Tethered to the World: A Phantom Touched Novel

by Brutger, Stacey

  She swallowed hard at the compassion in his voice, dropping her gaze as humiliation burned in her cheeks. She was barely aware of him speaking again.

  “I know you want to run, but it’s the worst thing you can do right now. They are actively searching for you. I know you feel trapped, but the school will protect you.”

  When she opened her mouth to turn him down, he held up his hand. “You need to learn how the supernatural world functions, and this school is the best place for that. If you go out into the human world, you’ll be a lamb to the slaughter. Give us a chance. Stay. Work one case with the team. Learn. Train. Because if you leave and he finds you, I’m afraid no one will ever see you again.”

  She wanted to tell them she could protect herself, but it would be a lie. She barely escaped the last time. It had taken years of planning, waiting for the smallest opening. Her uncle wouldn’t let her off so easily next time. And he knew most of her abilities. If he ever caught her again, he would bury her so deep underground she would never be able to claw her way out.

  She licked her lips, then lifted her chin and met Rufus’s gaze. “You’ll teach me how to kill him.”

  It wasn’t a question, but Rufus nodded. When he smiled, his teeth were all very pointed and long. “Not if I catch him first.”

  Then he leaned back into his seat and got back to business. “You will bunk with the guys, and—”

  “No, I think it’s best—”

  “Yes, sir.” The guys barked all together, completely overriding her protest, but Rufus was no longer talking to her anymore.

  The director was in charge, not the gym owner who had taken time to befriend a lonely girl. He reached into his desk and pulled out a folder, handing it over to Camden. “You’ll report only to me.”

  “Yes, sir.” Which seemed to be some sort of code. The guys turned and headed out the door.

  Annora stood, but couldn’t make herself follow. “I—”

  “Don’t trust anyone but the guys. They’ll keep you safe. Work this case with them, let us prove you belong here. You can decide afterwards what you want to do.”

  He was being more than generous, but she couldn’t help but feel that he was manipulating her. He handed over a credit card with her name on it, and she shoved her hands behind her back like it was a snake ready to bite. “What is that?”

  He looked amused by her question. “Money to cover any added expenses.”

  Annora rolled her eyes. “I know what it is. Why are you giving it to me?”

  “Think of it as an advance against your pay.” He pushed the card forward with one finger. “Take it.”

  She reached for it, then paused and glared at him. “You’re doing it again.”

  “Doing what?” He kept his face straight, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.

  She opened her mouth to answer, but wasn’t sure what she was going to accuse him of doing. She waved her finger at him in warning. “Whatever it is you do to manipulate people into doing what you want. You did it at the gym, and you just did it to the guys.”

  “This will be a good test run for both you and the team. They’re good guys, but they’ve been through a lot. Use this time to learn from them and test what you can handle. There are no better hunters.”

  Annora pursed her lips, positive he was keeping something from her. “What else?”

  He flashed her a smile and nodded to her to sit, waiting to speak until she obeyed. “Do you know what an alpha is?”

  Annora shrugged. “The leader of a pack?”

  At least that’s the way the animal world worked.

  “Close.” Rufus nodded to the door. “Those guys are each an alpha in their own way, and will only become stronger with time. The stronger the alpha, the more responsibilities rest on his or her shoulders.”

  She glanced at the door, grimacing at the thought of what it would mean to live with a bunch of bossy men.

  Fuck my life.

  The uncomplicated life she wanted was becoming more tangled by the day.

  “But you are one as well.” He spoke so softly she almost didn’t hear him.

  She spun in her seat and glared. “Come again?”

  “No one is born an alpha, they’re forged by fire. Some people get burned, some get crushed, but a few people like you rise from the ashes stronger and better. You’re just growing into your powers, and you’re doing it while considerably younger than most. It can take centuries or longer for a true alpha to rise to power.”

  Annora was speechless as she processed what he said, not sure she believed him. He must have read her doubt.

  “You’re already able to disregard a direct order from an alpha. Not many can say that. You stood up to a pack of wolves, fought them and won. And you outwitted those boys for the whole night, not an easy task in itself.”

  Annora bit the inside of her lip, refusing to feel guilty for keeping them up all night.

  “You’ll only grow stronger, and others will notice.” His face hardened. “People will be drawn to you, while others will want to destroy you for what they can’t have. You need those guys, but I think they need you more.”

  She wanted to deny everything, walk out of his office and pretend to be nothing but a normal girl. That’s all she’d ever wanted. But it appeared that wasn’t going to happen. She couldn’t risk becoming an alpha and drawing more attention to herself. “How do I stop it?”

  Rufus sat back in his chair and sighed. “Most students work their entire lives to achieve what you would deny…which is why I think you will make an excellent alpha…stronger than anyone I’ve ever met.”

  The hair on the back of her neck rose. “But?”

  “You just need to survive long enough to come into your full powers. Then not even your uncle would dare come after you” He rubbed his forehead, then waved a hand to the window, indicating the campus below. “This world will need people like you. Without someone to stand up for the weak, they will be slaughtered.”

  She was afraid he was talking about more than just the campus. “Sorry, but I think you have the wrong girl. I’ve spent my life wanting to be free, wanting to be normal. You’re asking me to give up everything I’ve dreamed about for years.”

  “I’m asking you to be strong enough to save more than yourself.” He waved away her protest before she could speak. “Work the case. Get to know the team. Learn about us. Just give us a chance.”

  Annora knew she was dismissed. A crushing weight of expectation and responsibility pressed on her chest, and she looked down, struggling to control her emotions. She thought she’d found someone to stand in her corner, someone who wanted to protect her without demanding something in return, but she was wrong.

  He did want something.

  He wanted her to be a fucking hero—it would only cost her the one thing that mattered to her most.

  Worse, she couldn’t even hate him for it. He honestly thought the only way to keep her safe was to forge her into an alpha strong enough to protect herself.

  Unfortunately, she suspected he might be correct.

  She strode toward the door, pausing with her hand on the knob, but she couldn’t make herself leave, and glanced at him over her shoulder. “And if my uncle comes for me before I’m ready?”

  His face hardened, his eyes flashing black, and she barely resisted peeking into the afterworld to discover what beast he held at bay. “Your uncle is a threat and needs to be eliminated. He knows too much about the supernatural world. You’re either a friend to us or a threat to be eliminated. And he is most definitely not a friend.”

  She nodded, then opened the door, watching as the men in the hall turned and slowly straightened.

  “Annora?”

  She spun and faced Rufus, only to see him holding out the credit card. She grimaced, then reluctantly accepted the card and shoved it in her back pocked, having no intention of using it. She didn’t like all the strings he was wrapping around her. If she used the money, he would have even more expectation
s.

  “Good luck.” Then the door was slammed in her face.

  When she turned, she found all four guys watching her with varying degrees of curiosity.

  Without a word, Camden turned and began walking down the hall, then spoke over his shoulder. “Director Greenwood is tough but fair…as long as you follow the rules.”

  Annora took it as the warning he intended, and reluctantly trailed after him.

  “We’ll gather your things and meet back at the house to go over the file.” Camden didn’t even spare her a glance as they headed down the hall. “I want you to keep one of us with you at all times. I don’t like how the wolves singled you out last night.” Instead of pressing the elevator button, they all headed for the stairwell.

  Logan heaved a sigh, looking longingly at the elevator before trailing after the others.

  She thought back to the wolves last night, not caring for the attention either, but she couldn’t help being suspicious. No doubt Erickson told them to keep a watch out for her. She wasn’t sure if they were supposed to be her welcoming committee or showed up to force her to join them.

  When the guys waited for her expectantly, she shook her head and realized they were waiting for her instructions.

  “I have what I need.” She tightened her grip on her bag, uncomfortable as each one shot her an incredulous look, glancing down at her bag, then looked back up to her face.

  “What do you mean?” Logan scratched the back of his head as he looked around her in confusion. “Women always have a lot of shit and clutter things up.”

  He gawked at her as if she were a strange alien, and she could only shrug as they exited the building.

  As soon as she walked outside, she scanned the crowd. It didn’t take her more than a quick glance to know they were being watched. It took a concentrated effort to not let panic take over.

  Maybe she was just being paranoid. None of the wolves seemed to be singling her out. The whole team was being tracked and observed. The knowledge actually eased her anxiety a bit.

  She followed the others, picking up her pace to walk next to Camden. “Why are the wolves interested in your team?”

  “They hate anyone who is better than them.” He didn’t even bother to flick her a glance.

  When he didn’t say any more, she dropped back, feeling dismissed like a nuisance. To her surprise, Xander glanced down at her.

  “Wolves are the largest pack in the country. They’re the strongest breed, mostly based on numbers alone, which they think means they’re superior.” He shook his head at the folly. “They’re like an army that smashes and grabs, while the rest of us are more covert.”

  Despite being an imposing man, his body big and rugged, she liked that Xander took the time to explain things to her. She hadn’t expected kindness from the gruff warrior. His facial hair was trimmed close, his beard disguising a lot of his face, but for some reason, being near him was comforting.

  “I’m sorry for disturbing your life.” Not used to being around people, she wasn’t sure how to talk to them. She waited for him to snap at her, waited for him to shove her away and storm off, waited for him to just ignore her. To her surprise, he shrugged.

  “If it wasn’t you, it would’ve been someone else.” He scanned the campus, and she recognized the path they were taking. They were heading back toward the house. “This will be a test run for all of us.”

  “Explain.” He didn’t seem put off by her questions, and she allowed herself to relax around him a bit more.

  “It will give us a chance to see if you would be a good fit, test what you can handle.”

  But she sensed he wasn’t saying something. “And what do you get out of it?”

  Something in his face shut down, his teal eyes flashed, and she instantly regretted her question.

  “It will give us time to decide if we can move on as a team or if we’re too broken to continue.” Then he was gone, his long legs putting distance between them, and she worried she’d pushed him too far.

  As the house came into view, she couldn’t tear her attention away from the large forest crouched almost protectively behind it. The trees seemed to tower over everything, the building barely able to avoid being swallowed. It looked haunting, like a fairy tale setting, but she wasn’t sure if it was a sunshine and flowers type or a darker tale to warn away the unwary.

  The steps up to the house were basic cement, the railings iron. It wasn’t anything fancy. As they entered the house, the first thing she saw was the giant kitchen-dining room combination. Off to the right was an even larger living room space.

  The far wall was solid glass, the large sheets actually doors opening up to a huge deck centered around an elaborate fire pit that looked professionally designed. Beyond led into the forest. Even as she studied it, she could see trails heading off in many different directions.

  She wasn’t sure if she found the outside area comfy or intimidating. She scoured her memories, but couldn’t remember ever being near something so massive and alien. It took her a while to get used to wide open spaces because she didn’t like feeling exposed, but something about the forest—not being able to see what was coming—made the blackness inside her whirl, and she quickly looked away.

  The place was fairly clean, cluttered with books and weights, a few bags, and about a dozen pairs of shoes. Dishes were in the sink, pans cluttered the stove. The fridge was industrial floor-to-ceiling, and she could only gape at the amount of food when Logan opened the doors and helped himself to a beer before he began pulling out ingredients.

  She trailed after the guys, a little hesitant about entering their sanctuary—because she was sure that’s what it was to them by the way they relaxed and let down their guard slightly when they passed through the front door.

  “You’ll be training with us in the arena later today.” Camden headed straight for the large kitchen table and set the folder on top.

  It didn’t take a genius to tell he was pissed about having her in his house. Not that she could blame him. She was a nobody. Rufus shoved her off on them like an unwanted responsibility instead of a prospective team member.

  “Tell me about the arena.” Annora lowered her bag to her feet, but didn’t venture into the room any farther, lingering by the counter near the door. Xander joined Camden when he opened the folder and began to go over the paperwork. Logan was busy preparing a massive amount of food, while Mason was at the far counter, seated on a stool as he opened up a laptop.

  At her question, he paused and looked up at her. His pale violet eyes seemed to brighten when he saw her. “The arena is where the younger, new recruits go to find out where they should be placed and how we can best use them. It can take years of training before being eligible for a team assignment.”

  He spoke absently, focused on the screen in front of him and began typing, but his comment stung. She shifted her feet, feeling awkward, knowing they resented her intrusion in their lives—a freshman with little to no training, skipping ahead of the class because of favoritism—when he spoke again.

  “Some kids aren’t cut out for violence and fighting. They’re taken aside and taught the basics, because everyone in this school is trained in self-defense. They are then assigned other tasks that don’t require them to work in the field.” He ran a hand over his hair absently, and she watched the pink strands smooth down as if he could control them with a thought.

  She thought over his statement and took it as the warning it was…don’t start shit you can’t finish.

  “They’ll go on to work in administration,” Logan offered from where he was working at the stove. He didn’t say it, but from the tone of his voice, he clearly thought it was where she belonged.

  While part of her wished she could hide behind a desk and escape the crush of people, she knew it wasn’t an option for her. If she wanted to survive, she needed to be able to fight, and these guys were the best way to learn.

  A pan was sizzling with butter as Logan began to dump in ing
redients. He grabbed another beer from the fridge, twisted off the top and took another swig. When he moved to stand on the opposite side of the counter from her, she watched him pull out a knife from the block and began chopping vegetables almost faster than she could track.

  Mason lifted his head to peer up at her, but she had a feeling he’d been keeping an eye on her the whole time.

  But it was Xander who spoke next. “You have very little training and minimal skills, but you’re teachable. You have speed and surprise on your side. We’ll continue to train you in self-defense, but you’re not built for being out in the field.”

  She didn’t take it as an insult. She knew her limits. But it didn’t mean she wouldn’t demand more.

  Logan glanced up, then flipped the blade he held, catching it by the tip without looking, and offered it to her. “Can you handle a knife?”

  “I don’t know.” Annora reached out hesitantly, expecting a trick. She hadn’t been allowed anywhere near sharp weapons, not since she tried to gut her uncle with a sharpened butter knife, and she couldn’t help but smile at the scars he still went out of his way to conceal. “Not well.”

  He reached over and adjusted her hold. His hands were so warm, she startled at his touch. Instead of the fire and smoke she expected for someone who had streaks of bright red hair, he smelled of fresh snow. Only after he was satisfied with her hold, did he release her and step back.

  Uncertain what she was supposed to do, Annora lifted the knife and twisted it in her grip, getting used to the weight. Logan filched another knife, flipped the smaller blade, then sent it sailing down the hall…where it hit with a heavy thump against the scarred board covering a door.

  He gazed at her curiously for a moment, and she realized she probably should’ve flinched at the violence. But she’d spent her whole life keeping her emotions to herself so her uncle couldn’t use them against her. Ever since she escaped, she’d been watching people, taking cues from them about how she should react so she wouldn’t stand out, but it was hard to break a lifetime of habit.