Ever After

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “I would love to come with you if I can get the time off.” Of course, she’d miss the cash when she had to buy food, but it would be worth it to see where he lived. “I thought you lived in Philly.”

  “I do.” He kissed her gently. Travis had been holding back his kisses, and she knew he did it to restrain himself since he was waiting for her to be ready. He’d told her that much when she’d asked him the night before. They’d gone to a midnight movie. Travis kept finding more and more things for them to do. She wondered if he spent his day researching events they could use as dates within one hour of her apartment.

  He continued. “I’d like to bring you to Philadelphia to meet my people and then take you to see the stars. Then, the night after, there’s something else we’ll do. I know you’ll worry about missing work, but I’m sure Matilda won’t mind.”

  “Okay.” She smiled. “It’s a deal.”

  He cleared his throat. “There are some things I need to show you. I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you truths about my life that might be kind of hard for you to completely understand. I decided the best way would be to show you. We would need to do that the second night.”

  Her heart kicked up. “You’re really married with eight children and you want me to come be your third wife?”

  “What?” He laughed. “Who would do that?”

  “You might be surprised. Okay.” She rolled onto her belly. “Whatever it is, just tell me.”

  “I’d really rather show you. Can you trust me that long?”

  “Yes.” She realized she did. Completely. Some time over the last week and a half Travis had managed to make her believe in him. She could trust him long enough to let him show her whatever he wanted her to see. If she didn’t like whatever it was, she trusted him enough to believe he’d bring her home and not cause her any pain.

  Lilliana yawned, covering her mouth. “Oh. Wow. I’m sorry about that.”

  “That’s okay.” He smiled. “You work too hard.”

  “Well, we all have our lots in life. This one is mine.”

  “No.” He tugged her against him until she lay on top of his body. “You’re bound for other things. This is a temporary stop for you.”

  When he spoke like that, she could almost believe he meant forever. He couldn’t already, could he? She’d once told her mother that she believed she’d fall in love fast and that it would last eternally. Her mother had laughed. Nothing lasted that long. Not even love.

  An image of the story he’d told her filled her mind. The wolves that had wished for the human woman. If that story could have been true, that love would have been instantaneous and forever.

  She closed her eyes. “I think I could fall asleep right here on the floor. This is so…perfect.”

  “Do it.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll make sure you get to your bed.”

  Once again, he’d said the perfect thing.

  ****

  “Here is your check, Mr. Matthews.” She smiled and set it down. Her last customer of the day, and now she’d get to go home and see her guy when he picked her up for her few days away.

  Would she like Philadelphia? She’d only left New Jersey once when her school had taken them on a field trip to see the Statue of Liberty. She’d always wanted to go to Pennsylvania.

  Humming, she headed to the back of the restaurant to grab her purse. The door rang, and she turned to see who’d entered. A man wearing a suit sauntered in, rather than walked. A blond crew-cut-styled hair topped a long, strong face with high cheekbones and brown eyes. He had one long scar that ran the length of his face, from his left eye to the bottom of his chin.

  Handsome. She shivered. Yet not as appealing as her Travis.

  He had eyes only for Matilda. She stood up and hugged him. “I’m so happy to see you.”

  He smiled at her. “Yeah. Well, I wasn’t sure I should come at all. Son of a bitch calls for peace in one hand and sends his dirty dogs to attack my people in the other.”

  Matilda sucked in her breath. “Cyrus, I don’t think that’s true. He’s not attacking you. He wants what we all want. A peaceful accord for this region.”

  “Three attacks this week alone. They went after pregnant women.”

  The old woman shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like him.”

  Cyrus made a sound that could only be described as animalistic, almost as though he’d growled. “You have always had a blind spot for just how evil he is.”

  Lilliana turned on her heel. She didn’t need to hear whatever it was about. Clearly it was a conversation that fell into the this-is-none-of-her-business category. Evil. Attacks. If Matilda was into something she shouldn’t be with the blond man, Cyrus, Lilliana preferred not to know.

  She dropped off her apron and headed back out after clocking her final minutes into the payroll machine. Cyrus and Matilda still argued in low voices. Scooting to the side, she touched Matilda on the shoulder before heading to the front door.

  A hand on her arm stopped her short. She looked down, shock traveling up her arm that the blond man had his fingers wrapped around her skin.

  “Who are you?” His brown eyes were huge and not at all kind when they regarded her.

  “Excuse me?” She tried to rip her arm back, but he had it secured.

  “Cyrus, remember yourself, please. You have two days until the turn. This girl is none of your concern.” Matilda didn’t sound overly concerned, which made Lilliana gasp. It didn’t bother her boss that this person was manhandling her inside Matilda’s restaurant?

  “You must belong to him. You smell of him. His scent is all over you.” He sniffed the air. “You’re very, very pretty. Maybe you should belong to me instead.”

  “Get your hand off me.” She wrenched her arm back, and this time he let her go. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, mister. I don’t belong to anyone. I can have you killed if you put your hands on me.” An empty threat, but, she hoped an effective one.

  Cyrus leaned against the hostess table, a smile lighting his features. “Oh? You think so?” He pointed to her neck. “That’s an interesting necklace. Did your boyfriend, the one I assume you could have kill me, give that to you?”

  Lilliana hadn’t told him she had a boyfriend. As she narrowed her eyes at him, she put her hand on the female wolf. She’d gotten so attached to it that she never even thought of removing it. “It’s mine.” Her necklace and where she got it was none of this man’s concern.

  “Actually, it should be mine.” He held out his hand. “It belonged to my mother’s family. Give it to me. Now.”

  “Are you crazy? I don’t have to give you anything.” She looked at Matilda. “Have a nice few days. I’ll see you when I get back.”

  Matilda nodded at her, but the other woman’s eyes never came off Cyrus. “Have a good time.”

  She would, and if she had any luck, she’d never have to see the creep Cyrus again.

  ****

  She was almost ready, and she still had two hours until Travis would come pick her up. Maybe she should take the time and do something a little extra with her hair? Would he like it curly?

  He’d told her he intended to have her portrait tattooed on his chest. She’d spent hours touching his various ink. So many colors, so many designs. All of it Travis. Wolves, birds, Greek lettering, and an all-seeing eye on his left arm alone. Her man had turned out to be very artistic. He’d done some of the designs himself. What would his picture of her look like?

  She drummed her fingers on her coffee table. Would his friends like her? She wanted them to. Maybe this would be a chance for her. She’d met a guy who she could trust—a man she knew she wanted in her bed more than she’d ever desired anyone—and she wanted to be part of his life. This weekend needed to go well.

  A loud pop caught her attention, and she whirled around just as the entire room went up in flames. She screamed and hit the ground, the whole world going black when the first wave of heat hit her.

  ****


  Lilliana’s eyes flew open, and she gasped for air. Something—no, someone—hauled her off the ground.

  It took her a second to realize that the person who had her was Cyrus, the man from the restaurant who had creeped her out.

  “What?” She coughed. Her lungs burned, her chest was tight, and her skin felt like a million needles jabbed into her pores.

  “Stop squirming. It’s hard enough to get you out of here without both of us burning to death.”

  She gasped for air. What was he doing here? He’d scared her at the diner. How had he ended up in her apartment? “Did you do this?”

  “No.” Cyrus ran down the hall with her in his arms. They’d just gotten out the front door when the building exploded. She hit the ground, still in his arms, after Cyrus was thrown forward onto the pavement. He twisted so she’d landed on top of him instead of beneath. He cursed, and she groaned.

  Cyrus stood up, setting her to the side. Blood dripped down his arm where he’d been cut and he tugged his shirt off to expose more cuts underneath. “I’m sorry I should have gotten us out of there more smoothly.

  She couldn’t even speak, couldn’t manage to make her lungs work. Everything ached. Her insides felt like they might melt.

  Cyrus shook his head. “I didn’t expect it to blow that fast.” He pulled her back in his arms. “You’re seriously hurt aren’t you? I can smell blood and I’m not seeing it on you. That means its inside. Shit. I can’t have that. You’re not good to me dead, she-wolf.”

  His words didn’t make any sense to her, but it didn’t matter anyway because the world went loopy and then black.

  That was okay. She preferred the unconsciousness to so much pain.

  ****

  Travis pulled up to the apartment building, his heart lodged in his throat. Fire trucks blocked the entrance while police, emergency workers, and firemen ran all over. Lilliana’s building blazed like an inferno.

  He left his car in the middle of the street. Someone could tow him if they wanted it gone. “Lilliana.” He screamed at the building as though she’d answer him from that far away.

  His legs moved before his mind could consciously catch up to what was going on. She should be home right now; she’d known he would be coming for her at this hour. And if she wasn’t there, she would have called or texted him.

  “Lilliana.” He screamed again, plowing in and over an EMT who got in his way. The man said something, but Travis didn’t hear what it was. He had to find his mate.

  Two days from the change, his senses were heightened, wild in their ability to process information. He sniffed the air. She wasn’t there. Not on the street, not staring at the building, not waiting in any parked cars. Lilliana was not there.

  Travis grabbed on to one of the police officers. “Was anyone in there when that happened? Is anyone hurt?” Maybe she hadn’t had her phone with her when she fled the building.

  “Yes.” The police officer nodded. “Several people were taken to the hospital. We’ve had a number of casualties. There was no warning. Just flames and then an explosion. Are you missing someone?”

  “A girl. Twenty-four years old. Blonde. Her name is Lilliana Rouse.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t have any of the victims’ names yet. If you come with me…”

  Whatever the police officer would have said faded away. His senses had picked up a scent. Two of them, actually. He moved away from the cop and bent down on the ground. Raising a piece of torn cloth to his nose, he inhaled deeply. Cyrus Fennell and, on the ground near the blood-stained clothing, his mate’s blood.

  He stood up. Cyrus Fennell had been there, and that could only mean one thing.

  The Alpha of New York City had taken his mate. She was injured; that much had been obvious from the smell. Cyrus had done this. New York had just declared war on Philadelphia.

  Travis smiled, feeling the surge of adrenaline that his wolf side knew meant violence would be coming. Peace be damned. He’d get his mate back and show Cyrus just how much of a mistake it was to screw with him. Everyone who’d lost his or her lives to Cyrus’ games would be avenged. He’d had enough of playing nice with the evil bastard.

  Chapter Four

  Lilliana awoke to voices. She had no idea who they belonged to, but based on how horribly her body ached and the pounding in her head, she hoped they were a top medical team who would take care of her without charging her a penny.

  A woman spoke. “She’s hurt, and she’s not fully one of us. I don’t know how long the regeneration is going to take. Hybrids are always tricky. Before you say another word, Alpha, I’m the very best, and I wouldn’t lie to you about that. You’re my brother.”

  “Lake.” She heard a loud sigh and immediately knew whose voice it was that answered. Cyrus. He’d rushed into the fire to get her. Of course, he might have set said fire even though he’d claimed not to. People frequently lied. “Do the best you can. I need her alive, and I need her kept hidden from Travis until I get what I want.”

  “And what would that be?”

  A growl sounded in the room. “You’ll know when I want you to know.”

  “Right. This is that kind of a thing.” Whoever this woman was verbally rolled her eyes. Lilliana could practically hear it.

  “Our guest is waking.” Lilliana heard footsteps, and Cyrus stood over her.

  “How could you tell?” A woman appeared on the other side of Cyrus. She shared his blond hair and blue eyes. Their faces were similarly shaped, long and elegant looking, but she was small whereas Cyrus probably stood at the same height as Travis. Thinking of him brought pain to her chest. Cyrus had said his name. They must know each other. How? Through Matilda?

  “I’m the Alpha.”

  “As if that explains everything.” The woman leaned over Lilliana. “I’m Lake Fennell. I’m his little sister and Healer for our pack. I don’t know everything, but I can promise you we will keep you safe until whatever business the Alphas have is finished.”

  “The Alphas?” Her voice croaked. She wanted to go back to sleep, but the pain was too much. How badly must she be burned? Perhaps death would be preferable to surviving a few more days in a body that would never heal.

  Lake lifted her eyes to look at Cyrus before she stared back down at Lilliana. “Cyrus and your Alpha, Travis.”

  “Why are you calling him the Alpha? What does that mean?” Some kind of gang terminology? Travis had said he had things to tell her, things he wanted her to see. Was that his secret? Something to do with Cyrus?

  “She doesn’t know.” Cyrus exhaled loudly. “This is too ridiculous. She must be latent. Of course, Travis would find himself a mate who doesn’t know she’s a wolf. You’re a werewolf. Or at least you’re half one. I’m a full one. My baby sister is here is one too. And your boyfriend…he is too. You’re his mate. I’m sorry he didn’t see fit to tell you. You’re quite pretty. I like how you smell. If you’d like to trade up, I can’t promise you a true mating since I don’t think such things exist, but I can promise you that you’ll prefer New York City to Philadelphia.”

  Lake elbowed him. “You’re terrifying her.”

  “I’m not scared.” She had too much pain for real fear. “I think you people are all out of your minds. Take me to a hospital.”

  Cyrus smiled. “When was the last time someone spoke to me like that?” He laughed, a long hard sound. “You’d be dead in a hospital. Lake here is holding on to your soul until you can heal. You’ll be fine.” He pointed to her necklace again. “I want that totem. He should never have had it. Cousin or no cousin. She liked me best.”

  “Shh.” Lake elbowed Cyrus before putting her hand on Lilliana’s arm. “Rest.”

  As if Lake’s command made it happen, Lilliana fell fast asleep confused as ever.

  ****

  Travis stormed into his headquarters, not surprised to see all the senior members of his pack waiting for him. He’d called them together, and they always did what he said.

 
“What is it, Trav?” His second-in-command, Douval, walked forward. “I could hear it over the phone. Something’s happened.”

  “Cyrus Fennell.” He roared. His beast wanted to rise two days early. As Alpha he could do so if he wished. Everyone else would have to wait until the moon. Only he didn’t want the change. Not yet. The wolf would wait until it could eat its prey. “He’s taken—and maybe killed—my mate.”

  Someone gasped, and the rest of the assembled pack remained silent. They’d known Lilliana would be coming. Some of them had started to plan nice things for her to do, ways to make her feel welcome. He’d watched the small touches happening around the main repair shop. One of the older women had asked if she could take Lilliana shopping. He loved his people. They would have made her transition easier for her. Their joy at his finding a mate, even during wartime, had been palpable. A piece of joy to counteract the otherwise crappy circumstances.

  “What’s the plan?” Douval asked, speaking for the pack. They didn’t question Travis motives; they never did. He’d earned their trust with his blood. Still, he liked to tell them more than others might.

  “I went to her apartment. The building was ablaze. A couple of people are dead. She might be as well. His blood-soaked shirt was on the ground and I could smell her blood.”

  He stormed into his office, and then turned around. “Tomorrow. It’s the full moon. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect time to begin the Take Manhattan plan.”

  Travis waited to see if anyone would contradict him or suggest a better idea. They knew they could speak up. He didn’t rule by terror. No one spoke so he said one last thing. “I never wanted this. I hoped we’d never have to use the battle plan. I wanted to rule Philly. Cyrus could have kept Manhattan. I have no interest in Alpha Prime. That position could have stayed dead when Lucian died. Cyrus has waged war by taking my mate, which means New York City will be mine by the time the sun rises in the sky after the full moon.”