by Tamar Sloan
Then I release Noah’s hand, losing the anchor that was helping keep the fear at bay. But I know what I need to do.
I break away from the steadily moving front of Weres and move to the head. In two confident strides I move in front of them. Without looking over my shoulder I give them a stop signal.
Noah’s surprise morphs and deepens, concern weaving through it, but he doesn’t stop me. Of the Weres behind me, only Mitch and Noah know of my Fae heritage. But all of them have seen what I can do with animals. They were all there when I was surrounded by four wolves ordered to kill me, and watched them surrender at my command. They all know this is the only way the bear won’t experience more pain.
The bear sniffs the wind, still angry, but aware something has changed.
As I move closer, the damage to his body is unmistakable. Blood, thick and dark, oozes from multiple tears. I feel the pain dominating the bear’s mind, the fury at the violation. The desire for retribution.
There’s no danger here.
Even though I no longer need the tune, it begins to swirl through my mind. Soft and soothing, I use it to calm myself as much as the wounded animal.
The wind gusts again and I wonder how the bear is still standing. His body sags, the loss of blood draining his anger.
We can help you.
When the bear drops onto four paws I take another step forward. I only need a few more feet and I can calm him completely, allowing Adam to end his pain humanely.
Another step and there are only feet between me and the bear. His pain hits me like a wave and my eyes mist. How did this happen to such a powerful animal?
The wind gusts, once again changing direction. It buffets me from behind, blowing my hair in my face.
The roar that discharges this time is like a sonic boom. The rage that had dissipated is back, this time propelled by the power of something I don’t recognize. Frantically, I push the hair out of my eyes and look up. Wide eyes take in the bear, back on his hind legs, sniffing the air Mother Nature just threw at him.
I feel his fury spike, reaching a new level, but I don’t have time to diffuse it. The bear drops, his massive bloody body launches forward. There’s no time to move, no place to hide.
“No!”
Noah’s voice punctures my fear; it’s a sound laced with inevitability.
I brace myself as the bear crashes into me, see the gleaming teeth that are so close, smell the blood. I pull in tight, bracing myself, as hundreds of pounds of furious animal bowl through me. Over me. I cry out as pain tears through my leg.
The sound of an angry pack, one growl crashing over the other, is all I hear as the world turns black.
Chapter Three
Everything is quiet. Quiet but bright.
The light tells me it’s day, but the quiet is unfamiliar. Living with the Phelans means quiet is nothing but a part of my past. There’s Tara and her over-the-top joy at being pregnant. There’s Mitch and his power tools screeching in the shed. There’s Adam’s booming Alpha voice telling Stash and Caesar to stop hogging the couch. There’s Beth and her cooking. There are everyone else’s groans of despair at the prospect of Beth cooking.
Then there’s Noah’s voice, telling me this is exactly where I belong. Even the nights are no longer silent thanks to the amazing new life I have. I lie in bed, listening to Noah’s deep, regular breathing reminding me I’ll never be alone again.
My eyes fly open. Noah. Where’s Noah?
“Hey, beautiful.”
A strong hand clasps mine and warmth filters up my arm and I instantly relax. When consciousness finally catches up with me I realize two things. First, I’m in a hospital. Second, I’m here because of the pain in my leg. I go to shift it and gasp. The significant pain in my leg.
“Sh, you’re better off keeping still.”
I turn to look at Noah. He’s mussed, eyes smiling now, but the remnants of tension remain in his strained brow. And then consciousness brings memory with it. “The bear!”
I go to push myself up only to find a wave of dizziness is triggered. The bright white room all of a sudden feels a little less stable.
Noah is on his feet, pushing me back down. “The doctor thinks you might have concussion. Lie back and rest, I’ll tell you everything.”
I fall onto the pillows I’d barely left, waiting for my vision to catch up.
I look to Noah, already knowing what happened after I was knocked over. “He didn’t calm.”
Noah’s lips thin, the strain creeping back into his features. “No, he didn’t. He went straight through you to get to us.”
Noah seems to know what’s coming next because his hands are already on my shoulders. “Everyone’s fine.”
I relax, the Phelans weren’t hurt.
“Well, everyone but you. You’ve got a handful of stitches in your calf thanks to his rush to get past you. And you knocked your head when you hit the ground.”
That would explain the burning pain and the dizziness.
“What about the bear?”
Noah sighs. “We took care of him.”
Four Weres would have been no match for an injured bear, no matter how wild with anger he was. I don’t ask, but I hope it was quick.
I push myself up, slowly and gingerly, grateful that the dizziness seems to have passed. Noah is watching me carefully, probably trying to sense how I feel.
I rub my brow, confused. “I don’t know what happened. I could feel that he was calming down.”
“Maybe a wild animal in pain was too big an ask.”
My gaze flies to Noah. The strain in his voice, the doubt I feel from him has me pushing up. “Noah, we had to try.”
Noah doesn’t reply as his hand tightens on mine, so I do some of my own sensing. He’s concerned, I know what seeing me in danger means to Noah. The same it would mean for me. But there’s a sense of contemplation, and I’m not sure what that means. Maybe he’s wondering some of the same questions which are just starting to form in my mind.
“Why was there a bear so close to the house?”
Noah frowns, and I know he’s wondered this. “We don’t know.”
“How was he hurt?”
His gaze shifts to our clasped hands. “There was no way of telling how he’d been injured by the time we were done.”
I watch Noah’s thumb stroke the back of my hand. The bear would have been nothing but shreds and tears, and they wouldn’t have been able to get a vet involved, the injuries would have raised too many questions.
Is he wondering the same question I am? Why couldn’t I calm him?
That question I don’t ask out loud. There’s still so much we don’t know about my Fae heritage. What it means. What is doesn’t. Nor do I want to remind Noah of my vulnerabilities. As the Prime Alpha mate, he needs someone strong by his side.
Noah’s hand comes up to stroke my cheek, the warmth settling me. “How are you feeling?”
I shift my leg, controlling the grimace. “Pretty good.”
Noah arches a brow. “Right.”
I smile. We both know lying isn’t my strong suit. Noah’s smile is genuine, but a little strained. “You’ll probably need an extra night after I tell you what I need to say.”
I sit up straighter, the dizziness gone, my leg forgotten. The bear is dead, those who have come to mean the most to me are uninjured. What else could there be?
“Your mother’s coming to see you.”
“What?”
“Dad rang her. He thought she should know seeing as you lost consciousness and the doctors want to keep you in overnight.”
My head falls back onto the pillows and the world barely swirls. The dizziness seems to be settling down. The car, then this? The world feels like it’s changing too fast for me to keep up with.
“You could pretend to be asleep.”
I look at Noah, liking the sound of my get out of jail free pass, but then sigh. “No, I won’t let you face her alone.”
“It’ll be scarier th
an the rabid Weres.”
My smile twitches. “Well, they had emotions.”
Noah snorts and my smile blooms. Together, we’ve conquered the past, crafting a future that is unknown, but one I want.
“Plus, my parents are down at the cafeteria—Tara needed a top up—so I doubt we’ll be alone.”
So this is what a pack feels like. Unquestioned support you can rely on.
A nurse pokes her head around the corner. “Ah, you’re awake. You have a visitor.”
My chest tightens. “Thanks.”
The nurse smiles. “I’ll let the doctor know you’re up.”
Noah grasps my hand. This will be the first time I’ve seen my mother in over two months. I left with angry words between us and nothing has been resolved. What does she have to say?
The blond hair that walks through the door isn’t what I am expecting.
“How’s my favorite little sister?”
I push myself up a little as a thought strikes me. Am I Orin’s only sister? We don’t speak about our father; Orin has said it’s a moot point that there’s no use discussing. But he has a mother, just like I do…
“Pretty good.”
“Wonderful.” Why do I doubt I’ve managed to fool him either? “What did the doctor say?”
“They’re keeping me in overnight, but tomorrow I’ll be back to normal.”
I add the last little bit for my mate’s sake. No need to make this a bigger deal than it is.
Orin sits on the edge of the bed, his Fae smile wide. “So, what did we learn from our little incident?”
I slide a glance at Noah. “That some bears are crankier than others.”
Orin’s smile slides down a little. “You didn’t calm him?”
I’m not sure anyone has ever considered hitting a Fae. From what I can tell, they’re the embodiment of Mother Nature’s serenity. But Orin just pushed Noah’s protective button, and that’s not what I need right now.
“He was calming.”
Orin returns to his calm and silent demeanor, but I can already feel Noah’s worry. I throw my brother a ‘thanks’ look. Orin smiles, either clueless or unruffled. Most probably unruffled. “I need to go away for a little while. We will talk when I return.”
My guess is we’ll be talking about the bear I couldn’t calm. “You’re going away? Where?”
I want to ask more, see if I can get a straight answer out of my brother, but Noah clears his throat. “Alexis is on her way.”
Orin’s blond brows perk up a little. “Oh.”
“Yes, oh.”
Just like Weres cannot know about my look-alike brother’s existence, neither can Alexis. This is the reality of my diverse heritage. Humans don’t know Weres exist, and Weres don’t know Fae exist. Part of navigating that tight rope is keeping the parts of me separate. I could just imagine my mother would…what? What would Alexis do if she saw Orin? Living proof that my father, the man she had a child to, probably still exists no matter how much she’s tried to strike him from her memory. I realize I have no idea. I’ve spent my life with my mother being a distant, cold, mystery.
Orin arches a brow. “Good thing Fae have invisibility powers.”
“They do?”
“No.”
I shake my head. “Then you need to get going.”
Orin leans over and places a gentle kiss on my forehead. His calmness and love wrap around me like a hug. “I’ll see you when I return and recommence our lessons.”
Orin has spent this last month teaching me about the heritage that I relish, that I have to keep hidden. I’ve learned that Fae are deeply connected to the earth in ways I have yet to understand. We aren’t many, but Fae believe in the power of a few.
I flush. I bet a Fae has never been injured by a bear, no matter how angry it was.
“No one can see you.”
“We have existed for millennia beside humans and Were. I think I can manage it.”
With a final smile, Orin is gone. I don’t even get a chance to turn to Noah before my mother strides through the door. I sit up in shock. In part because Alexis’ dark complexion and flurry of busy movements are like a slap after Orin’s peace and calm. But mostly because, surely, she must have seen him in the hallway.
“I don’t have time for your shock.”
I feel Noah bristle, but for some reason I’m not taken aback by Alexis’ curtness. Is it because I’m used to it?
“I didn’t expect to see you, Alexis.”
“Adam rang me.” She crosses her arms. “You wouldn’t have told me otherwise.”
I avoid that question-turned-statement. “I’m fine.”
Alexis waves a hand, as if to swat my words away. Great, I can’t even lie to my absentee mother. “Tell me.”
“I have a few stitches in my leg, but it barely hurts. And the dizziness is almost gone now.”
The last part I say for Noah’s sake, I can still feel his worry.
“Dizziness?” Alexis has gone from tense and tight to tenser and tighter.
Noah steps in a little closer, a movement which has my mother narrowing her eyes. “Eden was knocked over when she stepped between the two fighting dogs at the vet center. She blacked out for a little while.”
Seems likely enough.
“Were you dizzy beforehand?”
I frown, having no idea where this is going. “No.”
Alexis scans me from my head down to my sheet-covered toes. “That’s good.”
Noah and I glance at each other, both puzzled. I can almost feel the shrug he would be pulling if she wasn’t here. I look back, and my mother is clutching the strap of her handbag, the leather scrunching between her too-tight grip. She’s watching me very closely. I glance away, not wanting to know what the scrutiny means, nor wanting to care.
“You received my gift?”
I look back, mouth opening. How do I tell her I don’t want that truck without having an argument? Noah isn’t going to stand here quietly for much longer, especially if her stubborn side comes out.
A flurry of movement from the doorway punctures the silence. “Eden, you’ve got to try these cheesy chips with chives.”
“She probably isn’t very—whoa.” Mitch stops right behind Tara, who’s frozen a few feet inside my room. She’s only met Alexis a couple of times, but she knows who she is.
Adam and Beth entering completes the picture.
Beth steps forward, smiling at Alexis. “Lovely to meet you, Alexis.”
My mother looks around, taking in the people who have stepped in and surround me like petals on a flower. “I hope you’re taking good care of her.”
Beth’s smile widens. “Of course. We love having Eden with us.”
Alexis nods once, short and sharp. “I raised her to be a strong, independent woman.”
Noah is practically growling beside me. As I squeeze his hand, I notice that Adam and Mitch are also staring at Alexis with steely focus.
Adam nods once. “She’s an amazing young woman. You should be proud.”
Alexis narrows her eyes at him. Her hand hasn’t left the strap of her handbag. She turns and heads to the door. She looks angry, but then again, my mother always does.
At the door she turns, her hand releasing the bag to grip the doorframe. “I think we should talk when you get out.”
My fists twist in the sheets as my new pack seem to contract around me. “I’m pretty busy.” Which is true. Noah and I have a Prime Prophecy to figure out. “But I’ll try to stop by.”
With that, she’s gone. Noah seems to unwind and my head falls back. That was more painless than I expected.
Mitch lets out a pent-up breath. “Does she even know what your name is?”
A smile trips up my lips, looking to ease some of the tension. “Maybe she didn’t name me?”
Noah snorts and Tara giggles. The tension dissipates and I relax back into the mattress. It felt good that I could face Alexis on my own. It felt better having so many loving souls backing me
up.
Adam sits on the end of my bed, blue eyes assessing. “How are you feeling?”
I smile, noting that the dizziness seems to be all gone. “Better by the minute.”
Adam glances at Noah before looking back at me. “Are you up for a talk?”
Adam’s voice is full of layers. I don’t need to sense Noah’s stillness to know this is serious. Adam’s steady gaze and tense face say it all.
“Sure.”
“Because of the incident with the bear, the run didn’t happen.”
Noah would already have thought this. My brain has yet to catch up.
Oh no. There was no Prime Alpha run. No statement of leadership, of a common direction. And now it’s going to be another month before that can happen.
A lot can happen in a month.
I look at Noah as our connection prickles with unease. Adam hasn’t said it because Tara is here and Kurt is her father. But a month is a lot of time for Kurt to be manipulating and planning. He’d been working to undermine and plot revenge the whole time we assumed he had accepted his banishment. Instead, he was gaining supporters.
A month is too long.
I straighten and Noah stands beside me. The alarm winding around my veins echoes the sensation I can feel in him. “What are they saying?”
“Well, something happened.”
I feel Noah’s surprise at that statement. That means he doesn’t know about this either. We wait. I’m not sure what Noah’s thinking, but I’m hoping this isn’t ground shaking news.
“The run didn’t happen, but not only because you weren’t there.” He pulls in a breath and holds it like he’s bracing himself. “The Precept Rock has changed once more.”
My head swims again, the room spinning and contracting, but I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with the bump to my head. The ground didn’t just shake, there was a tectonic shift.
We wait some more, and I realize that Adam was bracing himself for a reason. Things aren’t just moving, they’re rearranging. The future is deviating in a new direction, and no one knows what the destination is supposed to look like.
Adam’s face is the only thing that’s still in this maelstrom. His eyes are grave, his broad Alpha shoulders tense. “It had already changed when we got there. It’s grown in height, it’s almost as tall as me.”