by Dannika Dark
I lowered my eyes submissively, uncertain if he had the strength to control his animal. The growl intensified, but before I could think about a plan, Lakota was at my side. He pressed himself against me and bared his bloodstained teeth at Kaota. It wasn’t an aggressive gesture to provoke an attack but a warning that I was off-limits. Kaota shifted back to human form, breathing easier.
Dizzy, I leaned against Lakota and put my arm around him. “Lakota, this looks bad. Crow, the Councilman—they’re going to arrest us.”
Lakota suddenly shifted back to human form and stood. He turned away as if assessing the situation. When he looked back and saw me on my knees, he crouched down and cupped my face in his hands. “Are you all right? Mel, are you bleeding?” The urgency in his voice startled me.
I looked down at my hands as the horrifying reality sank in. “They’re going to blame us for this. We’ll get the death penalty for killing an official.”
The higher authority played no games when it came to protecting anyone who fell under their umbrella, either directly or indirectly. Execution was swift and certain once they issued the sentence.
Wearily, he shook his head. “My wolf didn’t kill Jack all the way.”
I glanced over my shoulder at a wounded deer lying on its side. Jack’s breathing was labored, his eyes glassy. He had healed some but not enough to prevent the permanent scars he would carry from Lakota’s savage attack.
“Everything’s going to be fine, Mel. On my word. If he doesn’t confess, I’ll drag a Vampire down here myself to charm the truth out of him. Three of us heard his admission of guilt. His ancestors had an agreement with the tribe, so he has motive. The gas station owner saw them together a few times. Crow was also foolish enough to have kept everything, like a packrat. His compulsion to steal was his downfall. That’s why Jack took him down. Even if Crow didn’t squeal, Jack wouldn’t get the land.”
Still in shock, I asked, “If he knew Crow was going to kill us, why did he come out here and expose himself?”
“Kaota summoned the Council, so he didn’t have a choice. He couldn’t risk Robert finding out what was really going on. If I were a betting man, I would say he made a decision to get rid of the last link in the chain that would lead back to him.” Lakota cradled my head in his hands. “We’ll find out soon enough, but it’s over.”
I touched the raw scar on his chest where the knife had gone in, the taste of tears still on my tongue. “You died,” I croaked, my voice as broken as my heart.
Lakota pulled me into his arms. “You brought me back to life.”
Chapter 22
Since we didn’t want to disturb or abandon the scene, Lakota volunteered to head back to the house and call Robert to explain the situation while Kaota and I guarded Jack’s wounded animal, making sure he didn’t escape. After Jack shifted back to human form, Kaota’s wolf sat beside him as a warning not to run.
When the remaining members of the local Shifter Council arrived, they searched Crow’s house and property, collecting every scrap of evidence. They took statements and called the higher authority, which sent out two Regulators to review the evidence and formally serve Jack with an arrest warrant. He didn’t say a word as they put him in the car.
Not that it mattered. Now that they had sufficient proof, a Vampire questioning was probably in his future to expose his sordid plan. There were strict rules about using Vampires to charm the truth out of people; the higher authority preferred hard evidence to a confession since a person’s mind could be manipulated too easily. Jack had coveted the tribe’s land, but the only way to acquire it was if Shikoba’s people were convicted of something so heinous that the Council would have to legally evict them. And what better way to oversee that than to take a seat on the Council? It made me wonder how long he’d been scheming against the Iwa tribe. Robert didn’t seem to have any knowledge about the old contract between Jack’s family and the tribe, but it was legally binding and easily accessed through their archives.
After giving the Council my side of the story, I went out to Lakota’s truck and fell asleep. I was emotionally spent and physically exhausted. I didn’t remember the drive back, only the sensation of him carrying me in his arms. How he had the strength and energy after the hell he’d just been through was beyond my understanding. I’d underestimated what a warrior Lakota truly was.
At one point, I opened my eyes and found myself curled up in his lap in Shikoba’s living room. A bright glow from a burning log on the grate brought warmth, but it was incomparable to the warmth of the man holding me. Lakota was sitting straight up on the couch, his head resting against his shoulder, eyes closed, and arms wrapped around me. Though I had questions about Tak and the Council, Lakota needed rest, so I didn’t wake him. Instead, I nestled against his chest and listened to the sound of his heart beating—the most beautiful sound in the world.
“Melody, time to wake up.”
The blanket slid away from my face, and I groaned. Light slipped between my closed eyelids and forced them open. It wasn’t from the fire. Sunlight leaked through a window on the second floor, where an older woman was leaning against the railing, watching us. When she smiled, deep lines formed in her cheeks.
I swung my gaze to the left, where Lakota was standing, dressed like I’d never seen him—brown trousers, a matching vest, and a long-sleeve white shirt. His hair was silky and loose, and a beaded choker made from black and turquoise stones encircled his neck. My eyes traveled down to the plate of food in his hand.
Despite the inquisitive stares from above, I sat up and grabbed the plate like a ravenous animal. Two biscuits and five pieces of bacon later, I noticed that someone had dressed me in a turquoise-blue shirt. Fortunately, I still had on my jeans, but my hands were clean and no longer stained with blood.
Lakota folded my blanket and set it on the hearth.
“Where’s Tak?” I asked. “Did they let him go?”
Lakota put his hands in his pockets. “They won’t release him just yet. They found his bag and weapon by the last victim, and he’s still not denying involvement.”
“Why not? We caught the killer.”
“He has no idea what happened last night. The Council is treating it like two separate crimes until they get Jack’s testimony, and I don’t know how much Jack knew about what Crow was doing at the crime scenes.”
I set the empty plate aside. “It’s not right.”
“Agreed. But that’s for the tribe to resolve. And to think, all this time, they were looking for a wolf. Koi’s wolf had gashes on his neck. If Crow didn’t do that with his knife, you can bet it came from his owl’s sharp talons. The tribe won’t dig up Koi’s body and shave his fur just to verify the exact cause of death. It would be violating sacred ground.” Lakota shook his head. “I don’t know what will become of Tak.”
Lakota suddenly swung his gaze up to a man walking by on the upper floor. Then he lowered his voice. “Your phone rang three times while you slept. I don’t know if it was Hope or your family, but your absence hasn’t gone unnoticed. It’s time for you to go home.”
“Why are you all dressed up?”
He held out his hand. “Come with me, wife. We have a wedding to attend.”
I rose to my feet. “I’m a little underdressed for a mating ceremony.”
Lakota smirked. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“That’s because it’s not for real. Why did you bother dressing up?”
He pinched my chin. “My clothes are drenched in blood.”
After he directed me to the nearest bathroom on the first floor, I washed up. My hair wouldn’t cooperate, so I tied it in a ponytail and pulled a few strands free on each side. Strangely, I felt torn about returning to my normal, humdrum life where I belonged. Business here felt unfinished. Maybe it was Tak not returning, or maybe I’d grown too comfortable being around a pack again.
Or maybe I’d fallen in love with Lakota.
I was old-fashioned, so I didn’t want
to be the one to make the first move. Although I had to laugh. Did I actually want Lakota to court me when we were about to get mated in a few minutes? While we’d gotten tangled up in each other’s lives for a few days, Lakota didn’t love me. He couldn’t. I’d been through enough relationships in my life that I could feel the difference, but Lakota had never learned how to separate sex from emotions. It was all new to him. Even if he did feel something for me, he would quickly come to his senses in a few days.
Or after bedding another woman.
Eventually he would return to Austin with more experience under his belt, literally. It would never be the same between us, and our reunions would be awkward. Perhaps that was what saddened me the most, knowing that what I felt for him was real and true, and that the mating ceremony would stand as a mockery of my feelings. I was going home alone, and my heart cried out for Lakota to make a declaration of love.
When I emerged from the bathroom, someone had left a pair of moccasins at the door. Blue patterns were stitched into the brown leather, and they fit perfectly.
Lakota lingered at the end of the hall, my multicolored purse in one hand and a large leather bag in the other.
“What’s in there?” I asked.
“They packed you a meal. You can keep the bag.”
I took the items. “That was nice of them.”
He touched a strand of my loose hair and twirled it around his finger before it sprang free. “If you don’t make any stops, you should be home in six hours.”
“I’ll call Hope from the car and let her know I’m on my way. She’ll relay the message to everyone else.”
It was the first time I’d shared an awkward moment with Lakota. I scratched my head, uncertain of what to say or what he might say. Instead, neither of us said anything. Disheartened, I took his arm and let him lead me outside.
Shikoba was waiting in front of the Jeep at the far end of the gravel driveway. The vehicle sparkled in the sunlight, not a speck of mud or dirt on the tires. Members of the tribe were gathered, creating a pathway to their leader. Others watched from the porch and upper balcony. A young woman with feather earrings presented me with a beautiful handmade crown of wildflowers.
Two teenagers giggled madly when I slung my purse strap over my shoulder and hiked down the steps ahead of Lakota like a soldier marching to battle. He quickly jogged to my side and took my arm, coaxing me to match his slower pace.
Shikoba had on traditional clothing but no headdress—just a feather tucked in one braid and a large squash blossom necklace made from silver around his neck.
“We are here to witness the joining of two spirits,” he began. “The fates have chosen you as life mates. We don’t always know the reasons behind their decisions, but we must follow that chosen path and trust our wolf spirits to guide us.”
From that point, he began speaking in his native tongue, and I didn’t understand a word. I wasn’t sure Lakota did either, by the blank look on his face. After Shikoba’s lengthy speech, someone handed him a wooden cup, and he said a blessing over it. Then he placed his hand on Lakota’s head. “You will feel no fear, for you are each other’s protector. You will feel no loneliness, for you are each other’s companion.” Then he placed his hand over my head. “Your wolves will unite this day in spirit and will forever respect and love each other. Once found, we can never be lost.”
He pushed down on my head, a smile tugging at his lips. I realized he wanted me to kneel or something, so I got down on my knees. Then he glared at Lakota, who quickly dropped to his knees beside me.
Shikoba held the cup between us. “Offer this to your mate to drink.”
Lakota took the chalice first and gingerly cupped the back of my head as I took a sip of what I thought was wine but turned out to be something more like moonshine or pure gasoline. I coughed and gasped when it slid down the back of my throat like fire. Shikoba rocked with laughter.
When it was my turn, Lakota took a sniff and glared at me. “Are you going to be okay to drive?”
I tilted the chalice. “Drink up, husband.” Some of the liquid dribbled out of the cup and down his chin as I made him finish every drop.
As soon as we completed the ritual, Shikoba said something in his language, then everyone whooped and hollered. They slowly dispersed, a few of them singing as they went back to their normal routine. I suspected their mating rituals were more elaborate and probably took up the whole day. Ours was more like a drive-through mating.
“It’s not our traditional ceremony,” Shikoba explained privately when we stood. “You’re not of our tribe, but it’s the joining in front of witnesses that makes it official.”
I snorted. “And the moonshine?”
He shrugged. “A muscle relaxant for nervous wolves.”
Taking his hand, I bowed my head. “Thank you for honoring our deal. This means a lot to Hope and me, and we look forward to a long relationship with you and your tribe.”
The lines in his face cracked. “We have all done each other a good turn,” he said, shifting his gaze to Lakota.
I reached into my pocket and handed him the turquoise turtle pendant. “Can you give this to Koi’s mother? Crow stole it, but I want her to keep it.”
He palmed the necklace and then leaned in close so no one could hear. “You might have fooled them, but you haven’t fooled me.”
Lakota furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”
“You two know each other. I may be old, but I’m not blind.”
My shoulders sagged. “If you knew all along that we were friends, then why did you mate us? We could have made another arrangement.”
His eyes twinkled as he looked up at a passing cloud. “My son is not the only one with a sense of humor. When you first came to me, you gave up too quickly. You accepted your fate without sacrifice or a fight. That is not the way of the world, young wolf. This mating will teach you more than you know about choosing your battles. Have a safe journey.” With a wink, he followed his tribe into the house.
I ambled up to the Jeep and set my purse and the bag inside.
“Wait!” someone yelled.
I glanced back at Kaota jogging after us, his long braid flapping behind him.
He handed me something large wrapped in cloth.
“What’s this?”
“My apology. You’ve honored my brother, and I hope you can forgive me. If my words aren’t enough, then maybe one day this will save your life, and we’ll be even. I’m an old wolf, and I don’t always admit when I’m wrong.” Kaota bowed. “Safe journey.” Without another word, he walked away.
Lakota watched me unfold the cloth. “What is it?”
I held up a wooden bow—a finely crafted weapon, far superior to the one his friend had broken in two. It didn’t have all the old memories, but maybe it was time to make new ones.
“That’s an excellent bow,” he remarked. “But I’m still going to knock his lights out for handling you the way he did.”
“What stopped you from doing it before?”
“Bad luck to pick a fight on our wedding day.”
I set the gift in the backseat and shut the door. As crazy as the past few days had been, I hated to see it all coming to an end. We stood there for a beat, listening to the rustle of leaves overhead and Shikoba’s tribe singing in the house.
A small yellow butterfly flitted over Lakota’s head, and I smiled.
His eyes steered up. “Butterflies signify change when they land on you. It’s good luck. That’s what my mother’s tribe believes.”
After a brief dance, the butterfly caught a breeze and floated away. I watched wistfully as it disappeared into the trees. “I guess it’s time to go our separate ways. What are you going to do now?”
He looked back at the house. “I still have to settle things with Shikoba now that he knows who I am. He’s not happy about me coming into their lives under false pretenses. We made amends this morning, but it’s still not right between us. His son is still incarcerated
, and—”
“Do you normally do this?”
“What?”
“Clean up the mess you made?”
His hair blew away from his face. “It’s not part of the job, if that’s what you mean. I guess it doesn’t feel right to leave just because the assignment’s complete. These are good people.”
I scooted into the Jeep. “I guess that’s it, then.”
“Wait.” He held my gaze and rested his arm against the roof. Lakota’s eyes twinkled in the sunlight like a river running through a carved piece of rich soil.
“Yeah?”
“I’ll be there for the opening. Your store, I mean.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“Can I ask you something?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Sure.”
“What’s your Shifter craving?”
I felt my cheeks flush. “Why?”
“I just feel like it’s something I need to know.”
Lowering my eyes, I revealed a personal detail about myself that I told few people. “Lemons. I crave lemons.” A soft breeze cooled the inside of the cab. “What about you?”
Still leaning against the Jeep, he avoided eye contact. “Salt.”
I barked out a laugh. “Seriously?”
Humor danced in his eyes. “It’s not something I brag about. I can eat cups and cups of it.”
Who was I to judge? I sucked on lemons after a shift. Besides, I found it endearing that he had a bizarre craving. All this time, I’d imagined him gnawing on steak or something manly like that.
“I hope everything works out with Tak.”
“Me too.” He slammed the door, and we smiled at each other. Even though things hadn’t turned out as I’d hoped, the memories would stay with us always, just like the scar across his heart.
Then I killed the moment with a sledgehammer when I turned on the car and Engelbert Humperdinck sang “Release Me.”
Lakota belted out a laugh and stepped back. “Goodbye, wife.”
“Goodbye, husband. See you around someday.”