The True One

Chapter 32

Alek

I agreed to meet Norvin on his turf: Alfie's Chow Palace. The smells were especially nauseating as they attacked after an unsettling exit from Verity's life the night before and a long drive in a rental car from Las Vegas this morning.

Norvin watched with a smirk as I picked at the French fries he'd ordered for me. "You've gotta grow thicker skin, Alek. You're too sensitive. Can't even stomach a bit of fried food."

Bastard. "What does thicker skin and vulnerability have to do with indigestion?" I asked. Norvin knew exactly what was wrong with me and yet he still reveled in putting his gaslighting skills on display. Sighing, I bit off the end of a fry and chewed. "Can we just get on with it?"

"On with..."

"You tell me." I placed an elbow on the table and used my hand to prop up my head. A night without sleep and the last punishing look on Verity's face lingering in my memory were starting to take their toll on me. "You're ready to negotiate. Great. Does that mean I can expect you to answer my questions and then leave me and Verity alone forever?"

"Negotiation means just that. I tell you what you need to know. And then we decide together what needs to happen next. For the good of us all."

For the good of us all. Sure, I'd believe that if the "us all" didn't certainly refer to only Norvin and the upper echelon of Aurum Venari. "You claiming to be altruistic all the sudden, Norvin, or are you just trying to play me from a new angle?"

Norvin wiped burger grease from his chin with a paper napkin, still maintaining that stupid grin of his. "This isn't a trick, Alek. This is truth telling. If you're ready, we can begin."

"What about the whole 'come alone' part of your text? Am I trying to negotiate for the truth or for a hostage release."

His grin spread. "Perhaps neither suggestion is too off base."

I snapped myself upright again. "You better explain yourself immediately, Old Man, or I'm out of this grease trap and will have a wolf on your ass before the day is over."

Norvin's chill demeanor remained in place. "You can't possibly mean Verity. She's in Nevada and, correct me if I'm wrong, the two of you are not on the best of terms now."

"How would you know—"

"You wanted to get down to it," he interrupted me, "then let's get down to it. No need to pretend you'll sic your Next Gen werewolf on me."

That was new. "Next Gen... what? Are you a sci-fi supervillain now?"

"Just shut up and listen to me for once, will you?"

I leaned back in the booth and did just that, wondering what I had ever done in my life to hear what he was saying and think, finally we're getting somewhere instead of I really should look into an involuntary psych hold for this man.

"I'm entrusting you with this information, Alek, because despite everything you've done, you're still the best shot we have."

So many snarky responses percolated in my brain, but I bit my tongue and nodded at him to continue.

"You've gathered by now, thanks to Chip, that Aurum Venari has a long history studying the science of werewolfism. We have had great success, in fact, and have been able to manufacture wolf shifters such as Chip and the members of his pack."

Wow, he'd finally admitted to it. I took a deep breath, trying to avoid vomiting all over Norvin's lunch. "This is hard to wrap my head around."

"It's not how I wanted you to find out, obviously. Chip broke his NDA."