I locked gazes with Pen. “Why?”
Pen rolled her eyes. “Because I wanted to, that’s why.”
Gone was the sweet woman I’d come to know, and in her place sat a sulky bitch who needed a smack in the mouth.
I took a step toward her, happy to deliver it.
Bramble beat me to it, daggers aimed at Pen’s throat. “I always knew you were a bitch, but now you’re a traitorous bitch. I should slit your throat for what you’ve done.”
“Bramble, stand down,” Elijah snapped.
I’d been doing my best to ignore him since I’d stepped into the room to find him standing in the shadows, shoulder braced against the bookcase. He looked chic and groomed in black slacks and a black rollneck top. His dark hair, graying at the temples, was brushed off his forehead.
He was back.
But my relief was overpowered by irritation. He’d promised to come back and be here for me, but he hadn’t. My gaze flicked up to his now, and he met it with a smile that I didn’t return. His frown gave me a little satisfaction.
Bramble pressed her blade to Pen’s throat, and Elijah’s gaze snapped back to her.
“Bramble, back off,” he ordered.
Bramble bristled but did as he asked, never taking her eyes off Pen. “All those potentials… You did that, didn’t you?” Her mouth twisted in disgust. “You fucked with the wards and got those innocent girls killed.”
Oh god. Of course. Pen was responsible for the death of all the potentials. How could I have forgotten them? Those deaths were the reason I was here. Those poor women. Rage bubbled up inside me.
I pushed past Bramble to grab Pen by the throat. “You sick bitch.” I squeezed, and her eyes bugged, and damn, it felt good. “You killed them, you tried to kill me, and you fucked with Tor’s head.”
“Cora, let her go.” Sloane gripped my wrist and squeezed. “Not worth it.”
“Not true.”
Pen’s eyelids fluttered.
Sloane squeezed my wrist hard enough to hurt now, forcing me to relinquish my grip.
Pen slumped back into her chair, and it hit me that I’d almost killed her. I wasn’t sorry.
The room was silent except for Pen’s coughing. I looked about, expecting to see horror or disgust for my actions, and yes, there was disgust on every face, but not aimed at me. Aimed at Pen.
“Who are you working for? What’s the warlock's name? Where is he?” Elijah asked.
“Fuck you, abomination,” Pen spat. “Yes, that’s what they call you.”
Elijah flinched, his jaw tensing.
“Who gave you the bracelet to give to Tor?” Sloane pressed.
Penelope ignored her question, gaze resolute and hard.
“Why did you do it, Penelope?” Anna asked. “You owe us an explanation.”
“I owe you nothing,” Pen snapped.
“Penelope…” Anna pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“Oh, stop it.” Pen hugged her throat with her hand, glaring daggers at Anna. “Stop looking so fucking shocked.”
Anna’s jaw tensed. “I am shocked. I’m shocked that my blood would betray the coven. My granddaughter. How could you? Why?” Rage glittered in her eyes.
That’s right, Anna, don’t get sad, get pissed.
Penelope’s eyes narrowed. “Power. You have it, everyone here fucking has it, and you all take it for granted. I want it. I deserve it.”
“I never treated you any different for not having it,” Anna said. “I loved you, regardless. You had a home here.”
“You pitied me. You were ashamed of me. I’m not a fool. I saw it in your eyes. I heard the whispers, and frankly, I got sick of being treated like a lackey in my own home. Why do you think I moved out?”
“You could have come to me,” Anna said.
“You didn’t have what I wanted.” Pen looked at me with a smirk.
“You disrupted the wards at the potentials’ hideout,” Sloane said.
Pen shrugged. “I did what I had to.”
“You messed with the wards on the grounds allowing the banshees to attack Cora.”
“Let me make this easy for you,” Pen said. “Yes. Yes, and fucking yes. I took what I needed to get the job done. You’re not as clever as you think, Grandmother. The map to the ground wards was easy to find. You all underestimated me. You always have. Treating me like a pet, like a lapdog. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. If you’re looking for an apology or remorse, you’re wasting your time.”
Anna sucked in a sharp breath, and all emotion bled from her expression. “Make the call, Elijah.”
Elijah stepped out of the room.
“Once Croatoan is free, I’ll get my reward,” Pen said. “I played my part, and I have nothing more to say.” She pressed her lips together, resolute.
But that wasn’t enough for me. I crouched to look her in the eye. “Croatoan is never getting free, not on my fucking watch, and all you’ll ever be remembered for is being a psycho, murdering bitch.”
I expected a reaction. A flinch, or a shadow of doubt in her eyes, but she looked me dead on and smiled.
And that was totally fucked up.
* * *
“I should have known,” Bramble said as we stepped out of the study with Sloane at our backs. “I should have figured it out. Pen was an outsider with all the fucking inside knowledge, being Anna’s kin and all.”
I looked to Sloane. “She’ll be punished, right? I need to be able to go back and tell Tor she’s being punished. What she did forced him into exile and fucked with his head. He wanted her heart.”
In fact, I was surprised he hadn’t come here demanding it. Leif and the others must have talked him out of it.
“I don’t blame him,” Sloane said. “But you can tell him she’ll be incarcerated at Blackmore Prison. Elijah made the call. They’ll send a portal for her in a bit, and that will be that.”
“That’s it?” I stared at her. “She killed witches, and she broke the terms of the covenant with the Mana Pack, and she gets a prison cell?”
Bramble placed a hand on my shoulder. “Oh, trust me, Blackmore is no picnic, and it’s just what she deserves. I can’t see Tor being pissed about this.”
“The sisters at Blackmore will take good care of her,” Sloane said with a grim smile.
It was over then.
For real.
Kinda anticlimactic, but fuck it, I’d take it.
I was suddenly exhausted and super hungry. “I’m going to grab Wren and head to the cabin.”
“You can stay here now,” Sloane said. “The threat is contained.”
“I know, but I think I need a couple of days getting to know the men I’ll be mated to. With all this other shit going on, I haven’t had a chance.”
“Well, make the most of it,” Sloane said. “Blood moon in two days.”
A couple of weeks ago, the thought of becoming an anchor to anyone or anything had brought me out in a cold sweat, but everything was different now. This coven and the wolves were important to me. Their safety was paramount. Maybe Jasper pussy-blocking me was a good thing. I hadn’t had the chance to fall in love, which made what I was about to do that little bit easier. There was no lover to leave behind. Nothing to miss.
Being anchor would mean giving up my chance at romantic love, but I could still have a family here with these witches and the alpha wolves.
I was ready to take on the responsibility. Heck, I wanted to.
I smiled at her. “Bring it.”
* * *
I was headed to the infirmary to check on Wren when Elijah appeared beside me. He had a way of moving so stealthily that I never heard him coming, or going for that matter. He’d make a fabulous spy.
I ignored him for a moment, but my irritation needed to be vented. “Come to congratulate me on not dying?” I didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in my tone.
He gripped my arm and pulled me to a halt. “You’re angry with me.”
Anger s
eemed like an excessive reaction to his absence. I mean, I wasn’t angry, I was annoyed. And yes, I was being unreasonable because he owed me nothing. Even so, I’d come to expect stuff from him. His own fault for stepping into mentor shoes. You wear the shoes, you play the part, right?
“Cora,” he said softly. “Speak to me.”
“Damn right, I’m angry. You said you’d be back, but instead you left me to flounder.”
“And did you?” He tipped his head to the side. “Did you flounder, Cora, or did you thrive?”
Oh fuck, was this one of his Mr. Miyagi lessons? The look on his face told me this was exactly what it was.
“Cora?” he arched a brow.
Fine, so I hadn’t struggled as much as I’d expected to. I’d found new friends, made connections, but I’d almost died several times. “You could have come to help once you found out we had a traitor in our midst. A traitor trying to kill me.”
“I wanted to,” Elijah said. “But my showing up and poking around would have tipped the traitor off.”
Urgh. My irritation was ebbing. “You have all the excuses, don’t you?”
His turquoise gaze tracked across my face. “I’m sorry if you feel I let you down.” He reached up to touch my cheek lightly, sending a shiver through me. “It wasn’t my intention to make you feel that way.” His gaze dropped to my mouth. “I hope you believe that.”
Heat bloomed in my chest—safety and security, and something else I couldn’t quite define. Elijah was back in my orbit, and he was looking at my mouth, and I liked that.
Fuck. I dropped my gaze and shrugged. “It’s fine. Just call and check in next time.”
He slipped something out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Which reminds me, here’s your new phone.”
I took it. “Okay. Great. Then I’ll call you.” I flicked my hair over my shoulder and walked off, ignoring the thrill his chuckle sent up my spine.
I had enough shit to deal with, and fuzzy, throbby feelings for Elijah could not be on the list.
No way.
I shoved the warlock out of my mind and focused on the to-do list. Pick up Wren, then head to the cabin.
I had three dire wolf shifters to hang out with.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The infirmary was a clinical yet cozy room containing four beds and screens. Witches didn’t get sick often, and most injuries could be healed with a spell, but there were special cases, and that was what this room was for.
A witch with curly red hair sat at a desk by the window, making notes. She looked up with a smile as I entered.
“Ah, another visitor for our star patient.”
“Cora!” Wren tried to sit up too quickly and winced.
“Hey, calm down, buddy. You don’t want to bust the stitches.” I took the chair by his bed, noting the bandages taped to his chest.
He followed my gaze. “Wren can’t heal too quick.”
His eyes welled and I would have hugged him if I was sure it wouldn’t hurt him.
“Hey, no crying.” I plucked a tissue from the box by his bed and handed it to him. “You are the bravest mogwai I know.”
“Wren’s the only mogwai Cora knows.”
“That’s also true.” I took his paw in my hand. “You saved my life, Wren. You’re my hero.”
“Wren is?” His mouth turned down and he shook his head. “No, Wren not brave. Wren scared—all the time. Wren was so scared of the monster.”
“Yeah, I know, but you jumped on its face to save me anyway. Being afraid and doing something anyway is the definition of bravery. Now, I need you to get better so we can hang out.”
“Most fae can heal their wounds pretty fast,” the nurse said. “Wren seems to be an exception.”
Wren pouted. “Pippa won’t let Wren eat cake.”
The nurse smiled. “You can’t eat too much right now, and you know why.”
Wren patted his belly. “Pippa says if Wren gets bloated, the stitches will pop.”
I gave his paw a gentle squeeze. “You have to do as Pippa says if you want to get better quickly.”
Wren’s eyes brimmed again. “Wren misses Cora.”
“I miss you too, buddy.” I stroked his head. “I’ll be back to see you again tomorrow, and I’ll bring you a small cake.” I looked to Pippa. “If that’s okay?”
Pippa smiled. “That will be fine.”
Wren wiped at his eyes with the tissue. “Chocolate? Wren likes chocolate.”
“Yes, chocolate.”
I sat with him until he began to doze and then pressed a kiss to his cheek and snuck out.
* * *
It was strange but liberating, walking through the woods solo. With Pen locked up, The Order’s advantage was gone. They couldn’t get to me on the grounds, so there was no need for an escort. I strolled leisurely, backpack of clothes slung over one shoulder and bag of boots dangling from my fingers. My worldly possessions in two bags. What did that say about me?
The air fizzed and Jasper appeared beside me.
I should have known not to revel in my solitude. I bit back a sigh. I didn’t have the energy for the confusion of emotions Jasper’s presence evoked.
He’d saved my ass today though.
I owed him a little courtesy. I sighed. “Thanks for coming to the rescue today.”
He snorted. “You need to practice your grateful tone.”
I smiled sweetly up at him. “Thank you sooo much for coming to the rescue today, Jasper.” I fluttered my lashes at him.
He gave me a flat look. “Don’t you get sick of me saving your pert ass?”
He thought my ass was pert? “Pfft, you don’t always have to save my ass. I do fine alone.”
“You did, before that amulet.” He aimed a sneer at my neck. “You need to call Fee. Ask her about The Sons of Adam.”
The change of subject threw me for a moment. “This again?”
“You’re not a fool, Cora, so don’t act like one. They’re a threat to you. I’m sure of it. They’re original vampires, and if anyone will know their true history, it’s the Dominus.”
Jasper was annoying and arrogant, but he wouldn’t mess about when it came to keeping me safe.
“Fine.” I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed Fee. It went straight to voicemail, which meant she was in the Underealm. “Hey, Fee, it's Cor. This is my new number. Call me when you get this. I need to pick your brain.” I hung up.
“That’s it?” Jasper looked disgusted.
“What more do you want me to do? She’s in the Underealm.”
He clenched his jaw. “She’s never here when you need her, is she?”
His animosity toward my best friend grated. “You don’t get to talk about her like that.”
“Because you’re blind,” he said. “You still don’t see how you were taken for granted, do you? How she used you as a shield.”
“I wanted to protect her.”
“Yes, and she counted on that. She even let you bind to me, knowing exactly what I was.”
I wasn’t going to do this right now. “My relationships are none of your concern.” I rounded on him. “You don’t matter.”
I hurled the words like daggers hoping they’d find their mark and shut him the fuck up, but his smirk told me I’d missed.
“You forget that we’re connected, Cora, and that trinket can’t hide your lies.”
Urgh. I stalked off, long strides, faster, just wanting to get away from him and his mocking laughter.
Good, be a wanker. I could deal with that. Be an arrogant pest, a pain in my behind. Be all those things. Please.
The cabin came into view, and my pace slowed. I didn’t want Jasper with me, not here. I came to a halt and turned to find him right behind me. Credit to me for not squealing.
Instead, I squared my shoulders and glared at him. “If there’s nothing else, then you can go.”
He looked over at the cabin, then down at me. His emerald eyes tracked across my face, and before
I knew it, his hand was hugging my throat. My pulse skipped and then fluttered wildly as his thumb swept over my bottom lip.
His touch teased the hungry fire inside me, making my breath quicken and my body lean into his touch even as my mind screamed for me to back away, to push him away.
He dipped his head, so his mouth was inches from mine, his breath warm and minty where it kissed my lips. “You have fun with your wolves, Cora, but not too much fun. That kind of fun is reserved for me.”
My lips burned for the hungry invasion of his kisses, my thighs begged for the cruel bite of his fingers, and my clit ached for the latch of his mouth and the thick invasion of his cock.
His smile was cruel and knowing, because yes, my body was at his mercy, and he knew it. It was my mind that rebelled, that fought and denied, but that too was changing, and it scared the fuck out of me.
I closed my eyes to block out the sight of his cruelly handsome face. The pressure of his hand vanished, and when I opened my eyes, he was gone.
I should have felt relieved, but there was no relief where Jasper was concerned. Not without allowing him to take me and give my body what it craved.
If he kept pushing, I’d buckle, and the seal would be broken. Leif said the mating would make Jasper’s influence less, but what if it didn’t? What if the problem wasn’t him, but me? I needed to change the terms of the agreement—amulet off in exchange for him never touching me.
But not yet.
I’d see how I felt after the ceremony.
Then I’d know for sure.
Yeah, who was I kidding? That was a total bullshit excuse. But we’d stick with it, for now.
* * *
The smell of cooking meat and the sound of voices greeted me as I drew closer to the house. Smoke drifted up from behind the log cabin. I followed the path round to the back to find Leif, Rune, and Halle sitting around a barbecue pit while Tor played chef.
Witch Unexpected: The Thirteenth Sign Book 1 Page 21