by Eve Langlais
Ellie brought the gun up and fired another shot. It was the perfect distraction to keep the cougar occupied so he could attack. The animal might have been preternaturally strong, fast, and cunning, but it was apparent from the blood spilling from the gunshot wounds that she didn’t heal like a werewolf. The wolf’s massive jaws locked on to the cougar’s neck as they leaped onto her back. Using their body weight as leverage, they rolled, careful to keep their jaws locked. The coppery taste of blood flowed over their tongue as they tore the vein open and the cat went down as she bled out on the bleached river rocks.
Ellie brought her hand to her mouth as her eyes went wide. As the life drained out of the cougar, her form began to shift and change. Four legs became two arms and two legs. The tawny fur transformed to a head of golden hair. The sleek animal became a woman and Ellie let out a choking sob as she watched in horror.
“Oh my God!” She brought her gaze up to meet his. “It’s Sarah.”
The witch. The wolf cocked his head to one side, curious. The witch had used her own dark magic to transform herself into an animal, guarding the boundaries of Ellie’s invisible prison. Sarah’s jealousy and hatred had spanned centuries and all it had gotten her in the end was her own death. A new sense of worry overtook Colin as he fought his way once again to the forefront of the animal’s mind. He didn’t know much about dark magic, but what if it died with the witch? What if it didn’t matter whether he and Ellie broke the marker or not? As he watched the naked woman bleed out on the rocks, Colin’s own fear choked the air from his lungs. Every rattling breath in her chest might well bring Ellie closer to her own end. He’d never felt so gods-damned helpless. He’d torn open the witch’s throat. He knew of no way to save her.
“Colin?”
Ellie’s wide, fearful gaze told him she’d contemplated the exact same possibilities. She went to her knees beside him. Silent tears streamed down her face as she stared into his eyes. If Ellie died, he’d pitch himself into the gods-damned river. There was no way he could live without her. None. The wolf let out a long forlorn howl. Colin’s own heart felt as though it would be ripped in two.
“If this is the end,” Ellie said through her tears, “I want you to know that you were the greatest adventure of my life.”
* * *
Ellie was more than likely about to die and she’d never get to hear the deep rumble of Colin’s voice again. The wolf was the most beautiful creature she’d ever laid eyes on. She knew that Colin was in there. Could see him in the animal’s forlorn gaze. But she wanted to see Colin’s face. His expressive blue eyes. His full lips that spread into the most dazzling smile she’d ever beheld. If she was leaving this world once and for all, she wanted to look at him one last time. That wasn’t going to happen, though. Once again, her fate seemed to be sealed and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
She dragged her gaze from the wolf to the woman who lay dying not two feet away. Sarah looked the same now as she had two centuries ago when she’d cursed Ellie. Funny, that revenge could feel so bittersweet. For so long Ellie had wanted nothing more than to be rid of the curse that bound her. Now she’d do anything in her power to get it back.
Angry words sat at the tip of Ellie’s tongue. So many things she’d wanted to say to Sarah. So many questions she’d wanted answered. But what good would speaking her mind do now? Sarah was dying. The wolf had gone for her throat and the spiteful witch wouldn’t have been able to answer Ellie even if she’d wanted to. No, it was best to stay silent. Sarah was paying the price for what she’d done and soon enough Ellie would follow the same path. Funny, she wasn’t so much afraid of dying as she was sad.
Colin deserved her words right now. Colin deserved her attention. And that’s who Ellie planned to spend her final minutes with.
She turned her back on Sarah and turned to face the wolf. The animal bucked his head and Ellie cupped either side of his face in her hands. “I know you understand me, Colin, and I want you to listen. No matter what happens to me, you have to fight, okay? I know what you said about the wolf and what would happen to you without a mate, but you can’t let that madness take you.” The wolf’s low whine tore at Ellie’s heart. “You’re strong enough to survive. You both are.” The wolf pressed his body against her and she bit back a sob as she threw her arms around his wide neck. “Every single endless day of the past two centuries was worth it. I’d do it all over again for the opportunity to be with you. Even for a couple of days.”
Behind her, Sarah coughed. Ellie turned around. Her tears started once again as she watched the witch slowly fade away. Damn it. Wasn’t it just her luck that she’d spend her entire life wishing she was dead and then, when she finally got her wish, she wanted to live forever?
“I think I could have loved you, Colin.” She couldn’t bear to face him as she said the words. “In fact, I’m sure I could have.”
Sarah let out one last, shuddering breath. Her eyes stared sightless at the sky and an eerie silence settled over them, drowning out the sound of the rushing river not five feet away. Ellie’s heart leaped into her throat. Her eyes closed as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She waited for death. For the endless dark that would assuredly swallow her or the bright light of the afterlife to welcome her. She didn’t care much which. Neither place would have Colin. Heaven, hell, or in between, it didn’t matter.
Ellie waited. And waited. And waited. For something, anything, to happen. No pain … no rapture … nothing. Good lord. If Sarah’s spell was supposed to be broken, she wished whatever the hell was supposed to come next would happen already. The suspense might kill her before anything else did.
“Ellie.”
Maybe she was already dead. If so, heaven’s angels spoke with Colin Courtney’s voice. If she kept her eyes closed, she could pretend they were still together. If she kept her eyes closed—
“Ellie.”
“Don’t stop talking.” Whatever angelic force drew her toward the afterlife could ask for her soul and whatever else it wanted as long as she could hear Colin’s deep, rich baritone speak the words.
“Ellie, look at me.”
“If it’s okay, I think I’ll keep my eyes closed. No offense, but I don’t want to ruin the illusion.”
She was answered with an amused snort. Whoever this angel was, he had Colin down to a T. “And what illusion is that?”
Warm hands rested on her shoulders and Ellie responded with an indulgent sigh. “The illusion that you’re a gorgeous werewolf who, for some reason, seems to like me.”
His warm laughter rippled over her skin like summer rain. “Ellie, open your eyes. You’re not dead, and if you want to know the truth, I like you for so many reasons.”
Ellie didn’t know if she could trust her ears. She didn’t want to open her eyes and be disappointed. “So many reasons? Like what?”
He leaned down beside her and Ellie melted into the contact. If this was heaven, it might not be too bad to spend an eternity here. “Your spirit, for starters. Your strength. Your kindness and big heart.”
She pursed her lips. Apparently, angels could see the good in anyone. “I’m not so kind or bighearted.”
“Oh no? I bet Frank would disagree. I’ve never seen anyone guard a cinnamon roll with such ferocity. I also happen to like your feisty personality, your fiery passion, and sweet tenderness. I especially like your lips. The way you kiss, the soft caress of your fingers, the way the light plays off your hair and sets it on fire. I like the deep ocean blue of your eyes and the almost microscopic freckles that dot your cheeks. But most of all, I love the way you look at this land with such affection even though it’s been your prison for centuries.”
“You love the way I look at the land?” No one had ever said anything like that to her before. But there was only one word in the sentence Ellie had actually paid attention to.
“I do.” Fingers threaded through Ellie’s hair and her bones turned to Jell-O. “And you said you thought you could love me.”
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Ellie’s eyes opened. The river rushed beside her. The sun shone down on her and a light breeze kissed her cheeks. She turned to face the source of the rich, warm voice that never ceased to give her chills. “I’m not dead?”
Colin smiled. “You’re not dead.”
“And you’re not a wolf anymore.”
“You catch on quick.” It was definitely him. She didn’t think an angel would tease her during such a serious moment. “While you were in your, uh, meditative state, I figured it was safe enough to allow the transition. I’m a little wiped out, though, so if we could wrap this up and crawl into bed, that would be great.”
Ellie searched his face, committing every detail to memory. She didn’t know why she wasn’t dead, but she wasn’t about to take it for granted. “Bed would be amazing.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be so easy. “But I don’t think we’re done here.”
“No.” Colin’s expression became serious. “We’re not. First things first, we need to find the boundary marker. And then, I need to make a phone call.”
Ellie swiped at her cheeks and took a deep breath. She’d been on an emotional roller coaster that didn’t show any signs of stopping. There was no time to take a break. No time to gather her composure. She had no choice but to put her feelings on the back burner and get to work. She dug through her pack and retrieved Colin’s clothes. He took them with a smile and began to get dressed.
“Thanks. I definitely wasn’t looking forward to crossing the highway naked.”
Ellie’s lips curved into a soft smile. “I’m pretty sure the sight of your naked body would cause a few accidents.”
Colin’s gaze warmed and Ellie wondered if there would ever be a time when she wouldn’t want him with such immediate intensity. It was just another aspect of this crazy emotional ride she needed to adjust to.
“Will you be okay here while I hike back up the hill and grab my pack? I need my cell so I can call Wade Robinson and get him down here.”
Ellie nodded slowly. “Of course, I’ll be fine. I’ll look for the marker while you’re gone.” Sarah’s body lay on the rocks, nearly forgotten in the trauma of Ellie’s near-death experience. It served to reason that Colin would call in a supernatural authority to handle this, rather than involve the local sheriff’s department. Ellie wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. She’d love to see the deputy sheriff’s face when she told what had happened here.
Colin finished dressing and gave her a quick peck to the cheek. “I’ll be right back. It’ll be a quick trip.”
Ellie watched as he hiked up the hill and disappeared across the highway. She had no doubt it would be a quick trip. She’d seen how fast Colin could move and it still astounded her. She began to wander the riverbed in search of the final marker. Now that she knew she wouldn’t break it, Ellie decided her best bet was to take it with her and keep it safe. The last thing she needed was for it to get accidentally broken out here. She wouldn’t run the risk that anything would take her away from Colin again.
She walked in the direction the cougar had approached from. Ellie might not have had supernatural senses to sniff out magic, but she knew how to look for a hiding place. She found a section of river that narrowed and dropped into a deep falls. The smooth river rocks gave way to larger chunks of granite. Ellie started nearest the river and searched backward toward the steep embankment that bordered the highway above. A dark shadow caught her attention and she walked thirty yards toward where she knew the southern boundary began. She’d never ventured this far. The tiny cave was a perfect hiding spot.
It was barely big enough for a small animal to fit inside. Ellie took a deep breath as she went to her knees and crawled as far as she could inside. She reached into the darkness and felt around. Her hands made contact with a small wooden box and she pulled it out to inspect it. Inside was a delicate gold locket. Ellie let out a slow breath. The necklace had been a gift from Wendell. When Sarah had confronted Ellie all those years ago, in a jealous rage, she’d given the locket willingly to the witch, telling her she wanted nothing to do with Wendell or his gifts. Apparently, her verbal rejection and willingly relinquishing his gift hadn’t been enough to satisfy Sarah. Ellie had no doubt the necklace had been the first item Sarah had enchanted. Now it looked like the gift Ellie had once given away would be with her for eternity. She looped the delicate gold chain around her neck and fastened it. It seemed heavier than it should, a reminder of everything she’d endured.
It was a burden she would gladly carry, however. Ellie saw her long life in a different light now. It was no longer bleak and endless but exciting with the promise of adventures to come. A tingle raced down her spine and she looked up to see Colin striding toward her. He brought up his hand in a wave and flashed a broad smile. Ellie’s heart soared in her chest as she smiled back and walked toward him. In the end, Sarah had given her a rare gift. And Ellie wasn’t about to let that gift go to waste.
CHAPTER 18
The knock at Colin’s cabin door might as well have been delivered with the force of a jackhammer. The last thing he needed was for Owen’s nosy ass to barge in and want an update when Colin and Ellie had some much-needed sleep to catch up on. It had been a full forty-eight hours since their little adventure, most of which had been occupied by meetings with Wade and sentry officials who needed to document everything pertaining to the witch’s death.
“Fuck off, Owen!” Colin shouted from the bed. “Come back in a week!”
“It’s Liam.”
Well, shit. He could blow off his brother, but he certainly couldn’t disregard his alpha. Ellie lay on her side, watching him, and her lips twitched with amusement. Gods, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen and he still couldn’t believe he’d been lucky enough to find her.
“He didn’t sound amused,” she remarked.
Colin leaned down to kiss her forehead. “No, he didn’t.” He climbed out of bed and reached for a pair of sweatpants. “Hang on!” he called down the stairs. “I’ll be down in a sec!”
Ellie moved to get up as well. She’d been through so much in such a short amount of time and Colin knew her emotions were still a little raw and on edge. He didn’t want her to be anything other than comfortable and relaxed.
“Stay in bed,” he gently urged. “There’s no need for you to come down. I’m sure Liam just wants to make sure I’m okay. Well, that and he’s going to want a detailed rundown of everything that happened. Just rest. I’ll give him the CliffsNotes version and be back up before you know it.”
Ellie responded with a sleepy smile. “Are you sure? It’s sort of rude, considering I’m a guest here.”
Ellie was going to have to get used to the fact that she wasn’t a guest. She was pack. Family. “You’re absolutely not a guest,” Colin replied. “Stay here and relax; I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Colin threw on his T-shirt as he trotted down the stairs to the front door. There were still a lot of unresolved issues between him and Liam, mainly Colin’s status as a potential sentry, but he could wait to tackle that particular issue once Ellie was more settled. She was his priority now. And he knew that was one thing he and Liam would agree on.
Colin opened the door to let his alpha inside. Liam’s expression was pleasant, though no less authoritative, as he walked past the threshold and into the modest living room.
“Sounds like you’ve had an interesting past couple of days.”
That was an understatement. Colin followed Liam into the living room and sat down on the couch, making sure to position himself lower than the alpha. After a moment, Liam settled down in the chair beside him.
“You know,” Colin began, “when we first moved here, I thought it was a mistake.”
“Believe me,” Liam said. “You weren’t the only one.”
Colin laughed. “But so far, it’s proven to be the right decision for the pack.”
“I agree.” Liam sat back in the chair and crossed one leg over the other as he regarde
d Colin. “Which is why I’ve decided it would be unfortunate to make decisions for members of this pack based on my own bias and experiences. I’m not a dictator, and if this move is going to work for every member of this pack I have to allow for certain leniencies. I have to be flexible. And I have to let each and every member of this pack live their best life.”
Colin nodded. He wasn’t about to open his mouth and insert his foot when it seemed as though he might be getting close to some sort of compromise in regards to his career choice. He hadn’t planned to discuss the issue of the sentry position with Liam today, but apparently his alpha was ready to come to a resolution.
“I’m wary of the sentry and you know this. But I also know that Wade Robinson is an honorable male who came to my aid when Devon and I needed it, and I also know he recently helped you as well. I contacted Wade this morning and let him know that you had my blessing to join the organization. I think you’ll do well within their ranks, Colin.”
He’d been prepared for a long, hard fight. Instead, Liam was handing Colin what he wanted on a silver platter. Everything in his life was falling into place and he couldn’t be happier.
“Thank you, Liam. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
Liam pushed himself up from the chair, and after a moment Colin followed suit. He followed Liam to the door and pulled it open for him. His alpha paused as his gaze ventured to the staircase. Colin’s attention followed, to find Ellie standing at the top of the stairs.
“After you’ve rested, bring Ellie over to the main house for dinner. I’m dying to hear the story.”
Colin found it hard to tear his gaze away from his mate. She commanded his attention as surely as the moon. “We will,” he assured his alpha. “Soon.”
“Good. Oh, and just so you know, I sent Owen out with a hunting party this morning. He won’t be around to bug you two for a while.”
Colin smiled. He and Owen would definitely have a lot to talk about when the hunting party returned. “Thanks.”