Pure Blood_ A Nocturne City Novel - Caitlin Kittredge [37]
“Then why come back at all?” I asked wearily, focusing on Dmitri.
“He agreed to lead us to you,” said Sergei. “So that punishment could be metered.”
My head snapped up. “What punishment?”
Sergei and Yelena exchanged glances, unspoken knowledge passing between them. I stared at Dmitri. “What punishment?”
He wouldn’t look at me.
“You are an Insoli and you seduced a high-ranked pack member,” said Irina with a toss of her head. “You are no better than a whore. What do you think will happen?”
I may have been an Insoli, but that didn’t mean I had to take abuse from whoever decided to give it, especially not a furry mail-order bride drooling on the man I had considered a mate. I went for Irina and she yelped, stepping behind Dmitri. My swing glanced off his chest. “Move!” I panted. “If she has something to say she can say it to my face!”
“I already did,” Irina sneered from her hiding place. “Whore.”
I lunged again and Dmitri caught me, giving me a shake that snapped my teeth together. “Cut it out, Luna!”
“Spirited,” Yelena muttered to Sergei. He grunted.
“I’m sorry this happened,” said Dmitri. “But this is a pack matter, and I’m bound by pack law. The elders have decided.”
Oh, I couldn’t wait to hear what the old fogies had decided about me. Almost as exciting as finding out you needed to get a cavity drilled.
“You are not welcome in our pack house,” said Yelena. “A new mate—a proper mate—has been chosen for Dmitri, and if you attempt to contact him again, you will be dealt with. It is only through his mercy that you are not hunted tonight. Go, and have no further dealings with the Redbacks on pain of your life.”
Involuntarily, my entire body started to shake. “You can’t do this to me. This isn’t the Dark Ages.”
“It is our law,” said Sergei. “Leave now or be killed.” He took Yelena’s arm. “Come, darling. You’ll catch a chill.”
They retreated down the alley and I heard a door slam. I turned on Dmitri. “You let them do this.”
He looked at his feet, Irina still holding his hand. “If I don’t let pack justice take its course, I’ll suffer just as harshly, Luna.”
“This isn’t justice,” I told him. “This is you, being a gods-damned coward.” I turned my back on him, in deliberate disrespect for his pack dominance. I was numb, not really hearing or seeing or feeling anything except the pavement under my feet.
“Luna.”
I stopped, not turning around.
“Please don’t hate me.”
“Too late,” I whispered, and walked away.
CHAPTER 12
Shelby found me sitting on the Fairlane’s hood, hands pressed over my face. I was tired, so tired that I was numb. I could curl up and sleep right here, if only to forget Dmitri’s betrayal.
She touched my shoulder and I started.
“You okay?”
“No,” I said. “I’m not.” I left it at that and she didn’t pry. How could Dmitri do this, allow his pack to do it? Blindly following pack law was for simpletons, followers who, if plain human, probably would have ended up in a cult that made you shave your head and wear really unflattering robes. It was the main reason I chose to remain Insoli, even with the slurs and the headaches over dominance and the constant knowledge that any pack leader could forcibly claim me for mating. Better hunted than subservient.
“We’re finding a lot of controlled narcotics on people,” said Shelby. “So the night wasn’t a total waste.”
“Was for our case,” I muttered, rubbing my gritty eyes with the back of my hands. They came away smeared with makeup and blood.
“Detective!” a uniform hollered. Shelby touched my shoulder again.
“You sit tight. I’ll deal with this.” She walked over to the uniform, who had a cuffed suspect by the arm. I recognized my errant boot-cleaner. Too bad. He had seemed like a decent guy.
Shelby conversed with him for a moment and he flashed her that grin, and again I got the tingling sensation of familiarity from his face. He allowed Shelby to take his wallet and examine his ID. Her