by Cece Rose
"Loud and clear. But, he is not safe to be around. Wolves run in packs, and this one runs alone, why is that, do you think?" Erik questions me, casting a disgruntled look over Adrian.
"The reason I don't have a pack is simple," Adrian growls before I can answer. "Cyrus fucking Hunter, that's why."
"Erik, shut up. I want to hear what he has to say," I mutter.
"And, I am not saying it here," Adrian adds, shooting a look at Erik.
"She's not going anywhere with you alone," Erik says, the threat in his tone clear.
"Absolutely not," Adrian answers. "You are not coming into my home."
"Why the fuck not? You're not getting within . . . ," Erik trails off, swallowing. "I mean—"
"You're not worried about me hurting her, are you?" Adrian asks, cutting Erik off as his stupid, pretty face turns smug. "You're worried about me seducing her?" He looks between the two of us, and I feel my face flame. "Now that is interesting. Is she the reason for your departure from the Hunter pack?"
"She's—"
"I mean, I thought you'd finally wised up. But, it's just for a bitch, huh?" Adrian taunts. "No offence, Lena."
"Hey!" I snap. "Do you want my fucking help or not? Offence is damn well taken." I blink and within that millisecond Erik has Adrian pinned to the wall.
"Not that it is any of your business, but I had planned to leave anyway. I came across Lena attempting to escape, and couldn't just leave her trapped there. She didn't want to be there, she deserves a choice in who she's with."
"So, it's true, she is his?" Adrian questions, not looking the least bit bothered by the fact he's pinned to the wall by Erik's partially shifted claw at his throat.
Erik growls and tightens his grip.
"She's not anyone's. She belongs to herself," he answers. Adrian rolls his eyes.
"Fine, not his. Just bite her yourself and get it over with," he mutters. "But to clarify, she is his destined mate?" he asks, his eyes turning to me.
I feel the rage starting to boil inside of me. Why do I have to be destined to someone like Cyrus? Someone that doesn't care if my best friend is alive or dead. Someone who's happy to kill the majority of humans in the turning process to boost his own numbers. A man who's happy to just kidnap his so-called-mate and lock her in his room.
“She is,” Erik begrudgingly answers.
“Wait just a minute. The fates don't even know my fate, so who the heck decided I get stuck with Cyrus?" I snap.
"The fates?" Erik asks, dropping back from his hold on Adrian. I grimace as I watch his hand shift back, the cracking of the bones making me cringe.
"Aisa explained about the fates. Well, Adrian did, while Aisa watched me. I think she was curious for my reaction," I answer.
"You'll never guess what the best part is," Adrian says, his tone dripping in sarcasm.
"What?" Erik asks.
"I no longer have a fate either. Apparently, it's all hidden by Lena. Looks like she and I are going to be spending a lot of time together, isn't that great?" he mutters, dusting himself off.
"Did she say about anyone else?" Erik asks.
"No, not specifically. She just said that people around me vanish into my shroud," I answer.
"Look, should we really be having this conversation out here in the open?" Adrian snaps. "Lena can fill you in later."
"At your house?" Erik asks coldly.
"Fine, at my house. You can come along too, why not? Might as well throw a whole fucking ‘kill an alpha’ party," he grunts.
"I'm not agreeing to help you," I say, drawing the attention of both men.
"But, you–"
"But, nothing. I'm not agreeing to anything, yet. I want to hear your story. You don't just want to kill a man for no reason."
"That you don't, darling. I've got more than enough reason."
"Then you can explain those reasons to me. I need to know," I answer. I feel a hand slip into mine, and I shoot Erik a strange look, at the same time feeling oddly comforted by his touch.
"I'll explain everything, but not here. Your feline friend can come along," he finally concedes.
"Fantastic, we'll meet you there," Erik mutters, pulling me away.
"Wait, you know where I live?" Adrian asks shocked.
Erik just smiles slyly and turns away without replying, tugging me along with him.
Chapter Three
Stepping into the luxury home, I find myself a little shocked Adrian doesn't live off in the wilderness somewhere. Between his wild hair, and huge build, I just pictured him living out in the country . . . or in a cabin in the woods. The place is sleek, masculine, and the smell of leather hits my nose even as we walk in.
We turn into the main living room area, and the source of the leather smell becomes clear. Deep-brown leather sofas. The place is mostly bare, minus the television and furniture, it could be a show home. There's no mess, no pictures, no sign of any real life living here, it's just empty. Adrian clears his throat as he makes his way back into the room carrying three glasses and a bottle. I realise just how close Erik and I are standing and take a step away, which is pointless as Erik just mirrors my movement.
"Seriously?" I mutter.
He smirks and takes a seat next to the arm of the sofa, patting the spot next to him. I go to sit down . . . on the complete opposite end of the sofa. Adrian chuckles as he pours amber liquid into the three glasses. He passes one to me, and another to Erik, before downing his own in one and pouring another. I try not to think about the fact that the amber colour reminds me instantly of Cyrus' honey-coloured eyes. Erik downs his drink, I follow suit and down mine. I cringe from the burn in my throat. Fucking whiskey. Adrian goes to refill them both, but I shake my head as he goes to do mine.
"Strong, huh?" he asks, the humour thick in his tone.
"Just a bit," I choke out.
"Can we skip the pleasantries and get to business here?" Erik cuts in, before Adrian can reply.
"Fine, you want to know what happened with Cyrus?"
"Yes," I answer without hesitation.
"Once you know, you can't take it back," he warns.
"I need to know. Please, explain," I ask calmly. Although, I'm sure they can both hear the pounding of my heart right now.
"He killed my brother and his mate when they found out about what he was doing. When I tried to reveal he was the one responsible, he got the blame stuck onto me, and got me thrown out of the pack I was set to lead," he begins. We sit in silence waiting for more explanation, while Adrian tries to find the words. "My brother, his mate, and I were out for the night, celebrating. We separated at some point during the night. I got a frantic voicemail from his mate, saying that they'd stumbled into something they shouldn't have. That Aaron was dead. She said the drugs were laced, they were planning to kill the others. She was panicked, not making sense. I rushed to where they were. When I found them, one was dead, the other was dying in an alley. ‘Hunter’ was the name she gave me with her last breath." I find myself feeling for Adrian, the pain of his loss painted so clearly across his face. It must have been fucking awful to find them like that. The fact Cyrus could do this, makes me feel sick. How could fate have set him to be with me? I’m nothing like that monster.
"Well, that's some story, Adrian," Erik mutters.
"It's not a fucking story!" he snaps, smashing his hand down onto the glass coffee table. I jump back in my seat as it cracks, the shards flying across the floor.
"Shit!" I yelp, cradling my arm. A large shard managed to make its way in there. Erik takes one look at the glass in my arm, and then launches himself across the room at Adrian.
"What the actual fuck? Are you that fucking stupid?" Erik snaps, his clawed hands around Adrian's throat. Adrian shoots a shocked look at me, noticing the glass in my arm.
"Shit, sorry, Lena," he says softly, he goes to say more, but Erik tightens his grip, making Adrian choke around his words.
"Chill the fuck out, Erik. It was an accident," I mutter. I pull
the glass shard from my arm, remembering how easily Luc healed when he cut himself. I gasp from the pain as it slides out. Fuck. I wait for a moment, and then slowly feel my arm healing, the skin knotting back together. It hurts like a fucking bitch. Why didn't Luc mention the pain? I feel an arm wrap around my shoulders, and I’m pulled to sit in Erik's lap on the other end of the sofa, away from the glass. I glance at Erik's hands, seeing they've already reverted into human hands. He runs said hands over the freshly-healed skin and seems to relax somewhat from seeing it healed up. I shiver from the soft touch against my skin. After a few moments of tense, awkward silence I turn and address Adrian.
"Please, I'm guessing there is more to the story. Please finish telling it. Erik will shut up."
Erik grunts unhappily, his arms tightening around me possessively. I shift slightly to sit more comfortably, but don't move from his arms, seeing the fact he is genuinely worried for my well-being. Feeling his warm body against mine makes me think of the other day, and I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. Remember you’re still mad at him for the attempted drugging. Still mad, damn it. I try to repeat the mantra in my head, and ignore how comfortable and warm he feels.
Adrian sighs, drawing my attention back to him as he’s taking a seat across from us, and away from the smashed glass.
"I spent weeks–months–looking into it. Everyone had thought I'd lost it, that I’d killed them both from jealousy. . . .Skye was my girlfriend before she met Aaron. They all assumed the jealousy had gotten to me when she decided she only wanted the one mate, and that the mate she wanted wasn't me," he says softly. His eyes drift off, and I know he may be sitting in the room with us, but his mind had just gone elsewhere.
I give him a minute or so with his thoughts before drawing him back. "Adrian?" I murmur.
"I didn't kill them. Either of them. I was happy for them, honestly. It stung a little at first, of course it did, but seeing them together they were just . . . just perfect for each other," he explains, his voice thick.
"So, how was Cyrus involved in getting you blamed?" I ask softly, knowing there is still more for him to tell.
"He sent one of his pack to say that they'd witnessed me fighting with the both of them earlier that night. Everyone already knew I was the one to find them, once they had that false information too, they were happy to believe they had enough information to oust me from the pack. My own father still won't even look at me."
"What information did you find out?" Erik asks.
"Erik!" I snap. "Don't you have any tact?" I ask, turning in his lap to glare at him. He shrugs, "We came here for information, not his tragic life story."
"You are beyond insensitive," I mutter.
"It's fine," Adrian cuts in before I can lecture Erik on manners further. "I need to explain more. I managed to spy in on some of the meetings going on, the closer I got, the worse it got. They're planning to kill the other shifters. They think the best way to promote wolf numbers, is to kill off the other breeds of shifters. They blame the cats for the sickness that took over the wolves, years back. They think they started the illness. I think they're right about that much," he says, shooting Erik a look.
"I wouldn't know," Erik answers through gritted teeth. "I left home pretty young."
Adrian shrugs. "I didn't think you'd know much. And, I doubted that Cyrus would have told you his plans to kill off the other shifters, either, considering you'd end up dead yourself."
"Why would he want to kill the other shifters? Other than promoting his own kind?" I ask, confused.
"Because he lost his whole family," Erik says softly. "His mum, dad, his little sister Grace. She was so tiny," Erik's voice cracks. "She was the sweetest, little girl, one of the few people who instantly welcomed me into the pack. Although, she did try and make me play dolls with her."
"I'm so sorry," I breathe. My heart breaks slightly at a mental image of a little girl, with the same amber eyes as Cyrus, dying.
"A pack is meant to be like a family, Lena. But, the Hunter pack hasn't been that way since Grace and the others caught the sickness and died. It wiped out half the pack. They all got sick, but half of them recovered. The sickness didn't affect me, it was wolf-specific."
Having half of your family die in a day sounds fucking terrible. I feel sorry for the Hunter pack, regardless of what they’re like now.
"I remember getting sick," Adrian says softly. "It was painful. We lost about half our numbers too. My mother included," he adds.
"I'm so sorry," I say softly. "So, what is this, just revenge? Killing the other shifters because he thinks they're to blame for his family's death?" I ask.
"Something like that, I suppose. Plus, there's the fact he's a cruel bastard anyway," Adrian mutters in a disgruntled tone.
"That he can be," Erik agrees softly.
"So, how are you planning to stop him?" I ask.
"I'm not planning on doing anything, darling, other than shoving a big, fat, silver knife into that fucker's chest." I pull back slightly, alarmed at his tone. Erik's arms tighten around me.
"How are you planning to do this? Do you think taking out Cyrus would be enough to stop his plan?" Erik questions.
"Well, cut off the head of the beast and more will always grow, but they may take some time to grow back. That time is known as peace, and it's always temporary," Adrian replies, directing the last part toward me.
"What's the plan?" I ask, repeating Erik's question.
"The plan is you, darling. You make a mighty good bait," he says.
"Bait?"
"You're going to help bring him to me, get him alone, get his guard down, and then I'm going to kill him," he says.
I contemplate his words, feeling slightly sick at them, and then I picture Melissa. Maybe dead in an alley somewhere because they turned her. I bet she had as much choice as I did. The anger starts to rise in me. Screw him. He killed those people, he could be responsible for Melissa’s death too, he’s no innocent.
"Fine, but I need to know what happened to my friend, Melissa, first. I'm sure he has to know something."
"What happened with your friend?" he asks.
"One of his pack, they were meant to try and turn her. But both of them are missing, and nobody seems concerned when Erik has tried looking into for me," I answer.
"Why would they have tried to turn her, unless she was someone's mate?" Adrian asks.
"No, definitely not, they thought she could be . . . could be dead," I reply. Feeling a cold feeling come over me at the word. Dead. She couldn't be, I refuse to believe it.
Adrian gives me a sad look, that conveys all his belief in my friend's survival.
"Don't even," I cut him off before he can say anything. "Until I have proof, I'm not going to accept it, one way or the other."
"That's fair enough, we will question him first, if that makes you feel better?" he asks.
I nod, "It would do, thank you. I just don't understand. Why her?"
"It doesn't make much sense to me either. Policy is to only turn the willing," he says.
I snort. "Clearly fucking not, nobody gave me an option."
"He didn't?"
"Nope, just stuck his teeth in," I mutter.
"I'm sorry. It should always be your choice. Cyrus is a bastard."
"She knows," Erik snaps. "Selena, you are not seriously considering this fool's plan?" he asks, shifting me off his lap to stand. The fucker is now towering over me. like a parent scolding a child. Nope, not happening. I stand, and jump up onto the sofa, making our heights more equal. Not childish at all.
"Don't talk to me like a child," I snap. "I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions, and this is not yours to make. If you're not going to support my decisions, you can leave," I offer.
"Maybe I will," he says coldly.
"Then go," I snap. "I don't need you."
"Fine," he replies, stepping back. "But, don't expect me to come running, Selena. I've done nothing but help you, and you've done nothing but doubt
me and make poor choices."
"You've given me nothing to trust, Erik," I reply, crossing my arms.
"I've done nothing but try to earn your trust," he says softly, turning to leave. I feel like maybe I pushed too hard for him to go, but pride keeps my lips tightly shut as he leaves. I hear the front door slam shut behind him as he goes.
"Are you two always like this?" Adrian asks, yawning.
"Shut up," I snap, stepping down from the sofa.
"You know he'll be back by tomorrow, right?" he says, his tone softening.
"I hope you're right," I mutter, moving to grab for the whiskey. I really need a fucking drink.
Chapter Four
Erik
Taking a swig of my drink, I glare at my brother across the table as he speaks, wondering how quickly Aisa would turf us out if I decked him. If he doesn't shut up soon, it's looking inevitable.
"I just don't see why you can't go apologise," he says, downing some more of his own drink before continuing. "I mean, you were planning to drug her. What girl wouldn't be pissed?" Jason says casually, as if refusing to address the seriousness of the situation.
"I was trying to keep her safe. She has a fucking death wish or something," I mutter out between gritted teeth. “Anyway, you didn’t seem to have a problem with the plan before.”
"Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't. It doesn't matter that your intentions were good. Women don't see it like that, do they? I don't see what the big deal is, just say you're sorry. You don’t even have to mean it," he replies. He plucks a drink from a passing shifter's hand. The shifter growls at him, and then realises who it is.
"Shit, sorry . . . j-just I’m s-sorry, take it," he mumbles, stepping back raising his hands out in front of him. Jason smiles calculatingly. Fuck, what now?
"Kris, isn't it?" he asks.
"Y-yes," the man stumbles, wide-eyed, clearly in shock at being recognised by my brother. Poor, little kitten. The guy only looks about seventeen or eighteen, and is clearly not anywhere near the upper end of the pride. He’s probably never been directly address by anyone in my family before in his life. Lucky him.