a forgiving smile. Nash just nods his head in understanding, and Enoch watches me intensely, his feet spread and his arms crossed. No one seems eager to say anything, and I can’t help but feel squirmy under Enoch’s gaze.
“Bro, blink, you’re creeping me out,” I mumble, and Enoch and Kallan both snort out a laugh. “Anyone heard from Becket?” I ask, not able to help myself. I haven’t spent as much time worrying about him as I probably should have, given that I played a part in his current messed up situation, but staring at Becket’s coven, minus him, is weird.
“He’s not answering any of our calls. My dad said he’s being cooperative and that they don’t think Becket was involved or aware of anything that his dad had been up to,” Enoch tells me, and a small weight of uncertainty falls away from my chest. “Speaking of, my dad gave me a play by play of what happened that night. Are you okay?”
I shrug, not sure how to answer Enoch’s question. “Killing has never really stuck with me the way it maybe should. I mean, I kill in self-defense or the defense of others, so I always felt justified. But this is the first time I’ve spent any time thinking about the families or loved ones of those I’ve ended. I don’t feel bad about what I did, but I feel for Becket, and it sucks that something I did hurt him.”
“His dad made the choices he did, and he’s the one to blame for what Becket is going through. Not you, Vinna. You did what needed to be done, and Becket will see that when everything comes to light.” Enoch steps forward and pulls me into a side hug. I give him a weak smile, wishing his words could chase away the guilt that’s been gnawing at me.
“Unless you want to lose an arm, you should probably take a step away from her,” Nash advises.
Enoch lets out a frustrated growl but listens to his coven mate. “They’re being ridiculous, and when we figure out how we got marked and exactly what it means, they’re going to have to just suck it up,” Enoch grumbles.
Something in Enoch’s tone triggers a warning inside of me, and I look at him for a second, trying to put my finger on what it is. “Enoch, I meant it when I told them that I don’t think you guys are Chosen.” Something flashes in Enoch’s eyes, but I can’t identify what it is. I look at the others, and I’m surprised to see something similar in Kallan’s eyes too.
“What makes you say that?” Nash asks me, with no hint of emotion indicating how he feels about things one way or another.
I look at each of them in turn and try to sift through what I’m feeling. “My connection to you guys feels different than it does with my Chosen. The attraction is different.”
“So you’re not attracted to us?” Nash asks, confusion lacing his voice.
“No, I mean, you all are hot, don’t get me wrong, but with them, it was like I was body slammed by it. Everything clicked and felt so easy and right.”
“So you want us to be easier? Because I’m game…” Kallan announces as his face lights up with a cheeky smile.
I roll my eyes at him and bite back a chuckle. “No, fuck, why is this so hard to explain? Things are easy with you guys, too, but not in the same way. It’s like how I am with Mave.”
Kallan pretends to take a knife to the heart while croaking out, “Friend-zoned.” He’s still smiling that smart-ass smile, but there’s hurt in his eyes.
“Is that because you just refuse to look at us that way, Vinna? I mean, with what happened with the shifters when we first met and then being taken by the lamia, there’s always some kind of drama getting in the way. Don’t you think that could be clouding how you see us? What if your magic has chosen us too? If we asked you a month ago if you’d have any more mates, you would have insisted the answer was no, but now you have Torrez,” Nash points out.
I snort and shake my head. “That is accurate. I didn’t see Torrez coming, but I was a little bit in denial of the pull.” I sigh. “I don’t know what your markings mean; all I know is it just feels different to me.” I look to Enoch,