Chapter 65

"Will I ever run out of reasons for revenge?" I rail in the car on the way to the luncheon. "Your father, you, me, Charis's murder, and now this? Where does it end, Marcus?"

I remember just in time not to mention Brady. I need to rein it in a little bit; I'm losing the thread, here. Marcus isn't supposed to know about the gang, or that I have a revenge list as long as my arm.

In truth, it's been easy to lose sight of the fact that this all started because I set out to take revenge on Charles on behalf of myself. I've become so deeply entwined with the Alpha's household, with Charles's designs on them and the gang, that I've almost forgotten about myself.

Falling in love with Marcus has made my priorities shift, as has my deepening friendship with the Alpha. None of this is playing out like I had ancticipated it would, and in so many ways, that's been a good thing.

But it's also been tragic - so many lives destroyed or disrupted by Charles and his selfish, sniveling, self-serving plotting.

And I also have to remember myself in all this, too. I can't let myself forget that I need to clear my own name, in part so that Marcus and I can truly be together in the way that we both deserve.

I just can't let Marcus know any of this yet. I need to hold it together and not give the game away until the timing is right, which means that I need to get myself under control right now. Marcus is already giving me an odd look.

I take a deep breath and try to reframe my words, to make them make sense in the context of Dr. Evelyn Prism, instead of Dr. Nicole Hardy. There's no reason I should feel this strongly about Charis, so I need to find a way to justify it.

"I just mean that Charles is ruining the lives of so many people, many of them dear to me, like you and Emmett," I explain. "And I feel so guilty about his mother, about not being able to stop her murder. To find out that her husband has been two-timing her and is glad to see the back of her…Marcus, it breaks my heart."

"I know you feel very deeply for others, Evelyn, but you can't take on the weight of the entire world," Marcus says with concern. "I know you feel guilty about Charis's death, but you never even met the woman. There's no reason to blame yourself for her husband's affair on top of everything else."

"I don't blame myself," I hasten to reassure him. "I just…well, I just feel a kinship toward her, I guess. Women stick together, that sort of thing." It's a weak excuse, but it's the best I can come up with.

Fortunately, Marcus's confused expression clears. It looks like he bought it. He gives me a little smile and puts his arm around me, cuddling me closer as the city zips by outside the window. HIs driver is making good time through the traffic, despite so many cars full of people all going to the same destination.

"It makes sense," Marcus says soothingly. "It speaks well of your character, carina. I love to see this kind of passion from you; it speaks to my own heart and my own sense of justice. It's the exact sort of strength that I've always imagined my Luna having."

My heart almost stops, and I hold my breath. Oh, my god. Is Marcus suggesting what I think he's suggesting?

"Are you…do you…" I stammer, and Marcus gives a little laugh.

"I'm not proposing to you in the back of a car on the way to a funeral luncheon, Evelyn, don't worry. I'd never be that unromantic. I'm just saying, perhaps think about if that's the kind of role you could see yourself playing someday.

"It's a lifelong role, really more of a duty. It's not for everyone, and I would understand completely if you said it wasn't for you. But you could consider it…if you'd like."

"I'd like to consider it," I say, leaning into his side and drawing in a deep breath of his scent - pine and snow, a cedarwood cologne. "I'd like to consider it very much."

Marcus presses a kiss to the top of my head, and we ride the rest of the way to the luncheon in a companionable silence.

When we finally get back to the mansion, where I agreed to spend the night in Marcus's spare room, I'm exhausted. Marcus looks worn, too; it's just been a long, long day for both of us.

Marcus doesn't realize, of course, how much of my exhaustion is the emotional kind that comes with real grief. Nor does he know about Brady in the hospital, about how many sleepless nights I've had the past several days.

However, he doesn't seem to question the depth of my fatigue, and only fixes both of us a whisky old-fashioned before sinking down on the couch in his living room next to me. I kick off my heels and slide my feet into his lap, where he massages my feet with his free hand almost absentmindedly.

I could get used to this kind of domestic comfort, I think to myself as I sip my drink. In fact, I actively crave it. We need to solve the Charles problem once and for all, and soon, if for no other reason so that I can finally get on with my life.

After a long silence, I speak what's been on my mind since I discovered Darlene and Mr. Robinson's affair.

"I think we should at least try to get a little revenge on behalf of Charles's mother," I say, trying to sound casual. Marcus looks up at me from where he was lost in thought, looking taken aback.

"I don't disagree with the sentiment, but how on earth are you going to achieve that?" he asks.

"We could…" I pretend to think, though I had the answer figured out hours ago. "Well, we could introduce him to another woman."

Marcus looks skeptical.

"How would that work?" he asks. "If he wanted to be with another woman - other than this affair lady, I mean - he would. What would us introducing him to someone else accomplish?"

Marcus doesn't know it, but Charles's father is as mercenary as he is. I know that if we introduced him to some high-society lady, someone he otherwise never would have managed to meet on his own, he'd take the bait immediately.

I can't tell Marcus that I know that, of course, so I just suggest it as a possibility instead. Marcus rolls his whisky glass back and forth between his palms a few times, clearly thinking it over.

"It might work," he agrees at last. "I have a woman in mind, in fact. But what will this really accomplish, Evelyn?"

"It'll make me feel better," I grumble. "I'm sick and tired of Charles and men like him just screwing over the women in their lives left, right, and center. I feel like you and I could at least get a little jab back, for Charis's sake."

Marcus grins at me suddenly, a wolfish look that shows off his werewolf teeth.

"You know what?" he says. "I agree with you, actually. I'm sick of it, too. And since we can't do anything more practical, at least not for the moment, we could at least stir up a little mischief."

I grin back, delighted that he's taken my side and is showing such a roguish aspect to himself.

"Who do you have in mind?" I ask.

"I know just the person," Marcus laughs. "Leave it to me."