my keys."
"Great! Aiden said he'll meet us there," Maeve called after me.
My steps faltered. Aiden. Hayley's close friend and the guy I'd hooked up with. Things between us had been awkward since then. Complicated.
I forced the thought down, grabbed my keys, and rejoined them.
Hayley beamed. "Perfect. Let's go."
She needed the distraction. And maybe… so did I.
But once the night was over, we'd still have a very real problem waiting for us.
And no potion could wash that away.