by Reese Morgan
Not only did he lose men, but Hayden also knew he’d barely escaped death.
“Nicolas,” she addressed, trying to stop him from avoiding her.
He shouldered on his shirt and preoccupied himself with picking up his sword. “I’m going to scout the area.” He looked at her. “Thank you for healing me.”
As he made a move to escape the room, Hayden slapped her hand over his forearm. Her fingers curled around the large muscle, hardly applying enough pressure to stop him, yet he turned motionless anyway.
“Don’t,” Hayden warned. “You’re not alone anymore.”
Nicolas subdued at her exclamation.
Her heart grew heavy, knowing exactly what was going through Nicolas’ head. “I’ve been here for over two weeks and I haven’t been able to adapt yet. Not even the slightest.” She looked down at his curled hands. “I’m always running on adrenaline. I’m always watching, never restful. I’m just waiting. Waiting for things to turn sour again.”
He slowly turned and looked down at her.
“I’m waiting for the death and the betrayal…” Hayden exhaled heavily. “The decapitations and the blood. I can’t escape them at night when I sleep, why should I be able to escape them during the day?”
“Hayden.” Nicolas’ expression softened, but he had nothing to say, simply because he knew from experience it was true and not an issue easily remedied.
Remedying the issue was not feasible, but there were ways to stifle it.
“I realized that these moments with the pack, with you, were blessings I couldn’t take for granted.” She tried to offer him a smile, but it came out as a grimace. “I wasn’t by your side this time, but you’re not alone now. Don’t push me away.”
Nicolas curled his hand around her fingers and pulled her close. He wrapped her in a sheltering embrace, caging her against his firm chest. She readily wrapped her own arms around him, careful not to upset the wound on his side.
“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered so softly, she could hardly discern his words.
Being the firstborn child in his family undoubtedly hardened Nicolas to accept the position of his family’s protector. His father groomed him to take care of his brother, and growing up, his pack as well.
With the exception of his mother, Nicolas most likely lacked a softer touch as his father trained him to be a warrior. He would view vulnerability as a weakness.
Nevertheless, Hayden was here now and she would not leave his side.
“I feel as if I’ve failed Cole.”
His confession took Hayden off guard. “What do you mean?”
Nicolas’ chin landed on top her head. “Taking away your innocence and turning you into a version of myself.”
Hayden laughed once. “You didn’t turn me into anything, Nicolas. You prepared me. Whether I wanted it or not, I was going to be involved in this mess. At least now I can defend myself.”
She pulled away from him and sat at the foot of the bed. He watched her all the while, his gaze seeing through any and all her barriers. Unabashedly, Hayden touched the spot next to her, urging him to sit and relax.
“Tell me what happened.”
He followed her suggestion, though his shoulders and back remained stiff as he settled next to her. Their thighs touched, but Hayden still felt so far from him.
“It was if they were waiting for me.” Nicolas braced his hands on either side of him on the mattress, appearing ready to leap from the bed and pace. “I did surveillance for two days, but I noticed an ordinary pattern. Too anticipated. Too predictable. Celeste is smarter than to fall into expected patterns.”
“Was Celeste there?” She paused. “Cole?”
Nicolas breathed deeply. “No.” He turned and leveled her with a look. “It’s a base she uses to conduct experiments. She doesn’t visit it often, but Nolan was there.”
Hayden stiffened.
Nolan, like Evan, was one of Celeste’s Carriers who Sired humans into the mindless puppets. Only, Nolan was a beast of a man. He was huge, hulking, and doubled with Celeste’s altered venom, he was an unbeatable force. The puppets were difficult to destroy, but Hayden knew Nolan and Evan would be a bigger challenge.
“And he knew you were there?”
“Yes.”
Hayden frowned at the floor. “They were hoping to eliminate you.”
“They nearly did. They nearly eliminated all my rogues.”
She was relieved Nicolas made it back safe, but she also felt his unmistakable despondency for failing. The Alphas weren’t the only ones privy to his location, but many of the other traditional werewolves knew Nicolas was going to scout one of Celeste’s bases.
Anyone could be the defector.
A part of her also wondered if there really was a betrayer, or if Nolan just took Nicolas by surprise. It could certainly happen and Nicolas would never admit it.
Chastising herself for doubting him, Hayden looked back up at him.
“We will get ahead of them,” she said confidently. “We’ll work together as a pack and identify who is disloyal. If we have to, we will branch out from the others and destroy Celeste alone.”
“I won’t let it come to that.”
Nicolas stood up and grabbed his sword once again.
This time, Hayden didn’t stop him.
She watched him closely, and he her.
“I’ll return tonight,” he promised. “I will feel better if I scout the area and learn the layout.” As he turned to leave the room, he paused and looked back at her. “Join me?”
She smiled widely. “I’d love to.”
Already dressed and ready, Hayden joined his side, feeling at ease next to him. She could comfortably stand tall in his absence, but she wouldn’t deny the sense of strong comradeship she felt now that he was back.
He truly was her other half.
No matter what waited for them, she was more than prepared standing by his side.
13. Chapter Thirteen
It wasn’t anything peculiar or blatantly suspicious, but Hayden noticed a pattern.
Just down the street, a woman clutched a paper bag and bounded up the steps of a neighboring home. The same man always answered and they greeted each other warmly, almost shyly as she stepped inside.
The woman was a Hunter, so was the man.
There were no oblivious and ignorant humans in this gated community. Every human was a Hunter, trained in the art of hunting and slaughtering werewolves.
Nevertheless, according to all the werewolves here, they were allies.
Sitting on the front porch, Hayden watched as the woman disappeared inside the home a second time that day. She always carried a paper bag. From her position on the porch, Hayden was too far to catch the scent of anything identifiable.
It could be a simple case of two, romantically involved individuals.
Innocent and entirely guiltless.
Yet, something irked Hayden. Something did not sit right with her.
Juice from an apple spit across her cheek as Fergus sat next to her. “What are you doing?” the Omega inquired innocently, taking another bite from his apple.
Hayden looked at him with disbelief. “I was enjoying the silence.”
He blinked and took another large chunk of apple flesh between his teeth. “Are you going to get ready for the barbecue?”
“I am ready.”
He considered her torn jeans and combat boots, as well as the knives glittering underneath her flannel shirt. Apparently, Fergus assumed the barbecue required a specific dress code, for he found a pair of crushed velvet pants and a dress shirt that didn’t quite button correctly.
“You look…” Hayden trailed off, noticing the flared pant legs. “Festive.”
He beamed and ran a hand down his shirt, staining the fabric with juice from his apple. “Clothing is limited, but I wanted to look my best. There is a… girl I really like.”
Nicolas emerged from the house upon Fergus’ admittance, taking one look at the
Omega’s style of dress before abruptly continuing down the steps of the front porch.
Hayden perked up, catching his eye.
“Stay,” he ordered quietly, immediately knowing her intentions.
“Where are you going?” she demanded, standing up from the swing. “You’re coming to the barbecue as well. The pack is going, that includes its Alpha.”
His attention found Fergus sitting harmlessly on the bench. “I’m afraid my wardrobe is not quite up to standards.” He noticed her pinched expression and relented. “I will join you later. I’m going to patrol the perimeter.”
“Let me grab my sword, I will—”
“Stay.” His order was sharp, authoritative. “Enjoy yourself, Hayden.”
Her low growl caused him to stop suddenly. He turned deliberately, his stare both intense and precarious. With intentional slowness, his eyes raked possessively over her body before he approached her.
His steps were smooth, his gaze unrelenting.
As he walked up the front porch, he stepped into her space, their boots toe to toe. He bent his neck and she lifted her chin, unafraid with his challenge. A pleased hum sounded deep within his chest and he splayed a hand on her ribcage.
“Do you want to take this elsewhere?”
Hayden flushed at his seductive tenor, admiring his bright, appreciative gaze. Behind her, Fergus scrambled up from the swing. In his haste to leave the immediate area, his foot hit the corner of the bench, causing it to slam against the wall of the house.
“No, she doesn’t.” Blake nearly collided with Fergus as he stepped outside, Devan and Nathan just behind him. “I asked you to come with us, Hayden.”
She wanted nothing more than to accept Nicolas’ invitation. They hadn’t been intimate since Montana and it was constantly on her mind.
With his eyes alight, Nicolas leaned forward, brushing his lips against her ear.
“Tonight.”
With his whispered promise, he turned from the pack and finally escaped down the sidewalk. She envied him. He was able to get out of social events by proclaiming he needed to protect from a distance. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for her.
Turning, she noticed the pack’s intense scrutiny.
“What?”
Devan scoffed and adjusted her hold on the hotdogs. “Let’s go.”
Without waiting for confirmation, the other female led the way down the street and towards the common area. Hayden followed reluctantly, hating her current situation. From a distance, she could see the raging bonfire and smell the cooking food.
Most the attendees were already present.
A mix of both Hunters and werewolves.
Hayden sighed, bringing up the rear of her pack as they entered the park. She found a spot by the pergola and pressed her back against the post. Her position allowed her to see every angle of the park and she was far enough away to watch the attendees.
Nothing would take her by surprise.
How could the werewolves mingle happily as if they didn’t have a care in the world? Nicolas wanted her to mingle, to have fun and unwind. Did he not understand she was far too much like him to enjoy senseless and petty gatherings?
Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched her pack mates.
Fergus and Nathan joined the crowd with an ease she hadn’t thought possible. She watched the twins, wondering when they had befriended so many people outside the pack. Fergus especially seemed to possess a confidence he never had before.
This was good for them, she realized.
Exhaling slowly, Hayden pressed her spine against the pergola’s pillar.
She might not enjoy this, but her pack and the others deserved to have fun; deserved to take their mind of things they shouldn’t have to fathom. They’d sacrificed comfort and relocated to desolate and poor conditions. They heard the tales. They’d lost loved ones.
But they hadn’t experienced firsthand how dark it was out in the wild.
Hayden hoped they never have to go through that.
“Watching them makes you reminisce, doesn’t it?”
She barely spared the young man a glance and continued with her observation. She’d seen his approach and his slight hesitance before he announced his presence.
“Reminisce? About what?”
She knew exactly what he meant, but she asked anyway.
Shane Donovan shuffled to a stop next to her and watched as the children roasted marshmallows over a fire. “The bowling alley. Albertville. The anticipation for your first full moon. What I wouldn’t give to go back to the way things were. The simplicity.” The teen frowned. “Though times like these make it seem as if that can be a possibility.”
“It is a possibility,” Hayden agreed, glancing at the human. “But not for us.” She looked back at Fergus, smiling softly as he accepted a female’s compliment of his outfit. “Seeing them happy is the closest I think I will ever come to being my old self.”
Shane looked at her. “What happened, Hayden?”
Her mouth twisted and she shook her head. “Nothing that hasn’t happened to you, I’m sure.” She clutched her elbows, keeping her arms over her chest.
The human’s gaze softened and a sad smile crossed his lips. “My grandfather was gruesomely murdered,” he admitted. “I was forced to become something I despised. I’m sure you’ve gone through much worse.”
“I’ve recently learned we all have our own level of suffering.”
Her attention landed on Devan, who sat alone on a far bench, miserably watching Nathan as he spoke to a woman from another pack. Not too far from her, Blake stood, excluded from a group of Alphas as they paid him no heed.
He was of no significance to them.
A few males laughed at Fergus and harassed the female who had complimented him earlier. At their jeers, the pack Omega hunkered low and slunk over to Devan.
Hayden sighed.
“I’m sorry about Cole. Asher. Addie.” Shane placed a hand on the pillar, just above her head. “Those are the only ones I know about. I’m sure there are more.”
“Many more,” she agreed. “I don’t even know their names. I feel as if it’s an insult to them when we can’t honor them appropriately.”
Turning, she looked at him.
He stared down at her, his height nearly reaching Nicolas’ towering stature. Shane had a ghost of a beard peppering faintly across his cheeks, though it was spotty in some areas, revealing his young age.
With his crew cut and his grim, defeatist attitude, he was the personification of innocence lost.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping his other hand just above her head on the pillar. His thumb brushed her collarbone, a very intimate touch. She stiffened at the caress, her wolf recoiling at the prospect of another male touching her.
However, it was not a sensual touch.
His eyes were too expressive, his expression too tortured.
“I really am sorry, Hayden.”
“Best retract your hand before Slayter chews it off for you, Romeo,” Julian declared, sounding just behind Shane.
“What are you? His enforcer?” Hayden seethed at the interruption.
Shane removed his hand quickly and occupied himself with donning his red baseball cap. “He’s right, I’m sorry.” Placing his hands in his pocket, he inclined his head toward Julian. “Enjoy your night. Both of you.”
Without another word, the human walked away.
She focused on her brother as he leaned proudly against the pillar. “You have an odd obsession with Nicolas.” Hayden had to look away from his arrogant smirk. “No one else admires him quite like you do.”
“Crows and Slayters are destined to be united. Despite what our father thinks, Nicolas will be a good addition to the family. Your children will be powerful.”
Hayden grimaced. “It’s disturbing you’ve been thinking of my future children when I haven’t even considered it myself.”
Julian shrugged. “It’s only natural.”
; She stared at him, not really seeing him. She never thought about children, never even considered it. Nicolas didn’t strike her as someone who wanted kids. She didn’t want kids. At least not for a long while. Though she didn’t need to worry about it now, at least not until she went into heat.
“I heard he had some issues on his scouting mission.”
Her gaze sharpened. “Where did you hear that?”
Julian lifted his eyebrows. “Father.”
Hayden held her tongue. Logan was present when Nicolas returned from his scouting mission. He could have easily detected the silver poisoning. Alternatively, perhaps Nicolas spoke with the other Alphas about it.
“We believe Troy Arnold told someone about Nicolas’ scouting mission and…” Julian made a motion with his finger and pulled an imaginary trigger. “You know the rest.”
“Doubtful.”
He snorted at her stubbornness. “Come on, Hayden, someone had to have tipped off Celeste about his presence. No one can come close to Nicolas in terms of stealth. He is undetectable.”
“And you think someone killed Troy for that information?”
Julian nodded. “Oh yeah.”
She glared. “So you don’t think it was a suicide anymore?” She dropped her arms at her side and turned to him fully. “We have someone who is betraying us.”
“Doesn’t really matter. Kieran is going to call a meeting tomorrow and gather fighters. We’re going to attack Celeste’s base and destroy it.”
“The one Nicolas scouted?”
“The very same one. Nicolas might have run into trouble, but he still delivered useful information to the Alphas. Plus, father knows about this particular base, or at least the interior.”
Hayden shifted uncomfortably. “Nolan is there.”
Julian laughed once. “And we have numbers on our side. With Hunters and ammunition. We will be fine. Even if we have someone feeding Celeste information, it will be too late for her to act when she hears about it.” He assessed her closely. “It’s finally going to happen. We’re going to go on the offensive. That should make you happy.”
“Does Nicolas know?”
“No one knows yet… with the exception of Kieran and Logan… plus you and I.”