Devin bursted out into a fit of cold laughter, even going as far as wiping a tear from his ruby eyes. "For a second there, I thought you said you were going to kill Lysander."

I stared over at Matteo, equally shocked by this mission statement. There was never any mention of killing him, this was the first time I was hearing any of this information. I turned to Fran and Amias to get validation for my shocked reaction but they didn't seem surprised at all. Amias offered me a small apologetic shrug.

I didn't want to kill anyone, I never wanted any of this. I had to tell them there was no way I could keep this game up any longer. It was not fair for me to punish Fran, Amias and now Devin for Matteo's actions.

"My father is dead!"

The whole room suddenly turned towards me, there was a painfully pregnant pause as I waited for the screaming to erupt but the entire company just turned away from me.

"Hello?" I stood on my tip toes as I tried to get them to listen, "I said my father isn't actually alive, he is long gone. Completely and totally dead, has been for years!" I repeated just a little louder this time, I needed their attention as much as they needed to hear this.

But they didn't think I was being serious. I finally told the truth and they wouldn't spare me a second glance.

Matteo rolled his eyes and repeated himself over my own voice, trying his best to not give me any encouragement, "I'm going to kill him and you and your coven will be free." He shrugged his shoulders as if it was the simplest thing.

Devin shook his head and pointed to the door we'd all just filed in through, "That isn't a group of cavalier abolitionists out there, they are terrified and vulnerable. They don't need you to get their hopes up."

Terrified vampires? Right.

He paused looking around at us, "You really don't know what he's done, do you?" Devin didn't wait for a response, "Lysander tore us from human lives, he turned us and forced us into his service. He had us commit unspeakable acts on others and our own kind, he turned us into the very monsters everyone wants us to be.

The psychological and physical damages we sustained as his slaves stays with us every single day, he won't ever let us go even now when we are away from him. Whether it's our own mind torturing us or his hunters relentlessly tracking us, we go through our own hell repeatedly, minute after minute and day after day."

He shook his head once more, "Don't go saying things like that around here, Matteo. Don't make a promise you and I both know that you cannot keep."

Matteo's jaw ticked, it was clear he was doing his very best to remain civil with someone he considered to be a friend but it was becoming increasingly more difficult, that much was obvious. "I'm losing my wolf, with every day I feel it draw further away. This is the only way I can restore our connection, my wolf's livelihood rests in my ability to take down Lysander. You can trust me when I tell you that tomorrow you will have Lysander's head on your doorstep, my life depends on it after all."

I narrowed my eyes at Matteo, he wasn't telling the whole truth but then again neither was I. So I decided that it was not my place to correct him in front of everyone. I also made the decision that I would no longer feel guilty about leading Matteo on this wild goose hunt, I told the truth so my conscious was clear now therefore it was no longer my problem.

"Your wolf is leaving you?" Devin looked shocked as he ran a hand through his curly hair, "But, even if what you are saying is true, you won't be anywhere near Lysander in a day's time. Freeman's Land extends beyond this city, it goes for hundreds of miles in every direction and he is in the very middle of it all."

Amias groaned softly beside me, not pleased with the new information. It meant more traveling, this short little trip we'd all embarked on together suddenly just got considerably longer. I shared his displeasure, the idea of spending even more time with Matteo was beyond unappealing to me.

Devin savored our collective reactions, "Surely you didn't expect to make it to Freeman City and just waltz into Lysander's complex, kill him and call it a day, right? Matteo, tell me that wasn't what you were planning?"

Matteo was seething in silence, it obviously was what he had been planning on doing. He crossed his arms across his chest, in the moment resembling an angry child about to throw a tantrum.

Devin's eyes widened, "You have a death wish and I am not going to be apart of this, find another vampire or come back to me when you actually have a plan because I don't feel like dying anytime soon."

Matteo growled lowly in his throat, "I'm doing this for Olive!" He admitted reluctantly and rushed, "She's my mate and when I found out, I f:cked up the mating bond between us badly enough that it drove my wolf away. Her father was taken by Lysander, finding him was her condition to agreeing to help rebuild the mate bond between us."

Devin turned to me once more, his red eyes locked onto mine and it felt like he was seeing every part of me all at once. I was the first to look away and that was when Matteo tentatively took my hand in his own.

His touch was warm, it made me feel strong enough to keep staring back at Devin under his judgmental gaze. It also made me ashamed, I hated myself when I stopped hating Matteo for moments like this, he didn't deserve it or me. But still, I kept my hand in his even though I didn't understand the motivations behind Matteo's action.

"Devin, I need you." I never thought I would hear Matteo say that he needed anything or anyone for the matter, ever. It was unnerving. "We need your help, you're the only one with an in-depth, inside knowledge of Lysander. Without you, it will be a suicide mission."

Devin dragged his eye from our interlocked hands back up to Matteo, he didn't look amused or convinced in the slightest but his answer surprised us all. "Fine, I'm in."

Matteo let out a relieved breath and released my hand as he clapped his own together but Devin held up a hand, not allowing him to celebrate so quickly. "It won't be easy, we might not all make it through this." He warned, pausing to see if anyone of us would back out, "Then, I'm your vampire."

The words made me internally cringe, I wasn't used to the idea of working alongside a vampire let alone marching to take one down. However, no one else seemed to hold my same sentiment as they all embraced Devin warmly upon his agreement to join us. "Let me gather my things and we can leave."

Everyone filed behind Devin as he exited the room to presumably grab his belongings, everyone except Fran and I that is. She looked uncomfortable, almost nervous as she fidgeted with her hands crammed into her pockets. "So, he's not really missing then?" She asked softly and I felt the blood drain from my face as I sucked in a breath, so someone heard me after all.

I shook my head once and Fran nodded resolutely, she looked up at me and I expected to see anger but instead she rather awkwardly wrapped her arms around my shoulders. She hugged me and I was frozen to my spot.

She pulled away at an arms length and offered up a sympathetic smile, "I know how hard this all must be for you, I won't say anything." Fran inhaled deeply and I wanted to cry. I didn't know if I should be happy that Fran was going to keep my secret or if I was upset that she wasn't going to rat me out to Matteo.

"My mate was like Matteo, cruel and harsh." Fran said softly, "He treated me terribly and I think that is why I've been upset with you for so long."

Fran had a mate?

She continued on, "There were so many similarities between your relationship and mine. But Vincent was so much more awful to me, to the point where I had to run away from him for my own safety. Matteo found me and took me in, he offered me asylum and a place to call home. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Matteo." Fran paused, "When I look at Matteo, I don't see a cruel monster as I did with Vincent. Yes, he is struggling with his pride but I can tell he wants to do right by you even if he doesn't outwardly act like it or say it for the matter."

Fran dropped her arms, "I've been angry with you all this time because you had what I never could. Our situations were so similar but you had someone who was trying for you and that was something Vincent never did for me. He never cared about me the way Matteo cares about you." She smiled lightly finally, "It was stupid of me, I know...I just want you to know that there is someone here who is on your side, someone who understands."

All I knew in that moment was that I had found a friend in Fran.

Amias peeked his head back in through the door, "Unless you two want to be an appetizer for the other vampires I suggest you stick with the group." He was right, we were in a room of a bunch of holed up vampires which meant they were even more unpredictable than ever. It wasn't a good idea to be having a sentimental moment all by ourselves in an unfamiliar, secret vampire annex.

We both fell in step behind Amias who lead us back to where Devin and Matteo were discussing the logistics of our new journey. "We steer clear of the Southern quadrant, that is where human hunter's have set up camp." He threw some shirts into a rucksack, "The West is no good either, too many canyons it would be a waste of time trying to traverse the terrain over there." Devin seemed pleased with his pack and tied off his bag before he tossed it over his shoulder, "We'll go North East, there haven't been too many issues reported there lately. It is our best bet."

"Issues?" I peeped out.

Devin smiled knowingly at me, "Blood thirsty vampires, feral rogues, murderous hunters, that sort of thing." He was taunting me, playing on my fears his inability to withhold his laughter made that much clear.

"But you all should be fine, Malice has strong wolves so I'm not worried." Devin was unaware of my handicap and suddenly everyone, including Matteo, was staring at me. Devin furrowed his brow, "What am I missing here?"

I coughed uncomfortably, "I can't exactly, well I mean...I don't really have, I haven't gotten--"

Matteo answered for me, "She doesn't have a wolf."

"Yet."

Amias was grinning from ear to ear, practically bouncing in place as he looked across the room. "We are our own friend squad going to take down Lysander!" He announced as he threw his hand out, "I've never been apart of a squad before, we've got to have a cool name..." Amias trailed off in intent thought as if this was the biggest decision he would ever make.

Matteo shook his head, "No, absolutely not. We are not doing that--"

"We're The Fabulous Five!"