The Hunted Heart

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “Noah?” she asked, her voice soft. “What’s wrong?”

  His jaw tightened, and he took a step back as she moved toward him. Her heart stuttered, and she blinked.

  “Noah?”

  “I should have known the reason you weren’t ready,” he whispered, his voice broken. Oh goddess, no. “You’ll never be ready.” He sighed, his throat working as he swallowed hard. “I only wish you loved me only a fraction as much as you loved Jeffery. I’m sorry to have made you cry. You shouldn’t have to deal with the pain of saying goodbye and having to choose. I understand that now. Goodbye, Em,” he whispered. With that he turned and walked away, leaving her frozen in his wake.

  No, he wasn’t supposed to leave. He’d gotten it all wrong. Damn it. She ran behind him, her mouth open to call his name, when something struck her on the back of the head. Blinding pain snapped at her, and she blinked once, twice, before hitting the ground, her world dark.

  Chapter Seven

  Noah found himself in front of Logan and Cailin’s door, unable to knock.

  She’d cried for a dead man.

  Cried and cried and broken him.

  He couldn’t blame her for her tears. Couldn’t blame her for her choice. Mates were everlasting. Finding a second one in a lifetime was almost unheard of. The pain and anguish that came with choosing the second and slowly letting go of the first would be hard for anyone to overcome.

  Adam Jamenson had done it and had hurt his second mate, Bay, terribly in the process.

  Noah just wished Emeline had done the same.

  No, he couldn’t quite say that. Not when the pain of what Emeline had gone through, was going through, was too much to bear. Noah hated the fact he’d put her through that.

  The door opened, and Cailin stood there, pity on her face.

  Damn it, he hated pity.

  It was all he could do not to weep like a baby and wish for them to make it better. He knew he could have gone to his parents for comfort, but they hadn’t met Emeline yet. He’d been planning on introducing them the next day, actually. Cailin and Logan, though, knew all about Emeline and were her friends. They’d understand the depth of her sorrow and the strength of his own.

  “Oh, Noah,” Cailin said. “Come on in, honey. We’ll get you something to drink.” She pulled him in the house, and he shuffled in, numb. “Logan?” she called over her shoulder. “Bring the whiskey.”

  Logan rambled in, Edward in his arms. He gave one look at Noah then cursed under his breath. “Here, take the baby, I’ll get the whiskey.”

  Noah shook his head. “It’s too early for whiskey.”

  Logan squeezed his shoulder. “When you’re in the state you’re in, it’s never too early for whiskey.”

  Noah nodded anyway then went to the couch and sat down—well, more like flopped really. He couldn’t think about anything more than the tears on Emeline’s cheeks and the way she’d said her dead mate’s name.

  Damn Jeffery.

  Cailin plopped Edward in his lap then sat next to them. “Hold the baby. He makes everything better most days.”

  Noah held Edward close and sighed. “You’re right about that, but I don’t think even he is strong enough for this.”

  “Then we’ll help with whatever is left,” she said simply then leaned her head on his shoulder. Logan came to his other side, set the tumbler of whiskey on the table, and then sat back.

  No one spoke, but then again, no one needed to.

  “I can’t blame her, you know,” Noah said.

  Cailin straightened. “She rejected you and you’re not blaming her?”

  Was it a rejection? Or a choice not to feel the pain anymore?

  “If she’s feeling a fraction of what I am at the thought of not having her in my life, I can’t really blame her. She lost someone precious to her, and I can’t make that pain go away. I just don’t know what to do.”

  Cailin opened her mouth to speak then looked at Logan. Noah saw the love in both of their eyes and swallowed. The two of them loved each other in every way possible. He was even holding the evidence of that mating. With that, they understood what he was talking about, he was sure. She sighed once more, then sat with him in silence.

  He just needed them for support, and then he’d figure out what to do.

  The door crashed open, and Maddox ran in, his eyes gold. “Don’t you answer your phones?”

  Logan stood, his hands ready to turn to claws at the sign of a fight.

  Cailin had Edward in her arms and behind Logan to protect their son in a blink of an eye. Noah stood as well, ready to help Maddox in any way possible.

  “We put them on silent to help Noah,” Cailin answered. “What is it?”

  Maddox growled. “Something’s wrong. I don’t know what.” He met Noah’s gaze. “I don’t have as strong as a connection to Emeline because she’s an elder and, therefore, has a kind of barrier around her when it comes to my Omega powers. However, I felt her emotional pain and then a snap. Like something hurt her.”

  Noah growled. He knew what the first part was, but the second?

  That he had no idea.

  But he’d find out.

  And when he found out who, other than him, had hurt her?

  He’d end them.

  ****

  Emeline opened her eyes then shut them tightly as the world went hazy around her. What the hell had hit her upside the head? She tried to touch her temple to relieve some of the ache, only to find herself immobile.

  What the heck?

  She blinked then looked up at her hands that were chained to the wall.

  Oh goddess, what was happening?

  She remembered the pain of watching Noah walk away—that sharp pang sliced at her again—then she’d followed him…only to have everything go black. Someone had hit her on the head and taken her here—wherever here was. They’d chained her to the wall with shifter chains, meaning it would take more strength than she possessed to break free. With normal chains, she would have been able to pull them apart relatively easily. However, shifter chains were magically infused and could expand and tighten depending on the form of the shifter.

  She’d just have to find another way out.

  Her gaze moved over her surroundings, trying to figure out where she was. Best she could figure, whoever had taken her had locked her inside a cave in the rockface in the east of the den. The Redwood den sat between two mountain peaks and one of the main cliffs had numerous small caves.

  Between the head injury and whatever spell the chains were laying over her, Emeline couldn’t scent who had taken her. It had to be someone within the Pack because they’d been inside the wards, but other than that, she had no clue.

  Who had she angered enough that they’d hit her then kidnapped her?

  “You’re awake. Good.”

  Emeline’s head shot up at the voice, and then she cursed inwardly that she hadn’t thought of the danger that had lurked around her for so long.

  “Meryl.”

  “I told you to leave him, and what do you do? You run after him.” Meryl sat on a rock in front of where Emeline sat chained. The other woman’s eyes were bright with madness, the gold glow that came from her wolf lighting then dimming, as if her wolf was in and out of control.

  Not good.

  There was a reason that not all wolves lived to Meryl’s age. Between wars, battles, and dominance fights, the strength that came from surviving centuries put a strain on one’s sanity. It took a mating bond—or in Emeline’s case, a true connection to the moon goddess—not to lose control completely. Emeline had thought she’d follow the path so many others had and fade away. That was before she’d met Noah. Meryl had always straddled the edge of sanity, and it seemed that she’d taken the leap into batshit crazy.

  “Meryl. How do you think this is a good idea?”

  Meryl lifted a lip in a snarl then smacked Emeline across the face. Hard.

  Emeline squeezed her eyes shut to keep the dizziness at bay then op
ened them again to watch what Meryl would do next.

  “I don’t understand how the moon goddess and fate can bless you with two mates when I’ve met none.” Meryl stood in a jerky movement then paced in front of Emeline.

  Emeline tried to wiggle her wrists free from the manacles, but it was no use. She was well and truly chained. She only prayed that Noah or another wolf would know she was in trouble. Not that she wanted to be the damsel in distress, but right then, she couldn’t exactly move to save herself. At least not yet.

  “I’m sorry you haven’t found your mate yet. There’s still time, Meryl.” Not likely since the older wolf had gone off the deep end, but Emeline needed time to formulate a plan other than wait around to be saved.

  “There’s no time,” Meryl spat. “There’s never been any time. And it doesn’t matter anyway. Fate took the only man I loved and gave him to you.”

  “What? What…do you mean?” Meryl loved Noah?

  “From the look in your eyes, you’re an idiot. I loved Jeffery. He was going to be mine. Then you had to walk up to him and show him what fate wanted. Well, fuck fate. Jeffery was mine.”

  “I…I never knew. I’m so sorry, Meryl.” She was honest in that. To find out the man you loved was fated to another had to hurt in so many ways, but that didn’t give the other woman the excuse to chain Emeline to a cliff wall.

  “I thought I could keep him away from you. I even had your father help me, but it wasn’t enough.”

  Shocked, Emeline could only stare. Meryl and her father had worked together to keep her and Jeffery apart? What the hell?

  “Then when you decided to be with him anyway, well, there was nothing else I could do. You see, with you in the picture, Jeffery didn’t want me. He would have loved me without you there. But then you muddled his brains with your violet eyes and soft words. Well, fuck you, Emeline. You never deserved him. And because you ruined him, I had to make sure no one had him.”

  Emeline licked her lips, her heart thudding loudly in her ears. “What are you saying, Meryl? What did you do?”

  Meryl raised her chin, that manic gleam to her eyes brightening even more. “I helped your father chain you to the basement, much like you’re chained now. Of course, they’re different chains since you destroyed the last ones in your desperate and bloody attempts to free yourself. Then I sent Jeffery away to war. It wasn’t hard. He already thought you’d chosen anyone over him. You never deserved him anyway. He was mine. And if I couldn’t have him, no one could.”

  Emeline’s jaw dropped, her wolf raging inside.

  Jeffery had died, and everything that had happened since was because of this woman’s petty jealousy.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. How could you do that? How could you send someone you say you loved to his death?”

  Meryl slapped her hard again, but Emeline didn’t close her eyes this time. There was no telling what Meryl would do next.

  “You bitch. You don’t understand true love. We would have had an amazing life together, and then you had to show another path. That path was a lie. A lie! He should have been with me.”

  Everything started to make sense then. The years of living cut off within the elder’s part of the den because of Meryl. Meryl had ruled that area with an iron fist because of her age, and the rest of them had given in because they didn’t know any better. Emeline had taken the brunt of Meryl’s judgments and all because Meryl was a jealous bitch.

  Well, no more.

  “I can’t believe you did all of that, Meryl. You had no right.”

  “I had every right. And now I will make sure you never feel what you did for that man again. You should have stayed in your little house and away from the other wolves. But no, you had to go and prove yourself worthy to the fucking Alpha and his family. You were nothing, and you should have stayed that way. Now you think you’re better than the rest of us. You even found another mate. How is that fair? Huh? Well, no bother, Noah left you, and when I’m done with you, he’ll never have you again.”

  Emeline froze, her wolf growling. “Don’t you dare touch Noah.”

  “I won’t hurt him. I won’t even look at him. No, I’m going to kill you right here on the side of this cliff. Then I will make it look like Noah did it so he’ll face judgment from the Alpha and his brothers. When he dies, everything you’ve ever tainted will be gone. Then I can finally be at peace.”

  No. Noah would not be touched. He would not face any form of judgment from the Alpha. That would be dealt with later. Now, though, Meryl needed to be stopped. Emeline was done lying down and taking whatever came at her. She was done living by Meryl’s dictates. She wanted to find Noah, tell him the truth about the tears he’d seen, and then mark him as her mate.

  She wanted all of that, and damn it, she’d get it.

  Emeline pulled at the manacles with all her strength. The metal bit into her wrists, and a trail of blood ran down her arms.

  Meryl grinned, and Emeline’s wolf rose to the surface, ready to claw that grin right off the bitch’s face.

  Emeline let her wolf rise even further and shifted her hands, forcing her claws to rip through her fingers, squeezing down on the manacle. Meryl’s eyes opened wide, but Emeline ignored them for the moment. Oh, she’d get to the other woman soon. Right then, she just needed to get free. Letting the magic of the moon goddess wash over her—something she tried hard not to take advantage of, as being in debt to a goddess was never a good idea—she growled. Her body shook, her strength increasing as she pulled harder.

  Blood oozed from her cuts, but, again, she ignored it. She pulled one more time, and the manacles broke free of the chains then hit the ground.

  Meryl scrambled to her feet, her own claws popping from her fingertips. Emeline pounced, knocking the woman to the ground.

  “Don’t you dare, Meryl. You’ve hurt me and those I love for the last time.” She punched the woman in the face, knocking Meryl’s head into the ground. Hard.

  The sound soothed her wolf. Somewhat.

  Meryl clawed at her, but Emeline was faster. She took the other woman by the neck then hit her again. This time, Meryl’s eyes rolled to the back of her head, as she lost consciousness.

  Thank the goddess.

  “Emeline!”

  Emeline turned on her heel and left Meryl where she lay. Noah held out his arms, and she jumped into them, letting her claws retract back into her hands at the same time. He squeezed her hard, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing his cheeks, his forehead, his nose, his lips.

  “Oh thank the goddess you’re here,” she whispered then kissed him again.

  “It would seem to me that she didn’t really need us,” Logan said as he walked past her and Noah on his way to Meryl.

  “Yeah, looks like she saved herself,” Maddox added as he followed Logan.

  Noah’s hands ran up and down her back, his heart thudding hard against hers. “Are you okay? You’re bleeding. Let me take care of you.”

  “I will be fine. Let me hold you for a moment first.” She rested her forehead against his, her wolf finally calming. “I’m so sorry, Noah.”

  “No, no. Don’t be. I’m sorry I left.” He choked out a breath. “I’m so fucking sorry I left.”

  She cupped his face, ignoring the other two wolves taking care of Meryl behind her. “I wasn’t crying for Jeffery. I was saying goodbye. I was happy, Noah. I love you so much. I don’t want to wait anymore. Please, if you’ll still have me, please be my mate.”

  Noah kissed her softly, letting his lips press against hers in a gentle caress. “I love you so fucking much, Em. You never have to apologize for loving Jeffery before me. I’m sorry I was such a dumbass. Let me take you home, and then we’ll start on forever. What do you say?”

  Emeline traced her finger along his jaw then nodded, her cheeks hurting from smiling so wide. “I say yes, Noah. Yes, yes, yes, yes!”

  He didn’t put her down, and she let him carry her. Both of their wolves needed the co
mfort, and since she’d saved herself, his dominant wolf needed the extra reassurance that she was truly okay.

  She trusted Maddox and Logan to take care of Meryl, and when the time was right, she’d deal with the ramifications of what had happened. Right then though, she wanted to stay in Noah’s arms and know that she was safe.

  Safe, strong, and his.

  Chapter Eight

  Noah let out a breath, his hands gripping the pedestal sink as if it were a lifeline. He’d almost lost her. He walked out of her home and sulked because he’d been a fucking idiot. Yes, he knew he would have gone back and groveled. Fought for what he wanted. But the sheer shock of what he thought had been her crying for another man pummeled him.

  Because he left, she’d been hurt. She’d been forced to listen to Meryl’s tirade, and if she hadn’t been strong enough, she could have died because of him.

  How the hell was he going to make that up to her?

  Small hands fell over his hips, and he sighed, his wolf soothed for the first time since he’d walked into her home that morning. His wolf had raged, howled, and clawed throughout the day, even when he’d found her in that cave relatively unharmed. The sight of her blood, and the fact that he hadn’t been able to do anything to protect her, hadn’t helped his dominant wolf.

  Her touch, though, helped in ways he was only beginning to understand.

  He turned in her arms, wrapping his arms around her. She didn’t even reach his chin, and he and his wolf loved her compact size. She fit against him just right, and if he had his way, he’d never let her go again.

  That might be a problem in the future when it came to actually letting her out of his sight, but he’d cross that barrier when he had to. For now, he’d be content with her in his arms and, soon, in his bed.

  They’d come to his home straight from the cave, his wolf leading the charge and the man following close behind. He’d cleaned her wounds, though she healed quickly on her own. Whatever she’d done by connecting to the moon goddess expedited her already quick healing from being a wolf. Still, he’d checked over every inch of her.