School of the Crown Assassins

13

I was frozen on the spot, unsure of whether I should be confiding in Axe or threatening to slash his throat. Axe continued speaking, as if oblivious to my confused nature.

"I had my suspicions from the beginning," he explained. "Especially when you started to fight so hard just to earn a rank on the Alpha team. It didn't seem like you, and even after months, it still doesn't seem like you. And the way the sudden change took place after Echo's death was too coincidental. At first, I thought you were trying to honor Echo's memory by being number one like she always thought and wanted you to be. But something always felt off about that theory. It just didn't add up, but I never had any evidence that suggested otherwise. Until now."

I finally found my voice again, though it was too weak for my liking. "Why... how did you get in?"

"Yesterday, in the elevator, I stole your ID card and copied the barcode on scanning tape and placed it back in your pocket before you left."

My thoughts flashed back to the awkward exchange in the elevator and I mentally cursed myself. How could I have been so stupid? Axe always did something for a reason. He was as dangerous as Xavier because it was so easy to underestimate him, a trap I had fallen into like another fool and victim of Axe Cormac.

"Why?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You're a sentimental person no matter what you make people believe. I figured you would've kept something of value, one that would remind you of your goal--and tell me exactly what it was."

"But why bother? Why do you want to know so badly?"

Axe tilted his head and paused before saying, "I'm not sure. Maybe it just bothered me that I couldn't figure out what you were up to."

I tightened my grip on the dagger, "I swear to god if you tell anyone-"

"I won't," he responded before I could finish. "I won't tell anyone."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because I want to help you."

I blinked. "What?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?"

"Yes."

"I want to help you," Axe said, painfully slow.

"But why?"

"Because Echo was my friend too. And if there's any way to get justice for her death, I want to see it happen."

I sheathed my daggers and started pacing the kitchen. "But you're friends with Damien."

Axe dropped Echo's letter on the table and raised an eyebrow. "And when did our friendship begin?"

My mind whirled. I answered slowly as the realization dawned. "After Echo died."

He sat on the couch and I leaned back, my heart beating in my ears. "You've been working against the Crown Assassins the entire time."

His lips twisted into something between a smirk and a mischievous smile. I looked at him as if truly seeing him for the first time. "Is that why you're so motivated to be an Alpha? So that you could get near the Crowns and figure out what happened to Echo?"

"Now, now," he said. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I wanted to be an Alpha member from the moment I stepped foot in this school five years ago. Getting justice for Echo is just a bonus."

"This is crazy," I sighed. "How many others have the same agenda?"

He shrugged. "Only one other that we know of for sure."