by Victoria Sue
“At my camp,” Luca replied and couldn’t help the smile.
Kieran arched an eyebrow. “That’s fabulous. I can’t wait to meet him.”
Luca didn’t so much as breathe. He nodded back to where the humans were seated. “You got any coffee in there?” he asked hopefully.
Kieran grinned. “Sure, come on, and then we’ll head to your camp.”
Luca casually caught the reins that Sam tossed him. Kit? Kit?
Yes?
Listen very carefully. You tell Gabriel that I am with Kieran and there’s something wrong. I want you to find Christoph and hide. Somehow you need to meet me in Neira.
Who’s Kieran?
It doesn’t matter, just tell Gabriel he’s not to be trusted and get out of there as quickly as you can.
“Luca?” Kieran shaded his eyes and looked up at him. Sorin and Surya were at their brightest early morning before they separated.
“Sorry,” Luca shrugged. “I’ve got one of my headaches.”
“You still get them?” Kieran asked.
“Yeah,” he lied. He actually hadn’t had another since the night Kit had soothed him.
Darling, talk to me.
Luca ignored Kit’s voice because Kieran had suddenly stopped moving.
“Shit,” Kieran said succinctly.
Luca frowned. “What is it?”
Kieran sighed. “Because I said him not her.” And he suddenly whirled around. Luca might not have ever seen one before, but he guessed the thing Kieran was arrogantly pointing at him was a gun. Sam was quickly surrounded by the gammas.
Kieran shook his head and tutted. “I know you aren’t stupid and me knowing your omega was male would indicate more knowledge than a lowly beta in charge of a boundary.”
“How did you know about him?”
“You have made two mistakes in your life, Luca. The first was letting me live, and the second was letting the gamma who betrayed you go free. He ran straight into the nearest group of gammas and told all he knew.” Luca wanted to close his eyes in despair but there was no way he was taking them off Kieran. “For old times’ sake I was going to make you watch while I had every one of my men fuck your omega and then tie him to the back of one of the horses, then watch it bolt. I understand he’s quite pretty if you like that sort of thing, but I imagine when he has his face kicked in by hooves he might not be so appealing.”
Luca fisted his hands and took a breath. Everyone felt the ground rumble slightly. Kieran’s eyebrows raised. “But then I guess keeping you alive that long would be dangerous, so I’m just going to leave you with this thought. Every day. Every day when you are cold and dead in the ground I will keep your omega tied to my bed, and every day when I fuck him until he’s bleeding I will drink a toast to my poor dead brother.”
Luca roared as Kieran raised the gun. The shot came, so loud for a second Luca thought the noise was what was so bad about the weapon. Then he took a breath and pain hit his chest so hard he thought he had been struck and at the same time his legs lost their ability to hold him up.
“Luca!” Sam bellowed, only for the sound to cut off so sharply that Luca knew he had been hit too. He was grateful the ringing in his ears meant he couldn’t hear the shot.
Kit. Kit? Run.
Luca, what is it? Luca? Luca could hear the worry and the panic in Kit’s voice.
Tell me you are safe. I love you so much.
Yes, we are leaving. Baby? What is it?
But Luca couldn’t answer. Luca wasn’t sure he could even breathe. He concentrated quickly to bring forth his wolf but the sharp pain on the back of his head drove every thought out. He didn’t even feel the ground as he fell unconscious.
****
Asher jumped in the cart for the second time just as Kit tried to talk to Luca again with no success. As soon as Luca had spoken to him he had passed Ari to Taheesha and stood up.
“Kit, what are you doing? Sit down,” She hissed, trying not to waken either of the babies she was now clutching. “You’ve just had a baby. Two babies, please,” she begged, but Kit had ignored her and relayed the message to a startled Asher and within minutes the whole camp was on the move. The horses were quickly harnessed up.
“Tell me exactly what Luca said.” Gabriel sat in the front of the cart and passed Kit a mug of tea while Sascha ran around designating which wolves were to shift and run ahead first. They had just boiled water for everyone before Luca had first contacted Kit.
He took a breath. “He said Kieran wasn’t to be trusted.”
Taheesha inhaled sharply. “Kieran? He said Kieran?”
“Taheesha,” Kit said and scooted closer as her eyes welled. “Who’s Kieran?”
“Kieran is Luca’s twin brother,” Gabriel said flatly.
“He tried to kill Luca,” Taheesha whispered before Kit had a chance to react to Gabriel’s comment.
The mug wobbled alarmingly in Kit’s hands. “When?”
“On their eighteenth birthday. They poisoned him and then one of their gammas stabbed Luca while Kieran watched.”
Kit never knew. All this time and he never knew who had done it. He’d never even thought to ask when they’d met again. “I’m surprised he’s still alive,” Kit said flatly.
“Luca let him go at the time, even though he challenged him and won.” Taheesha trailed off and Kit understood how difficult it must be for her.
“And you lost contact with Luca?” Gabriel asked. Kit nodded miserably. Sascha, Gabriel, and Asher had been taken into their confidence a few days ago. Sam and Taheesha already knew. Kit had tried to speak to him constantly but there was nothing, not even an awareness. He was trying to bury his panic.
He had to keep it together. Kit leaned down and kissed Adera’s soft cheek. Don’t worry. We’re going to get Daddy back.
“I’ve sent Elliot ahead to try and make contact with Christoph. Darrin wanted to go, but Elliot can shift and run faster.” Gabriel looked back as he heard the shout from outside. “We’re ready to move. Let me know if Luca...” He stopped himself and smiled sheepishly. “Of course you will.”
Taheesha and Kit fed Ari and Adera. Asher was driving the cart and Darrin was riding alongside Sascha and Gabriel. Every single other wolf was shifted and patrolling. The snow had quickly disappeared and with every mile the air grew warmer. The suns were bright in the sky and Kit knew they would separate soon. The rest of the humans traveled in the second cart with the spare horses tied behind it. Kit could tell as soon as they got to the road and he laid a sleeping Ari in the nest of blankets next to his sister, pulled a blanket around him, and went to sit next to Asher. Elliot appeared a few minutes later, shifted, and was passed some water as he jumped up next to Asher. Sascha and Gabriel turned their horses so they were riding alongside.
“Where are we?” Kit asked.
“About a mile from the main road that leads into Neira, and less than that to the village,” Elliot said. “I saw Christoph and he’s ready to march when we are.”
“Except we can’t march without Luca,” Kit said quietly. Four heads all turned to him in a mixture of resignation and frustration.
“There’s some other news,” Elliot said somberly. “Christoph was on his way back to find us when I saw him.”
“What is it?” Sascha asked.
“Alpha Cain is dead.”
Everyone stared in astonishment except for Kit. He had been expecting this ever since he had found out who Kieran was. It was his dream. The black wolf and the white wolf weren’t Adera and Aristaad. They were Luca and Kieran.
“His heir is to be crowned tomorrow,” Elliot continued, “but Alpha Cain didn’t have a son. His beta-commander will be crowned Alpha.”
It was Kieran. It had been Kieran all along.
“And worse than that, the rumor is that he is the Alpha King.”
“He is going to pass himself off as the Alpha King?” Sascha said incredulously. “Who is this man?”
Elliot sighed. “His name is Kieran, a
nd everyone is being encouraged to be there.”
Gabriel started and looked resigned at Kit. “We must be ready to act.”
“Still nothing?” Sascha asked, looking at Kit hopefully. Kit shook his head. “You look incredible for someone who’s just had twins,” he said cautiously.
Kit smiled. He and Taheesha, much to his chagrin, had examined himself and the hole was completely healed. He knew Luca had healed him before he left. “What’s the plan?”
“We go to the village and wait to hear from Luca,” Sascha said. “We have no choice to do anything else. Gabriel and I can shift and see what we can find, but we need to get to the village first.”
They were wrong. Even as Kit lied and nodded his agreement, he knew they were wrong, Neira was huge. They had no hope of finding Luca. He had to do something. In fact, he was probably the only person who could do something. The gammas would dismiss him as inconsequential the same everyone had done all his life, and for once he could use it to his advantage. Any werewolves or any humans the size of Asher wouldn’t get anywhere, but Kit had spent his life sneaking in and out of places. “Will Ari and Adera be safe?”
“Yes,” Sascha said firmly. “Darrin has friends that will keep them and Taheesha safe.”
That was it then. Kit had to wait for his chance, and then he had to leave.
In the end, it was simpler than he had thought. They arrived at the village in silence. Kit watched as skinny children were dragged protectively behind adults in a worse condition. They were watched with varying degrees of suspicion and Kit wanted to cry at the one thing common in all their expressions: hopelessness. Darrin stopped the first horse and they were immediately surrounded by Christoph’s men. They were quickly taken inside the nearest small stone house and the carts were hidden. The villagers offered them weak broth and thin bread, not because they were ungenerous but because it was simply all they had. When Attica and Henry had unpacked the rest of their food supplies and started cooking, along with the rest of what the wolves had caught, it was a feast and there were many people in tears.
Kit was bone tired. He sat in the corner with both babies as women and children came to peer at him. Kit smiled shyly at everyone and beckoned to a frail little girl who seemed too scared to come closer even though she obviously wanted to. Ari gurgled loudly then burped and the little girl giggled.
Kit leaned forward so Ari could be seen and smiled encouragingly at the little girl. “What’s your name?”
The little girl blinked and took another step forward. “Aislin,” she whispered hoarsely, the longing to come closer apparent on her face.
“Would you like to come and say hello?” Kit asked gently. “This is Ari, and I could do with help to hold him.” Taheesha silently took Adera so Kit’s hands were freer. He moved to the side to make room for her on one of the blankets Taheesha had brought in. “Would you like to hold him?” Kit asked. The little girl’s eyes got huge. She scampered quickly to the blankets and held up her arms.
Kit wanted to cry. She couldn’t raise her arms very far because of the red and inflamed scar tissue that tracked even above her elbows. Her left hand was so badly scarred all the fingers were curled inwards. She must have been in a tremendous amount of pain but her face shone with eagerness and her smile was wide as Kit lowered Ari and his blanket onto her lap when she had sat down. He simply kept hold so she would not have to take Ari’s weight.
This, then, was one of the children from the boiling pits. Tears pricked at his eyes and as he glanced at Taheesha, and saw she was as equally horrified. If there had ever been any question that their world needed Luca, all doubt had just disappeared.
Kit had forced a few mouthfuls down and excused himself with the babies and Taheesha. Taheesha had eaten but had refused to shift and Kit had felt guilty knowing she was exhausted, but he also knew the chances of her sleeping deeply were increased if she was tired, and Taheesha was, after all, a werewolf herself. He couldn’t risk her hearing him leave. When all the house was silent, Kit rose, kissed his sleeping babies good bye, and silently left the room. The cottages were small and Kit knew the family living there had all given up their room for him and the babies. Sascha and Gabriel had shifted some time ago and gone to see what they could find out. He let himself out of the house and took a step.
“I knew there was something.” Kit jumped as Asher stepped out of the shadows. “You were entirely too calm in there. I know you haven’t heard from him since because you would have said, but you weren’t surprised when they mentioned Kieran. You know something is wrong.”
Kit looked at Asher sadly. “I have to go, Asher. I am the only one who can get close. They will never allow another wolf near, and you look too damn dangerous.”
“I made a solemn promise to my King to keep you safe.”
“And this is the only way of doing that. If Luca dies, we are all dead. Don’t think for a minute Kieran will leave our territory alone. We can never go home. All our families would be slaughtered. He knows, Asher. He knows who we are and where we come from.” Kit stepped close and took Asher’s hands in his. “Think of Sam. I know you want to live in a world where you can be together.”
“Sam would be the first one to remind me of my duty. You know that.”
“And I need you to do that. The future of Askara is laid upstairs and wrapped in blankets. If the worst happens you are the only one I trust to get them, Taheesha, and Iris to safety. Luca would want that, and I need that. Please, Asher.” Asher stared, his green eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Elliot says the coronation will be on the steps of the palace tomorrow at noon. Get everyone there. Tell Christoph to have all the humans ready, and look for my signal.”
Asher stepped back and in one move brought his fist across his chest and bowed his head in a mirror image of the move Kit had seen him do to Luca countless times. Kit’s throat was so tight he couldn’t speak. He took a last look at his friend and turned to go. Within a minute he was hidden in the shadows and moving towards Neira...and Luca, because everything in him told Kit that he was still alive, and it was up to Kit to keep him that way.
Chapter Twenty
He was alive. The only way he knew this was because the pain in his chest was so excruciating he could barely breathe. Every inhale was a struggle and each one felt like it was going to be his last. His mind drifted aimlessly, barely aware of what was happening. Thought was an abstract concept and every time he swam near cohesive awareness and a sense of urgency, the pain beat him back until he forgot whatever had made him try to wake. It was simply easier to make no attempt to remember. He wasn’t even sure he cared to know.
Luca?
Luca moaned. Someone was calling him but it hurt too much to wake.
My darling? I can feel you. I’m coming. Hang on.
He wanted to reply, to acknowledge the tiny bit of comfort from the soft voice, but it was too hard. With a sigh, he slipped back gratefully into blackness.
****
Around dawn Kit had found the palace and he had huddled among the piles of trash in the alleyway that ran alongside. Neira was nothing like he had ever seen before. The palace was huge, a stone temple that the rose high above all the smaller buildings. Large gammas stood at intervals guarding the steps. Humans started arriving in small groups and vendors set up tables to cater to the expected crowd.
Kit was hungry and thirsty, but he didn’t move as he could not afford to be seen until he was ready. He had been right in his assumption, though. The gammas hadn’t seen him slip past in the dark, and whatever they may have smelled they had dismissed as inconsequential, and the trash he was hiding near masked his scent. He had kept his link open with Luca and an awareness of him prickled on his skin. All Kit knew was that he was alive.
Kit watched as the crowd grew larger. Werewolves mingled with the humans and Kit caught a strong smell of coffee, nearly making him cry—he hadn’t had so much of a sip of the stuff since they had left Caedra. He sighed. No, it’s been since before I got p
regnant.
Kit watched enviously as two humans each bought coffee and he stiffened as a third man walked over to them. It was Attica. He looked and he spied Henry and Ben wandering around the other vendors. He looked for Asher, but immediately dismissed the thought, knowing he wouldn’t leave Taheesha, Ari, and Adera. Kit felt a little hope flutter in his heart. Gabriel had the sense to send the humans to scout, which probably meant the werewolves and Christoph’s men were close. Kit heard a baby cry and for a second his heart stopped until her saw a woman carrying an infant and walking with another woman.
I wish you could see them, my love. I kissed them both for you this morning.
Who?
Kit started. The word had been slurred and confused, but it was Luca. Kit’s smile was huge; he wrapped his arms around himself tightly.
Luca, darling?
There was a long pause and Kit didn’t think he was going to get an acknowledgement.
Kit? I...where are you?
Outside the palace. Where are you?
I don’t know. In a room, a cellar. Underground, I think. I-I can’t shift.
Are you hurt?
Another long silence. Kieran had a gun. I can’t see Sam. Luca’s words rose a little higher and Kit could sense his panic.
We’ll find him. We’re all here, and Christoph has the humans. Why can’t you shift?
They tied me in a metal collar and it’s chained to my wrists. If I shift it will snap my neck.
Kit shivered. He knew exactly what Luca meant. He had seen it once. A werewolf who had been caught with a she-wolf promised to an Alpha. The werewolf had been sent to Arrides, and Kit had seen him trussed up in chains with a huge metal collar so that he couldn’t shift and free himself.
Another silence. I’ve failed you.
No, you haven’t. This is Kieran’s fault, not yours.
I always seem to fail to protect you.
We are going to protect each other. Kit listened but he felt Luca slipping away. Hang on. I’m coming for you, he promised. It was time to do something now that he knew roughly where Luca was. He needed a diversion. Kit took a step out from the alley, just enough so he was visible. He fixed a stare on Attica, who pretended he was looking around. Attica’s eyes narrowed and Kit knew he had been seen. He tilted his head in a beckoning gesture and Attica meandered through the vendors until he could slip into the alley.