“What if it really was hers?” she asked in a whisper. “He said…he said she wasn’t dead.”
“He is cruel, Clara. He is worse than my brother in the way he takes enjoyment from other’s suffering. Do you know what that blood would have done to you?” He glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
“I didn’t really understand what was going on,” she admitted, “but he was trying to infect me, wasn’t he?”
“Wasn’t that why you threw yourself out of the boat? To avoid becoming infected?” Callan asked, still facing her.
“No, not really. He kept talking about mom’s blood and her being alive. I didn’t think about what he was doing…I just wanted to get away from him.”
Tyson laughed shortly and shook his head. “If that don’t beat all,” he muttered under his breath.
“Did you…” she hesitated when she remembered how angry they had sounded while discussing their desire to kill James Parker. “Did you kill him?”
There was a moment when Tyson and Callan exchanged looks and she could not decipher their expressions. “No, sis, we didn’t,” Callan said as he leaned toward her to touch her hand.
“You sounded so angry,” she murmured. “I thought you would leave me to kill him.”
This time he glanced to Mesha and their brows rose in shock.
“I didn’t, but are you saying you could hear us?”
“Of course I could, you were shouting…all of you were shouting.”
Callan’s emerald eyes glinted as confusion passed over his face. “What else did you hear?”
“Tyson mostly, because he was the loudest, but I could hear all of you.”
Tyson’s icy eyes caught hers through the mirror and his was an expression of confusion as well. “You should not have been able to hear us,” he said. “We were in our wolf forms.”
“But I did. Mesha kept saying the same thing over and over at first, so did you…then you were all arguing about whether or not you should find Parker and kill him. I think you tried to talk to me, but I couldn’t…and then I woke up here.”
Callan sat back to better see Tyson. “What does it mean?” he asked as if it were evidence she’d contracted a terrible virus.
“I’m not sure. I honestly have never heard of such a thing. She’s mortal, she should not have been able to hear us.”
“Have you ever heard us before?” Mesha asked.
“No,” Clara answered with a shake of her head, a motion she quickly stopped when her temples and neck pulsed painfully.
“Could she have been infected?” Callan asked anxiously.
“She would not be ill or weak right now if she had,” Tyson said.
“I wasn’t infected,” Clara affirmed. “He dropped the needle when the boat tipped. Although, I don’t—”
Mesha’s hand came on her knee, stopping her from saying more and Clara bit her lip.
“Although you don’t what?” Tyson asked, glancing at her again.
“Although nothing, she shouldn’t be exerting herself this way,” Mesha cut in and drew Clara to her side. “You should try to rest.”
“Yes,” Callan agreed with a nod. “Try to take it easy.”
Clara did as they said and tried to rest, but she could feel Tyson’s inquisitive gaze upon her and she wondered if he guessed what she’d been about to say.
Chapter 11 - Hideout
Uncertainty snatched Clara’s awareness once more as she slept. Her body was not yet fully recovered and lingered somewhere near exhaustion. Their unexpected expedition was drawn to a close that evening when they stopped for a break, if only for her sake. She was somewhat aware of being moved into a hotel while she slept. The next she opened her eyes, the familiar pink rose was bowing in its vase next to her bed and she discovered she was no longer napping in the back of a car. Her head pounded with pain as she moved to sit up. She covered her eyes with her hands in a small effort to block the light and alleviate the pulsing.
“You need to drink something,” Jack said. Clara removed her hands from her face long enough to see he was standing near the window on the furthest wall. He was the only one in the room as far as she could tell. He went to the small fridge and pulled out a clear water bottle, tossing it next to her on the bed. The springs in the mattress bounced when it landed. “You were practically lethargic when Ty carried you in, otherwise I would have made you drink something then.”
“Thank you,” she muttered and broke the seal on the bottle by twisting it open. The plastic crinkled and popped as she began to drink. Her throat and tongue felt thick they were so dry and she drank deeply, downing half its contents before emerging long enough to ask, “Where are the others?”
“Our emotions are still pretty hot after what happened,” he said and looked away. She guessed his eyes glowed. “They went for a quick run. Cal wanted to be here when you woke up and pressed himself to stay as long as he could, but you know how dangerous that can be for a young pup.”
She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand next to the rose and noted it was nearing four. The darkness outside told her it was early morning. “How long have we been here?”
“Tyson called a stop late last night.”
She tipped what was left of the water into her mouth and swallowed. Already her head pounded a little less painfully and she sighed with relief. Jack stayed near the window and kept an eye trained on the lot. His shoulders and hands were tense.
“How long have you been in here?” she asked, noticing his unease.
“Since the moon set. Tyson’s willpower is strong, but even he needs to get out there and run from time to time…especially after being so angry.”
The hall door rattled and swung open when Dawn bustled in just then carrying a takeout sack. “They make it nearly impossible to find something good to eat this early,” she said to Jack before spotting Clara and gasping. “My dear girl! I am so pleased to see you awake!” The paper bag was set on the nightstand before she gave Clara a quick hug.
“Thank you, Dawn,” she answered with a smile. “I never got to thank you…both of you for everything you did to help me out on the lake.”
“Oh posh,” Dawn said with a wave of her hand. “Of course we wanted to help. Here, dear, this is for you.” She said and touched the sack with her fingers. “Some breakfast burritos, with no meat of course.”
“That’s very kind of you, thanks!” she said and pulled out a foil wrapped burrito, moving from beneath the covers to sit on the edge of the bed as she did. Her stomach was so empty it practically turned over at the sight of food.
“I packed some of your things. I took the liberty of purchasing some things as well. Everything is in the bathroom when you’re feeling up to it,” Dawn added.
Clara was in the middle of chewing her food and swallowed before speaking. “Thank you. I was wondering, were you the one who purchased my clothes when we stayed at the hotel before?”
“Yes,” Dawn affirmed with a nod and patted her hair. “I would have stayed, but Tyson sent me ahead with Koty, mostly to keep Koty from the innocents. She was never very stable. She and I ran ahead when the moon was still up and prepared the cabin for the rest of the pack.”
“You don’t have to explain, Dawn. To be honest, I am relieved it was you and not my brother…or Tyson.”
Dawn laughed and Jack even offered one of his infrequent chuckles before turning somber once more. “You might be relieved to know I was the one who prepared your room at the house then,” Dawn said.
“That is good to know. You speak as if it was my room before I ever arrived there.”
“It was,” Jack said, speaking in a gravelly tone as he kept an eye trained out the window. “Tyson is always prepared for whichever scenario might play out.”
“We sometimes felt he would overly prepare,” Dawn agreed, “even if our lives are unpredictable. In this instance we were wrong, weren’t we Jack?”
“We were, but it did seem crazy. His foresight is almost pro
phetic at times.”
“You mean like how he knew Koty would not come back?” she asked.
“Sort of,” Jack responded with a shrug. “None of us were very surprised. Her feelings could not be masked from us when we were in our wolf forms. Sadly, it was only a matter of time really.”
Dawn nodded in agreement. “She’s a very confused young woman.”
“How old is she?” Clara asked. “I thought she was about my age.”
“No, she was only seventeen when she was bitten. She has since had another birthday, so I suppose she’s technically eighteen now.”
Clara chewed thoughtfully, allowing herself time to process the things churning in her mind. “Do you think being so young is why she struggles to contain herself?”
“Perhaps it had something to do with it, but Jack was younger. Beth was even younger than Jack when she was turned,” Dawn answered.
“Aunt Dawn!” Jack exclaimed in nearly a whisper. Although he was quiet, traces of a growl rumbled through the room. He paled and Dawn looked pained as well. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.
“It’s alright to talk about her, honey,” she said gently. Jack turned away quickly, but not before his eyes gave away his anger. He went to the window and pressed his forehead against the glass, his entire body tensing. In the end, he whipped around with a wild expression, his eyes lit by rage.
“I can’t…I CAN’T!” he roared and his voice boomed over the room, causing it to shake. Clara jumped in shock and dropped her meal which landed with a splat on the floor.
“Jack!” Dawn snarled, her sweet demeanor instantly falling away to reveal a fearsome side of her. “Don’t let anger get the better of you!”
He was trembling, much the same as Tyson had when fighting the lure of the full moon. Beads of perspiration broke out over his forehead. His eyes blazed yellow and he became someone Clara didn’t know. “I’m sorry,” he managed to pant before hastily leaving the room. The door slammed and Clara found she had pressed herself against the headboard in fear.
“Forgive him,” Dawn said, her eyes on the door as if she wanted to go after her nephew. “He hasn’t lost his temper like that in a long time.”
“It’s fine,” Clara replied in a squeak, but she didn’t move from her spot just then. “Dare I ask who Beth is?”
Dawn sighed and tears gathered in her eyes as she went to sit on the bed. “I shouldn’t have brought her up. I so want to see him smile again…to see him move on.”
“She hurt him?” Clara asked.
“No, dear, nothing like that. She was killed by Parker and his men.”
“No!” she gasped in a whisper and covered her mouth with both hands. “I had no idea!”
“It was nearly ten years ago and he has never stopped mourning her,” Dawn said solemnly. “I don’t want him to forget her, none of us could, but he will remain in this depressed state forever unless he can find a way to move beyond the pain.”
Jack had always seemed rather serious, but Clara had never stopped to ponder the reason. Her heart shuddered and tears came unbidden to her eyes. Dawn’s eyes misted over as well, as if she could see nothing but memories of Beth and Jack.
“Of course, Beth was special…Tyson never fully emerged from his grief either. He and Beth were close.”
A little confused, Clara tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “H-how long was she in the pack?”
“Hm?” Dawn asked as she emerged from the depths of her thoughts. “Oh, yes. She had been a pack member before Jack and I arrived. It was only the two of them then. She found us…rescued us from ourselves and Parker. She and Jack didn’t get along at first until after Tyson interfered and threatened to throw us out if Jack’s advances toward her didn’t stop. That was all it took for her to realize how much she cared for Jack.”
“And Tyson gave her up just like that?” Clara asked with a frown.
“What ever do you…oh, darling, no!” Dawn said with a burst of laughter. “It wasn’t like that! Beth was Tyson’s cousin. Mark turned her by accident. When I say accident, I mean he accidentally left her alive. He meant to kill her…all because he knew how much Tyson loved her.”
“He is a horribly sick and twisted individual!” Clara said with a shake of her head, sickening black dread clamping down on her stomach. “I don’t know how he could be so evil without my seeing.”
“He is also very conniving. His mind had been brilliant once, before it was turned to revenge.” Dawn’s attention was suddenly drawn to the fallen burrito. “Why, Clara, you’ve scarcely eaten a bite! Don’t worry a bit about Jack, he will return when he has cooled off. There’s another burrito in the bag there.”
“Thank you, Dawn, you are always so mindful of me,” Clara said with a small smile. She scooped up the mess and tossed it in the wastebasket before trying to eat again. She forced her mouth to swallow as she ate, but it might have been sawdust for all she tasted. Her mind was troubled over the evil of Parker and Mark as she showered and changed into the things Dawn had set out for her. She left the bathroom after combing her hair and readying. She jumped in surprise for the second time that day when she nearly careened into Tyson. He stood just outside the door, his icy eyes immediately penetrating hers. “Tyson!” she gasped and placed a hand over her heart. “You scared me!”
“I heard what happened with Jack,” he said. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” she said and reached up to run her fingers through her wet hair. “Is he alright?”
“Dawn and Callan went to find him.”
“Oh.”
“They told you about Beth?”
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I have never heard of something so tragic. I’m sorry, Tyson.”
“I should have killed him then,” Tyson said and finally released her from his gaze to turn toward the window. “I should have killed both of them when they took Beth.”
“It seems you easily could,” she observed. “Why didn’t you?”
Tyson glanced at her then looked to the floor. “Parker keeps himself well guarded by employing other werewolves to protect him. It would take the entire pack, as well as others, to kill him and I couldn’t risk more lives. Mark…I should have killed him many times over. I suppose guilt keeps me from actually carrying the deed out.”
“There are others like you that work for Parker?” she asked in utter disbelief.
“Yes, a great number of them. That’s what took us so long to find you at the lake, we were battling other werewolves.”
“How did they know where we were?”
“Koty gave them a fresh trail to follow and they managed to track us down.”
“I…I don’t understand. I know she hated me, but why would she jeopardize the rest of the pack that way?”
“The same reason other werewolves so willingly work for Parker.” His eye met hers again and they were smoldering with a deep, unsettled anger. “He promised them something, can you guess what that something is?”
Afraid of the answer, Clara could only shake her head.
“He promised them a taste of your blood.”
The familiar, icy, gripping fear coursed through her like venom and her heart began to pound. “Koty wants…she wants my blood?”
“They all do,” he said, his voice softening. “I’m sorry, I don’t tell you this because I want to hurt or scare you. I hope this knowledge will help you to help us avoid Parker and his crew.”
She moved to sit on the bed, suddenly feeling overly tired. “I just wish I understood how he came to the conclusion I am the one they want.”
“I told you before why I believe he’s right,” Tyson said quietly. “To add to it, you can hear us when you should not be able. Mesha was drawn to you, a mortal and you have bonded with her. You aren’t infected, yet you share some of our traits. You are fearless among us and have become a true member of the pack. Fate has drawn you into this world.”
“Fate?” she asked skeptically. “You were there w
hen Mark dragged me into this world and I have yet to fully understand why! The only reason I’m even alive right now is because you and the rest of the pack have endangered yourselves. I can’t go anywhere without someone babysitting me and have nothing to contribute to the pack.”
“You wish to go back to your old life?” he asked, and she was sure she saw hurt enter his eye.
“I never said that. I just don’t believe fate drew me here. If fate were involved wouldn’t it have led me to this Jothram person instead of my brother?”
“I suppose…”
“I have yet to even lay eyes on the man. Just when I thought we were close enough to reach him, he vanished. Don’t you think if fate were involved, he would be drawn to me as well?”
“Maybe he is, maybe that’s why he did what he did,” Tyson answered.
“What do you mean?”
“He feels his life is a curse…and, truthfully, it is. His love is a curse. How could he bring himself to face you when he knows he will love you to the moon and back, but that very love is a curse?”
“Love is not a curse,” she whispered.
“His love is!” Tyson countered immediately. “He knows it…he has always known it!”
“I don’t believe he loves me,” she said with a shake of her head. “Nor will I believe any love is a curse. I will not be at ease until after we meet and everyone understands that everything is a big mistake.”
Making a sound of sheer frustration, Tyson put his hands to his head and turned away, going to pace briskly about the room. She bit her cheek and feigned a great interest in the pattern on the bedcover, using her finger to trace a line in and out of the tiny blue and red jewel tone dots.
“You seem to know a lot about him,” she said without looking up. From the corner of her eye, she saw him stop. “I gather you’ve met him?”
“Of course I have. After becoming infected, I spent the first few years tracking him down.”
“That is a long time to track someone down,” she said, daring to look up at last.
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