“Sweet dreams, Ray,” she breathed, blinking slowly, as she caressed his shoulder. Ray ran his right hand up her body, feeling her chest rhythmically rise and fall beneath his palm. Julia was descending into the arms of Morpheus, as he pushed a few strands of her hair back from her face. All that beauty, all that tranquility birthed a thought in his mind, one that he never believed he would conceive:
“Sometimes, reality is so much better than dreams.”
Rising from the floor, he stretched his arms. Ray had been feeling fatigue eating away at him, even before the celebration began. Now, he could finally rest his wearied body. Still, he would not lie in bed just yet. He meant to catch one last glimpse of his siblings. Therefore, he moved around his bed, and went to his window. The crisp, night air rushed into his bedroom, as he pulled the window sill up. Much to his dislike, the yard was empty. But, before the feeling of sadness could settle over him, the scent that stormed into his nostrils puzzled him. It was no stranger to him; it had been a while since he had last smelled it, but, he could make no mistake about it: shifter’s pheromones, the female scent of arousal of his kind. Ray could not let this go uninvestigated. He had no idea about her identity, and, in truth he could not even guess as to who was approaching their property, especially so late at night, but he had to see for himself. For all he knew, this could be any female of his town, trying to seduce his Alpha.
Ray pulled the window sill down in a hurry, and spun around. He wouldn’t tiptoe out of his bedroom; this was much more important than disrupting Julia’s sleep. He jumped over most of the staircase steps, his gaze caught on the cabin entrance, his pulse rising more and more by the second. The scent of pheromones grew even stronger, as he swung his door open. Ray jumped outside, feeling his heart thumping against his chest. A glance to his left confirmed his suspicions. There was a female in the area. Still, this was no ordinary female. She was not residing in his town. It was Dominic’s cousin, Victoria. Her outfit was much different than the faded jeans and the loose, purple t-shirt she had on the night before. She wore a short, denim skirt and a red, low-cut top that left little to the imagination. The moonlight was reflecting off her long, bronze legs, as she sauntered towards him. Her lips curved into a seductive smile, as their gazes met. In an instant, Ray felt his blood boiling in his veins and pound in his temples. The blonde outsider was trespassing. Her presence in his pack’s territory was punishable by death.
“Awake so late?” Victoria’s feminine voice tore through the silence. “That’s too bad. I was hoping to sneak up on you.”
“You’d better get the hell out of here, Victoria,” Ray grumbled, narrowing his eyes at her. “You have no right being here. You know that.”
“Relax, Ray,” she urged, her tone calm as she stopped in front of him. “I’m not here to fight you. I’ve come bearing a proposal. Would you like to hear it?”
“Not really,” he groaned, lightly shaking his head sideways. “Leave: now.”
“Your scouts said your brothers have already chosen mates.” Victoria raised her tone, undeterred by the nasty glare in his eyes. “You haven’t. Mating with you would secure some living space for my pack. What if we…” she paused, and slowly leaned closer, “…tightened up our relationship?”
Her voice was dripping with lust. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled with a mix of desire and mischief, as she reached her hand to his crotch. Victoria cupped his balls over his pants, nudging her nose against his cheek. She was turning him on; under normal circumstances, Ray would have seized the opportunity. Nevertheless, this situation was anything but normal. Victoria was his enemy, and Julia was sleeping on his bed.
“You’re playing with fire,” he spoke through gritted teeth, his breath getting heavier, as he intensified his stare.
“Why?” She asked in a sexy whisper, flicking the tip of her tongue over his cheek. “Is it because of the sweater you’ve been dating?”
A ferocious snarl rumbled from his throat, as she finished her sentence. Ray had not allowed his own brother to taunt Julia. An outsider like her absolutely had to pay the price for her rudeness. Thrusting his right arm up, he grabbed the blonde by the throat. A violent jerk to his left pinned her up against the outer wall of his cabin. Killing rage began to sweep through him, as he firmed his grip.
“Sweater?” He growled, a gray glow spreading across his eyes, as he let his beast peer out of them. “I should rip your heart out right here and now, you fucking whore!”
“Humans are weak,” Victoria choked out, squirming, as her eyes narrowed to slits. “Even the ones like her.”
“Like her?” Ray squinted at her. “What are you talking about? What’s so special about her?”
“I can’t breathe.” More of her choked out words convinced him to loosen his grip. Ray released her neck, his chest heaving, as he eagerly awaited her answer. “Damn it…” Victoria coughed, tilting her head down. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Don’t make me ask twice,” he demanded in an authoritative tone, casting a vicious glare down at her. “I’m waiting.”
“Why don’t you ask her about her parents?” Victoria suggested, dragging her gaze up to meet his; “her father, in particular. Believe me; she’ll have a lot to say about him.”
“You tell me,” Ray commanded, unable to banish the rage that sent his voice down an octave. “Who was he?”
“Like I said, ask her,” she smirked, swallowing hard. “You can torture me all you like. I’m not telling you. Goodnight, Ray Bradford.” Victoria walked away, shuffling off past him. A wave of doubt descended upon him, as he found himself alone in the yard. For a moment, Ray believed that his rival was simply playing mind games with him. Sowing the seed of doubt within him would be an ideal way for her to break his spirit. But Victoria maintained eye contact with him the entire time. She was either a great liar, or she was telling him the truth. In any case, Ray had a long and difficult conversation with Julia ahead of him; one that he could only hope did not end up in an argument.
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning, Ray was relieved to discover that he would have to wait for the motorcycle lift all by himself. Unlike him, both of his brothers were recovering from bad hangovers. Neither of them would be able to notice the black circles under his eyes, or his poor emotional state. That fact made him feel at least somewhat better. Explaining everything he knew to them would take a while, and was guaranteed to feed the feeling of frustration that had been building up within him. A long narrative was not going to restore him. If anything, it would upset him even further. More than that, the news of Victoria strolling into their estate would enrage Raul. No outsiders could walk into their realm, unless the ones charged with safeguarding it are fast asleep. Ray would have to witness his brother’s outburst once more. His Alpha could take out his anger on his pack on any other day; just not this day.
After testing the motorcycle lift for a few minutes, Ray was left with nothing to do. The thought of confronting Julia compelled him to take action. He would talk things through with her eventually, but, for the moment, he needed to get away from Paxton. Unfortunately, however, his plans for a morning ride were overthrown just when he exited his workshop. Julia was coming his way, all smiles and obviously in very good mood.
“Good morning,” she chirped, craning her neck to kiss him. “I slept like a baby last night.”
“I’m glad one of us slept,” he muttered, dropping his gaze down to the ground.
“What’s with the frown, Ray?” The sweetness in Julia’s tone vanished, as her small hand came into his view. “Please, don’t tell me it’s about that war again,” she requested, tipping his chin up.
“Right after you fell asleep last night, I, uh…” Ray faltered, bringing his gaze back to her face. “I had a visitor; their Alpha’s cousin. She…”
“She?” Julia interjected in a squeaky tone, as a wave of surprise washed over her face. “What was she doing here? It was like…”
“3a.m.,” he stat
ed, finishing her sentence. “Take an educated guess.”
“Ok, what’s her name? What does she look like?” She spoke too fast, as her face hardened.
“Nothing happened,” Ray assured her, his voice steady, as he gazed deep into her eyes. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“It’s not you I’m mad at,” Julia explained, as a hesitant smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “I need to teach her a lesson.”
“Ok…” a snort of derision left his lips. “Hold your horses. You can’t possibly think you could…”
“What? Smack some sense into her?” Frustration and anger sent her voice three octaves up, as her eyes widened. “I don’t care if she’s a wolf. I’d still take her on.”
“Oh, Julia…” Ray let out a huff of exasperation, pursing his lips, as he tilted his head back. “Last night, you said I couldn’t understand something, because I’m not human. The roles have been reversed. Now, it’s you who is the one who can’t understand. When two humans get into a fight, it involves hair pulling, scratching, slapping, punching and kicking. But, when it comes to wolves, they fight to the death. It doesn’t stop, until one of them stops breathing. Now, I appreciate it that you want to ‘smack some sense into her’, but please, bear that in mind, will you?”
“You’re right,” Julia said with a nod, averting her gaze from his, while an expression of regret crossed her face. “That would be pretty stupid of me.”
“Mess…” he croaked, running his hand through his hair. “She mentioned your father. What can you tell me about him?”
“My father?” She wondered, returning her attention to him. “She knew him?”
“Obviously;” Ray shrugged. “Well?”
“It’s one sad story,” Julia remarked, biting her lower lip. “I still cry for him sometimes. Anyway…” she drew in a sharp breath. “His name was Ronald Stinson. He worked in advertising. He was really tall, 6’3”, 6’4” maybe. He had jet-black hair, and blue eyes; very handsome. He used to work out a lot, too. Monica had a crush on him for years. She wouldn’t admit it of course, but I could tell. She blushed, every time he talked to her. He was really romantic with my mother. He bought her presents, took her to fancy restaurants all the time… Which is why I was stunned to hear that he had cheated on her with his secretary. It made no sense. I mean, obviously he was in love with my mom. Why would he jeopardize his relationship with her? Why would he destroy his home?”
“That’s it?” Ray inquired, his voice filled with surprise. “Are you sure?”
“I don’t remember what size shoe he was, but I’m guessing a fourteen, easy.” She declared in a tone riddled with sarcasm. “What more do you need?”
“Nothing,” Ray retorted, as a feeling of calmness spread over him. “I was expecting to hear something weird. I didn’t; he sounds perfectly normal. That bitch played me.”
“Let’s not talk about her,” Julia suggested, placing her hands on his chest. “I called in sick, before I came outside. I told my supervisor I’d have to stay home for the rest of the week. So, do you have any ideas about a romantic date? Perhaps something that doesn’t involve any of those sleazy bars up in Shandaken?”
“Don’t worry; I’ll think of something,” he replied as he smiled down at her and curled his arms around her shoulders. Ray would not admit it to her, but, in truth, a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Victoria had made him believe that Julia’s father was part of the supernatural world; yet, this could not be further from the truth. Now, he was free; free to enjoy his relationship with her, and he only had one thing in mind: how to plan the perfect date.
Chapter Fifteen
“So, what would be a spot for a perfect date? Well… I’d pick Warrick’s place, but, every time I think about it, I remember what happened there: too much killing; too much blood. So, what about Clover Lake? Nah. Raul and Dean have turned it into their personal playground. I’ll never hear the end of it, if I go there, too. I wonder if we should check out Acheron River. We can’t walk there; it’s four miles west of here. But… it’s fantastic out there! There’s an unobstructed view of Paxton, and we can even take a nighttime swim. It’s perfect.”
Sitting at his kitchen table, staring up at the thick logs of the ceiling, Ray was considering his options, as Julia took a shower. Acheron River did sound very appealing, but, he had an urge to add to that magnificent setting. The idea that flashed through his mind brought a smile to his face.
Night had spread its veil over his birthplace, as he left the comfort of his cabin. Ray turned left and headed towards the brothers’ workshop, searching for any wood left from the reconstruction. His plan was simple, but he had a feeling that Julia would appreciate it. A large bonfire on the shore would make her heart melt. But, before he could even walk into the workshop, he caught a glimpse of a red glow, out of the corner of his eye.
“You’re getting on my nerves, pup.” Helena’s feathery voice rang in his ears, instantly bringing back her request. “Ms. Stinson has been here since last night, and you still haven’t come to visit me.”
“I don’t recall giving you her name,” Ray grunted, turning to face her. “Who gave it to you?”
“I had a little chat with Monica, two days ago,” she replied, furrowing her brow. “Why did you ignore me? I told you it was important.”
“You said it was too complicated,” he corrected her, putting a little force in his voice. “We would have visited you last night. She got a little drunk, though.”
“Fair enough,” Helena sighed. “By the way, a foreign she-wolf crossed my realm last night. I would have throttled her, but then, it occurred to me that an act of hostility would get your pack into trouble. Plus, I didn’t want to give away my presence. Her Alpha would notice the absence of bite marks on her corpse.”
“Victoria implied that Julia’s father was special, somehow,” Ray informed her, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Do you know anything about him?”
“That is precisely why I’ve been meaning to talk with you,” she declared in an emphatic tone, starting off towards him. “I have been digging up information on both of her parents.”
“Do tell,” he urged with a firm nod.
“Not yet,” Helena said, lightly shaking her head sideways. “Like I said, I need both of you. Where is she?”
“I knew I saw a red glow.” Raul’s voice echoed in the wilderness, as he closed his front door behind them. “Evening, Helena. How have you been?”
“I’m fine, thank you, firstborn,” she stated, smiling up at him over her shoulder. “Join us. This concerns you, as well.”
“I’m going to go get Julia.” Ray murmured, a grudging curiosity rising up within him, as he brushed past the witch. Still, he didn’t have time to go back to his cabin. Before he knew it, the sound of high heels on his staircase froze him to his spot. The young shifter smiled bitterly to himself at the realization that yet another one of their dates was about to be effectively ruined. Julia emerged from his kitchen door in a red miniskirt, a white blouse and matching heels, making his heart sink in disappointment. She looked stunning, sexier than ever, and he could not enjoy this at all.
“Sweet ass,” Raul silently mouthed to him, as he closed the distance between them, but not even his brother’s comment was enough to change his mood.
“Julia, this is Helena, our official guardian. Helena, this is Julia, my girlfriend,” said Ray as he introduced them, rubbing his forehead.
“You’re a real witch?” Julia spoke, her voice filled with admiration, as she offered her hand for a handshake. “It’s great to meet you.”
“The pleasure is completely mine,” Helena insisted, giving her a polite smile, as she took her hand into her own. “Raul…” she raised her tone, averting her gaze from Julia to look up at the Alpha. “Take your brother, your sister and your mates and meet us up at your grandpa’s sanctuary. You all need to hear this.”
“What?” Raul cocked his head in confusion. “Why’s that?”
“I wouldn’t call two, devoted mates ‘trouble’,” Raul disagreed, a hint of discomfort in his tone. “Monica and Kate have changed our lives. We’ve faced a lot of adversities so far, but we’ve destroyed our enemies. Why are you saying it’s getting worse? What seems to be the problem this time?”
“Please, go get them,” Helena requested, throwing a quick glance up at the Alpha’s cabin. “We’ll discuss this further, once we get to Roman’s library.”
“Dean and Kate are out for dinner. I will, but it’s going to get a little crowded in there.” Raul remarked. “I’m also meeting my scouts later tonight. Can’t we do this here?”
“We sure can,” Helena said with a nod. “Oh, by the way, I don’t know about your scouts, but your guards are not doing a very thorough job,” Helena scoffed. “Victoria was here last night. It is a blessing that your brother was able to demonstrate restraint.”
“Ray, is that true?” Tension crept in Raul’s baritone, as it picked up volume.
“Yeah, it is,” Ray affirmed. “Could you deal with it later? I’m dying to know what Helena wants to tell us.”
“Fine,” Raul grumbled, as he turned around. Helena shut her eyes, and held out her left hand, palm upward, as a gentle breeze rustled her hood.
“Book of shadow – Book of light
Show yourself to me this night
Spread the knowledge – Fear no pain
Goodness on this world will reign”
A large object began to fade into view, as the witch completed her incantation. The size – as well as the shape – sent slivers of fear slicing through Ray. Time had left its mark on the yellowish cover and the pages. It was none other than Khalista’s book of prophecies.
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