Saving Arianna

by Alisa Woods

  “If they’re looking for me,” Arianna said, “they might be nearby. If not, they need to know I’m out. And that Mace might be looking for me at home. At the very least, I can tell them where I am. They can clear out, maybe stash my mom somewhere safe, and come to get me. By the time Jak calls, they’ll be on their way. Whatever his plan is, they can help.”

  Sarra was back to frowning again. “Are you sure that’s what Jak wants? Maybe involving your family in this isn’t the way to go.”

  Arianna looked up as the phone started to ring. “They’re involved whether they want to be or not. And I’m not leaving Jak alone in this.”

  Sarra nodded in approval. “It would be better to have a few more fangs around, in case this gets ugly. Besides, I don’t like where this is heading.” She held up a hand. “But I do not want them coming here! The last thing I need is a parade of wolves through my door. I don’t want people to think I’m back in the business again. Got it?”

  “I promise,” Arianna said quickly as the phone rang again. “We’ll take it somewhere else. I’ll arrange a meet.” Her heart started to pound at the mere thought of seeing her family again.

  The phone picked up. “Hello?” It was tentative—of course, her brother wouldn’t recognize Sarra’s caller ID—but it was definitely Marco’s voice. It felt so good to hear it again.

  “Marco! It’s me, Arianna.” Her voice was breathy with excitement.

  “Arianna?” He was still tentative. “Why are you calling on this phone?”

  “It’s a long story.” Arianna glanced at Sarra. “I’m in Seattle. But I’m not at the Red wolf estate. I ran away and—”

  “Holy shit, it’s really you!” Marco’s voice took a swing up, enthusiasm kicking in. “Are you okay? How did you get out? What the… Arianna, oh my god… Mom is going to be so happy.”

  “I know!” She could hardly get the words out, she was grinning so hard. “I can hardly believe it myself.”

  “What happened?” he asked, the hope in his voice warring with concern. “Are you free of him, sis? I mean… is he…”

  “No, he’s not dead.” Arianna blew out a breath. “And that’s why I’m calling, actually. You and Kalis and Mom need to go somewhere safe. Mace is going to come looking for me, sooner or later. And I need your help, Marco.”

  “Of course. Whatever you need. We’re practically in Seattle anyway...” She could hear Marco whisper something, covering the phone with his hand. After a moment, he was back. “Kalis is calling Mom. I’ll have her go to Robertson’s ranch for a while. He’ll keep her somewhere safe until this is handled.”

  “Oh good.” The tension in her body stepped down a notch. She always knew Marco would make a fine alpha someday… and in the six months since she’d been gone, he seemed to have grown into it even more. She could hear it in his voice. “Wait… did you say you’re almost to Seattle?”

  “Yeah.” He seemed to hesitate a moment. “We’re on our way to visit some witches.”

  “What?” Wolves and witches didn’t mix. Not that she’d ever met one, but it was like a sixth sense… not to mention all the horror stories she’d heard growing up.

  “We were desperate, Ari.” That was what her father had always called her.

  It made her choke up even more. “You were trying to get me back, weren’t you?”

  “Every day since the moment that bastard took you.” He growled out each word.

  Now she really was going to cry. She turned away from Sarra’s curious gaze and said softly, “Oh, Marco. I’ve missed you guys so much.”

  “I know, sis. But it’s going to be over soon. We’re coming for you. Just tell me where you are.” His voice was full alpha-mode now, and it made her heart sing.

  Arianna wiped her face, pushing away tears she didn’t have time for. “I’m in a safe place, but you can’t come here. Let me meet you somewhere. These witches… they were helping you, right?”

  “Yeah,” Marco said, hesitation back in his voice. “There’s one that’s… well, she’s different. Decent. For a witch, I mean.”

  “Maybe I can meet you there,” Arianna said.

  “I don’t know, Ari—”

  “She’s on our side, right? And besides… the last thing Mace would do is look for me in a coven of witches.”

  “That’s probably true.” He still sounded undecided.

  “And it’ll give me a chance to thank her for her help.” Her heart was leaping with the fact that she would get to see her family again. Walking into a coven of witches wasn’t exactly how she had dreamed of it happening, but that didn’t matter.

  “Right.” There was still something off in his voice.

  “What is it, Marco?”

  “Mace isn’t dead.” The growl was back in his voice.

  “Yeah.” She already told him that.

  “So you’re still mated.” Growl and anger, too.

  “Right. But that can’t be helped. And that’s why we need to make a plan to get away. And there’s something else you need to know. There’s someone who’s been helping me.” She glanced at Sarra again. “A couple of people, actually. But the one who helped me escape… well, you need to meet him.”

  “Okay.” But Marco seemed preoccupied. “Now that I think about it meeting at the witch’s place is the way to go. We’re almost there. We can figure out our plan once we meet up. These people who are helping you: do they have transportation? Can you get here on your own?”

  Arianna glanced at Sarra. “Yeah. I should be able to. I’ll bring one of them with me. Hopefully, the other one can meet us later. He’s tied up at the moment.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll have Kalis text you the address when I hang up. And Arianna?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you, sis.” His voice was choked. “There’s not a day I haven’t been trying to find a way to get you free.”

  She was tearing up again. “We’ll have time to talk later.”

  Marco cleared his throat. “Later. Right. See you soon, Ari.”

  He hung up the phone.

  “What is this business about a coven of witches?” Sarra was standing now, looking tense and staring Arianna down from her spot by the table.

  Arianna winced. “I guess they’re helping us.”

  Sarra looked askance at her. “Look, country girl, I don’t know about where you’re from, but here in the city, witches don’t generally help wolves. Unless they’re helping themselves to our body parts. Especially female wolves. Especially, especially mated female wolves.”

  “I know.” Arianna handed back her phone. “But I trust my brother. If you just want to drop me off, I’d totally understand.”

  Sarra let out a dry laugh. “Jak would skin me alive, and rightly so if I dropped you off at a coven of witches. Um, no. I’ll be going with you.”

  Arianna wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m sorry about dragging you into all this.” It seemed like everyone she loved, and even strangers she had just met, were risking themselves, all to help her get free of Mace. She felt bad about that, but she couldn’t help it either. It was either that or stay with him. And she’d already made that choice. Now she had to see it through.

  “Looks like we’re going on a road trip,” Sarra said. “You might need a few things, just in case we’re not coming back any time soon.”

  Arianna unfolded her arms and held her hands out. “Oh, no. No, no, no. I can’t take anything from you. You’ve already given me too much help.”

  Sarra motioned her toward the bedroom. “Shut up and help me pack.”

  Arianna had no choice but to follow her and help in any way she could. And she couldn’t help wondering what she did to deserve all this—Jak working to free her, Marco taking the risk to team up with witches to get her back, and now Sarra, giving her safe shelter, tea, and packing her up with things to go on the road. Which was probably where she was going to be—on the road, on the run—for a good long time. Possibly forever.

  Arianna didn
’t know what she could ever do to repay any of them. But she would do everything in her power to live a life worthy of all the risks these people were taking to give her a chance to live one.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Jak and Circe spent five tense minutes waiting in the reception area of Morgan Media, subjected to the ogling and whispers of the two receptionists. Circe eventually banished them to the main office area of Morgan Media. A few minutes later, the elevator dinged, and two men stepped out. They were both tall, well-built males, clearly in possession of the shifter gene—the younger one was no more than sixteen, while the older one seemed closer to twenty. But what froze the breath in Jak’s chest was the brilliant blue eyes, the dark brown hair, and the fresh-faced innocence of both.

  There was no question in his mind: they were Arianna’s brothers.

  Circe quickly addressed the older one. “Marco, nice to see you again.” There was a purr in her voice that Jak recognized instantly as Circe-lusting-after-wolves. He wondered just what Marco had traded to earn Circe’s help in finding his sister. Then again, maybe he had just paid her in money—the kid looked as innocent as Arianna, although he had that same world-weariness that didn’t seem to belong on her face either.

  Marco frowned, coolly taking in Jak’s presence. “When you said you wanted to meet, Circe, I didn’t realize you meant with other shifters. Who is this character?”

  The younger one stood at attention like he was ready to brawl at a moment’s notice, but he was just a pup. Jak could take him with one hand tied behind his back. The older one would take a bite out of him before going down, but Jak was fairly certain it wouldn’t be much of a fight, either. He was seriously hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

  Circe arched her perfect eyebrows. “Marco and Kalis Stefan meet Jak Roberts. Jak is the wolf responsible for freeing your sister, at least in a physical sense, from Mace’s hold.”

  Jak extended his hand, but Marco just scowled and ignored it. “You freed my sister?”

  He clearly wasn’t buying this, and Jak couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t like he had brought Arianna along as proof.

  “Yes,” Jak said evenly. He needed to win these boys over and, at the same time, take their measure. They were Arianna’s family, but as Jak well knew, that didn’t always mean much. He had to be sure they were capable of looking out for her. And even if they wanted to, he was starting to wonder if they would be savvy enough.

  “Look,” Jak said, “I know you don’t know me—”

  “No. I don’t know you.” Marco’s voice was clipped, and the younger one was still on high alert. “How about you clear out? I have a few things to discuss with Circe—”

  He was cut off by the younger one batting his arm. Marco leaned over, and Kalis whispered in his ear. They both shot daggered looks at Jak. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

  Marco straightened and growled out his words. But they weren’t directed at Jak. “Circe, what kind of witch trickery is this?”

  She narrowed her eyes, and her voice went cold. “What are you talking about, wolf?”

  Marco flung his hand out at Jak. “He’s Red pack. Did you expect us not to notice?” He snarled and tipped up his chin. “He was there when Arianna was captured, and now you’ve brought us here to meet with him? What is this, some kind of double cross? Are there more of them in the lobby? I thought you wanted Arianna free. Or was that just talk?”

  Kalis had hauled out his phone and was yanking on Marco’s sleeve. Marco stilled his brother with a harsh look.

  The tension evaporated from Circe’s slender frame. “No, you idiot.” She sighed. “I swear, if you wolves weren’t so sexy, I’d find the lack of a brain seriously unattractive.”

  Marco growled in response. “We’re leaving.” He turned toward the elevators.

  Jak rushed out, “Marco, wait.”

  But he kept going, and Kalis was on his heels. The older one punched the elevator button then whirled on Jak as he approached. Both Marco and Kalis had their claws out and were snarling.

  Jak put up his hands. He had maybe ten seconds before the elevator arrived. “Look, I would be suspicious, too. If I had a sister like Arianna, I’d tear apart anyone who looked sideways at her. But you have to believe me, I’m on your side with this.”

  The snarling eased up, but only slightly. And their claws were still out.

  Jak rushed the rest out. “I watched for six months as Mace kept her caged like an animal in that house of his. It tore me apart every single day. And then, one day, I actually got to spend time with her, and I realized… someone like Arianna was worth risking everything for. I couldn’t live with myself if I stood by while she slowly died—while everything good and beautiful about her withered away—all from being a dark alpha’s mate.”

  Kalis was still giving him glares, but Marco’s claws had retracted into his hands.

  His blue eyes, so like Arianna’s, were still squinted with suspicion. “What’s in it for you?”

  Jak blinked, nonplussed for the moment. What was in it for him? Redemption for not saving his mother? A chance to be an alpha, a true protector? It was simpler even than that. “I’m in love with her.”

  Marco’s gaze still drilled into him. “Is that so?”

  He could understand the skepticism. In the same position, with a sister like Arianna, he’d more likely go fang to fang than trust any wolf claiming to love her. Jak stood straighter. “I left my pack, betrayed my alpha, and risked my life all to get Arianna free.”

  Marco lifted one eyebrow. “So that was you? She said someone helped her.”

  Jak choked as he realized: Arianna had already spoken to Marco. She must have called them after he took off. “Yes, that would be me. I fought four wolves and betrayed my alpha to break her free of the estate. And now I’m prepared to do whatever I have to in order to break her free of the mating bond.”

  Marco’s face opened with surprise before he shut it down again with suspicion. He threw a glare at Circe. “Did you tell him?”

  The witch, for her part, looked amused. “No.”

  Marco leaned back, appraising Jak. He looked to his brother, the fresh-faced Kalis, and they exchanged a wordless conversation of pointed looks and head shakes. Jak didn’t understand what it was all about, but the tension was ramping down. And when the elevator dinged and opened, neither of them made a move to board it.

  After the door closed again, Jak asked, “Tell me what?”

  Marco’s lips were pressed tight, and Jak could tell he was debating whether to come clean about something. It was then that he saw how young these wolves really were. Arianna was twenty, but Marco was nearly the same age—maybe a year older or younger. Would he really be able to care for her after Jak was gone? But Marco’s and Kalis’s fierce loyalty to their sister, the risks they had already taken, contracting with Circe and the bounty hunters to get her back… Jak had to trust that once they were reunited, they wouldn’t ever risk losing her again.

  Finally, Marco looked to Circe, who nodded her encouragement. To Jak, he said, “We contracted with the witches to get Arianna back, but I’m not an idiot. I knew that wouldn’t be enough. We’re just two wolves, hardly even a pack. Against the Reds, we’d have no chance of keeping her free. The bond had to be broken, or her mate would keep hunting for her… until eventually, he would find her. And then things would be worse than before. Much worse.”

  Jak nodded, relief washing through him. Marco may be young, but he understood what was at stake. “Arianna would never truly be free. Even if you went on the run, you’d always be looking over your shoulder. All of you. Because Mace isn’t just any mate—he’s a dark bastard alpha. He’ll tear through anything and anyone who stands between him and what he wants, and he really doesn’t care who he has to kill to do it. And Arianna deserves better than to have the specter of him haunting her. She shouldn’t have to go on the run for the rest of her life. And knowing Arianna, she’d never be able to live with that. She wouldn’t
want to bring that risk to you.”

  Marco looked surprised. “That sounds like something Ari would say.”

  Jak smiled. Ari. It was a beautiful name, just like her. At the same time, it made his heart ache. He wasn’t going to get the chance to dream up his own nickname for her. “The things she’s been through with Mace… honestly, Marco, I’m not just in love with her. I’m kind of in awe of her. People like her—surviving the worst that life has to dole out, yet coming out as sweet and kind as she is, untouched by the darkness all around her—well, let’s just say, those are the kind of people worth fighting for. Worth dying for.”

  Marco exchanged a glance with Kalis. “She needs someone like that looking after her.”

  “She does.” Jak held Marco’s steady gaze, and he could see that internal debate raging again as they both studied each other.

  After a moment, Marco gave a short nod. “The witch has a spell. It will draw out the essence of her mate from her blood.”

  Jak glanced at the witch, who was keeping quiet. “I’m familiar with it.”

  Marco tipped his head to Circe. “I contracted with the witch to break Arianna free, not just because she could find the bounty hunters to do the job… but because she could help me break the bond.”

  Jak’s eyebrows hiked up on his forehead. “Wait… you were planning on doing the spell yourself?”

  Marco held him with a steely gaze. “Yes.”

  Jak hiked up one eyebrow and gave Circe a pointed look. “You know that spell will kill you, right?” This kid was either brave or stupid. Possibly both.

  “Yes.” Marco swallowed. “The question is, who’s going to take care of her afterward? She would only have Kalis and our mother. But if you’re in love with her the way you say you are…” Marco tipped his head up to give Jak another skeptical look. “The question is, can I trust you to take care of my sister after I’m gone?”

  Jak smiled, and the last of the tension drained out of him. This kid was definitely brave. And not at all stupid. Just like his sister. And clearly, he would do everything in his power to keep Arianna safe. He would protect her with his life. It was all Jak could ask for.