She glanced at him sideways and her lips twitched up at the corners. “I suppose I forgive you,” she told him. “But you have to promise me that you won’t go accusing any more of my friends.”
For a moment, he raised his hands in surrender before placing them back on the wheel. “I promise.”
“Good.”
When they parked in front of the Council Chamber, Nova went around to help her down from the truck. “It’s the last one,” he said. “Are you ready for this?”
Amara just sighed and shook her head. “Let’s just get this over with, okay? I’m just ready for this to be over.”
“Sure.” But he couldn’t stop chancing glances at her when she wasn’t looking as the made their way in. He knew she could make it through this. She was strong enough. They were strong enough together. But would she forgive herself for the choices she had made during the Trials? Even if they weren’t real? Of that he wasn’t so certain.
“Welcome,” Nemoy greeted them. Once again, he was standing next to the Shaman amidst the circle of elders. “Tonight, you enter into the third and final Trial. The decision at the end will be final. You will be accepted as a couple and part of this Pack, or you may choose exile, but you may not choose both. Do you accept the terms?” He looked to Nova.
Nova nodded at this brother. “I accept.”
“And you, Amara?”
“I accept.”
“Wonderful. Now, if you will both step this way, we will begin.” He led them in the chamber and directed them on more to their beds of pillows. “Take your seats,” he instructed. Then he handed them both steaming cups of brew.
Nova and Amara raised their glasses. “Cheers,” she said.
“Cheers.” And then he drank.
Nova woke on the grimy floor of his cell, the cold, hard concrete pressed against his cheek. His muscles were still trembling from the Taser, but he was able to push himself forward up onto his hands and knees. It was a slow, painful process, and he shook the entire way up. Somehow, he managed to get himself perched on the edge of the metal slab that passed for a bed. Aching and breathing hard, he gripped his ribs, trying to stem the pain, but nothing helped. It sliced through him like a sword’s edge, cutting deeper with every pass.
The handle to his cell moved and Nova’s head snapped up. If Kal was coming to finish him off, he wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight. But he could try. With a grimace, Nova forced himself into a standing position, gritting his teeth to stop the scream. The handle turned again, and this time it opened. Nova clenched his fists.
The door creaked open wider, opening enough to let in a human body. Amara stepped through. Instant relief flooded through him and Nova slumped back down on the bed with a groan.
Amara rushed to his side, her clothes in disarray. “Nova. Oh my god, Nova. Are you okay? That stun gun…I thought…but you’re alright.” With her hands on either side of his face, she pressed her lips to his. “We need to get out of here,” she told him. “Can you walk?”
“I don’t know,” he huffed. Even talking hurt. “Maybe.”
“Try.” She wedged her shoulder under his arm and heaved him to his feet. Even in his weakened state, he was surprised she was able to carry him.
“Tougher than you look, aren’t you?” He knew what he was trying to say, but it came out a garbled mess. Had they drugged him as well?
“Sshh. Don’t talk. Let’s just get you out of here.”
Every step was labored, and there were a few moments when he was convinced neither of them were going to make it, but they finally reached the door.
And then Nova woke up.
Looking around, he spotted Amara coming to across from him. She was just as surprised as he was. His gaze went to the grave faces of his Alpha and the elders. “That’s it? That was the entire third Trial?”
Nemoy nodded. “That was it.”
“Did we pass?” Amara asked. For the first time in days, she actually looked excited. But that excitement was short-lived.
“I’m afraid not.”
Chapter 16
For a moment, time stopped. Nobody moved. Even the crickets outside were silent. All Nova could hear was the rushing of his blood through his veins and the frantic beating of his heart. Nemoy could not possibly have said what he thought he just said. They could not have failed. “What was that?”
“I’m sorry, brother, but the Council has voted. You have not passed the Trials. We cannot sanction you as a couple in the eyes of the Pack.” His gaze went to Amara who only sat there silently. “I am truly sorry.”
So that was it? He knew exactly what this meant… Stick with the pack and give up his relationship with Amara, or be together in exile.
No. This couldn’t be happening. They had gotten through the Trials together. They had fought for each other. They had suffered for each other. They should have passed, damn it.
But they didn’t. And he knew the laws. He turned to Amara. “Amara,” he started, but she just shook her head.
“It’s okay, Nova. I understood the risks.” Tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I won’t make you choose between me and the Pack.”
Confused, he stared at her. Choose? There was no choice. She was the love of his life, damn it. He had waited his entire life for her. Her. He had fought for her, protected her. He had fallen in love with her before she even knew his name. There was no way in hell he was letting her go. Even if it meant giving up every other aspect of his life. She was worth it.
Nova stood. Squaring his shoulders, he met the gaze of each elder in turn, lingering on the blank face of his mother, before finally landing on Nemoy. His Alpha gazed stoically back at him. “Thank you for the opportunity to pass the Trials,” he said, reciting the ancient words of their people. “I have made my choice. I choose exile.”
A collective gasp went through the room. Only Nemoy appeared unsurprised.
“Nova, you can’t do this,” Neveah protested.
“I love her, Mother. We went through the Trials. You made your choice. Now I have made mine.”
“You would choose to give up the Pack?” Nemoy asked. “To give up being one of the Mountain Wolf Clan? You would choose to be stripped of your authority, or any communication with our people, to live out life as a human for the remainder of your days? This is the choice you make?”
Nova stood straighter. He didn’t want to think of what he was giving up. He knew what he was gaining instead. “It is.”
“No!” Rushing to him, Amara grabbed his arm and turned his face to hers. “No, Nova, I can’t let you do this. I love you, so much. More than I have ever loved anyone, and I know that you love me. But this place, these people, you love them too. The Pack is part of who you are. Sometimes it’s the best part of who you are. You love being their Beta. I can’t let you walk away from that.” He brushed a tear from her cheek, but she pushed his hand away. “I couldn’t live with myself if you were never allowed to speak to your mother again. Your brother. He has a baby on the way. You’re going to be an uncle. How could I build a life with you knowing I had taken you away from the one you already had?
“If the Pack doesn’t want to accept me, fine. I’m not okay with it, I don’t agree with it, and I sure as hell don’t understand it, but I will live with it. I will walk away from you so that you don’t have to walk away from the Pack.”
Closing his eyes, Nova pressed his lips to her forehead. “But don’t you see? You may be able to live with it, but I can’t live without you. I will miss the Pack. But they had their chance to have us both. I choose you.”
“And that, my son,” Neveah said, placing her hands on their combined fingers, “is the right choice. Now you have completed the third and final Trial. And you have passed.”
“What?” Amara stared up at him, just as confused as he was, but it was the hope in her eyes that spurred him to speak.
“Explain,” he ordered his mother. He could feel her suppress an eye roll.
“You were f
aced with a decision,” Nemoy said, stepping forward, “and you made it. Amara, you were willing to sacrifice your heart and the life you had hoped to build so Nova would not have to give up his home. Nova, you were willing to sacrifice your home and the only life you’d ever known for the woman who holds your heart. Neither of you were making a selfish choice.
“You could have defied the Council. You could have blamed and ridiculed, argued or attempted to negotiate. Instead, you respected the traditions of the Pack and made the choice that was right for you within the terms that were set. That shows loyalty, integrity, and character that we value in this Clan.
“Throughout the Trials, both of you fought for one another against a common enemy, but it was the way you rallied together, the way you emboldened and strengthened each other outside of these walls that spoke to the true nature of your relationship. You have proven yourselves both as individuals, and as a couple. The Mountain Clan is happy to welcome the unit that is the two of you together, into the fold.”
Going to Amara, Nemoy took her hands and lightly kissed both of her cheeks. “Amara Townsend, lover and mate of the Mountain Clan Beta, Nova Lowery, I now officially declare you Pack. Welcome to our family.” Grinning broadly, he embraced them both. “Congratulations, little brother.”
Dumbfounded, Nova just stared. He couldn’t move. For the second time in a matter of minutes, time stopped. Then he looked at Amara, and he kissed her full on the mouth.
They barely made it back to his cottage before they were ripping each other’s clothes off. He imagined the neighbors thought an earthquake was happening in his house. Neither of them could control themselves. They slammed each other from one wall to the other, eager to be joined together as quickly as possible.
They had made it through the Trials. Better, they had passed. And now they could get married and be part of the Pack. Together.
Nova tugged Amara’s jeans down from her hips. The second he got her free, he hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Then he blindly moved forward, still kissing her, until he knocked into something hard. The table. Oh good, a flat surface.
With one hand, he swiped everything aside, not even noticing when at least a dozen of his possessions crashed to the floor. All he could think about was Amara and the fact that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.
Amara’s hands clawed at his pants, and he made quick work of kicking them off before pulling her to him. Her nails raked down his back and he plunged into her. She screamed her passion and he began to move, each thrust hard and furious, as if he wanted their bodies to be one in more than just spirit. He felt her hot, wet center spasm around the length of him, felt her toes curl at his hips and her hands ball into fists at the back of his arms, keeping them linked together. And when neither of them could hold back any longer, he let himself explode inside her before losing his breath and collapsing on top of her.
Hours later, when the two of them were curled up beside each other in Nova’s bed, Amara’s phone began to ring, jolting Nova from sleep. He glanced at the clock. It was three in the morning. Who the hell would be calling her at three in the morning?
He could only think of one person.
Picking up the phone, he looked at the Caller I.D. “Unknown Caller,” it read. For now, he thought, his alpha side rearing its ugly head. He may take human form and have mostly human tendencies, but Nova was still wolf, and Amara had just been officially declared his Mate. Shifters mated for life. Even the wolf inside him screamed mine when Amara was threatened. She was his now. His to love, to protect. And human or wolf, he would kill anyone who jeopardized her happiness or her safety.
Nova answered the phone and brought it to his ear. “Hello?” No answer. But he could hear him breathing. “Hello,” he said again. Still nothing. “Listen to me, you little dickless prick, I don’t know who you are or what you want, but this is the one and only time I am going to tell you: leave Amara alone. Or I will hunt you down and make sure you never cross her path again. You hear me? This sick game you’re playing ends now.” The line went dead in his hands. “Coward,” he muttered, setting the phone back down.
Beside him, Amara had hardly stirred. She’d always been a hard sleeper. Sometimes he even had to shake her awake when her alarm went off. This was one of those times he was glad she slept so soundly. After the day she’d had, the last thing he wanted to do was worry her with more stalker business. But tomorrow he was going to see Mac.
Chapter 17
Amara sat in front of the DVD player Sunday night, cross-legged on the floor, an array of movies in her lap. She couldn’t decide what they should watch. Horror? Comedy? Action? She wasn’t mean enough to make him sit through a chick flick. But she had had enough horror and action in her life for a while, hadn’t she? Even if the Trials were over and Kal Vann was locked up, sitting through two hours worth of intense drama like that wasn’t her idea of fun.
Comedy it was.
“Hello?” Mitch called from the front door. “Anybody home?”
“Right here,” she called back, sniffing the air. “Mmm. What’d you get me? Won tons? Sweet and sour chicken? Crab puffs?” Scrambling to her feet, she went to help him with the takeout. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the sweet aroma of Chinese food. “Oh wow. You are so my hero.”
“It never did take much to please you,” he mused, chuckling to himself.
Amara smirked. “What would you know about pleasing me?” she teased, setting the food on the table.
Mitch laughed. “True.”
“So, what do you want to watch? I couldn’t decide, but I narrowed it down to comedy. I’m not exactly in the mood for hardcore action or a slasher flick.”
Confused, Mitch frowned. “I thought I was picking the movie?”
“Were you? I couldn’t remember.”
He scoffed. “Typical.”
“So?”
“How about the new Ryan Reynolds one? Sure, it’s got a lot of action, but I’ve heard it’s hilarious.”
“Perfect. Hey, will you help me get these plates? I can’t reach them and I’m too lazy to grab the stool.”
“Sure.” Obliging, Mitch came up behind her and reached to the top shelf. The entire line of his body pressed up against hers as he retrieved the plates.
She froze. What was he doing? He’d never done anything like that before. They’d been friends for years and it had always been strictly platonic. Why was he changing it now? Could Nova have been right about him after all? Was he the one stalking her?
Mitch glanced down at her, frowning. “Are you going to move?” he asked. “I thought I was getting the plates here. As it is, I’m about to bring them down on top of your head. I doubt you want that.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Embarrassed, she got out of his way. Now she was imagining things. Of course it wasn’t Mitch. He would never do that to her. He didn’t even look at her that way. Never had. And then there was Zoe to think of. She was just letting the events of the last couple days get the best of her.
Shake it off, Townsend, she thought to herself. You’re losing it.
“Are you going to eat or what?” Mitch asked, staring at her funny. “You’re freaking me out.”
She wasn’t going to do this. She wasn’t going to suspect someone any time they brushed up against her. And she certainly wasn’t going to suspect Mitch again. No, instead, she was just going to enjoy the time with her best friend.
“Hey, Mac, you got a minute?” Nova stood in the doorway to the sheriff’s office, one arm resting against the door jam.
Mac looked up from the papers spread across his desk and took off his glasses. “Sure Nova. What can I do for you?” He motioned for Nova to come in and sit down.
“It’s about Amara’s case,” he said, taking the seat in front the desk.
Mac’s face became grim. “Yeah, I thought it might be. I ran prints on the second note, but I didn’t get anything. Whoever he is, he’s never been arrested before.”
&
nbsp; “Damn.”
“Has anything else happened that I need to be aware of?”
“He called her again last night. We were at my place this time, and there’s no way he could have been spying on us there. I live in a pretty secluded area so I have a lot of security.” To put it mildly. “He called her cell. Amara didn’t wake up, but since it was three in the morning, I figured it was him. He didn’t say a word. Just a lot of heavy breathing.”
Mac was scribbling furiously in his notebook. “Did you say anything?”
For a second, Nova hung his head. “I’ll admit, I did threaten him. I told him not to come near her, or I would find him. I told him to leave him alone.” Frowning, he pursed his lips. “I may have also called him a dickless prick.”
“No shit?” Mac asked with a laugh. Nova could tell he was trying to remain professional, but even the sheriff of their fine small town had to laugh sometimes. “Probably wasn’t your best move, but given the circumstances, I more than likely would have done the same. Besides, you can’t exactly blame a man for what is said to an unknown caller in the middle of the night.”
“No, you cannot.” Nova’s smile faded. “Do you have any suspects, sheriff?”
Mac only shook his head. “Sadly, no, I don’t. Believe me, I wish I did. Strathford is a small town, but we have our share of kooks and weirdos, just like anywhere else. Still, most of us have known Amara her entire life. I can’t think of a single person who would wish her harm.”
Nova stared at the ceiling. So they were still at square one. Perfect.
“Alec,” Mac called as the deputy passed by the office. “Hey, Alec, get back here.”
The young deputy appeared in the doorway, a carton of Chinese food in his hands. “Yeah, boss?”
“Where did you get that food?” Mac asked. “It’s not your break time, is it?”
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