Aileen points a trembling finger toward the blackened chain, shock and disbelief etched across her face. Her eyes are blown wide at the pendant dangling from its metal chain.

“That's G-Gregori’s pendant!” she stammers, shuddering as another pain-filled howl pierces the air.

“He would never be seen without it…he said it was handmade.” Her eyebrows furrow as her lip quivers. “How?”

Her trembling eyes turn to Lucien, searching for answers, his attention turned elsewhere.

He sighs, a bored and annoyed look on his face as he glances toward her.

Her eyes shake as she watches Lucien, pulling her courage together to ask again, only a tiny whisper this time escaping through her lips.

He rolls his dark eyes as if she's asked the most irritating question as if every letter from her mouth was an affront to the English language itself. He gives her a look of pure derision before peering at me. His dark features smooth out like silk once again, a small smile spreading across his lips as he meets my eyes.

“That is a question you should ask our resident warrior here.”

Their stares quickly turn to me in question.

“I only arrived after he had turned into that.” A look of disgust spreads in Lucien's eyes before he quickly fixes it and turns away from the grotesque beast.

“I had only the pleasure of assisting Rhys after the beast had attacked.” His face scrunches at the memory and flickers back just as quick.

I notice a sudden flick of his wrist, and another whimper is pulled out from the pathetic bundle of fur trembling on the floor. Its face frozen in time and eyes clouded in a dark mist of agony.

Ilyric stares toward the beast, a look of disgust etched across his features before his eyes flicker to me. His brows furrow and eyes narrow as he looks from the beast to me and back again.

Cole glares toward the beast, his fists clenched and jaw tight as he quickly makes his way over to me. Two deep-furrowed blue eyes rove my body, scanning for any wounds or injuries, his face unreadable as he continues his search. The tension only slightly eases from him when he finds no visible injuries on me. His shoulders relax, and a slow breath pours from his lips as his eyes become a little softer. He gives me a slight nod before stepping back.

Then Jace is by my side, hopping over the reception desk in one swift jump. I’m swung around to face him, his face full of worry and concern as he checks me over again. A slight chuckle leaves my lips as he swings me back and forth, searching thoroughly for any blood or cuts, not trusting any eyes but his own.

“She’s fine, pup, no wounds.” A slight smirk spreads on Cole's face at the disgruntled look given by Jace for his new nickname.

“That’s wolf to you…Asmodeus.”

Cole raises a brow. "The demon of lust?"