My laughter sounded fake to me when it came out. “The café would burn down for sure if you had to stay all day.”
Her frown deepened. I hadn’t meant to poke at her insecurities. Shit.
Cerri leaned back. “You know, we should really find a way to get rid of that bastard once and for all. That, or we get you a new identity. I can talk to some of the witches in town and see if they have anything that might help you disappear from Alvin’s radar.”
The thought filled me with such weightless hope that I nearly floated off the ground like a child’s balloon set free. However, becoming someone new would mean losing my pack. If I went back to the pack as someone new, I would still have to deal with Alvin.
I’d witnessed the way Harvey treated his female friends, too. To escape Alvin and his son, I would have to run far, far away. I didn’t like the idea of losing my home or leaving the others to Alvin’s cruelty.
“If Alvin is distracted by his hatred of me and that damn prophecy, then he’s not hurting the others,” I said, finally.
Cerri and Vi shared a look. The air around Vi flashed hot as her lip curled.
“I wouldn’t mind burning his house down for you,” Vi offered. “If we’re lucky, he might get trapped inside. And, by lucky, I mean I could bar the doors and windows.”
Cerri gave Vi a look of reproach. “We aren’t burning people alive like this is a witch hunt.”
“Hrmph, suit yourself. If Alvin can call a hunt on Ness, then I think it’s absolutely fair that we can hunt him.”
“I think our best option might be to help Ness find a way to fulfil the prophecy. I mean, it’s there for a reason. If we can figure out how to trigger the prophecy, then Alvin will be forced down from his position of power.” Cerri looked between the two of us.
Vi shrugged. “Killing him would do the trick, but if you want to play nice, you’re totally welcome to suffer.”
“Vi,” I said, a note of warning in my voice. “No murder, please. This isn’t your problem. You don’t have to get involved.”
“When someone attacks my friend, then it becomes my problem! How dare you assume that we can’t help you?”
I started to apologize, but my words were drowned out by the chime of the bell over the door. I turned to the customers and froze. A growl vibrated in my chest as Alvin stared me down.