by R. E. Butler
She nodded. “Sometimes I saw the battles and the things you did, and sometimes you’d tell me about them. When you put down the previous alpha of the Blood Wolves, that was the first story I ever wrote. It didn’t actually become a novel; it was a prologue of the first book to introduce you and your pack. The books are about the alphas of the purebred packs in this part of the continent finding their true mates. Each alpha has his own book. When you had your first battle against a purebred pack, that became the first story I published.”
At his confused look, she explained how she wrote and published books, giving him a quick overview of the process. While his world lacked technology, books still existed, although they weren’t mass produced by machines or read on electronic devices.
“What I still don’t understand,” Trinity said, looking at the witch, “is how you knew about me.”
Isolde settled back in her chair and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “A few weeks ago, I stole onto the Blood Wolves’ territory and witnessed Wrath’s behavior with his people as well as overhearing his plans to go after another purebred alpha. I saw him for what he is—a male in need of his true mate. I cast a spell to locate his true mate, intending to bring the two of them together. The spell opened a portal to your world. I had no idea that I could even open a portal to another world—that’s special magic reserved for witches far older than me. But because of Wrath’s unique power as alpha, I was able to tap into that and bump the power of my spell up tenfold. The spell revealed not only your location, but the fact that you and Wrath were able to see each other in dreams.”
“If you hadn’t cast a spell to find me, would Wrath and I have ever met?”
“I don’t believe so,” Isolde said. “Blood Wolves are powerful, but not in the way of magic, and I could tell that you believed it was a dream world and nothing more. I asked you to give Wrath a true mate in the books, not because I believed you would do that, but so I could see your reaction.”
Wrath looked at Trinity. “You could change things here with your books?”
Isolde shook her head and answered, “She could’ve written into a book that you found your true mate, but it wouldn’t have actually happened. She had minor influence over this world—like the creation of Mytan and the first alpha’s history. In reality, our world operates as hers does, without intervention from anyone or anything. She wrote about the dreams you shared and had an almost god-like view of this world. Because of your bond and the shared dreams, she knows about the alphas and their mates as well as their people… everything about this world.”
“Is that why you moved so fast in the forest and knew where the magical path was?” Wrath asked.
Trinity nodded. “I drew a lot of maps of the continent. Sometimes in the dreams you and I would be walking in the woods and I would always feel like I was home. I’d wake up and draw the land. I hadn’t really been paying attention when I was walking earlier—I knew there was a cave with supplies from a previous pack at the base of the mountain, but I wasn’t thinking about Mytan’s lair being there. I thought I could go to sleep in the cave and wake up in my own world again.”
Wrath’s eyes narrowed. “You do not wish to do that now?”
“No, I don’t.”
“So,” Isolde said, “you’re here, but it’s not permanent yet.”
“What do you mean?” Trinity asked. She touched the wood and gemstone beaded necklace she still wore around her neck.
“That necklace brought you into this world, and the portal will remain open for seven days. I’ll come to you on the morning of the seventh day, and you’ll decide whether you want to stay here or return to your world. Before you make a decision, you need to know a couple things. First, if you go back to your world, you can’t return here. And I’m not entirely sure that you’ll be able to continue to have the shared dreams. You’d essentially be rejecting Wrath as your true mate, which may make the hands of fate swing a different direction—give him a new true mate, here in this world. Second, you can’t step foot in your world for even a minute. You’re either here or you’re there. No saying goodbye, no tying up loose ends.”
Trinity sucked in a harsh breath. Wrath growled. “You wish to return and leave me behind?”
“No, it’s not that. I just... I have friends that will miss me, worry about me. And I have some things that I’d love to bring here—some keepsakes from my family, some clothes and books.” She looked at Isolde. “If I can’t go back without losing Wrath, then I won’t go.”
“You don’t have to make a decision right now,” Isolde said. “Use this time to really sort through your feelings. Either way, at day seven you’re either here forever or there forever. Once you choose, that place will be your home.”
“Close the portal now,” Wrath demanded.
“I can’t,” Isolde said. “It’s part of the spell. And your mate needs to make the decision to stay here on her own. If you or I forced her to stay before she was ready, she might resent everything about this world.”
Trinity knew that she was right. While her gut reaction was to say she’d stay here with Wrath, she needed time to think. For years, she’d lived under the belief that Wrath was part of her subconscious. She might have wished—hoped, really—that he was real, but she’d never expected to be sitting in a cottage in the forest with him by her side because of a magical necklace.
“Wrath, can you give me a minute with Isolde?” Trinity asked.
He narrowed his eyes, and then he nodded sharply. He jerked his head to Auberon and the two left.
“Can I take off the necklace?” Trinity asked.
Isolde frowned. “Why wouldn’t you be able to?”
“I don’t know, because it’s magic and it brought me here? I wondered if I took it off if it might think I didn’t want to stay here and send me back.”
“It’s a necklace, it doesn’t think.”
“You know what I mean.” Trinity rolled her eyes.
“Yes, you can take it off. It has no bearing on whether you stay in this world or return to your home.”
“Where is the portal?”
“It’s hidden. You can’t get to it without me, because I cast the spell. You won’t accidentally stumble into it.”
“Good.” Trinity blew out a breath and rubbed the space between her eyes. “This is so fantastical. I still kind of feel like I’m dreaming. I mean, this is where I always wanted to be—with Wrath, with the Blood Wolves. It’s a simple life, free of the complications of the modern world, but I like that about it. Granted, I always pictured us living in a real house and not underground in the cavern, but I don’t actually mind that aspect of it. It feels safe there.” Then again, she’d always felt safe with Wrath.
“You’re not dreaming,” Isolde said. “You’re just in a different version of your world.”
The two rose to their feet and hugged.
“Do you think once the purebred alphas learn that Wrath found his true mate that they’ll know he’s not a danger anymore?”
“I think he’ll always be viewed as the villain,” Isolde said. “The purebreds and the hybrids’ animosity is long and deep. You can’t undo centuries of bad blood overnight. Assuming Wrath doesn’t go abducting people anymore and trying to take over other alpha’s territories, then they may just leave you all alone.”
Trinity nodded. “I’ll see you in seven days.”
When Isolde opened the front door, Wrath stopped pacing. His eyes were amber, and his fangs were elongated and peeking past his lips. Trinity smiled and stepped down into his arms. He sighed deeply, and she felt him relax. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d also felt being away from him until his arms were around her. Isolde gave Auberon a large lidded pot filled with the leftover stew to take to the wolves.
As they said goodbye to Isolde and began their journey to the Blood Wolves’ cavern, she knew that the next seven days were going to be difficult. It wasn’t that she’d choose to return to her own world and leave Wrath beh
ind, but she needed to make peace with the decision, and that would take some time.
She just hoped Wrath wouldn’t be too demanding and would give her time to come to terms with her new reality.
Chapter Eight
Wrath wanted to haul Trinity over his shoulder and race home, then spend the next seven days convincing her that she belonged with him. He had several ideas for how to help her make the right decision, and they all involved a lot of nakedness and pleasure.
“Is he going to be welcome in the cavern?” Trinity asked.
Wrath glanced at her. “Who?”
“Mytan. I kind of don’t want to leave him in his lair since it’s so far away.”
“Assuming he’s no danger to the pack, yes, he can come in.”
“That’s good.” She grasped a handful of his fur and gave it a playful tug. The big beast—who Wrath had only ever seen furious, with flashing fangs as he howled—let out an “aroo” sound, his tongue lolling to the side. He looked like a puppy, despite his beastly appearance.
“I think Mytan alone will ensure that the pack accepts you even though you’re not from our world. Although you say you created him, it appears as if you’ve tamed him and that will go a long way to them seeing you as unique and special.”
“Do you want to ask me anything?”
He looked over his shoulder at Auberon.
The young male lifted his brows. “I promise I won’t repeat anything you say to each other, but my ears are too sensitive not to hear what you’re saying unless you want me to leave.”
“No, I want you to keep your ears and eyes on our surroundings,” Wrath said. “And of course, I expect you to give us the illusion of privacy, and a vow of secrecy.”
“I swear,” Auberon said.
When Wrath was certain the young male’s attentions were focused on the woods and not on his mate, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Nothing had ever felt as good as touching her for real. As much as he’d enjoyed the dreams, this was far better.
“I want you to stay,” he said.
She gave him a side glance. “That wasn’t a question.”
“It’s all that’s on my mind,” he said.
She sighed. “This whole situation is crazy. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’re real, this world is real, and what I wrote about actually happened. I can’t even really describe how I feel… everything’s a jumble in my head.”
“What about your heart?”
She gave his hand a squeeze. “I know who you are. I know what we are together.” She stopped walking and he followed suit, turning to face her. Auberon scooted past them, walking a few yards away and stopping. “I want to be with you, I just need some time to get acclimated. Can you give it to me?”
“My wolf is banging in my skull to keep you here. I’d never hold you prisoner, but it’s tempting to find some place I can hole up with you until the week has passed.”
She chuckled. “I understand. You don’t have to do that, though. I promise I’m not going to run away again.”
The alpha in him—hell, the male in him—wanted to demand she vow right then and there that she’d mate with him and bind them together in the old ways, so they could rule the Blood Wolves as a mated pair. She’d be alpha female and have authority over their people. He already knew she’d balance out his rough edges. Just being with her, he could feel that his beast was calming; the threat of him going crazy in two years was dissipating with each moment that passed in her presence.
He leaned down, slowly in case she wanted to pull away from him. Her eyes darkened, and she rose onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips met. His world narrowed to her—he could hear her heart pounding, scent the blooming of her arousal, taste the sweetness of her lips. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, straightening so she was flush against him. She was a foot shorter than him, and when he drew her close, her feet left the ground.
She swiped her tongue along the seam of his lips, and he opened them, greedily accepting the decadent, deep kiss that she granted. Their tongues slid and danced together. They’d probably kissed a thousand times in their dreams over the years, but this kiss was far superior to any of those they’d shared before. The reality of her in his arms made his wolf howl joyfully in his head. He kneaded her back, sliding his hands under the silky top and finding her skin soft and warm. She made a purring sound in her throat and drew herself a little closer to him.
He didn’t want to stop the kiss, but he was aware they were out in broad daylight with only one male standing guard along with Mytan, who sat next to them, his tail swishing and his ears twitching.
She whimpered at the end of the kiss, and he nipped her bottom lip, enjoying the way her eyes were a little glazed over and unfocused when she opened them.
“We need to get to the safety of the caves,” he said.
“If you insist,” she said. “I was digging that kiss.”
“Me, too. But you know as well as I do that it’s not safe out in the forest.”
“Isn’t that usually because of Mytan?” She scratched at her beast’s chest and neck, and he closed his icy blue eyes with a happy hum.
“Yes and no. If what you said is true and the packs are gathering for a battle against my people, then there will be packs traveling through the forest to reach Veltris’s territory.” He was suddenly plagued with guilt over what he’d allowed to happen to the alpha’s mate. Veltris’s territory was one filled with game, huge bucks and deer, fat rabbits, and even larger predators like mountain lions. The animals migrated to Veltris’s territory during the cold months, and Wrath and his males had decided it would be a good idea to drive the pack out of the territory and claim it for themselves. To do that, they’d abducted Veltris’s mate and chained her up in one of the caverns. She’d put up a fight and escaped a few times, and while he hadn’t caused her injuries, he’d denied her food and water for the duration of her captivity. Knowing that Trinity actually saw what happened made him feel like a terrible male.
She touched his face. “I can see you’re troubled. What are you thinking about?”
“Veltris.”
She tilted her head. “And maybe his mate, Gemma?”
“I never should’ve taken her. A male of worth doesn’t go after a female.” He sighed. “I wish you hadn’t seen that.”
“I know why you did it. The territory’s valuable. Gemma wasn’t treated well, but it’s not like you beat her up or abused her. She was injured because she kept trying to escape, which is what any good alpha female would do. She didn’t take her abduction like a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued, she attempted to rescue herself.” She gave him a long look and he felt like she could see all the way through him. “Veltris believes all her injuries were at your hands.”
“Technically they were.”
She shrugged. “Even though Gemma told him that you didn’t actually harm her, she was pretty banged up, and Veltris believes she has memory loss or is confused about what happened. He wants you gone. You and the pack. Do you know why?”
“Because he’s purebred.”
“It’s not that simple,” she said. “His father—Alpha Renoir—is a cousin of your father’s. Distant, I think you’re fourth or fifth cousins, but being related to a Blood Wolf isn’t looked favorably upon.”
“My father was killed by his pack saving my mother and me,” he said, his voice lowering. “You’re saying that it was his own family who killed him?”
She nodded. “Sometimes I didn’t just see you or the Blood Wolves during the dreams, I saw what was going on around you. And sometimes, the stuff I saw seemed to have happened a long time ago. I didn’t realize that it was Veltris’s father who killed your father at first. You two are almost the same age, so he was a baby when your father was killed. But Veltris grew up being told that Blood Wolves—particularly you—were a disease that needed to be wiped off the face of the earth.”
; Wrath had no idea. His mother never told him that his father was killed by his own family. “It doesn’t really matter, though.”
“But it does. He’s been told his whole life that you’re a terrible person, evil and in need of destruction. He doesn’t know you’re related. The problem is that purebreds hate hybrids as much as the vampires do. Neither group likes things that are different. And it doesn’t help that you’ve spent your adult years trying to destroy the packs.”
“Good point. But again—irrelevant.”
“It’s not, Wrath. He’s your family. He should know you’re related to him. Maybe he’d change his tune and stop the coming war.”
Narrowing his gaze, he said, “He’s not going to find out. You’re certainly not going to go traipsing into purebred territory to tell him.”
She put her hands up. “I won’t. I’m just saying that you two are blood related. And that should mean something. Perhaps you can come together and fight for a different future. Hell, Wrath—you want me to stay here, but what would happen to our kids?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are they always going to be at war with the purebreds? Will there always be unrest?”
He dropped his head to his chest. “I don’t know, love. Truly.”
She cupped his face and he met her gaze. He saw love in the sapphire depths, understanding mixed with compassion. She cared about everyone—from the Blood Wolves to the purebreds.
“I promise our children will be safe,” he said. “But I can’t see the future. And if you’re here with me, then I suspect you won’t be having dreams anymore since we’ll be together. So you won’t know anything that’s happening or going to happen. Whatever comes, we’ll face it together, and I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that you’re always safe, and our children are, too.”
She kissed him and then hugged him, her arms around his neck and her face buried in his throat. “I want to go home.”
His whole body went stiff, and she chuckled.
“Sorry, what I meant to say was that I want to go to our home. It’s been a long morning, and I feel dead on my feet.”