“So, what do I do?” Cerris asked. “Apart from freezing my ass in the snow.”
“You’re being overly dramatic. We cleared the snow, and it’s not like you’re sitting on the ground. We have lounge chairs.”
Cerris waved. “Whatever. So? Where do I start?”
“Have you ever meditated?” Cerris looked at Aeron like he was crazy and Aeron sighed. “I know it sounds lame, but it does help. It helps you get in touch with your wolf, and once you are, you can communicate with it.”
“And it’ll listen to me?” Cerris sounded dubious, and Aeron understood why. He knew Cerris had to lock himself away every full moon because he had no way to control his wolf.
“In time, it will. It took me a while to manage to control it, but now I don’t need to anymore. It controls itself, knows it’s not supposed to hurt people. I guess you could say we’re more of a whole now, less like two separate entities. Even when I’m in my werewolf form, I’m me, just like a shifter.”
Cerris stared at Aeron for a moment, then he shrugged. “All right, I’ll give it a try. Can’t be worse than now anyway.”
“Close your eyes. And your mouth.”
Cerris rolled his eyes, but he obeyed.
Aeron looked at him until he was sure he wasn’t going to open his eyes again. He nodded to himself when Cerris stayed still.
“All right. Now try to empty your mind. I know it’s not easy, but that way you’ll be able to find your wolf.”
“How do I empty my mind?”
“Think about nothing.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“It’s not. It’ll probably take you a while to manage, but I have faith in you. Come on, try.”
Cerris fell silent and Aeron observed him for another while. Once he was sure Cerris was focused, he closed his eyes and emptied his mind.
Or at least he tried to. It wasn’t easy, because Jericho was always on his mind. He felt the need to shimmer to him, and he couldn’t, not right away. He trusted Jericho was trying to get information for the pride, and the last thing Jericho needed was for a Nix—his mate—to shimmer in the middle of the hunters’ base and ruin his plans.
Aeron was used to mediating during hard times, though. He’d learned to do it during the hardest time of his life after all, when he’d been a reject for his tribe and had acted as a slave for them. He could mediate with his mate missing. Jericho was fine. He had to be.
Aeron took a deep breath, then another, and let go of his thoughts.
It was easy to find his wolf. It hadn’t been in the beginning, but now it really felt like another part of Aeron, a more furry and fangy one. He liked his wolf, but it had taken him years to accept that. He’d hated being different when he was a kid, for obvious reason, but now he enjoyed it. He liked the company.
Something moved to Aeron’s left and he tensed, snapping out of his meditating state. He didn’t let it show and listened instead.
His wolf wanted to come out, and Aeron knew it had to mean that whatever or whoever was out there, it wasn’t a good thing. Aeron listened. Someone was coming closer and doing their best to be silent about it. They probably didn’t realize shifters could hear better than humans and that Aeron and Cerris were werewolves. Aeron wasn’t sure Cerris had noticed anything because he wasn’t reacting, but it was probably a good thing. Who knew how he’d react if he’d noticed something?
There was another sound, the creaking of a fallen branch. Whoever was out there was closer. They knew Aeron and Cerris were there and they were trying to be sneaky.
Aeron opened his eyes. The hunter who was closest to him froze, her expression surprised. The man next to her didn’t, though. When he saw Aeron had noticed them, he roared and lunged forward.
Aeron shifted, his clothes exploding around him. The hunter froze when he saw what Aeron had become, and Aeron launched himself forward, colliding with the man and throwing him to the ground.
He snarled, and the guy under him cowered, but it didn’t last long. The hunter was holding a knife, and he tried to stab Aeron with it. Aeron was stronger, faster, and bigger, though. He grabbed the hunter’s wrist and slammed it to the ground until the hunter let go.
Pain flared in his back and he roared, turning toward the other hunter. She looked about ready to faint, but before she could do anything, she was jerked away.
Cerris had shifted, and he was furious. He snarled at her and Aeron wanted to stop him. He wasn’t in control. He’d kill her if Aeron didn’t do anything.
Aeron couldn’t intervene, though, because the man under him tried to buck him off and reached for his knife at the same time.
Aeron didn’t want to hurt him. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, but he wouldn’t have problems doing it to defend his and Cerris’ life. It was them or the hunters, and he didn’t even have to think about who was going to come out of it alive.
He plunged his claws into the hunter’s stomach. The hunter froze, blood spilling onto Aeron’s fur covered hand as Aeron turned his claws sideways. It would be enough to kill the human.
Aeron removed his claws from the hunter’s stomach and got up, looking at Cerris. He’d lost control. The hunter he’d pulled from Aeron’s back was dead. Very dead. She was covered in blood, and she wasn’t moving, but Cerris was still on top of her, clawing at her and growling. It looked like a horror movie scene.
Aeron roared and Cerris’ head jerked toward him. Aeron slowly approached him, hoping Cerris wasn’t going to attack him. He’d never met Cerris’ wolf half, and things could go two ways. Either Cerris would accept him as pack, pride, or whatever, or he’d see Aeron as a challenge and try to kill him. Aeron hoped for the first one.
Cerris slid off the dead hunter and dropped to the ground. Aeron breathed easier and shifted. “Hey, Cer. How about you shift back so we can go to the house and tell Dominic about this?”
Cerris whined.
“Look, it’s all right. I know you didn’t want to hurt her, but she attacked us and you had to do something. She stabbed me.” And fuck if it didn’t hurt. “Why don’t you shift back so you can heal me, huh?”
Cerris shifted back and Aeron breathed easier. Cerris was a mess, but then so was Aeron. They were both bloody and naked, and Aeron was in pain. There were two bodies in the clearing with them, and they had to tell Dominic the hunters had attacked again.
Damn, Aeron’s life was a mess.
* * * *
Jericho looked up when his cell door opened. Brad came in, and Jericho wanted to punch him in his smug face. He couldn’t believe he’d trusted the man, that he’d thought Brad was his friend, that he’d listen to him.
Right after revealing his claws, Brad had stuck Jericho in a cell and left. Jericho hadn’t seen anyone since then, and he was glad he’d stopped at the diner to eat, because he hadn’t been fed since the day before.
“Brad,” he said.
The door closed behind Brad. “Are you going to tell me what happened? Why you betrayed me?”
That was one big no. There was no way Jericho was giving Brad a good reason to kill him, or a way to find Aeron. “I didn’t betray you.” Much.
“So I’m supposed to believe Dominic kept you around because he liked you?”
“He kept me around to ask me questions. Questions I didn’t answer.”
“Why not? You risked a lot. He could have tortured you, maybe even killed you. I don’t think you’re that dedicated to the cause.”
“He kept me in his infirmary and made sure I was healed. Why would he torture me after doing that? It doesn’t make sense. Look, Brad, I didn’t say anything. I woke up in the infirmary, Dominic and a few others talked to me and tried to convince me I needed to cooperate. I said no, they kept me in the infirmary because I had a concussion. Still have it, in fact, and I’d like a painkiller, because my head is hurting like a bitch.”
“How did you escape?”
“I told you. The last time Domi
nic came to talk to me I gave him a few positions, minor hunters’ group. I know I shouldn’t have, but I needed to get out of there and they wouldn’t have untied me if I hadn’t given them anything at all. So I told him that, and he thought I was finally cooperating. I asked him to untie me because I’d had enough of having to call the doctor when I needed the bathroom, and he did. I mean, I’d told him that after spending time with them I’d realized not all shifters are bad and that what the hunters are doing, what we’re doing is wrong. He thought I was repentant or something, I guess. He did let you stay with the pride even though he didn’t know you. Why wouldn’t he think I could repent?”
Brad’s face was expressionless and Jericho wasn’t sure whether he was convincing him or not.
“Go on,” Brad said.
“I told you everything. I was untied, waited for everyone to be in bed and slipped out.”
“Dominic Nash has enforcers there. Patrols.”
“They’re supposed to keep people out, though. I’m sure they don’t check for people leaving the house. And I had to climb the gate, obviously, because it was closed. Then I footed it to town and hitched a ride, then another. That’s it. I don’t know what else you want to hear, Brad.”
“The truth. Do you really think I’m that stupid? What. Happened?”
Jericho jerked up to his feet. He didn’t yell in Brad’s face because he didn’t want to be killed right then and there, but he wanted answers. “The truth? How about you tell me the truth? I trusted you, Brad. I told you about my family and what happened to them, and you’re not even human!”
“You know the truth, at least part of it. My family was killed by a pack of wolf shifters. They thought I was dead, but I managed to escape and heal.”
“And what, you decided all shifters had to die for what had happened? You do realize that would include you, right?”
Brad snarled and Jericho took a step backward.
“I never hurt anyone!” Brad yelled. “I wanted to live my life with my family and my mate. They were the ones who attacked us without reason, and they have to pay.”
Jericho swallowed. He’d never seen Brad so out of it. What had happened to his family had obviously done more than set him on revenge, and Jericho had never realized it. He’d never seen Brad like this, and it scared him. He’d followed this guy’s orders, had killed people for him, because he’d ordered it.
He’d been lost in his own grief for so long that he’d believed what Brad had told him—that was easier than forgiving the people who’d killed his family. It was easier to attack them all, hold them all responsible. To not think about what he was doing.
He raised his hands. “All right. I understand that, Brad. You know it. You know what happened to me, why I became your second. Do you really think I’d help shifters in any way? That I wouldn’t rather have them kill me?”
Brad was silent for a moment, then, “I’m a shifter too. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to tell the others and take my place, kill me?”
Jericho raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I’ve known you for years, and you’re a friend. You’re the one who created all this, who went after other shifters. We have the same goals. I... I don’t think the hunters would survive without you as their leader, so no, I won’t tell anyone.”
Jericho was freaking out. He prayed Brad believed him, because he knew he wouldn’t make it out alive if he didn’t. It wouldn’t be the first time Brad killed someone—far from it. Jericho needed to get out of there ASAP.
“You’ll be there for the next battle?” Brad asked.
“Of course I will, if you let me out of here. Can’t really do anything from a cell, right?”
Brad’s eyes narrowed.
This is it. I’m going to die. He could have defended himself against Brad if he was human, but he was a shifter. He was stronger and faster. He wouldn’t have any problems dealing with Jericho even though he was smaller.
“You’ll stay in the building until I tell you to leave. I need you to help me coordinate the teams for the next attack.”
Jericho tried not to let Brad see how relieved he was.
“You won’t be part of the attack. I can’t trust you.”
“But—”
“Shut up. I won’t kill you because I need you. The hunters listen to you, but they don’t know me. You’ll help me with them, and maybe I won’t kill you once I’m done with the pride.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make you see I didn’t betray you.”
Brad shook his head. “That won’t be possible. Now come on. I need you.”
Jericho followed Brad out of the cell and into the room they used for command. Jericho looked around, wondering how he’d get out of there. He needed to stay a bit longer and gather information, which should be fairly easy, since Brad needed him to know when they’d attack next.
The problem would be getting out. Brad was going to make sure he couldn’t go anywhere and that he couldn’t get anyone a message. Jericho would have to find a way around that, because he needed to get back to Aeron and to tell Dominic what he knew.
He sat at the table and looked at the map. The mansion was circled in red. “So, when do you want to do this?” When Brad didn’t answer he looked up. Brad was frowning and staring at him. “What? I need to know when you want to do it if I have to organize it.”
“You can’t get out of here. Everything is guarded, and I told everyone not to let you leave.”
“That’s fine with me. I told you I wouldn’t betray you.”
“We’ll see.”
Jericho really needed to find a way out. The situation made him wish he’d agreed to mating with Aeron. Aeron hadn’t asked, but Jericho thought he wanted to do it anyway. It had been too much for Jericho, but the mind-talking thing would have come in handy.
And of course, it would have meant being tied to Aeron for the rest of a very long life. It had sounded ominous at the time, but Jericho couldn’t help but wonder why the fuck he’d hesitated, because right now, spending the rest of his life cuddled in bed with Aeron sounded just fine.
Chapter Five
“I’m fine.” Aeron batted away Noem’s hands, but Noem’s expression was enough to tell him he wasn’t getting out of the infirmary easily.
“You were attacked by hunters. You’re not fine.”
“I am. Cerris healed me.”
Noem’s eyes narrowed. “Cerris healed you? That means there’s a wound you didn’t tell me about.”
Aeron had fucked up. He hadn’t wanted Noem to know about the stabbing thing because he’d known Noem would freak out over it. He sighed and gestured toward his back. “I was stabbed, but really, I’m fine.”
“Show me.”
Aeron turned around, but there was nothing to see. His clothes had exploded when he’d shifted, and since Cerris had healed him, there was no wound. There was probably some blood, but it could have come from one of the hunters as far as Aeron knew.
He felt Noem’s hand on his back, touching the spot where he knew the wound had been and the skin around it. Noem prodded and huffed. “There’s nothing. Cerris did a good job.”
“That’s what I told you.”
Noem walked around the bed Aeron was sitting on again. “You’re sure you’re fine? No other wounds, pain, anything?”
“Nothing. Look, they didn’t even get the opportunity to do much. There were only two of them, and yes, one stabbed me in the back, but that’s all. Me and Cerris were both in our werewolf form, so it was easy to deal with them.”
Noem sucked on his lower lip and slowly nodded. “How’s Cerris?”
Jared had whisked Cerris away to one of the other private rooms when they’d walked in, so Aeron had no idea what was happening. He knew what Noem was asking, though. “He’ll be fine.”
“He lost control.” Noem’s voice trembled as he spoke.
This was what they’d all been afraid of,
and it made Aeron feel like shit. He should have been there for Cerris, should have helped him control his wolf sooner. He’d chosen to hide his head in his ass instead, and this was the result. The woman Cerris had killed had been a hunter, of course, but it didn’t change the fact that he’d killed someone. Aeron hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to Cerris yet, so he didn’t know how Cerris was taking it. He hoped his friend was fine.
“Yeah, he did,” he answered. “But come on, who wouldn’t have in that situation?”
“You didn’t.”
“That’s because I’m used to my wolf. I was trying to teach Cerris. How did those hunters get so close to the house anyway?”
Noem shook his head and patted Aeron’s knee. “You can put that T-shirt on, and I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything yet, but then I’ve been in here with you. Come on, lets’ go see what’s happening out there.”
Aeron donned the T-shirt Noem had taken out for him and hopped off the bed. He followed Noem out, not surprised to see the infirmary’s main room full of people. Well, it wasn’t exactly full, but Dominic was there, along with Ani, Nate, Nysys, and Finn. Even Wyn was there, and he normally stuck to either the gardens or his room. The only Nix missing from their little group was Yerad, but he’d been working with the enforcers lately, so Aeron wasn’t surprised.
Jared and Cerris were obviously still in the exam room but when Aeron walked in, Dominic looked at him. Aeron knew he had explanations to give, so he walked up to the alpha. Might as well do it now rather than wait. Who knew what state Cerris would be in when Jared was done with him.
“I’m going to go see if Jared needs help,” Noem said, pointing his thumb at the door.
Aeron nodded but he didn’t look away from Dominic. Dominic waited until Noem was gone to nod at Aeron. “Tell me,” he said.
Whitedell Pride 25 - Aeron Page 8