by M H Soars
I glance at Leo, who hasn’t spoken a word since I announced Red is my mate. His arms are crossed in front of his chest, his chin dipped low.
“Leo?” I ask.
When he lifts his face, I’m shocked to see so much turmoil and emotion on it. What the hell is going on with him?
“Yeah, of course I’ll help,” he says, his voice a little choked up. I’ve never seen him act so strange. His sister’s words come back to haunt me. She did say Leo had been brooding for days. I can’t imagine why.
“Good. Things are about to get nasty, and I don’t know if we can count on the mayor or Sheriff Arantes.”
“My grandfather said it’s mayhem at the sheriff’s station. Lots of weird shit have has been going on around town. The sheriff is under strict orders from the mayor to only assist in cases dealing with humans. The supe community is on their own.”
I curse under my breath. There goes our hope the sheriff would be able to send some support. Tristan can’t go to Shadow Creek alone. He’ll be killed for sure.
“Tell me again why Georgina Montgomery is still the mayor of this town?” Armand asks.
“It’s complicated,” Jared says. “Anyway, there’s a supe meeting at my dad’s place in a little over an hour. If the mayor won’t help us, we’ll have to take matters into our hands.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Leo asks. “Are you going to storm Valerius’s territory? Demand he give up Red?”
I can’t tell them Tristan is already doing that. My mother will have a cow if I reveal to my friends that my brothers and I imprinted on Red, even if it will soon be common knowledge in the supe community. But for now she doesn’t want the pack finding out, so the fewer people who know, the better.
“As much as I’d love to make a big show of it, I’m thinking more in the lines of a covert operation. I hired Nina to get me intel on Valerius’s territory.”
“You sent my sister into that viper’s domain alone? Are you insane?” Leo takes a step in my direction, his eyes flashing with anger, a rare thing for him.
I lift both my hands. “Your sister is a supernatural spy for hire. Getting into dangerous situations is her job.”
Leo rubs his face with a jerky movement, body tense.
“Relax, dude.” Jared taps him on the shoulder. “Nina can handle herself.”
Armand gets busy with my freezer, pulling several frozen blood bags from inside. Since he spends most of his time here, I always have his favorite meal stocked, which is AB negative, the rarest. It would be a fucking pain to get it without raising suspicion there’s a half-vamp in town. Thankfully, Zaya, the head nurse at Crimson Hollow’s hospital and also a supernatural, hooks me up without asking any questions.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“If we’re going behind enemy lines, I have to build my strength up to the max.”
I count the bags on the counter. There must be at least twenty there.
“That’s at least a week’s supply. Are you planning to drink all that in one go?” Jared asks.
Armand’s lips crack into a crooked smile, revealing the pair of fangs he usually keeps hidden. “I’d require less blood if it was fresh.”
Jared takes a step back, covering his exposed neck. “No way, Jose. Keep your fangs away from me.”
Armand reaches for one of the bags, but I grab his wrist, stopping him. “You realize if you go full vamp, everyone will know about you.”
My friend’s usual laid-back attitude changes into something dangerous. A predator. I don’t know if it’s his vampire side showing or the other half he never speaks about. “I’m done with hiding.”
I don’t know what to say. Armand never told us his reasons for keeping his true identity a secret, nor how he wound up in Crimson Hollow. He made us swear a blood oath we would never tell anyone. For that reason, not even my brothers know The Howlers bass player is a half vamp.
“If we want to make it to the meeting at my dad’s, we’d better get going,” Jared moves toward the front door.
My stare returns to the blood bags. “What exactly will happen if you drink all that blood at once?”
Armand shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s been a while since I indulged in such a large quantity. I guess we shall soon find out.”
Chapter 11
Dante
There’s not even a moment of hesitation on Billy’s face before he replies, “My loyalty is with the pack.”
His tone is firm, resolute. Billy had always been an atypical omega. A little too outspoken, which got him in a lot of trouble. But it seems the events of the last few days have helped him shed the submissive omega cape. Now I see a wolf with so much more potential than being the pack’s punching bag.
“Good. I’m counting on you to keep an eye on your brother. Report his every move to me.”
Billy nods, then his gaze seems to go inward. “If my brother turns out to be a traitor, the revelation will destabilize the pack even more. Not everyone is happy Dr. Mervina has taken on the alpha’s role.”
My nostrils flare. We can’t let that kind of sentiment take root. “Who has been more vocal about it?”
“Harold and Deacon. I heard them talking smack in Hell’s Hole. They were drunk. Didn’t even care they were discussing pack business loud enough for anyone to hear.”
I let out a curse under my breath. I’m not surprised those two morons are behind it. They have the muscles but not the brains. There’s something else in Billy’s answer that caught my attention, though.
“What were you doing in Hell’s Hole? That bar is a dive, and no place for a kid like you.”
Billy puffs his chest out while lifting his chin in a stubborn manner. “I’m not a kid. I’m nineteen.”
Clearing my throat, I pin him with a cut-the-bullshit look. Redness rushes through Billy’s cheeks before he lowers his face to rub the back of his neck.
“Uh, it was a dare.”
“A dare?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Well, some of the guys were talking about girls they would…er—”
“Have sex with?”
“Yeah, and Greg said he’d bang Nina Ogata. I laughed. Told him not even in his dreams.”
I have to agree with Billy’s assessment. She’d probably eat the teen alive and spit out his bones.
“What was the dare, Billy?” I insist. Knowing how the younger wolves in the pack taunt him, I can imagine it was anything but easy.
“I had to find Nina and kiss her.”
Oh dear Lord. If my life weren’t in shambles at the moment, I would laugh. Quickly perusing Billy’s body, I check for injuries.
“You seem to have all your pieces intact. I assume this happened last night?”
“Yes. I didn’t mean to disrespect the mourning, but I figured I could distract the unrulier wolves by going along with the dare. I’m sorry.”
The dull pain in my chest becomes more acute. I’ve been trying my hardest not to think about Dad and what had been done to him. Knowing he’s in a good place doesn’t help with the ache or ease the hollowness in my heart.
“There’s no need to apologize. Just please tell me that your little stunt didn’t put your name on Nina’s target list.”
Billy brown eyes turn a little rounder. “She didn’t punch me. I think that’s a good sign?”
“You’re lucky you left with your balls intact.”
Not having anything else to add to the conversation, I remind Billy to come to me as soon as he gets new information about his brother’s plans before I take my leave.
Despite Billy’s pledge of alliance to the pack, it must be extremely difficult for him to betray his brother. I’m not sure if I can trust him completely yet. Only time will tell. What I learned from him only served to make me more certain that Seth and Lyria connived with Valerius. I don’t have solid proof, but not revealing my suspicions to Mom would be foolish and dangerous.
I seek her out. She’s no longer in the infirmary taking care of Seth. Neither i
s the traitorous enforcer. Luckily for him. I don’t think I could keep my hands to myself if I was alone with that snake.
On a hunch, or maybe it’s my gift manifesting, I head to the place in the forest where Mom goes when she needs alone time. There’s a natural pond hidden from view by a cluster of trees, and I remember watching Mom sit by the bank and dip her toes in the chilly water when I was a kid. She’d always known when I spied on her. Sometimes, she would ask me to join her.
Today, I find her in the same spot, legs halfway into the water. She turns when I step closer, her tear-streaked face shocking me.
“Mom…”
Wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her jacket, she avoids my stare. “You always knew where to find me.”
I move closer and sit next to her, crossing my legs instead of dipping them into the water. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry.”
She laughs without humor. “Oh, I’ve cried—many, many times. But only when I’m alone. I never wanted you or your brothers to see me like this. I wanted you to believe I was strong even if I wasn’t born a wolf. It’s kind of silly when I look back. Crying is not a sign of weakness.”
“I’m sorry you felt you had to hide your emotions from us.”
“And now I have to do it all over again for the sake of the pack. But it’s so damn hard, Dante. I still can’t believe your father is gone. He was my entire world.”
My eyes start to prickle, and I bite the inside of my cheek to avoid losing my shit.
“He’s in a good place, Mom. He’s in peace.”
“Do you really believe so?”
I don’t know if I should tell her I saw the Grim Reaper and the angel who took Dad away. It all seems like a hallucination now. In the end, I decide to tell Mom. Maybe it will help her get through the hardest part of her pain.
“An angel came for Dad’s soul. I saw him.”
Mom’s eyes turn wider as her mouth drops open. “You did? You saw an angel?”
“Yeah.”
Mom reaches for my hand, then squeezes my fingers tight. “Thank you for telling me this. Some of the witches I grew up with used to say shifters didn’t have souls. I’m glad they were wrong.”
I smile—albeit it’s a tight and sad one—before moving my attention to the serene pond.
“I came looking for you because I have something to share,” I say in a low voice.
“Why are you whispering?”
“Because I don’t want to be overheard.” I give her a meaningful glance.
In turn, Mom’s lips tighten. “You have a suspect for who leaked information to Georgina?”
I nod. “Not only that, I’m almost one-hundred-percent sure the same person assisted in Red’s kidnapping.”
“Seth.”
“Yes, and possibly Lyria as well.”
Mom takes a deep breath before exhaling the air in a loud sigh. “I feared as much. Seth was evasive when I asked him for more details about the ambush. Lyria also kept trying to distract me by changing the subject.”
“I just came from a talk I had with Billy. He said his brother has been acting suspiciously since Red’s arrival, and he’s been sneaking out to meet with Lyria.”
“We can’t accuse them without evidence. I know some members of the pack aren’t happy I’m the sole alpha. We’ll need undeniable proof Seth and Lyria helped Valerius.”
Throwing a small pebble in the pond, I watch the ripples form in the quiet water. “Tristan and Sam need to know, especially Tristan.”
“Yes, tell them after the secret meeting.”
“What secret meeting?”
“I received a message from Wendy. Some leaders are meeting at Kane’s place in a couple of hours. It seems we’re not the only ones dealing with serious issues.”
“Things are about to get really bad before they get better, aren’t they?”
“I can’t tell. My sight has not returned. Let’s hope not.”
Standing up, I offer Mom a hand. She shakes her head. “I’m not coming with you. I must prepare for your father’s funeral. I’ll give him a proper farewell even if I’m the only one attending.”
Guilt sneaks into my heart, squeezing it in a tight hold. “I’ll be there, Mom. I promise.”
Mom gives me a pitiful smile. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Dante.”
Chapter 12
Red
Alone in my new home, I shift back into human form only because I want to check if I have a scar on the back of my head. Searching with the tips of my fingers, I feel nothing out of the ordinary, no bumps, no tenderness. Knowing eliminates one of my worries, but my heart is still squeezed tight in my chest. I hug myself, rubbing my arms up and down to get rid of the sudden goose bumps. It’s not coldness that made them appear, but the great sense of foreboding hanging over my head. And this decayed house is not helping one bit.
Watching where I step, I make my way toward the door I’m guessing leads to the bedroom. Taking Nadine’s words, I’ll avoid the bathroom for now. I push the door open, and the sound of old hinges creaking reminds me of a horror movie soundtrack. Swallowing the huge lump in my throat, I remain frozen as my eyes adjust to the gloom—all the windows here are still shut.
I scan the small space. There’s one iron-framed bed with a stained mattress. From where I stand, I can see all the lumps. I guess I’ll be sleeping on the floor then. A wooden armoire is on the opposite side of the bed, the only piece of furniture that seems to be in halfway decent shape. I force myself to enter the room, even though every fiber of my being is demanding I turn on my heels and the get the hell out of here. Maybe I can sleep in the forest as well, just like Nadine does. However, I know that would piss Valerius off.
On top of the mattress, I find a small pile of folded clothes—a pair of jeans, a colorful top, and some underwear. They’re indeed brand new with the labels still attached to them. What’s more surprising is they’re from my favorite store. I know without trying them on they will fit like a glove. Valerius did say I wasn’t attacked by a rogue Shadow Creek wolf by chance. How long had he been spying on me? And did Grandma know I’d be turned by the enemy when she set me up?
The first order of business after I get dressed is to air out the moldy and dusty smell from here. Sunlight shines through when I open the windows. I remain under it for a minute, soaking up its warmth. Turning away from the light, I cringe at the filthiness that covers every single surface. There are spider webs in every corner. I shudder. I hate spiders.
My thoughts immediately veer toward Dante, Sam, and Tristan. Sadness overwhelms me. Out of nowhere, I choke on a sob. No, I can’t give into despair. I need to remain strong. But the feeling I’m missing something vital remains, almost making me sick. It must be the mating bond at work. I remember when I tried to resist Tristan, how ill I got.
What are they doing right now? How are they coping with everything? I want to reach out to them so badly to tell them that, despite everything, I’m okay. I need to let them know I didn’t run away. But as much as I focus, as much as I push my thoughts out as if I’m casting a net in the netherworld, I can’t find them.
A lonely tear rolls down my cheek, and I hastily wipe it off. If I can’t communicate with them via the bond, then I have to find another way to let them know where I am and what Valerius is planning to do. Well, first, I have to learn what that deranged wolf wants.
Fuck. I need to get answers fast or I’ll go mad.
The time has finally come for me to meet the rest of the pack. There wasn’t a gong announcing dinner tonight, but Nadine came to fetch me as she promised. Even so, after I put my new clothes on, I sat by the window and kept close watch of the goings-on outside. Not only did I not want to miss dinner in case Nadine wasn’t able to come, but I was also hoping I could learn more about the members of the pack.
Unfortunately, I didn’t gain any intel since the square with its burned-down gazebo was deserted for most of the time. Around six, groups of bedraggled people began
to appear, most showing signs of clear abuse and malnutrition. Their pace was slow and defeated. There were a few exceptions, shifters who look a little better than the others. Perhaps they were Valerius’s favorites.
I was about to head out by myself when I caught sight of Nadine hurrying toward the house. She looked a little flustered, but I couldn’t tell if it was because she was running late or something else had spooked her.
The girl was right; the barn is impossible to miss. Once we circle the charred remains of the gazebo, it’s the biggest building in the square. I’m glad to see it isn’t in a condemned condition. On the contrary, it seems it has been recently renovated and painted like the ones in storybooks, red and white. I don’t know much about construction, but even the roof looks like high-quality shingle.
With Nadine, I join the fray of folks trudging in silence into the building. Just like the group of wolves who were waiting outside my prison, these shifters all seem to be underweight and their clothes have seen better days. The new ones Valerius gave me makes me stick out, and now I realize he did it on purpose. I have the impression that all eyes are on me, and some are positively ill-wishing glares. It’s like déjà vu. I also didn’t feel welcomed by the Crimson Hollow pack, but that seems like it happened ages ago.
The layout inside the barn is similar to the one in the mess hall at the Wolfe compound. Picnic tables and benches are spread throughout. On the far side, a few people are serving food. The line moves fast, and the reason becomes obvious to me right away. There’s only one type of food being served from a huge metal pan. Is this what Valerius calls a feast?
I take a step in the line’s direction, but Nadine touches my arm, shaking her head.
Frowning, I whisper. “Why can’t I get any food?”
In answer, she points at the fancy table on a dais located on the opposite side of the room. It’s set up in a way that whoever is sitting there can see the entire eating hall. There are only two padded chairs in front of the table covered in a white linen cloth. One for Valerius and the second for a lucky guest. Shit. I guess that’s me.