It had been a long time since I’d missed them. But I missed them now. I missed them terribly.
Although I didn’t hear him, I knew Lucas was there before he put his arms around me and drew me back against him. Where he was concerned, my senses were more in tune since the shift.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I was thinking about my parents. Last summer I wasn’t ready to face the place where they died.” I turned within his arms and gazed into his eyes. “I think I need to do that, but I don’t know where they died.”
He tucked my loose hair behind my ear. “Someone in Wolford will know. Your parents were part of us.”
Wolford. The place he fought to protect, where the people he guarded sought sanctuary once a year.
I nodded. I’d doubted it before, but I believed it now. Strangely, the tightening in my stomach and the nerves that always accompanied thoughts of my parents’ death were absent. At long last, I was ready to deal with my past.
“Should we travel as wolves?” I asked.
“We will, but I can carry the backpack so we arrive with clothes.”
“Oh, good idea.” I furrowed my brow. “How do you handle that anyway—always finding clothes?”
“We have stashes hidden around. We’ll set some up for you. And whenever possible, you leave your clothes where you can find them again. You’ll learn it all.”
It took us a day and a half to get to Wolford. It wasn’t a place I could have found without a guide. It was near dusk when we arrived. I wasn’t certain village was the right word for it.
It was a fortress, surrounded by a tall wrought-iron fence, topped with evil-looking spikes. Wolves prowled the inside perimeter. Yet for all of its unique appearance, it did manage to somehow blend in with the landscape, so I didn’t really notice it until we were right upon it.
At the gate, Lucas punched numbers into a keypad and the heavy barrier slowly swung open. It appeared this place was a combination of ancient and modern.
Taking my hand, Lucas led me up the dirt path toward the large foreboding stone and brick structure. Two tiny Westies came yapping around the corner. Lucas dropped into a crouch and petted them.
“Are those really dogs?” I asked.
He laughed. “Of course.”
“Can we communicate with dogs?”
“Sure. You just say, ‘Sit, fetch, come.’ I can teach you the commands.”
Laughing, I slapped playfully at his arm. “Very funny.”
“You can’t read their thoughts,” he said, standing back up. The little dogs raced away. “I don’t even know if they have thoughts.”
“I guess I have to learn to accept our limitations and think in terms of what we are, not what we aren’t.”
“Something like that.”
I glanced around. “So, where exactly is the village?”
“There are a few buildings around, but most of it is gone except for this one.”
“It looks like a huge mansion or a fancy hotel or something.”
“It’s large enough to accommodate people who stay when they come for the solstice,” Lucas explained. “Only the elders live here on a permanent basis. The others gather for the summer solstice. That’s still a couple weeks away, so there won’t be many people here yet.”
“No problem. I’m fine easing my way into this.”
We walked up the massive steps leading to the front door. Lucas shoved it open. I was awed as we walked inside.
It was monstrously large. A grand, sweeping staircase rose from one side of the foyer. Portraits lined the walls and lights glittered through a huge crystal chandelier. It was like something out of Homes of the Rich and Famous.
“It’s not exactly a wilderness cabin, is it?” I asked.
Lucas chuckled. “No.”
“Do you live in something like this?”
“I live in a dorm.”
I smiled. “You know what I mean. Did you grow up in something like this?”
“No. Grew up in a normal house.”
I was still having a hard time thinking of Shifters as normal in any way.
“Lucas!” A large, booming voice sounded as a man with a mane of silver hair strode out of one of the nearby rooms—a room I could see into a little and thought was probably a parlor.
Lucas grew incredibly somber. “Dad.”
This was Lucas’s father? He looked like—well, quite honestly, he looked like he could be a politician. He grabbed Lucas in a huge bear hug. I could see a thin layer of tears in his eyes, eyes as silver as Lucas’s.
He moved Lucas back, but kept his hands wrapped around his arms.
“I’m so sorry about Devlin,” Lucas said. “I had no choice.”
“It’s hard, but it has been for some time now. We lost him long ago. The grief is strong, but there is also a measure of peace.”
“Mother—”
“She understands. It’s the way it had to be. Devlin betrayed us and himself.” He patted Lucas’s shoulder with a big, strong hand. “You cannot blame yourself.”
While his father’s words were comforting, I knew Lucas did carry a burden of guilt for what had happened. How could he not? He wouldn’t be the guy I loved if he didn’t feel some remorse.
His father turned his attention to me. “This must be Kayla.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mr. Wilde gave me a small smile. “You remind me of your mother.”
I gasped. “You knew her?”
“Indeed. Your father, too. Good people.”
“Maybe you could tell me about them sometime. I have so few memories.”
“We’ll talk later.”
“Oh, Lucas!” An attractive older woman rushed from the parlor and wrapped her arms around him. She leaned back and cupped his face between her hands. Tears welled in her eyes. “I know you’re a guardian, but you’re still my little boy and I was so worried about you.”
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
“Shh,” she cooed. “You have nothing to apologize for. You took a vow to protect us at all costs. Sometimes the price is high. We know that.” She hugged him again, and I could feel some of the tension easing away from Lucas.
When she released him, he stepped back, took my hand, and drew me near. “Mom, this is Kayla.”
Mrs. Wilde smiled at me. “Of course it is. Welcome back to the fold, my dear.”
“It’s good to be back…I think.”
“It’s where you’ve always belonged.” She hugged me. “We’ll talk later. Right now, the elders are waiting for you.”
Lucas and I walked alone through the huge house with our footsteps echoing around us. Finally we reached a room with life-sized statues of wolves on either side of the closed door. Lucas stopped and looked at me. “This is the counsel room,” he said quietly. “Only the elders and the Dark Guardians are allowed inside.”
“Then I should wait out here for you?”
“It’s your choice, Kayla. You don’t have to choose the life of a guardian, but I would speak in your favor if you did. I trust you with my life.”
“Do I have to fight for a place?”
“You have to take an oath to serve, protect, and guard.”
I released a self-conscious laugh.
“What?” he asked.
“My adoptive dad is a cop. I was thinking about majoring in criminal justice. I guess this isn’t that different. But there’s so much I don’t know.”
“I’ll teach you.”
He had no doubts, and because he didn’t, neither did I. “I want to do this, Lucas.”
He took my hand, opened the door, and we strode into a room with a huge, round table. “Do not tell me that King Arthur—”
“Maybe. After all, he had Merlin.”
I heard a squeal and turned.
“Lindsey!” I cried.
She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
Over her shoulder, I saw Brittany.
“You
should have told me, Lindsey,” I said. “All those emails, text messages, IMs, and you couldn’t mention it?”
“You would have freaked out. You might have left and then what?”
“So you and Brittany are both Dark Guardians?”
“Apprentices. We haven’t shifted yet, but next full moon…” She sighed. “Can’t wait.”
A banging on the table caught our attention. Lucas led me around to two empty seats at the table. I guessed they’d known I was coming.
It was very easy to tell who were the elders and who were the Dark Guardians. The elders were, well, elderly, and the guardians were all young and had the look of warriors about them.
An elder stood up. He had a wizened face and gray hair that touched his shoulders. “Is she one of us?”
“Yes, Grandfather, she is,” Lucas said. I was slightly stunned that this man was Lucas’s grandfather, but it made sense. The role of leader passed down from grandfather to grandson. “She is also my mate. Where she goes, I go.”
Lucas’s grandfather nodded what I thought was his approval. His pale, silver eyes focused on me. “Are you willing to take the oath?”
“I am.”
He moved around in front of me. “Kneel.”
It seemed an archaic ritual, but still I dropped to one knee. Lucas knelt beside me and took my hand.
“Are you sure we’re not getting married here?” I whispered.
“I’m sure.”
“Do you, Kayla Madison, swear to hold our secrets and to guard us from all evil and harm that may come our way?”
“I so swear.”
I wasn’t sure how I knew those were the words I needed to say, but the old man’s eyes lit up and Lucas squeezed my hand.
“Then you are welcomed into the ranks of the Dark Guardians,” he said somberly.
I heard applause as Lucas rose and pulled me to my feet. Then, one by one, the remaining elders introduced themselves. Afterward, each Dark Guardian approached and Lucas handled the introductions. Rafe was there, of course, and Connor. There were six others whom I didn’t know: four guys and two girls. When Lindsey and Brittany finished their apprenticeship, there would be twelve Dark Guardians. I supposed in time that I’d get to know the others better.
When everyone had been introduced, we took our places at the table, as did the elders.
Lucas’s grandfather, Elder Wilde, then spoke to the group. “It is with great sadness that we must report that Devlin did a lot of damage with his mischief. These scientists will not give up easily. We must prepare for what is to come.”
Lucas stood. “Much of the danger we now face is my fault because I hesitated to kill my brother when I had the opportunity—when I should have. I know there is some doubt about my ability to be an effective leader. If anyone wishes to challenge my right to lead, I am ready to face that challenge.”
“What? No!” I came to my feet so fast that I nearly knocked over the chair. “If anyone challenges you, they’ll have to get through me first.”
“Kayla—”
“It wouldn’t be fair. Not until your wound is completely healed. And I don’t see how it’s your fault that Devlin went bad.”
Several throats were cleared, and I realized that I’d probably broken some protocol.
“She has a point,” Elder Wilde said. “But I don’t think you’ll find anyone willing to challenge you.”
The elder was right. No one challenged him. Which was a good thing, because I’d been serious about kicking butt if someone did. I’d just found Lucas. I wasn’t going to let anyone take him away from me.
Discussion continued for a while, but the majority wanted to take a wait-and-see approach. Maybe the scientists wouldn’t return. But I thought that was just wishful thinking. After a while, we were dismissed.
Later that night, after dinner, Lucas and I sat on a love seat in a grand room with a huge fireplace. His parents sat across from us.
“You can’t believe how relieved we were when your adoptive parents brought you here last summer,” Mrs. Wilde said. “When you and Lindsey became such good friends, we knew she’d be able to convince you to return this summer.”
“Why didn’t everyone just tell me everything last summer?” I asked.
“To be honest,” Mr. Wilde said, “we weren’t sure what to do. You were a unique case, Kayla. We’d never had one of our own raised by outsiders. There were several other people in the woods the day your parents died. They immediately called the police, and the authorities got to you before we could. We’d never had a situation like this. We were at a loss. We did what we could to find you, but records were sealed. We have only so much influence.”
I hated to think what might have happened if I hadn’t come back to the woods last summer. It had been scary enough going through my first transformation with some idea of what might happen. But to have gone through it knowing nothing at all?
And my poor adoptive parents…
“So, my adoptive parents—I just return to them at the end of the summer and act like nothing has happened?”
“Can you do that?” Mrs. Wilde asked. “Or we could talk with them, claim to be lost relatives, arrange for you to move up here.”
I shook my head. “They love me. I don’t want to leave them until it’s time to go to college.” I squeezed Lucas’s hand. “It wouldn’t be fair to them. I want to let them have this last year with me that they were expecting.” My adoptive mom had already made all kinds of graduation plans. I was their daughter, after all.
“They’ll understand me falling in love over the summer and wanting to go to the same college you do next year. Besides, you’ll need my dad’s seal of approval.”
He grimaced.
“It won’t be that bad,” I assured him. “You both serve and protect, so you’ll have that in common.”
“Except I can’t tell him that,” Lucas said.
“But he’ll sense it.” My dad was good at judging people.
I turned my attention back to Lucas’s parents. “Do you know the place where my parents died?”
Mr. Wilde nodded. “I’ll give Lucas directions.”
Before bed, Lucas and I took a walk around outside. Being in a house, even one as large as this one, had me feeling on edge. I’d always liked the outdoors, but now it meant much more to me. It was where I wanted to be.
“Are you overwhelmed?” Lucas asked quietly.
“No, your parents are nice. What if Lindsey hadn’t convinced me to come?”
“I would have gone to you, Kayla.”
I put my arm around him and snuggled in against him. “I thought things would change when I turned seventeen. I didn’t expect them to change this much.” I peered up at him. “I didn’t expect to get a boyfriend.”
“You’ve got more than that.” He stopped walking and turned me to face him. He put his hand over his chest. “My heart, my soul, my life…they’re all yours.”
I felt tears sting my eyes. “I love you, Lucas.”
He took me in his arms and kissed me. As always, it was wonderful and warm, and so Lucas.
As we walked back to the house, he asked, “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
He’d gotten the directions from his father, and we were going to go to the place where my parents had died.
“A little,” I admitted. “I wish you could sleep with me tonight.”
Arrangements had been made for me to share a room with Lindsey and Brittany. After all we’d been through together, it seemed odd that we wouldn’t be together tonight—but we were around parents and apparently Shifter parents weren’t any different from Static parents when it came to how they felt about girls and guys sleeping together.
“The guardians are all here because of what happened with Mason and his group. They’ll all be leaving tomorrow to head back to the park entrance. We have other groups to lead. So tomorrow, you and I won’t come back here. We’ll sleep beneath the stars.”
“Can’t wait. But we’ll retu
rn for the summer solstice?”
“Yeah. In a couple of weeks.”
I glanced around. “What if Mason and his group find this place?”
“We’ll deal with it.”
We walked back to the house. I had high hopes that tomorrow would truly unlock my past.
The next morning, Lucas and I left before dawn. We shifted so we could travel more quickly. I had to admit that I enjoyed several aspects of my wolf form. My senses were heightened, and after each transformation they remained a little more sensitive when I was in human form. I was surprised by how natural it all seemed to shift from human to wolf and back again—with little more than a thought.
I lost track of time, and yet I somehow knew when we were nearing our destination. I couldn’t explain it. I slowed from a racing run to a walk—and then I halted completely. I was breathing unusually heavily and I knew it was nerves. I wasn’t afraid of what I would discover.
I knew all the secrets now. But everything was going to seem more intense. My parents had died here.
Lucas noticed I was no longer keeping pace with him. Still in wolf form, he returned to my side and dropped the backpack at my feet. After he casually padded out of sight behind a thicket, I shifted and changed into shorts and a tank. I tossed the backpack his way.
It was only a few minutes before he rejoined me, in human form and dressed in jeans and T-shirt.
“It’s over here,” he said, taking my hand.
“I know.”
He gave me a surprised look. “Do you recognize the place?”
“No, not really, and yet it’s familiar.”
“Dad drew me a little map of the place. He said the police reports indicated everything happened over here.”
I began to get chilled as we neared a place where the brush was thick. I knew that in all these years, things would have changed. Trees would have died. Others would have grown. But there was a wall of rock with thick scrub brush along its base.
Kneeling down I parted the brush to reveal a small cavern. Images bombarded me.
Hiding.
“Be quiet, Kayla.”
My parents—
Breathing heavily, I stood up quickly and glanced around.
“What is it?” Lucas asked.
“I remember. They brought me here. They wanted—” I dropped to the ground and buried my face in my hands. “They transformed. They were so beautiful. Then we heard the hunters yelling about seeing wolves…There were gunshots. So loud.”
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