Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,82

you never do exterminate them all. Eventually, it bites you in the tail, and then what? Oh, that’s right, Idun has to be the bad guy,” Idun states with a sarcastic huff at the end.

Once again, she trains her gaze on me.

“Van Helsing takes mercy on the wolf, allowing him to break the law, since his curse is least effective on Emit, due to all the insufficient ruling the wolf alpha does,” Idun carries on, as the cameras draw closer. “The wolf would have to work damn hard to win me back, and he’s not the type to put forth that much effort. I’m not holding my breath, and my heart’s not breaking.”

I envy Emit.

I hate that I envy that fucking stupid mutt.

He damn near smirks.

“Damien’s a lost cause. He’s as pointless as the wolf. Keep him as well,” Idun says, gesturing with her hand toward the doors that open behind us.

Damien moves in next to my side, eyes concentrated solely on Violet.

Air stirs to my right, and Arion slips in between Emit and I. Four useless ducks in a row.

If we react suddenly, Idun gets her war. Violet stacked a deck without knowing all the rules first. Why the hell isn’t Avery advising her better than this?

“I hate to butt in, but this is my meeting. Schedule one with them if you want to take a walk down memory lane and insult them with unfair blanket statements and partial truths,” Violet cuts in, drawing the first angry glare from Idun, since she’s already getting worked up.

“Keep trying to provoke me, stupid, young monster. I’ll tire of your mouth sooner than you’d like,” Idun says, leaning toward her.

Violet doesn’t budge, and her eyes never leave Idun’s, which is remarkably foolish and far too arrogant.

How is it that rules of our instincts don’t apply to her?

Is it because of all the mixed heritage?

Is it because of the miraculous birth?

Is it because of her human raising among a much more lenient time and country?

Is it because too many braincells have been burned out by botched potions in poorly ventilated spaces?

“By the time I got done with you, you’d be begging me to take Caroline in your place. You’d betray her and fall off that high horse you’re riding around on. Then your little Sanctuary would crumble, and you’d be left with none of them, because you’d be nothing more than damaged goods. You’re a few thousand heartbeats away from an eternal humbling you’ll never forget. You have no idea what it takes to be an alpha, and you have no idea what I’m capable of,” Idun assures her, no longer pretending to play nice.

Violet lets her gaze flick to us, as we all wait with painfully held breaths, hoping she finally backs down.

She turns back around, slides some papers across the table to Idun, and gives her a smile.

“Sounds terribly scary. I’ll need your signatures here, here, here, and…” Violet’s voice trails off, and she flips the page, pointing to a new spot. “Here,” she adds, glancing back up from the paper, keeping that smile fixed to her face.

Idun gives her an irritated look.

“Why would I sign anything, little girl?” she asks in a barely calm tone, her patience noticeably fraying.

“Because some of your betas, who’ve been loyalist even while you were underground for a thousand years, suddenly went rogue. Clearly it sounds too suspicious, and since you’re advocating that you’re not here for war, it’d be a show of good faith,” Violet tells her in a practiced-speech sort of way.

Idun glances down at the paper and rolls her eyes.

“This states I can’t use my own flock of carpenters for the next round of renovations. Bobo is a visionary when it comes to woodwork. It’s his only purpose in life, Violet. You dare try to take that from them just because you’re a little too possessive? Stop thinking you’re an alpha, before I’m forced to once again remind you that you’re not.”

Violet glances to the camera and back to Idun.

“I think a lot of things,” Violet states, her serious expression darkening, as something damn near malicious crosses her gaze. “I think you have too much power and abuse it too freely, simply because you can. I think you enjoy toying with the lives of others to remain relevant in a world that doesn’t really hear the ribbon girl story very often. They certainly don’t fear her.”

Idun’s nostrils flare, but she gives no other reaction than that.

“I think you love trying to make