Something crashes to the floor in another room, causing Dante to thunder down the stairs in all his beta glory. He stops when his eyes land on Aries, blazing with fury. “You're not going to tell them to knock it off?”
“No. I have a dinner to get to, and they’re just being themselves.”
“You're too lenient with them.” He laces his fingers and cracks his knuckles. “I'm going to have some fun.” He shifts effortlessly into a massive grey wolf and runs off after them.
“Doesn't Lealla care that they’re destroying her house?” I inquire.
“No, she doesn't,” comes a light, feminine voice from around the corner.
Lealla's chestnut hair is falling straight down her back today. It gives her this edgy look. Not as soft as when her hair is wavy. She's tall and slender, wearing a pair of black high heels that click with each step she takes. I wonder if her jeans are tailor made. They fit her perfectly, accentuating every curve. I don't think I'll ever get over how beautiful she is.
She stops a few feet from us. I should have dressed better today. I feel like a slob standing before her.
Lealla smiles. “Dinner is ready.”
We follow her into the small dining room. She has another, larger room for the pack to eat in. The four of us take our seats as dinner is brought in by a few women. Lealla thanks them.
Before eating, she addresses Rion. “Xeno said there are no other foxes on our side. Only the small pack we have.” Rion must have told Aries, who filled Lealla in.
Rion nods. “After Ford killed one, it seems we've angered the entire shifter race of them.”
“But he was doing it to save Bray. A human!” I exclaim. “It's not like he left his house and decided he was going to kill a fox shifter. It wasn't premeditated.” I hate that this is being put on Ford like he’s some vicious vampire. Okay, so maybe he can be, but he was doing it to save someone. Not because he decided he needed a snack.
“I know, Ari. We all know but trying to explain that to an entire species is another story,” Lealla says.
“What about the bears and the cats?” Aries asks. When it was first brought up about others helping, Aries wasn’t sure. He thought his pack could handle it. But hearing how other paranormals are siding with Travis, he knows there’s no way they can win on their own. The more help the Avynwood Pack can get, the better.
“So far, they’re split down the middle. Though, Keene is trying to get more on our side.”
“Who's he?” I ask.
“He's the leader of the bear clan in the Avynwood Forest,” Lealla says. “He's the one who keeps the peace when other paranormals visit, seeking refuge. He has a strong presence and is well respected by others of his kind. I'm hoping he'll be able to sway more of them to our side by speaking the truth. Part of the problem is that Travis is quickly spreading lies, saying Ford attacked without cause. It also doesn't help that you brought her body to Travis' doorstep.” Lealla cuts me down with a glare.
Anger rises inside of me. I may respect Lealla; however, I’m not going to sit here and let her lecture me. If I’m going to be part of this, I’m going to play by my own rules. And one of those is that none of my friends die.
“What?” I ask curtly. “He had to know who he's messing with. I'm not going to sit back and let him get away with this. He tried to have one of my best friends killed. Screw him!”
“And how did that work out for you?” She’s got me there.
I drop my gaze to my plate. “I thought Ford was dead and fled with him.”
“You have to remember who you're dealing with if you have any chance of helping us win this war. Travis is not a young wolf. He's very smart and his fighting strategies are solid.”
“We need to train harder. We need to get the pack together and working as one cohesive unit.” Aries states. Cassandra nods in agreement.
“We need to find out if any of the females will be joining,” Lealla adds.
With a hard tone he says, “No way. I don't want them in battle.”
“That's not up to you. The female shifters make up their own minds about this. The human mates will stay here with me to protect the children.”
“I’m fighting,” Cassandra states with conviction.
Aries head whips to his mate. “You’re not.”
“Don’t you tell me what I can and cannot do. I’m in this as much as any of the males in the pack are, and I’m not sitting on the sidelines while you risk your life. I’m going to be there as will the other female shifters.” Aries opens his mouth to say something else, but the glare Cassandra gives him keeps him silent.
If any of the other mate relationships are like Rion’s and mine, those females don’t listen to a thing their mate says. Cassandra is a perfect example. She wants to be involved. She wants to fight.
“Wouldn't it be safer to leave with everyone who is vulnerable?” I ask, changing the subject of the female shifters fighting. “The war won't take place far from here.”
“There's a large, secure room under this house. It's stocked with food and all the supplies we need. And if worse comes to worse, we'll have a vampire down there with us who can teleport us out.”
“Can I bring Paige and Brayden by to stay with you as well? I worry that someone will come for them since they know of paranormals now and are on Travis' radar.”
“Of course. I wouldn't want anything happening to them. Besides, you'll be more effective if you aren't worrying about their safety.”
Something else has been bothering me. Time to bring it up. “Why hasn't Travis tried to go after my parents? Not that I want him to, but I'm wondering why he hasn’t. He's targeted Paige and Brayden but not them. I keep wondering if I should tell them everything so they can be more aware of their surroundings. Or if it’s better to leave it be, keeping them unaware.”
“We'll be sure to have someone watching over them when all this happens. We have extra wolves who are part of the pack but not mated. Two of them would be assigned to your family. It will be easy to have them there instead of a mated male who would want to be near here, guarding his mate. But I wouldn't reveal yourself to your parents as a paranormal. At least not yet. They won't accept it as well as your friends did.”
“Oh, I can see them hauling me off to the hospital for evaluation, like I asked Rion to do when he first shifted in front of me.”
Lealla smiles. “Everyone reacts differently when they find out. You took it better than most.”
“Better? I thought I was losing my mind.” The day he revealed himself to me seems like so long ago, even though it wasn’t. I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime since then. So much has happened. So much that has changed the way I see things.
“Dante's mate fainted. Then, when she came to, he talked to her and shifted once more. She fainted again. It happened over and over. Every time he shifted, she'd pass out. It took a lot of convincing to get her on board with the whole thing.”
“I remember that from his story but wasn't sure if it was true.”
“Very,” she chuckles and so does Cassandra.
Knowing the stories Lealla writes can be partially true makes me wonder which things in them are facts and which are part of her imagination. When I read their book, I thought it was hysterical that Mira kept fainting. Although, having the knowledge I do now, I feel bad that she had to go through that. It’s not easy finding out your boyfriend is a wolf.
We’re eating as Aries discusses strategy with Rion. Dante enters when we're done, and the two of them leave to continue the planning and preparation of training.
“Why isn't the pack war happening now? Why is Travis waiting?” I ask.
“Because he needs more on his side,” Lealla states. “The longer he has, the more he can recruit. He's also hoping you'll keep making mistakes in his favor. Every time you interact with him, or one of his pack, he spins it so he comes out on top and you appear like a foolish, impulsive child. The ones he’s trying to recruit are only hearing his side. They’re bel
ieving him because they haven’t met you.”
“Hey, I'm not foolish and impulsive.” Rion squeezes my hand under the table. Wait, I’m totally impulsive. This is a nightmare.
“You aren't foolish. I agree with that,” she adds. “But you’re impulsive. That being said, it's not a bad thing. Your impulses are almost always on point. They lead you in the right direction. You have a strong, natural ability to detect what's right and what needs to be done. You go into things with your heart in the right place. You're a powerful ally, but for those who don't know you, and hear rumors rather than facts, they don't see you that way. And paranormals want to be on the winning side of this war.”
Every single day, I sink deeper into this quicksand that is my life. No matter what I do, I can’t get any leeway. I wish I could. Now I have Travis using my decisions to his advantage. Lovely. Just what I want. For more paranormals to turn their backs on Lealla and the Avynwood Pack.
“How do I convince more of them to side with your pack?”
“Keep being yourself. You've already swayed most of the vampires.”
“What?” I ask, shocked. “How did I do that?”
I don’t even know any vampires outside of Kiara, Eloise, and Ford. This makes me wonder how many vampires there are in the world. Are they all loners like Ford, or do they live together in a big home like the wolves?
“You risked your life going into Travis' home to save Kiara.”
“It wasn't only for her.”
“No, but she was part of the reason. You were determined to get her and Paige out of there. That went a long way with their race.” Interesting. I'd rather have vampires on our side than foxes, so I guess it’s good I swayed a bunch of them.
“Does that mean you're in this?” Rion asks, having heard my thoughts and my use of the word ‘our’.
“I don't think there's any way for me not to be. After all I've heard, all that's happened, I'm not sure I can turn my back on Lealla and the pack. Or on you. The other paranormals, either. I'm here for a reason. It's time I finally embraced that.”
Now that the decision is made, and I’ve spoken it out loud, a gentle calm—as well as resolute determination—falls over me. I've been so wrapped up in trying to keep everyone safe. Maybe I can do that by fighting for them instead of turning away and ignoring what's going to happen.
How would I feel if I didn't try to fight or to help the pack out and then more die? I'm not sure there is any win in this situation, but I can't sit by and let everyone else fight, especially Rion, while I do nothing. I'd rather be there, having his back, than sitting at home imagining what could be happening.
I want to be in the middle of this. I want to fight. At least I have the power to heal. However, if someone comes at me with a sickle, I'll need to run hard and fast. I've gotten used to my head being attached to my body. Wouldn't want anything happening to it.
That has me thinking. I wonder what other powers Ford has that he can give me. I want to be as strong as I can be.
“No way,” Rion states firmly, hearing my thoughts. “You're not letting that vampire sink his teeth into you ever again. Over my dead body.”
“Don't say that,” I shake my head. “Don't joke about being dead. Not after everything.”
“I'm not joking, Ari. I don't want him touching you again like that. You're perfect the way you are. You were perfect long before he gave you powers.”
“But this could benefit me—us—and the pack. Why wouldn't I want that?”
“Because every time Ford bites you, he falls deeper in love with you,” Lealla interjects. “Your connection with him grows.”
“Say what now? He's not drinking my blood.” This is the kind of information people should give me before I let a vampire bite me. I mean, come on. I put part of that blame on Ford. He knows what’s happening and keeps doing it.
“No, he’s not drinking from you, but he's giving you a piece of himself. Orion's right. I think from this point on, you need to embrace the powers you have and not focus on gaining more.”
“What about his mom? She bit me, too.”
“Yes, at her son's pleading. Plus, I’m sure she saw everything in his mind. She knows of his love for you. She also knows you'd make a strong mate for her son. Her motives weren’t strictly pure.”
“Does that mean he didn’t start falling for me until he bit me the first time?”
“I doubt it. He had to have some feelings for you already before he bit you. Vampires don’t go around giving their powers to just anyone. It’s a very personal decision for them. A gift they’re bestowing.”
“Wait, does that mean his mom is in love with me, too?”
Lealla chuckles. “No. As I said, Ford must have already had feelings for you. But with every bite, he grew closer to you. A vampire’s bite isn’t all about function. It’s not always about them feeding or gifting power. Sometimes, it’s personal and intimate.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. There was nothing intimate about his bite.”
“Not for you.”
Suddenly, I remember Ford’s thoughts the last time he bit me. Definitely no more bites from Ford. Out of the question.
Why is it every time I think I'm starting to get a handle on things, something else happens and I feel like I'm being spun out of control again? They’re both right. I have to keep Ford's teeth out of my neck. I don't want him falling harder for me than he already has. That is reserved for Rion. I want him to be madly and deeply in love with me.
Rion leans over and presses his lips to my cheek. “I'm already there, little mouse. Utterly devoted, too.” Once again, I'm melting in my seat at his sweet words.
15
After hugging Lealla and thanking her for dinner, we walk outside and decide to take the path leading from the mansion to Aries' home. He's still with Dante, working on things. Cassandra went to talk to Mira. So I'm going to soak in this time with Rion.
His hand threads with mine, our connection shooting sparks through my body as I lean my head on his shoulder. There is no way I'll ever get tired of this. The way he makes me feel. How he always puts me first. This right here—our bond—it's purely magical, and I don't want to ever let it go.
“So does that mean you're not giving up on us?” he asks, reading my thoughts.
“I thought we covered this back at the house.”
“No, you said you couldn't turn your back on Lealla, the pack, and me, but you didn't specify us.”
I stop and peer up at him. “If I can't turn my back on all of that, including you, what makes you think I can on what we have? I love you.”
Leaning down, he brushes his lips over mine in a gentle kiss. All of Rion's love and devotion pours into me, along with his thoughts. How I could ever run away from this, I'm not sure. I was stupid for thinking that. Maybe others are right. I am foolish. However, I won't be, going forward. I'm going to dive deep into this relationship with Rion. I'm going to hold on and never let go. I'm going to fight with everything in me for this pack.
A howl pierces the air, causing Rion to pull back from me and turn sharply toward the sound. His body stiffens; his grip on my hand tightens.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Carter and Cash run by us in wolf form at a rapid speed. Rion remains by my side. He’s no longer tense; his shoulders slump.
“It's Wake,” Rion says somberly. “He's calling out for the pack.”
“How do you know?”
“You forget I grew up with him. I recognize his voice and the tone of his call. He misses us.”
“Then go to him. Tell him you miss him, too.”
He turns to face me. “I can't. I may miss the friend and cousin I had, but that doesn't dismiss everything.”
“This is ridiculous,” I murmur and shake Rion’s hand from mine.
With a quick snap of my fingers, I teleport through the darkness toward the sound. I have no clue where I'm going, only picturing trees and the mountain. But with each snap, Wake's long, lonely
howl gets closer. Then, with one final snap, I'm standing before him, a stream of calm water running between us. His white wolf is standing on the thick grass as his face angles toward the dark sky, howling an eerily sad cry.
“Wake,” I say gently. He finishes his call then lowers his head to look at me. “Carter and Cash are coming. You need to go.” He shakes his head from side to side. “If you think you're going to stay here for them to attack you, you’re wrong.” He will not do this again. He will not try to end his life by having the Avynwood Pack kill him.
His response is to lie down near the water. Great. I try reading his thoughts, but he has a block up, and I don’t want to invade his privacy. He’s keeping me out on purpose. I spin as the sound of running wolves reaches me. Their feet pad quickly over the forest floor. Nope. They aren't getting past me. I widen my stance, crouching slightly, ready for a fight.
Carter and Cash grind to a halt in front of me. “If you want to get to him, you're going to have to get past me.” They both growl as they warn me with their minds to move. “Nope. Not going to happen. I'm not going anywhere. I'm stronger than you and faster. You make one lunge toward Wake, and I’ll teleport him out of here so fast you'll get whiplash. You will not hurt him,” I warn. “He might not be part of your pack anymore, but he's my friend, and I protect my friends with my life.”
Both of their heads whip to their right at the same time.
“You about done here, princess?” Ford asks from his spot leaning against a tree.
“I can't believe you let him come here!” I shout.
“I'm not his keeper. He's an adult shifter who does what he wants,” he says in an even tone.
“Yet you knew where to find him.”
“I knew where to find you.”
“You and me, vampire, we need to have words.”
He drops his gaze to the ground where he kicks a rock with his boot. “There's nothing you need to say to me that I don't already know.”
My statement has more to do with our current situation. Wake is lying down, waiting for his pack to pounce on him. Ford, on the other hand, is speaking about our differing feelings. Why isn’t anything easy?
The Somber Call (The Ariane Trilogy Book 2) Page 11