“And you think she has something to do with me?” Chase interrupted.
“Yes,” I replied bluntly
By this point Chase was sitting up fully. I noticed the way his body tensed at the accusation, I could almost taste the anger rolling off him, but there was also another emotion hiding under the surface. Hurt? Betrayal?
“I told Riley I had nothing to do with Luke’s death. Clearly, he doesn’t believe me, because if he did, he wouldn’t have sent you out to accuse me of yet more evil. Look I know I’m not liked in Evervale, and I don’t care about that. But I can assure you I would never go near a reaper, least of all work with one,” Chase snapped.
For some reason I found myself believing the wolf. There was almost a sense of fear hidden in his words. Reapers unsettled Chase just as much as they did everyone else.
“If you didn’t call her then why is she here? She wouldn’t just turn up for no reason.”
“I don’t know. Maybe the reapers are plotting something. Who knows? They are evil creatures. Surely your kind would know something,” Chase said.
I bristled slightly, not missing the dig at the vampires in his words. I hadn’t spoken to them yet. Riley had asked me if I would do that too. I would rather have spent the whole night talking to Chase then have to face my kind. I wasn’t like them, and I had no intention of joining the clan. But I knew I was our best hope of speaking with the vampires about what was going on in Evervale.
“My little brother really has got you running around after him, hasn’t he? What is Archer doing? Normally he is Riley’s little pet,” Chase smirked.
I glared at the wolf, he was really starting to get on my last nerves, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could restrain myself from doing him damage.
“Archer has taken over from his father as Beta.”
“He doesn’t know you’re here, does he? Let me guess, he also doesn’t know that Riley came to see me the other morning. Oh, this is good. Imagine how he is going to feel when he finds out that his two best friends have been talking to the wolf accused of killing his father. I wouldn’t want to be either of you when he does,” Chase laughed.
“You don’t seem bothered about the fact Archer has taken the role you so clearly want,” I pointed out.
Chase let out a laugh that sounded distinctively like a bark.
“Please. I don’t want to be a Beta. It’s Alpha or nothing.”
“Looks like it’s nothing,” I smirked.
Chase let out a low growl, his eyes flashing amber, a sure sign that his wolf was desperate to show itself. I shook my head as I stood. I was done with this little meeting, and I wanted to get my visit to the clan over with. I wanted to grab some blood and go home to my solitude. I wasn’t the social one of the group and I had most certainly pushed my social limits to the edge over the last few days.
“Don’t waste your energy shifting, Chase. You won’t win against me, and you know it. It was nice chatting with you. I really must go,” I said.
I had slipped back into the shadows before Chase had a chance to reply, using my vampire speed to flit through the trees making my way to the edge of the forest. Finally, I reached the small path that led back to the town. I turned to head to the blood bank, hoping I wasn’t too late to sneak in and steal a few bags of human blood. I wasn’t hungry, but I was in need of some real blood.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
I spun round at the sound of Archer’s voice. He looked wild and pale, there was a look of desperation in his eyes that scared me. A wash of panic ran through me, my first thought was that something had happened to Riley.
“What’s happened? Is it Riley?”
“You need to come with me. It’s the Alpha. He’s been badly wounded in a hunting accident,” Archer told me.
I didn’t have time to press Archer for more information. The wolf was already sprinting back towards the mansion. I was grateful for my unnatural speed, it always come in handy when I needed to keep up with the wolves.
It didn’t take us long to burst through the door of the large house, taking the stairs two at a time Archer led us to one of the larger bedrooms. I stopped next to him in the doorway, taking in the scene in front of us.
Lying on the bed was Tito Nakamura, the leader and protector of Evervale. The healer from the coven, Laura, I was sure her name was, was stood over him. Her hands hovering just above his body as she chanted something. I knew that she was the only healer in Evervale, an outcast like myself, but she was good and could be trusted. If anyone was able to help the Alpha, it would be her.
My eyes scanned the room searching for my best friend. I found him stood near the window, a mix of devastation and fear on his face, his eyes never leaving his father. Luna was in his arms, her head buried in her older brother’s chest, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
I made to go towards them, wanting nothing more then to comfort them somehow, ease their pain anyway I could, but Archer stopped me. He shook his head silently, instead, pulling me out the room and leading me back down the stairs to the bar.
I sat in silence as Archer made us both a strong drink. Taking the offered glass, I knocked back the amber liquid in on swift motion. Archer mirrored me, pouring us both another.
“What happened?” I asked.
Archer took a sip of his drink before he replied.
“I don’t know really. The Alpha went hunting with our best hunter, Ollie. He had planned a family dinner with Luna and Riley tonight, and I guess he wanted to catch dinner himself. I just got a call from Ollie to say that he had been injured and that I needed to find Laura and bring her to the mansion. I did, but I never expected his injuries to be this bad. Laura has patched him up, but he wasn’t great, there was so much blood…”
Archer trailed off taking a sip of his drink. I noticed the way his hand shook, causing me to reach out to squeeze his arm gently. I could tell he was beating himself up over what had happened, and he needed to know that it wasn’t his fault.
“This isn’t your fault Archer.”
“I’m his Beta, Drax. I should have been with him when he went out hunting. Instead, I was helping you clean up the Inn. If he dies, I have failed at my duties already-“
“You haven’t failed at anything Archer, because my father isn’t going to die,” Riley interrupted him.
I was quick to my feet, pouring Riley and Luna both a drink; they looked completely broken and I felt useless not knowing what else to do or say. I noted the way Riley wouldn’t look me in the eye, and how Luna couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I wasn’t sure I believed the words Riley had just spoken, and something told me that Riley didn’t believe them either.
“Laura has managed to stop the bleeding internally, and ward off any infection for now. She has given him some sort of mixture that will help him sleep, help him heal. She really is amazing. She said she would stay with us while he heals so that she is here should anything happen. But he will be fine. My father is strong,” Riley assured us.
“This wasn’t an accident,” Luna muttered.
“Luna, not now,” Riley snapped.
“If not now when, Riley? This wasn’t an accident. Even Ollie said it wasn’t, he couldn’t even tell us how it happened. He couldn’t even remember what happened. How is that even possible?” Luna cried.
Archer downed the rest of his drink before stepping forward, placing an arm around Luna and leading her out the room. Luna was too devastated to protest. I turned my attention onto Riley; the wolf looked exhausted.
“You should get some rest. I can stay if you want?” I offered.
I wanted to talk to Riley about what Luna had just said, but I knew now wasn’t the time. Tomorrow the truth was going to have to come out. Archer was going to need to know that we had been talking to Chase, and we would need to sit down with Ollie and find out what really happened. But that was for the morning, and I would be right by his side. Right now my friend needed
rest.
“Will you stay? I could really do with you and Archer around right now. I can’t deal with Luna and everything else on my own,” Riley murmured.
“I figured. Go to bed, Riley. I promise both me and Archer will be here in the morning,” I promised.
To my relief Riley didn’t argue, instead, he downed his drink walked defeatedly out of the room. I followed, making sure that he took himself to bed. Once the wolf shut the door on me, I made my way to my own room. A room that had been made for me in the home of the wolves. The only place I had ever been truly accepted, truly needed. I knew I wasn’t going to sleep that night. I also knew that the Alpha didn’t have long left in the world. I could smell death in the house, and I dreaded what the morning would bring.
Chapter Seven
Riley
I didn’t sleep. I knew I wouldn’t. I had only agreed to rest to keep Drax happy. The fact both my friends were in the house helped me a little. I knew the reality of the situation. I knew my father was sick and the chance of him surviving was slim. The look in the vampire’s eyes told me that he didn’t believe my father would live. Vampires could sense death, and Drax could sense my father’s.
I had given up trying to sleep over an hour ago. Instead, I sat on the sill of the large window that looked out over the grounds. The full moon danced its light off the trees of Evervale forest, casting an eerie glow over them. I wondered if I should reach out to my brother. Chase had a right to know that our father was mortally wounded. Word would reach him eventually, and I felt like it was my duty to tell my brother, before gossip did.
Bringing my hands to my eyes, rubbing them to rid the tears that were threatening to fall. I wasn’t ready to lose my only living parent. I wasn’t ready to take on the Evervale pack, and I wasn’t ready to deal with my little sister’s grief.
I let out a pitiful whimper as my wolf grieved for the loss of its Alpha. The crippling pain burned deep within my soul, and I knew it would be with me for some time should my father die. It was devastation I wasn’t ready to face, not yet anyway.
A light knock at the door startled me from my dark musings. I glanced up as it opened, Archer appeared from the other side, flashing me a small smile.
“I could sense you weren’t asleep.”
I sighed deeply, climbing down from my seat, stretching as I did so.
“How is Luna?” I asked.
Archer shrugged in response, taking a seat on my bed.
“She’s asleep. After a lot of tears,” Archer replied.
I nodded, dropping down on my desk chair. I was glad my sister was getting a little rest. At least one of us was.
“You didn’t convince her. You didn’t convince any of us with your speech about your father surviving,” Archer said honestly.
“I know. It just seemed like the right thing to say,” I muttered.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Archer asked.
“What is there to talk about, Archer? My father is going to die, whether it’s tonight or tomorrow, or he tries to hold on for a little longer. I don’t know. But he isn’t going to make it no matter how good Laura is. I’m not ready to be an Alpha,” I cried.
I turned away from him, I didn’t want him to see the tears I was failing miserably to hide. Voicing my fears over my father dying was too much to deal with, it made it real and I had tried so hard to believe that everything would be okay. I had tried to be strong for my sister, even though I knew our only surviving parent was going to die. I felt like my whole family was falling apart around me, and there was nothing I could do to keep us together. I wasn’t ready to lose my father, I still needed him to guide me, to teach me the way of the Alpha role. This time I would listen.
“You know you can cry in front of me, Riley. I won’t judge. Not after the tears you saw me cry when my father died,” Archer told me gently.
I let out a small laugh, turning to face my best friend. Archer was right, of everyone that was in the house at the moment he was the one that truly understood the raw pain I was feeling.
“I’m sorry, Archer. I don’t know why I even tried to put the walls up. I don’t know how to feel, or what to do. I just feel so helpless.”
Archer nodded in silent understanding.
I didn’t know what else to say. I wanted to ask if Archer had spoken to Ollie at all. The wolf that had been with my father was a good, loyal pack member. He was the same age as my father, and a close friend to both him and Luke. Ollie was also the best hunter we had in the pack. It didn’t make sense that this would have happened on his watch. I felt for the older wolf. I couldn’t begin to imagine the guilt Ollie would be feeling. I needed to track him down and tell him that what had happened wasn’t his fault.
“You’re thinking of Ollie, aren’t you?”
I nodded in reply, running a hand through my hair as I tried to make sense of my thoughts, make sense of everything.
“I can go and find him if you want to speak to him. I’m pretty sure he won’t be sleeping,” Archer suggested.
I hesitated for a moment, it was the middle of the night and I wasn’t sure I was ready to speak to anyone just yet. But at the same time, I wanted, no, I needed to know what had happened, if Ollie had any idea what we were up against.
“Go find him for me. I will be in the kitchen with the whiskey. I think we are all going to need something strong,” I agreed.
Archer tipped his head in understanding before disappearing from the room. I made a quick change into some clean clothes. This was my first meeting as an Alpha. Archer was working under my order, and it didn’t feel right. I wasn’t confident I was ready for this. I could feel my self-doubt threatening to rear its ugly head. I had learnt to push it down when I was younger, to ignore it and cope in ways I wasn’t always proud of. Now was the perfect time for it to thrive, though, and I wasn’t sure at that moment if I was strong enough to ignore it.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way down to the kitchen, stopping in to check on my sister and father. Luna was still asleep, and my father still in the same condition, but Laura assured me that he wasn’t in pain. That made me feel a little better, to know that my father wasn’t suffering.
Stepping into the kitchen, flicking the light on I jumped at the sight of the vampire sitting at the bench, four glasses and a bottle of whiskey in front of him. He flashed me a smile.
“I may have forgotten to mention I have great hearing. I heard you and Archer talking. If you are happy for me to stay, I would like to hear what Ollie has to say.”
I flashed him a small smile, opening the bottle and pouring us both a drink. Taking a seat on one of the stools, watching Drax take a sip of the amber liquid I had just poured.
“Of course, you can be here. I thought you were asleep. That’s why-“
“Riley, it’s fine. You don’t need to explain. Like I said, I can hear everything that goes on in this place,” Drax stopped me.
“You can hear my father. You would tell me if he stopped breathing, wouldn't you? If he died?” I asked.
Drax gave me the slightest of nods in reply.
We sat in silence until Archer appeared with the older wolf at his side. I swept a gaze over Ollie, he looked devastated. I found myself getting up, walking over and pulling him in for a tight hug. Ollie was like an uncle to me; my father saw him as brother. Ollie had taught me and Chase how to hunt, I couldn’t let him blame himself.
“I am sorry, pup,” Ollie muttered.
“I don’t blame you, Ollie. I know you would never have let anything happen to my father. It’s not your fault. Please don’t blame yourself,” I begged him.
Ollie pulled away from me, just as Drax handed him a large glass of whiskey, leading him to a stool.
“Have a drink, Ollie. Tell us what happened as best you can remember,” Archer said.
I stayed silent, leaning against the countertop watching them. I didn’t want to speak; I would let Archer take the lead. I didn’t trust my voice, or my emotions any more. I
also noticed the way the vampire kept shifting, sending the odd glance over to me, making me wonder if my father’s condition was getting worse.
“I wish I could tell you boys what happened. I wish I could say it was a freak animal attack-“
“But it wasn’t. Do you have any idea what it was that did this?” Archer asked.
“No. All I know is that it was something evil and powerful. The attack made me think of what happened to Luke. The Alpha’s injuries are similar. They look like a wolf attack, but there is no smell of a wolf around the body. So, whether the wolf has scent detectors on, or something else is trying to frame our kind,” Ollie told us.
“So, it was my brother? Is that what you think?” I questioned.
Ollie fixed his gaze on me. I could see the sorrow in them and it took all I had in me not to fall to pieces in front of them all. This couldn’t be happening. I knew Chase wanted power, but I never thought he would have killed our father.
“Your brother didn’t do this, Riley. Chase is many things, but I am certain he would never hurt your father, no matter how much he resented him. And he doesn’t have the power to take me out and wipe my mind,” Ollie replied.
I bit down on my lip, regarding Ollie quietly. He was the first person that had defended my brother. Everyone else was convinced Chase had something to do with Luke’s death.
“He may not have the power, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know someone who does,” Archer spat.
“Maybe you are right. I wish I could be more helpful to you I really do. Your father wanted to go hunting to bring back a kill for dinner. Riley, he was so excited about having a family dinner with you and Luna. I should have fought harder.”
“Ollie, I will never blame you for what happened tonight. This is my brother’s doing. I am certain he is behind this. I just haven’t figured out how yet. But I will,” I promised.
“Drax, are you okay?”
Falling for Shifters: A Limited Edition Autumn Shifters Collection Page 106