Pheromonal: One Night With the Alpha novel Chapter 127

Chapter 127: Camera Footage

"What should I call you? Since we keep running into each other in such... intimate circumstances."

His lips quirk up. "Does it matter?"

"It matters when someone breaks into my bedroom." I cross my arms. "Unless you prefer ’creepy stalker who isn’t actually a panther’?"

"That’s quite a mouthful." He runs his fingers along the dresser’s edge. "Most people just call me Shadow."

"Shadow? Really?" The best alias he could come up with is something from a teenage vampire novel?

"Would you prefer something more mundane? John Smith, perhaps?"

"I’d prefer the truth."

"The truth is rarely useful." He moves to the window, his reflection ghosting across the glass. "And names have power in our world, Nicole d’Armand."

The way he says my name sends a chill down my spine. Almost like he really does have power over me just by speaking my name. It’s strange. "Fine. Shadow it is." I step closer, keeping the bed between us. "So what’s your deal with the Conclave? You seem to know an awful lot about what’s going on."

He’s as calm as ever. "The Conclave and I have... differing opinions on many things."

"Such as?"

His voice hardens. "Their methods of control. Their tendency to treat people like pawns in their games."

"Not a fan then?"

"Let’s just say we’re not on each other’s Yule card lists."

I circle the bed, closing the distance. "Why are you here, Shadow? Because if this is another warning about dragons—"

"I want to know what the Conclave has told you." He turns from the window. "About your role in all this. About what you are."

"Why do you care what they’ve told me?"

"Call it curiosity."

I cross my arms and lean against the dresser. "Let’s talk about something else. That night at the bar, when you warned me. What was supposed to happen?"

Shadow arches a brow. "You haven’t figured it out yet?"

"No." Obviously. Would I be asking if I did?

"For someone in security, you’re terrible at being observant."

"Cut the cryptic bullshit. Just tell me straight."

"Tell me what the Conclave has shared with you first."

A laugh escapes my throat. "No. I’m done being jerked around by everyone. You want information from me? Start sharing some of your own."

Shadow studies me, his head tilted. "You’ve changed."

"Yeah, getting kidnapped and almost killed multiple times will do that to a person, I guess." Also the fact that I no longer feel afraid around him.

"You should work with a qualified magitherapist before you progress too far in your studies."

The non sequitur throws me for a loop. "What does that even mean?" Familiar frustration builds up in my chest. I’m so sick of these people and their inability to tell me anything straight.

He watches me impassively. "That’s for you to find out."

The lights flicker, and when they stabilize, he’s gone. Again. At this point, his disappearing act is about as surprising as finding dust in an attic.

I need to tell Logan about this. Soon as I see him.

I stick my head out into the hallway. "Hey, Penelope? You know if there are cameras in here?"

* * *

As it turns out, there are cameras just about everywhere.

Including the bedroom.

Logan grunts. "I’ll tear it out."

"Thanks."

Penelope had called him as soon as I told her what happened, and he was at our door in fifteen minutes. He’s also dressed in plaid flannel and jeans, channeling his inner lumbersexual. I’m not sure what that’s about, but that question can wait for another day.

Right now, I’m far more interested in the footage we’re hunting down.

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