by Chloe Cole
“Meaning I’ve nullified the contract.” He tugged a copy of the contract from his back pocket and handed it over. “I had my legal team look it over and it’s clear by the language that, because it was implied that Willa was aware of the transaction, and she was, in fact, not, that the contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. I’ve sent the original along with Willa back to her former pack.”
Jacob’s cheeks went ruddy as he took the sheaf of papers, but he stayed silent. Faustine, however, couldn’t hold her tongue.
“When you took our daughter, you swore your allegiance to our new pack. You promised to fight for us during wartime, and support us in peace times. That was our agreement, dragon,” she hissed, eyeing him with a mixture of fear and disgust. “I thought your kind always keep their promises.”
Fury flared within him at the insult to his honor, but he managed to push it back and stay focused. “Aye, that we do. But you secured my promise through nefarious means, making my oath void. Worry not, wolf. I’m still going to make you an excellent deal.”
Her thin lips twitched into an entitled smile, which only made him relish his next words that much more.
“Here’s my offer.” He leaned in close enough that Jacob took a step backward, clearly discomfited. “You’re going to leave Willa alone, with her pack, in peace. You’re never going to hurt her again, or use her for your own gain. In fact, you’re never even going to contact her again. If she wants to talk to you, she will. But until or unless that happens, the two of you are ghosts to her.”
Jacob swallowed hard, but managed to squeeze out a response. “And in return?”
He sat back and bared his teeth in a cold smile. “And in return, I won’t murder you where you stand and use your bones to build an ottoman.”
Faustine gasped, her cheeks going chalk white. “Unacceptable, sir. I—”
Her husband gripped her elbow hard and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Blackbourne, my wife spoke out of turn. That sounds fair. We accept your terms.”
Faustine glanced between the two men and must have seen something she hadn’t before in Drake’s expression. Maybe it was the plain truth of the matter written on his face. Maybe it was the bleak acceptance in his eyes. Maybe it was that he quite literally had nothing else to lose in this game. Whatever the case, she stepped back and nodded slowly.
“All… all right, then. We accept, so long as you promise not to hurt us, now or ever.”
“What you did to your daughter was despicable and you both disgust me. Should I decide later that you got off too easily, then I may rethink it. Do not give me reason to start now, woman. Go,” he snarled, the lid ready to blow. “Before I change my mind.”
He watched her parents slink back to their car and drive away before he turned and made a run for the cliff, shifting into his dragon as he went. Maybe his move back to Scotland would be permanent after all. Being close enough to touch Willa some day would be torture enough, but when she did find a mate? Better he was far enough away not to hear of it. He would hate to have to disembowel an innocent man. He should’ve felt some sense of satisfaction at giving them their comeuppance and some relief that at least Willa would be safe from those bloodsuckers. Instead, all he felt was a hollow emptiness that he knew in his bones would never leave.
But at least now, Willa would be free. Free to run in the woods. Free to find a mate of her own choosing. Free to live the life she’d always deserved.
And that would have to be enough for him.
He took flight, soaring into the inky sky, intent on his last and final order of business. Getting drunk enough to get through this first night without wanting to eat a bullet.
Because right now, right at this moment? Life without Willa didn’t feel like any kind of life at all.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I believe that’s them, yes?” Etienne asked, jerking a thumb toward the two figures standing off in the distance, twenty yards from the road.
She nodded, able to make out Grey’s features even at that distance.
“Yes. That’s my alpha and his mate.”
Etienne pulled off the road onto the grass and put Drake’s truck into park. “Ready?”
She wet her lips and nodded, not ready at all, but fully aware that she never would be.
She pushed open the door and stepped out onto the damp grass. Etienne exited the driver’s side and walked beside her, stopping twenty feet in front of the pair of her packmates, pacing in front of the trees.
“Willa, thank god you’re all right,” Maggie called, the guilt and worry plain on her face.
“She’s fine. Drake sends his regards and regrets that he couldn’t come himself,” Etienne explained smoothly. “He’s dealt with her family appropriately, and asks that you accept her back without repercussion and let the matter end here.”
Grey gave a grim nod, but didn’t commit, which Etienne seemed to take in stride.
“I believe all will become clear when you spend some time with her and I trust that you will see that justice has been done now that she is returned to you. Drake would prefer there not to be bloodshed over this terrible misunderstanding.”
Etienne’s feral grin seemed to indicate that while Drake might prefer it, he himself had no such preference, and Grey bristled, lifting his chin to meet Etienne’s gaze in one of defiance.
“If what you say is true and she is unharmed, then we have no issues here. If not…”
He trailed off, but his meaning was clear. It would remain to be seen whether wolf and dragon could exist in Montana, but for tonight, there would be no fighting. A relief to Willa at a time where there seemed to be no silver linings.
She turned to face Etienne and forced a watery smile. “I appreciate you bringing me, and I wish you well, Etienne.”
He nodded and bent to kiss her left cheek and then her right before straightening. “Same to you, ma petite.”
She wanted to leave it at that, to walk away with at least one shred of her pride left, but she couldn’t help herself. “If I wait here, he’s…not going to change his mind, and show up, is he, Etienne?”
“I don’t think he is,” he said with a slow shake of his head. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard but the ache in her throat wouldn’t subside. He patted her cheek lightly. “Go ahead with your pack. They’re surely anxious to see that you haven’t been mistreated.”
She nodded, tears threatening to spill over. Then she picked up her bags and walked toward Greyson, who stood with Maggie at the edge of the forest that made up the bulk of Big Sky Canyon pack lands.
Up until that very moment, the moment that Etienne had given that soft, pitying smile, she’d held onto the thinnest thread of hope that Drake would come to his senses. For the first time since he had plucked her from the side of that mountain the fateful night they’d met, there was no anger left in her. No wanting to scream to the gods at how unfair it all was. No ‘why me’ indignance. All that remained was a bone-deep sadness that seemed to hang over her like a thick blanket of smog she couldn’t escape.
She swallowed past the thickness in her throat again and walked toward the woods. Grey stepped forward as she got closer, his face filled with concern.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded, but couldn’t manage any words. Because she wasn’t all right. She’d lost her one true mate and she would never be all right again. Maggie stepped forward and slipped an arm around her shoulder in silence. The three of them got as far as the first bend in the winding path through the woods before Grey spoke again.
“It’s okay to cry now. He can’t hear you from here.”
The floodgates opened and all the emotion she’d managed to keep in check came pouring out of her in great, wracking sobs. Grey’s strong, familiar arms wrapped around her and she dropped her bags to bury her face in his neck.
“I didn’t want to go, Grey. I love him,” she sobbed, the despair so thick it threatened to choke her. “I know it doesn’t make any sense to you, but I
do, and m-my heart is broken.”
He made soft, soothing sounds in the back of his throat as he pet her hair like she was a child. They stayed like that for a while, until her tears subsided and her sobs became hiccups.
“I’m so sorry, Willa,” Maggie murmured. She was standing a few feet away looking miserable, her own eyes glassy with tears. “I didn’t know. When you called, you sounded so distraught. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You did the right thing. This wasn’t your fault, Maggie. None of it.” She reached for the other woman and gave her shoulder a squeeze and offered a sad facsimile of a smile. “I appreciate you for looking out for me and letting Grey come to try and save me.”
“If this was anyone’s fault, it was mine,” Grey said, stepping in to slip an arm around his wife’s trim waist. “I took what Maggie said and ran with it, and when I got to the top of that mountain, nothing was going to change my mind. You tried to tell me you wanted to stay, but I didn’t believe you.” He met Willa’s gaze, the pain etched in his face. “I’m no better than your parents, Will. I wish I knew how to fix this. Please forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. And you’re nothing like my parents,” she said truthfully. “You came to save me because you care. Everything they do is for their own benefit. You risked your life for me, and I’ll never forget that.”
“Right back atcha.” He chucked her chin the way he used to when they were kids. “But don’t ever pull a stunt like that again. Jesus, you nearly gave me a heart attack when you jumped off that cliff.”
She thought back to that moment—god, had it only been the night before?—and shuddered. It hadn’t been the brightest move, but if she had to do it again, she wouldn’t change it. As awful as things had turned out, both Greyson and Drake were alive, and that was something.
A chorus of howls echoed through the trees and Willa realized with a start that they were not going to be alone for long.
“The pack is restless. They’ll be coming to check up on us soon if we don’t head back.” He picked up the bags she dropped and started down the path toward the ranch. “We’ve got a huge meal waiting. Pot roast, potatoes and all the fixings. Everyone is excited to see you.”
Willa swiped a hand over her eyes and trailed behind Grey, with Maggie at her side. She was hardly in the mood for a party, but maybe it was better this way. If she was surrounded by people and action, she wouldn’t have time to think, at least. Because she knew, the second she was alone, she wouldn’t be able to stop the memories from assailing her.
The next few hours went by in a haze. Grey must have warned the rest of them not to ask too many questions because they all carefully avoided saying Drake’s name and seemed to focus much more on her return to the fold than her absence. It was nice to see that she was missed and that most of her pack members seemed to embrace her return so completely.
And still, at no point did she feel like she was home. In fact, she was like a stranger in a strange land, watching as they communicated with one another without words. Feeling like an outsider as they joked and laughed so comfortably with one another, seemingly happy and carefree when she felt like her heart was nothing more than a pulverized piece of meat living in her chest.
As soon as she thought she could get away with it, she excused herself and headed upstairs. They hadn’t wanted her to go back to the house she used to share with her parents so Grey and Maggie had insisted she stay with them in the big house until they built another home for her on the land.
She made a beeline for the bed, not even bothering to change into night clothes before she climbed in.
She stared at the whorls in the knotty pine ceiling, wondering how long it would take. A month? A year? More, before thinking about Drake didn’t feel like probing an open wound. However long it was, she would give up that much of her life to fast forward. To get through this terrible part that felt like it would never end.
She’d no sooner squeezed her eyes closed than a faint buzzing in her head had her bolting upright but before she could focus in on it, it was gone. Strange. Had she bonded again so quickly with her pack after their warm welcome that she was already starting to fall back into mental sync with them?
The thought was bittersweet. She’d missed being a part of something bigger than just herself. Missed the feeling of community and oneness. When she was part of the pack, she was never alone.
But now, even with that low pulse of energy pressing into her thoughts, the sensation of a consciousness other than her own close enough to touch, she’d never felt more alone. Not even the night her mental ties to her pack had gotten severed at Drake’s keep. Because without Drake, none of it mattered. She could be in a crowded room and still feel alone. He was her other half. The heart to her soul and she wasn’t sure how she was going to go on without him now that she’d tasted true love.
A wave of anguish rolled over her and her heart ached with it. The sadness seemed to double in on itself, growing deeper, more complete with every passing second. Jesus, what if it never stopped? What if it grew and grew until it consumed her and—
Willa.
She snapped her head up and peered around the room. Had someone called her name, or was she hearing things?
The deep, resonating voice in her head rang again and this time, she recognized it for what it was.
Drake.
She rolled to her feet even as another tide of pain rolled through her, making her knees buckle.
Not just her pain. Drake’s pain as well. She could feel it, as keenly as if it was her own. But how?
Because he is your pack.
Your alpha.
Your mate.
Her heart thundered to life as she took a step toward the door, and then another, hope filling the icy chasm in her chest. Could this be some horrible trick her mind was playing on her or was this for real? She hated the thought of Drake hurting, but if he was hurting like this, that meant…
She closed her eyes and focused all her energy on the sensation, dreading the idea of letting in more anguish but willing to endure anything to prove that she was right. That she and Drake were still connected, and more deeply than ever.
And there it was again, the thread between them, shining like a silver thread of energy. She plucked at it, following it to its source. In her mind’s eye, she could see it. The great hearth in the center of Drake’s keep. A fire so large, it could’ve heated a room ten times the size, but couldn’t drive away the cold inside her.
Or him.
Broken and alone, not enough scotch in the world to drown the pain.
Her eyes snapped open and she ran down the stairs and straight for the door like the devil was on her heels. Drake loved her and she was going to make sure the stubborn bastard knew she loved him too.
“Willa, where are you going?” Maggie called, concern ringing in her voice. But Grey took her hand and tugged her back, watching quietly.
“Home,” she called over her shoulder. “I’m going home.”
Drake awoke with a start and stared into the fire, great, orange flames snapping and crackling. Two hours of sleep all night, punctuated by no less than a half dozen nightmares, each ending more horribly than the last.
Willa being dragged away by a pack of demon hounds. Willa, at the bottom of a pit surrounded by thorns. Willa standing just on the other side of an iron cage from which he could not escape no matter how much might he used.
He leaned closer to the fire that couldn’t seem to warm him no matter how close he got, memories of Willa flooding in to greet him. Their first night together had been by this very fire. She’d stripped off her wet clothes just to toy with him, baring her full breasts, and her—
“Fuck all,” he growled, pushing himself to standing. If only every room didn’t hold more memories, maybe staying in this place wouldn’t be equal to stabbing himself over and over again. But she was everywhere. Her scent still clung to the fabric of the furniture. Her hairbrush still sat on his bat
hroom sink. Her face still haunted his dreams.
“Drake?”
Her soft voice spoke his name and he winced. It was so real. So crystal clear, it was as if she was standing right behind him.
“Drake.”
Her tiny, soft hand closed over his and he wheeled around in stunned silence. He blinked once, then again, sure she would disappear, but there she stood. She was buck naked, her tawny curls brushing her creamy shoulders, her arms crossed over her chest.
Her gaze locked with his and she wet her lips. “Hi,” she murmured softly.
His brain was still sluggish with shock and he couldn’t think of anything to say in response except, “You’re naked.”
She nodded, a wary half-smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah. I borrowed Grey’s car, but I ran out of gas halfway up the mountain and shifted to run the rest of the way up.”
He shook his head slowly, wondering if he was losing his mind. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here because I love you, Drake,” she said simply. “I’ve come because I never wanted to leave in the first place, but I thought that you would never forgive me. That I’d broken what we had and it could never be fixed. But then I felt this.”
He was still trying to process her words when he felt an internal tug. A pull at his consciousness that had him cocking his head in stunned confusion.
“Willa—”
“It’s me, Drake. Let me in,” she whispered, reaching out a hand to stroke his cheek.
When he felt the knock again, he let his instinctive defenses down and then, she was everywhere. Surrounding him, filling him, burrowing in so deep, it was hard to tell when he stopped and she began.
“Dragons aren’t pack animals,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “We only connect like this with our true mate. I’ve never felt it before.”
She nodded and stepped closer. “Me either. Not like this. I thought you didn’t care. I thought you didn’t love me, and then I felt you. Your sadness, your guilt and regret, and it all made sense. I’m so sorry, I never meant to hurt you, Drake. But I wasn’t pretending that night in the pool. I love you.”