3.1 | Animal Instinct ✓

16 | queen

It was almost imperceptible and if we weren't looking so closely, we might've missed the way Diego stilled. Just for a split second, before he shrugged. "Bought it from an old store," He said flatly, before arching his eyebrow sardonically at Jed. "Why? Want to borrow it for a grand, romantic proposal?"

Jed stiffened, his fingers digging into the tabletop in a clear sign of anger. But it was Adrian who moved forward, reaching out a threatening hand to latch around Diego's throat, only to have it swiftly blocked by Diego. It was such an instinctive, swift move that I barely caught it, and it seemed to take even Adrian by surprise because he soon found his hand pinned at an awkward, painful angle behind his back.

Jed was on his feet before Spike and Lance could even move, bracing himself in a way that was entirely defensive as he regarded a snarling Diego. I wouldn't even have known what was about to happen if Jed hadn't thrown a swift glance at me over his shoulder, jerking his head towards Diego, who was by now beginning to curl into himself in a way that was entirely familiar.

"Diego." My voice was sharp and everyone stilled. Jed still stood defensively in front of me, but Diego glanced up, fixing his obsidian eyes on me. I fought the urge to shiver, because it reminded me so much of those times he'd kidnapped me, and shook my head. "Don't shift."

He hesitated but, after a few seconds, reluctantly loosened his grip. Adrian wrenched away from him and was about to retaliate when a sharp glance from Jed made him falter and back away, but not before casting one last furious glare at Diego. Jed sat back down, bracing an arm on the table once again in his old position. And when he glanced at me this time instead of Adrian, I knew immediately knew what he wanted me to do.

"Diego," I started calmly, fixing my attention on the man who was standing rigidly in front of us. The darkness in his eyes had faded since then, far swifter than the obsidian in Jed's could fade, and he waited expectantly for me to continue. After another quick, encouraging glance from Jed, I steeled myself and finally asked the million-dollar question. "What is your name?"

Diego looked at me strangely. "What the hell are you – "

Jed started to rise from his seat, but I placed a hand on his arm to stop him. "What is your name?" I repeated calmly.

"My name is Diego – "

"What is your real name?"

He froze. The tension in the diner was almost palpable by now, and the other three who weren't in the know had matching looks of confusion on their faces, even as they braced themselves for any possible, unexpected attack. Diego averted his eyes from me, only to reluctantly meet my gaze again mere seconds later, and after what seemed like a plethora of internal strife, he finally let out a heavy exhale and clenched his jaw.

"Dimitri Volkov."

The silence that followed was a deadly calm. Jed and I was already suspecting this, from the moment I pointed out that the ring Malthus wore in the photographs was of the exact same cutting and shape as the one Diego, or Dimitri, had. A flat silver band with two green lines running around the middle.

Simple, unassuming, deadly.

But to hear his confession was another thing altogether and I found my mind spinning with the realisation that the person I trusted had been one of the monsters all along. Jed stood, the jarring sound of his chair scrapping against the hardwood floor making me wince involuntarily, and nodded at Adrian.

"Explain yourself," Adrian said shortly. He still looked marginally lost with the turn of events, but covered it up swiftly with that usual gleam in his eye that I knew he meant nothing but business. "Why do you need an alias?"