by G. K. DeRosa
“I said stop.” I let my alpha power bleed through the command.
Braxton growled but finally relented.
“You guys, come quick!” Cass’s voice tore through the jumble of emotions tearing at my insides. I spun toward the sound. My best friend was hunched over Connor’s body. “He’s still alive. Barely, but I heard a heartbeat.”
I wanted to kick myself for not checking sooner.
She jumped to her feet, now in full-on healer mode. “I’m going to run upstairs for some supplies. No one touch him until I get back.” She pointed at Hunter. “You, go get Terra and bring her here as fast as you can. Vander, go inside the café and get towels, lots of them.”
Vander took off, and Hunter nodded numbly. His wings snapped out before my friend darted up the hill.
“What should I do?” I called after her.
“Just keep him comfortable,” she shouted over her shoulder as she raced toward my den.
I sank down beside Connor, guilt gnawing at my insides. I’d promised to protect them, and I’d failed. “I’m sorry,” I muttered through clenched teeth. “I’m so, so sorry, Connor.”
“You should be.” Braxton hovered over Jacinda’s still form, his incisors protruding over his lower lip. “You should’ve been protecting them instead of completing mating bonds and competing in trials.”
A hot flash of anger blanketed the sorrow, and a deep growl rumbled in my throat. “I’m competing in the trials, for you, for all of us! You think I want to do this? I’m trying to become the high alpha to protect my pack.”
“But you’ve got nothing to say about Hunter? No excuse for that decision?”
“He’s my mate!” I yelled. “There was no decision to be made. Our bond supersedes everything, don’t you understand that? You have no idea the guilt that consumes me every day. You never will, not until you’ve found your fated mate.”
“And the way things are going, it’s doubtful that’ll ever happen.” Braxton stormed off, weaving between the students spilling across the quad. A few sent curious glances in our direction, but no one dared approach after the supreme alpha heir’s warning.
I wanted to chase after Braxton and yell at him for being such an ass, but I couldn’t leave Connor. I’d deal with him later. There was only so much anger I could handle at once, and my own was already threatening to consume me.
As I stared at the faint rise and fall of Connor’s bloodied chest, the anger only intensified. My fangs dropped, and fur raced across my arms. My wolf was furious. Again, someone had come after her pack. And we all knew who that bastard was.
Tyrien.
There was no one else. Lucien had been the one to hide Zade’s family all those years ago, so there was no reason for him to kill them now. No one else had motive. But how did Tyrien find them? And what were Jacinda and Connor doing here? They were supposed to wait until we went back for them when it was safe.
“Why, Connor? Why’d you come back?” I dabbed the beads of sweat from his brow with the hem of my t-shirt and released a slow breath. “I promise I’ll make this right. Somehow.”
Vander’s heavy footfalls jerked my attention toward the café as he sprinted toward me with a handful of towels. I helped him put one on each of the deepest wounds and rolled another one under his head. Just over Vander’s shoulder, I could make out Cass racing down the hill. I prayed to all the gods that her potions would be enough to save him.
I’d already lost Jacinda, but I’d be damned if I lost her son too.
Hours later, Cass poked her head from my bedroom, and all eyes swung toward her. “He’s resting comfortably.”
I released the breath I’d been holding since we’d returned to my den with Connor hanging limply in Hunter’s arms. “Is he going to be okay?”
“He’s lost a lot of blood, Sierra, but he’s a strong guy. It was a good thing he was raised with those freak vampire hunters or else he never would’ve had a chance against whatever attacked him.” She paused, nibbling on her lower lip. “I think he’ll be okay with a lot of rest. Luckily, he and Braxton were a match for blood, so I’ve given him a healthy transfusion. Terra’s still in there with him now, and she’s given me a heap of instructions.”
I wrapped my arms around my best friend and squeezed her tight against me. “I’m so thankful to have you in my life, Cass. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Pshaw. I love you too, girl.”
Terra appeared in the doorway next, strands of long white hair dangling free from the tie at the base of her neck. The soft skin beneath her eyes were dark, the corners crinkled. “Let the boy rest. It’s likely he’ll sleep for the next few days, and it’s for the best.” She ticked her head at Cass. “I’ve left all the potions along with detailed directions.”
“Thank you so much, Terra.” I clasped my hands behind my back to keep from pulling the old woman into a hug.
“It’s nothing, child. Hunter is like a son to me, which makes you family.”
A smile I didn’t think I was capable of at that moment split my lips. Tears welled in my eyes, but I willed them back. She brushed by me, and her voice lingered in the air when she reached the living room where Hunter, Braxton and Vander waited.
It seemed like we’d been waiting hours for the news. Now at least we knew Connor would survive, but I dreaded the moment he’d wake, and I’d be forced to tell him about his mother.
“I’m going to grab a coffee,” Cass said. “Do you want something?”
I nodded. “Caffeine and lots of it, please.” We’d never gotten it earlier. I followed her into the living room where Terra was saying her goodbyes. Hunter walked her out the door, the pair locked in a heated but hushed conversation. What was that about? Vander popped up as soon as we appeared and trailed out the door after my bestie.
My gaze landed on Braxton, and my wolf bristled. Shoving down the swell of annoyance, I focused on my ex-fiancé who flipped through the TV channels, his eyes fixed on some new cheesy reality show. His anger bled through the pack link, only amplifying my guilt. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but not a single comforting word came to mind. He was right. I was the alpha, and I was doing a terrible job protecting my pack.
Hunter strode back into the apartment without lifting his eyes to mine. He lingered by the door and cleared his throat. “I’m going to see Tyrien.”
“About what happened?”
“Yes.”
“About time,” Braxton mumbled from the couch.
I crept toward my mate, and he took a step back. Narrowing my eyes, I shot him a questioning glance. “What’s wrong?” It was a stupid question because I knew the answer. His guilt was more overpowering than my own.
“Where do you want me to start?” he muttered through clenched teeth.
“This isn’t your fault—”
He raised his hand, cutting me off. “I feel like we keep having the same argument, and I don’t want to anymore.” He spun toward the door, and I followed him into the tunnels. “I need to go confront Tyrien,” he said over his shoulder.
I lunged for his arm and dragged him back. “Wait. Before you do something stupid, talk to me.”
“What’s there to talk about?” he growled. “My father has stolen another Mystic life, and I was useless to stop him. All this time, we’ve been sitting around waiting for him to make a move. I’m tired of waiting. I’ll get the truth out of him if I have to drag it out with my claws.”
“Hunter, this wasn’t the plan…”
“The plan isn’t working, Sierra! By the time the trials are over, there may not be a single Mystic left.”
A punch to the gut would’ve hurt less.
“I never should’ve completed our bond. It was a mistake, don’t you see? Braxton was right.”
All the air whooshed from my lungs with another colossal hit. “No, he wasn’t,” I managed.
“We were selfish—no, I was selfish. I should’ve let you go a long time ago. You and Braxton could save
your pack. Your mating would secure a future for the Mystics. I never should’ve stood in your way.”
“Are you insane?” I hissed. “I love you, and I want to be with you. No one else.”
“Well, you shouldn’t. You’re an alpha now, Sierra, and I was stupid to steer you in the wrong direction. We’re mated, but the curse is still alive and well. You’re tied to me and for what?”
“For love, you idiot!” Gods, I wanted to throat punch him. “Of course I feel guilty about choosing you over my pack, but I don’t regret it. Not for one second. Not only would I likely be dead if you hadn’t completed the bond, even if I had chosen to be with Braxton, I never would’ve stopped loving you. What kind of a life would that have been for me?”
“The right one. The right one for your pack.” He darted down the tunnel and I chased after him, but the moment he hit the dangling ivy at the entrance, his wings unfurled. He leapt over the ledge, and the powerful flap of his reptilian appendages sent him hurtling into the night sky.
“Hunter!” I cried out, curling my hands into fists as I stood at the edge of the hill. “Hunter!”
The stubborn wolf-dragon ignored me, ascending higher into the darkness, until his golden wings were fully enveloped in the black.
Don’t do anything stupid, Hunter. I shot through our mate link. I’ll never forgive you if you do.
Chapter Eleven
Hunter
* * *
Gods, I’d been stupid. My wings flapped in a frenzied pace as I soared across the valley. Sierra was right about that at least. I was stupid to think I could put our happiness before the pack, that reality wouldn’t catch up to us. All I wanted was to be Sierra’s mate, to love her, to spend the rest of my life protecting her. I’d failed in all directions.
If I’d only managed to break the curse, it would’ve been worth it, but to have a mate that couldn’t love her was nearly as bad as having an arranged mate she didn’t love. At least she would’ve been doing the right thing for the future of her pack.
My fingers curled at my sides, claws digging into my palms. How did everything get so screwed up? Tyrien. The answer to that was plain.
And it was time for him to confess his sins.
Today was a day of mourning after all, and after I was done with him, nothing but misery would rain down. I angled my wings toward the ground as Silverstalker Lair materialized ahead, the giant rocky monster looming over the entire valley.
I landed on the roof with a barely perceptible thud. Father preferred I entered his chambers via the main entrance, but tonight I didn’t care what he wanted. I crept toward his balcony and scaled over the turrets to reach the iron veranda. Inside, a glimmer of light warmed the cold chamber.
Tyrien sat at the hearth in his favorite chair, swirling ice in a glass of whiskey. I scanned the pack link for any hint of emotion, but as always he cut everyone off. If I could only force myself into his thoughts like he’d done so often with the other wolves. I wouldn’t need him to confess if I was able to pry the truth free myself.
I focused my thoughts on him, on our blood tie, on the mystical tether that connected us. A prickle of awareness zipped through the connection. Tyrien’s eyes jumped up, meeting mine through the window.
Aristaeus? He snarled through our link. What are you doing skulking outside my chamber?
I yanked at the old iron door handle and wrenched it free, lock and all. His dark gaze razed over me, and he placed his glass down on the table.
“What are you doing here at this hour?” he asked.
“I want to know why you attacked two more Mystic wolves.”
His brow arched, lips thinning into a cold line. “Two more? I was under the impression your mate and her new friend were the only Mystics running around town.”
“Don’t lie to me, father!” I slammed my fist into the coffee table, and his glass slid over the edge, shattering into a dozen pieces.
“Aristaeus was that really necessary? That was fine Draekonian crystal; a gift from my wedding day.”
“Enough,” I growled. “Enough with the lies and the manipulation. I want to know the truth, and I want it all now.”
He cocked his head, pitch irises gleaming beneath the fire’s flames. “So demanding. I’m not sure I like what this mate of yours has done to you.”
“She’s woken me up to the truth, Tyrien. I will no longer live under your thumb. Not when I’m stronger and would make ten times the supreme alpha you are.”
His wings snapped free, the endless obsidian sucking all the light from the room. “Watch your tongue, Aristaeus.”
I slowly unfurled my own wings, the brilliant golden scales illuminating the darkness and overshadowing his own. “Are we going to do this again, Father? A pissing match? Because I know I can beat you. And I think you do too.”
His chest deflated, and a smile curled the corners of my lips. “What is it you want from me, son?”
“I want to know why you murdered Jacinda and nearly killed Connor.”
His dark brow lifted. Nearly? The word echoed through our link, and I seized onto the connection, forcing it open.
“Yes, nearly. Whoever you sent to murder two more innocents failed. Connor still lives, and it’s only a matter of time before he tells us everything. So you see, Father, your reign of tyranny is quite nearly over.”
Tyrien swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple jogging in his throat. A hint of fear skidded through our connection. “Let’s say I did send someone… you’d never be able to trace him back to me. You see, son, this isn’t my first time. How do you think I’ve remained in power all these years? People think power is everything, and they’re not far from the truth, but discretion and secrets are also key to maintaining that power.”
“So basically you use others to do your dirty work so you never get caught?”
He shrugged. “Your words, not mine.”
I focused on our link, rifling through the smattering of emotions. “How did you do it? How did you find Jacinda and Connor?”
The acrid taste of fear coated my tongue. It was more than I’d ever gotten from my father.
“You don’t understand, Aristaeus, the Mystics are a scourge on our wolves. They needed to be wiped out then, and I won’t stand by to watch their resurgence now.”
“So you admit it then?”
He shook his head. “I did no such thing.”
Lie. His thoughts were as clear as day. Too bad I couldn’t use them as proof. Unless I provoked a reaction from him… “Did you know Montana Wildstone had a sister?” Ever since Sierra mentioned her, I’d wanted to question my father, but now, now that I had his mind open, it was finally the perfect time.
His eyes widened, and his shock surged through the pack link. I could feel it as clear as day. But why was he surprised? “I told you before, I barely knew Sierra’s mother. Why would I know anything about her sister?”
“Because I remembered something. I remembered how miserable mother always was. Then right before she died, she seemed happier. I assumed it was because you’d been gone a lot. She always seemed more at ease in your absence. It got me thinking… Why were you gone so much in the months before she passed away?” I paused, as genuine fear and biting anxiety lanced through my father. “Did it have something to do with Montana’s sister? Were you having an affair with her like you were with Sonia?”
“That wolf bitch rejected me!” Fire lit up his midnight pupils, and anger swallowed up the fear of discovery. “I offered her everything and she—she threw it in my face. She said it had been a mistake, and she was returning to her husband and girls. I’d told your mother everything. I told her it was over between us, that I’d met someone else. And do you know what your mother said?”
My throat tightened. Because I knew… I knew how unhappy she was with him.
“She said good riddance. She tossed me away too. So when I returned to Lily to tell her we could finally be together and she rejected me, I had nothing left but vengeance.”
I searched for the answer through our link when he remained silent, jaw clenched tight.
“Did. You. Kill. Her?” I roared, power punctuating each word.
Tyrien’s mouth dropped open, and a thick vein pulsed across his forehead. “I did not.” He pressed his lips together, but my power compelled more to dribble out. “But it was my fault she died. The betrayal, the extinction of the Mystics, the curse, it was too much for her to handle. Terra said she died of a broken heart, and I believe it.” With hands fisted at his sides, he whirled away from me to stare at the flames.
He’d ruined countless lives. My father didn’t deserve to live. I could end him right now, I knew I could. I was stronger than he was, I could feel it. I imagined my fingers closing around his throat, choking the life out of him. Watching his steel gray irises glaze over and never see again. Never cause an ounce of pain or suffering.
“I can feel your damned hatred, Aristaeus, but you know nothing of true pain. Despite everything, despite having me as your father, despite the curse, your fated mate loves you.”
Those words were the last thing I expected to come out of my father’s mouth. Had he really loved Lily? No… I refused to believe my father even knew how to love. “You killed her—Lily, didn’t you?”
“With my bare hands.”
Nausea clawed up my throat as I stared at the vile man who sired me. And still, I couldn’t summon the courage to kill him. Sierra was right. I wouldn’t be able to do it.
“Her daughters are still alive,” he muttered.
My eyes jerked up to meet his. “What?”
“I couldn’t—I didn’t kill them. But I have no idea where they are.”