Un.Wavering (Claimed Series Book 3)

by Reese Morgan

  Un.Wavering

  Reese Morgan

  Copyright © 2015 Reese Morgan

  All Rights Reserved

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be copied, reproduced, or distributed, either electronically or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

  Table of Contents

  1. Chapter One

  2. Chapter Two

  3. Chapter Three

  4. Chapter Four

  5. Chapter Five

  6. Chapter Six

  7. Chapter Seven

  8. Chapter Eight

  9. Chapter Nine

  10. Chapter Ten

  11. Chapter Eleven

  12. Chapter Twelve

  13. Chapter Thirteen

  14. Chapter Fourteen

  15. Chapter Fifteen

  16. Chapter Sixteen

  1. Chapter One

  She’d never given it much thought before, her body’s limitations.

  Compared to a human, her body was strong, robust, and seemingly invincible. Hayden even possessed an ambiguous amount of Celeste’s altered venom, which assumingly made her stronger than other female werewolves.

  She never thought she’d experience the day when her capabilities hit a barrier and plummeted. In mid-stride, her knees buckled with exhaustion and she collapsed.

  The snow, which had lessened in quantity the further south they traveled, desperately tried to cushion her fall. She buried her head in the cold earth, only allowing herself a moment or two of rest before raising her head once more.

  A few strands of hair escaped her braid and stuck to her moist face. With unsteady arms, she fought to pull herself up. Throughout her struggle, she was more than aware of the wolf beside her.

  He continued to be a silent and permanent shadow, one that had matched her earlier speed with equal fortitude.

  He panted heavily, his long tongue lulling from the side of his mouth. When he noticed her observation, his entire posture perked up and he snapped his jaws shut. He refused to admit defeat, taking his chances and figuring Hayden would ask to rest first.

  Unfortunately for Nicolas, Hayden had no intentions of stopping.

  She faced forward and stumbled to her feet, her entire body protesting at the action. Her first few steps were ungraceful and wobbly, but she eventually forced herself to remain steady. Despite her bravado, the deep, dark hopelessness stayed with her.

  No matter how long they traveled, no matter how much her determination burned, Cole always remained too far from reach.

  They’d left the cabin late last evening and morning had quickly found them. Hayden figured it was early dawn, judging from the brightening sky and the sun’s absence. They’d been running for hours, undoubtedly, but it felt like only minutes.

  She continued further south, her legs as heavy as weights. Nicolas pranced alongside her, refusing to fall behind. They met eyes briefly before turning away, stubbornly pushing past their limits.

  He had an advantage.

  A wolf had four legs, a human only two. But if Hayden morphed into her wolf, she needed to leave behind her clothes and her throwing knives. She preferred to have both if they stumbled into civilization, into enemies.

  Hayden looped around a tree, subconsciously leaning towards its massive strength. As her fingers traced the circumference of the bark, she doubled over and vomited. Her stomach clenched in undeniable pain and she retched again, her stomach empty and unable to produce anything significant but thick spit.

  Hands suddenly grabbed her from behind and dragged her away.

  “That’s enough,” Nicolas admonished. “It’s time to rest.”

  He carried her away from the tree and hastily deposited her near a cluster of heavy pines. Unable to rise a second time, she pressed her cheek into the ground, tears stinging her eyes.

  She felt useless. How could she complain about exhaustion when Cole was going through something far worse?

  “You cannot run forever. We have no idea how far away he is.” Nicolas sat next to her. “You need your strength when we get there. Cole needs you at your best; I need you at your best. Rest.”

  “I didn’t think we could fight them… Tracer and Evan…” She struggled to remember the third member of Celeste’s Carriers, the particular beast who’d towered over Cole, over everyone. “And Nolan.”

  “They aren’t likely to be there. My keepers were lab assistants. They injected me with silver to keep me defenseless.” Nicolas frowned. “Even if the Carriers are there, you and I will rely on stealth for rescue. Celeste doesn’t know the relationship you share with him. She will not expect us to find him so quickly.”

  Hayden stared at him blankly before her eyes landed on his ankle tattoo. Mud and grime nearly buried it from view, but she still discerned its shape. Somehow, seeing the Slayter tattoo inked on Nicolas’ skin made her disheartened.

  “You need clothes,” she murmured faintly, trying to change the topic.

  She didn’t want to hear the details surrounding his captivity with Celeste. Not only did it make her miserable knowing Cole was going through the same thing, but it also made her pity Nicolas.

  Forming an attachment with Nicolas was far from smart.

  She couldn’t start trusting him. She couldn’t start empathizing with him.

  A self-serving smirk curled his bearded face. It didn’t look nearly as effective as it usually did when he was bare-cheeked. “Am I making you uncomfortable, Hayden?”

  “You’re making me want to hurl again.”

  Nicolas’ smirk only widened. Lounging in silence, his uncanny eyes began to assess her closely, gleaming with a hint of malevolence. His gaze gradually lowered to her throat, specifically the area near his mating mark.

  Hayden bristled at his stare, raising her hackles warningly. “What?”

  “How is your relationship going with my brother? If I had been in his place, I would have had you on your back the moment I was able.”

  Flashing him a withering glare, Hayden struggled to rise from the ground. “I preferred you in your wolf form.” With a great deal of endurance, she finally sat upright. “You don’t know anything about my relationship with Cole.”

  “On the contrary,” Nicolas countered smoothly. “You’d be surprised at how much I do know. How much I feel…”

  Unimpressed, Hayden struggled to keep her eyes open. Her legs burned and her body slumped graciously into the ground, eager at the prospect of rest. But she couldn’t sleep. Not without knowing Cole was safe, and not with Nicolas watching over her vulnerable form.

  “I’d like to know.”

  Nicolas raised an eloquent eyebrow at her unspecific demand.

  She grimaced and eyed him distrustfully. “How do you know that Cole and I are—”

  “I suggest, from here on out, you do not broadcast your bond with him.” Nicolas assessed their surroundings with thorough caution. “Who knows who could be lurking in the shadows? Your enemies would be very keen to hear about Cole’s weakness.”

  Her shoulders shifted with irritation.

  She was not a child; she didn’t need his scolding. “I know that.” As Hayden watched him with equal intensity, she suddenly realized she’d overlooked something extremely vital. “Considering all the suffering you’ve put him through, you’re strangely protective of him.”

  Nicolas braced his arms at his sides and shifted more comfortably against the tree. He did not outright disagree with her observation, but he did not agree either. “One could also argue that I’m protective over you.”

  At her snort of aversion, he continued smoothly.

  “Wh
o planted that seed of doubt in your mind? Regarding the importance of learning how to fight?” Nicolas’ eyes lowered to her chest, catching the gleam of silver knives beneath her coat.

  Hayden jerked at the admission, recalling his mild suggestion the night Devan and Joseph had kidnapped her. He told her to learn how to wield the dagger before their next meeting. Despite Hayden’s reluctance of admitting it, he had been a factor behind her decision to seek out Adolf’s tutelage.

  “You knew then,” she whispered. “I knew you didn’t want to kill Cole. You had that gun in your pocket while you were fighting with him. And you were inadvertently warning us about the future.”

  Nicolas cocked his head to the side with cool acknowledgement. “It’s reassuring to know you aren’t entirely incompetent, or blinded like my brother.”

  “You aren’t exactly genuine or clear in your intentions,” Hayden rebuked quickly. “Your indirect help still doesn’t change the fact that you…” she trailed off, knowing he’d only wanted to ruffle her feathers.

  And he’d succeeded.

  Nicolas’ eyes lightened. “Killed my mother? Joined Celeste willingly? Killed and manipulated countless of people in order to get what I wanted? No, of course it doesn’t change any of that.” He flashed a predatory smile, clearly unaffected by his past deeds. “And it still doesn’t change the fact that you agreed to my help.”

  “I had no choice.”

  “Of course you did.”

  Hayden growled in her chest. Nicolas still needed to explain why he joined Celeste, why he killed his mother, and what his true intentions were. Instead, he was deliberately avoiding the issues and getting under her skin.

  And she was letting him.

  She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. “I get it,” she murmured. “You don’t want to tell me.” Opening her eyes, she gazed at the vindictively amused man. “Just answer my original question. How did you know about my relationship with Cole?”

  Even when she hadn’t known Cole was her life mate, she had her assumptions that Nicolas had known. One look at his smug expression only proved her suspicions.

  “Through Cole, you and I share a bond.”

  Hayden quirked an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

  Nicolas tsked and pushed off from the tree. He moved closer to Hayden, his blue eyes bright. “As you’ve already guessed, I take my brother’s safety very seriously. From the time he was a mere pup, we’ve established an intimate bond. Kinship bonds are very powerful in the werewolf community, especially if built on solid foundations.”

  If she weren’t so tired, Nicolas’ fierce scrutiny would have intimated her.

  “When I encountered you in New York, I was unquestionably drawn to you. At first, I believed you were my life mate. However, I realized the bond I shared with your wolf wasn’t nearly as strong as the one I share with my brother. It was then when I realized you belonged to Cole. He acts as a conduct between you and me.”

  Taking his expression and words into consideration, Hayden’s suspicions weakened. While she didn’t trust the man, she knew Nicolas truly wanted to protect Cole. Whatever transpired with Xavier and Marie Slayter, Hayden knew it wasn’t black and white.

  “You knew all this time about my relationship with Cole?” she asked bitterly. “Since New York?”

  “I have.” He smiled faintly and gave her a once-over. “I’ve watched and observed. We are quite compatible. If you ever find yourself hesitant over mating with my brother—”

  “Dealing with one Alpha male is more than enough. Thank you.”

  She flashed him a repulsed look and struggled to rise from the ground. Expecting a burst of adrenaline, she was sorely mistaken when her legs seared with exhaustion and her stomach clenched in nausea.

  “Hayden.”

  Startled, she glanced over her shoulder. Nicolas hovered directly behind her. He quickly pressed a hand against her forehead and gazed intensely into her eyes.

  “Sleep,” he ordered, channeling a great deal of Alpha persuasion into his tone.

  Even as her mind became unclear and blurry, she struggled against the order. Her body folded to the ground and Nicolas followed her descent. His hand remained a persistent and unrelenting weight against her forehead, an impossible force to defy.

  Flashing Nicolas one last spiteful gaze, Hayden’s fingers turned limp around his wrist and she closed her eyes for only a minute.

  At least it only seemed like a minute.

  When she opened her eyes again, darkness greeted her. Hayden squinted in confusion, her mind reeling with broken recollections of where she was and what she was doing. When it came back to her, a massive weight of dread dropped in her stomach.

  Pressing a palm against her forehead, Hayden propped herself up. She drowned in the desolation of the packs’ separation, and from Cole, but quickly replaced it with firm resolve. Everyone would reunite shortly.

  Now wasn’t the time to break.

  Through parted fingers, she assessed the woods, looking for her enigmatic companion. Nothing but silence and stillness met her scrutiny.

  Hayden stumbled to her feet and twirled around, looking frantically from one corner of the woods to the other. Nicolas abandoned her. He had only needed Hayden for Cole’s general direction before approximating the location of Celeste’s hideout himself.

  Wild theories sprang to the forefront of her mind. Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe Nicolas didn’t want to protect Cole. Maybe he truly wanted to kill his brother.

  Distressed, and burdened with guilt, Hayden lurched in the general direction of Cole’s presence, feeling him faintly through their bond. She made it all but five feet before smelling a weak aroma of cooked flesh.

  Stopping in her tracks, she backtracked and followed the scented trail. As she parted a pair of willowy pines, she came upon a small clearing, a hidden alcove. Immediately, she noticed a pair of skinned rabbits skewered on a makeshift spit, the flames underneath nothing but glowing embers.

  It unnerved her that she’d slept through so much commotion. It unnerved her even more that Nicolas was capable of moving around completely undetected.

  At the remembrance of her companion, Hayden swept her eyes across the alcove. Using a low-hanging tree branch as a pull-up bar, the man performed a succession of quick and flawless pull-ups. His fatigued body all but preened under the familiarity of exercise.

  Averting her eyes from the undressed and incredibly cut figure, Hayden wandered over to the cooked rabbits, feeling disheartened when she remembered Cole’s careful and diligent lesson of rabbit skinning.

  “I see you’re finally awake,” Nicolas said in way of greeting. He dropped from the branch and turned a critical eye on Hayden. “Did you think I abandoned you? Is that why you began running further south without first properly scoping out your surroundings?”

  Heat warmed Hayden’s cheeks, and like a fool, she avoided Nicolas’ judgment.

  Remaining silent, she peeled off a chunk of flesh from the rabbit. Despite being cooked a few hours ago, the meat was still warm and tender.

  “Thanks for the rabbit,” she mumbled.

  Nicolas took a moment to respond, though it wasn’t to acknowledge Hayden’s gratitude. “I could have followed Cole after they took him.” His voice no longer came from across the clearing, but nearer to her. “Why would I abandon you now if I followed you and helped you escape from Celeste?”

  “You still need me to pinpoint Cole’s general direction,” Hayden figured, giving him a hard stare as he took another step closer.

  Nicolas smiled mockingly and Hayden glared. Cole’s brother clearly used the hours Hayden was asleep to recoup as well. He appeared a little less sickly, a little less frail, and a lot more focused and threatening.

  She preferred dealing with Nicolas when he was dead on his feet.

  “I have a good idea where we’re headed.” He walked around the makeshift fire pit, holding her gaze all the while. “I needed to keep you with me. To protect you. I don’t trust your b
eta to keep you safe when Cole isn’t around. And without you, Cole will hardly be open to my help.”

  Reasons unknown to Hayden, Nicolas’ comment irritated her. She clenched the meat between her fingers, causing juices to drip down her fingers. “You lied then. You didn’t need me at all. Ultimately, I’m a treat to keep Cole at bay.”

  Hardly deterred at her acidic tone, Nicolas nodded.

  “Yes.” He considered her. “And no.”

  Hayden exhaled, disgusted.

  “If he knows you’re safe, Cole will be more inclined to spend a few days down South to investigate. It’s time he found out what our parents were dealing with before their deaths.”

  Her interest rekindled. “Marie and Xavier?” She watched as Nicolas crouched down next to the embers, his attention firm and unwavering on Hayden. “They were actually responsible for something that warranted their murders?”

  Nicolas caught her bitter tone and countered it with icy cruelness. “I had two options. Celeste could kill all the Slayters, including myself. Or I could help her kill my parents and spare Cole in the process.” His eyes turned hooded. “I chose the latter. Clearly.”

  Hayden studied him spitefully before lowering her gaze in acceptance. She knew Cole would find more reason to argue, more reason to stay stubborn. They were not her parents, however, and it was not her betrayal to forgive.

  “What were your parents doing that Celeste found so disagreeable?”

  “All in due time, Hayden.” He smiled thinly. “It will be more beneficial to explain once Cole joins us. However, my word alone will not sway him. He will need solid evidence of our parents’ wrongdoings, hence our extended stay in Nevada.”

  “Nevada?” She inhaled a few more pieces of rabbit, eager to set out again. “That’s where Celeste is holding Cole? Or is that where we will be investigating?”

  “It’s where Cole is being held, and close to our investigating.” Nicolas stood. “Do you know what Nevada is known for, Hayden?”

  She stopped chewing when she noticed the ominous glow in Nicolas’ eyes.

  “No.”

  The man raised his eyebrows. “Make sure you your throwing knives are prepared and ready.” He turned a broad shoulder on her and destroyed the traces of the fire pit. “We are venturing in an area werewolves prefer to avoid.”