by Ava Mason
“This isn’t about getting back at these guys because of whatever shitty thing they’ve done to you, which I’m sure they deserve. This is about helping us find killers who want to destroy the Queen and the race. You will come to the caves with us and find the witch who’s controlling these people.” She nodded slowly now, but stared up at him like he could light up the world with his fire and she would do it with him. He growled out, his anger spilling over. “And quit looking at me like that.”
Then he pulled her face towards him and kissed her and the whole world around me stopped.
Blaze never kissed a girl. Never. Ever.
He fucked them. Hard. And that was it. No connection with them. No emotion except for lust.
And I didn’t fucking know what to do about the fact that he was kissing my fucking mate. Because that’s exactly what she was. My dragon had claimed her and I hated it, but fuck if I could deny him.
She groaned into his mouth and his hands clasped around her neck, fisting his hands in her hair to pull on it, and anger pulsed through me.
I hated this fucking cunt. I hated that all three of us were fighting over her when we never fought over a girl. I hated that my dragon had claimed her as his own. That he wanted to put her up in my mansion and pamper her like she was the Queen of the household. I hated that I wanted her to be there by my side when I woke up, to see her beautiful face and kiss her sultry lips.
I hated that she didn’t worship me like all the other woman around here, that she hadn’t jumped to kneel at my feet when I’d commanded her to suck my dick the other night. That she didn’t long for my money or even the privilege of being around me. I hated that that defiance made me want to give her all those things and more. Give her a home and a space at my side for the rest of my life.
I hated even more that every time I was around her, it reminded me of a freedom and a wildness that couldn’t be bought. That the possibility of being with her could suffocate the oppression of being the only son to my parents. That it could make me forget the sound of the belt as it whipped through the loop of my father’s pants.
I hated the spark of hope that I felt around her, because I needed to shove that shit deep down inside me where it would smother in the darkness of my soul.
Because I was never, ever allowed to feel hope.
Hope was for those poor fucks who thought they could have money one day, for inventors and politicians like my dad. Not for trapped rich boys like me, who had had the hope beat out of him and replaced with only the obscure murkiness where my soul resided.
And so, I grew angry. Standing there watching Blaze, of all people, take what was rightfully mine, with Tallon standing there, cuntstruck, looking like he was going to get his turn next. While I’d stood there in shock, fuming, Blaze’d grabbed her ass and she’d wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him like it was the end of the motherfucking world.
Damnit. I was going to take her for my own, not Tallon, and not fucking Blaze. I needed to remind her and them that I was the boss of the Elite, and put these two in their place.
And so, I smacked Blaze across the back of his head. “Come on, asshole, time to go.”
He yanked his head back to hiss at me, but at the serious look on my face he stopped and dropped her, a look of shock on his face. Not at what I’d done, but at the fact that he’d actually kissed her. With his lips. On hers. I knew him well enough to know exactly what he was thinking.
Instead of letting him stew on it, I grabbed Carrie’s arm and pulled her out, barely pausing to give her time to step over the tub.
“We found evidence of a witch and a wolf pack in the same caves where we found that other wolf. We lost their tracks and need you to smell them out. You coming? Or you just going to be a slut and make out with those guys?” I rolled my eyes, clicking my tongue.
Her cheeks grew red in anger; she was spitting mad and unable to even speak.
“Carrie.” Blaze grunted and she turned to look at him again. His gaze seared into her and she softened. Again. At fucking Blaze.
“Fine, you assholes, I already told you yes.” Looking away, she rubbed her hands over her face, exhausted and totally done with us. But when she looked back up at me, she had a determined look on her face. “I am done for the day but tomorrow, I will go with you. And when this thing is over, you’ll leave my life and never return again.”
“Sure, whatever.” I nodded, giving her a cocky look. I would agree to it now, but there was no way in hell I was letting her go, ever.
21
Tallon
Two very conflicting emotions filled my body as we drove.
I’d stayed up late, cleaning my guns and knives, stewing over Denver’s words yesterday in the shower. Then all night long, I’d tossed and turned, not only his words replaying over and over in my mind, but the venom and intent he’d had while he’d said them.
And now we’d picked up Carrie and were on our way to the caves, and my anger had yet to abate. Even after a night’s uneasy sleep, I had a hard time keeping control over my emotions - my blood felt like it boiled under my skin and I kept clenching my hands into fists.
Ever since that night, Denver and I had an unspoken agreement between us. He would never treat me like he treated the other menial people that served his family, and honestly, like any other person. Period.
And I would never talk about his secret. Not to anyone, and especially not to him.
And yet, after all these years, my friendship meant nothing to him.
After treating his pain and swallowing it whole because I couldn’t talk about it… He. Didn’t. Fucking. Care.
He was willing to throw me out the door, just like everyone else he used and abused.
I’d been tricked into thinking I was something special, something different, only to realize, too late, that I was wrong. He had broken our unspoken promise and shoved it in my face.
And he’d not only broken that trust but he’d done it front of Carrie, of all people.
And yet… seeing her again brought out that craving I’d had ever since I’d seen her with her Alpha. Since I saw what it was like to be in a loving and caring clan - seen her love for her clan light up her face like a lantern in the middle of a dark storm.
I had to have her.
Nothing - and no one - was going to keep her from me.
Least of all Denver.
As soon as we arrived, I jumped out of my LandCruiser and slammed the door shut. I turned around to Denver, who had been sitting in the back with her, and grabbed his arm, stilling him. Pulling his arm away, he gave me a bored look while I motioned for Blaze and Carrie to go on without us for a moment.
As soon as they were inside the woods, I laid into him, pointing my finger sharply into his chest. “That was some bullshit you pulled yesterday in the shower.”
His cold eyes stared into me. “So?”
“You threatened to kick my family out!”
He shrugged. “What’s your point?”
“My point is, as soon as this is over, you and I are done. The only time I ever want to see you is when I have to for work. Other than that, this friendship is over. No more poker nights, no more hanging out at the bar, no more sparring, no more fucking girls together. You stay on your side of the mansion - I don’t ever want to see you on my side ever again.”
He sneered, leaning in closer so that my finger was pressed hard against his chest. “You think you’re done with me? Well, guess again, Tallon, because you’ve never done anything unless I say so. And you forget whose name is on the title of your house. Don’t ever forget that the Hoffmans own you.”
“Is that right? And what’s keeping me from leaving?”
He grabbed my arm, squeezing it tight. “Because I own you, Tallon. Not only you, but your parents too. Their jobs, their livelihood. Or have you forgotten what your dad did to end up working for us?”
It was true.
My dad used to get drunk off his ass a lot, way too drunk for his
, and our, own good. But one night, he got so pissed that he wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing, and it got a horse hurt. Not only did it hurt the horse so much that it had to be put down, but it was also one of the top horses in the industry. It could’ve been the end for my dad.
Instead, the Hoffman family had taken us in, paid off the owner of the horse, plus the people who knew about it, to keep them quiet. They’d basically saved my family. If word had gotten out, my dad would’ve never worked again.
I scoffed. “Your dad wouldn’t fire mine, not with how well the horses are doing.”
Denver’s nostrils flared wide. “He would if that little story that never went to the press somehow manages to come out. He’d be too embarrassed to keep a mistake like that under his roof.”
Scowling, I pressed the palm of my hand to his chest, wishing I could shove him back. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He shrugged and looked away. Appearing uninterested in the fact that he could change my family’s life with the press of his fingers to a cell phone. I sucked in a breath, thinking. I turned my face towards the woods to stare at Carrie. I remembered how she’d looked with a collar around her, with that guy’s hand on her neck, pressing her muzzle to the ground. How my anger had flared; I’d wanted to kill that man.
And then how she’d fallen into her Alpha’s arms, who’d wrapped her arms around Carrie, looking so relieved to find Carrie safe.
I wanted that.
A relationship where we actually cared about each other, instead of bickering all the time. Where we could rely on each other for love and support - where I felt loved and adored.
And I knew that Carrie could give it to me.
And so, I swallowed down my pride and anger, making up my mind to let him do it.
It would be hard at first. We’d have to find a new place to live. I wouldn’t be able to afford to live close to Carrie like I wanted to, in order to get to know her better. Plus, if the world knew what my dad had done, he might never find work again. He was too old to start over again - I might end up supporting my parents for the rest of my life.
But it was time for my father to atone for his own sin; I wasn’t doing it any longer.
And that would free me in ways I’d never thought possible.
I took my hand off Denver’s chest and took a step away. I met his eyes, feeling sure about my decision. His eyes belayed his panic; he knew me well enough to know that I was letting him go.
And Denver hated that.
He had to have you under his thumb, had to control your every movement, so that he knew you would never leave him.
And that’s exactly what I was going to do. I smiled, feeling free already, and held my hands up, as if in surrender. “Do it, then, Denver. I’m done.”
And then I walked away, despite his growls for me to come back.
I walked away, towards Carrie and my future, my back to my past.
I would live through the repercussions of this little rebellion, and it would be worth it all. She would be worth it all.
I ran to catch up with Blaze and Carrie, who were waiting just inside the tree line. As soon as they saw me begin towards them, they turned around and walked deeper into the woods. Denver didn’t immediately follow me and I wondered if he was already making that phone call. I shrugged it off - better now than later anyways. I would stick with my decision.
Carrie was talking to Blaze, and he was actually responding. I let down my barrier, allowing my empath powers to feel them.
“No, I want to start at the crime scene again. We’ll find them better that way,” Carrie said.
“Wouldn’t it be better to sniff them out from the caves?” Blaze was in work mode, curious about her abilities, but his emotions were also underlined with something else that I couldn’t exactly detect.
If I wanted to figure him out, I would have to dig deeper into his mind. But I wasn’t concerned with Blaze right now. It had stunned me that he’d kissed Carrie yesterday - he’d genuinely wanted to do it. Then a rushing regret had come over him, and I could tell he was angry at himself for doing it. I would deal with him later. Right now, I wanted to know what Carrie was feeling.
She shook her head. “We could, but the new magic my mom taught me would work better with the original crime. We can use her death to find them. Besides, if what you tell me is right, then the water probably washed away most of their trail anyways.” She was trying to teach him patiently but she also doubted that he trusted her. She felt the need to prove herself to him, to us, even though we’d begged her to help us.
“But, why?” Blaze asked. He didn’t doubt her, he was trying to understand.
She turned towards him and he stared at her intently, searching her face. She met his intense gaze.
“Killing someone innocent leaves a deep imprint in magic. So even though we aren’t in the spot where she was killed, it was the killer’s intent that we find her here. That will be good enough.”
“But I looked for a magic trail.”
“I found one,” she said.
A look of realization came over his face. “But I —”
“Forgot about it.” She finished his sentence. “So did I. That was the witch’s magic. After you told me that a witch was working with the shifters, I talked to my mom about it, and then I remembered it.” They smiled at each other.
“What’s up, guys?” I finally reached them and Blaze turned towards me.
“Remember that trail that I found - the magical one? She thinks we can pick it up again.”
“Do you think we can?” I asked Blaze.
He shrugged. “She says her mom showed her some stuff that will help.”
I looked at Carrie. She had her arms crossed across her chest and was giving me an eat shit glare. She looked so cute when she was angry - she was upset that I’d asked Blaze’s opinion of her magical ability. Blaze was the magic expert in the group; it was habit to ask him about anything magic related. I took her hand, forcing her to uncross her arms, and stroked it softly with my thumb. “Show us, then.”
She huffed, pulling her hand away. “I will.”
“I know you will. I trust you.” I needed to show her that I truly did trust her. We all needed to prove it to her, after everything we’d done to her.
She swallowed hard, looking away, and a blast of her emotions hit me. Something that had nothing to do with our current predicament; she was still pissed about her Alpha.
I hadn’t realized until now how badly I’d insulted Elizabeth. Aerwyna was the safest place for them now; they couldn’t leave. Not until the baby was born. I hadn’t really seen it that way before.
Shame marked my cheeks. I’d behaved just as badly as Denver.
“Look.” I took her hand again to force her to look at me. Then I gave her a sincere look, infusing meaning into my words. “I meant what I said earlier. I’m sorry for what I said about your Alpha.” I reached up to smooth over her wrinkled brow with my finger, then traced her cheek with my finger. My words were having the desired effect on her. Her face had calmed in reaction to my apology, and the little sweet lamb look was back. God, she was so tender and innocent. “Your clan will always have a place here in Aerwyna. I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens.”
“Yeah, your words mean a lot.” Denver had crept towards us through the trees and I sighed, running my hands through my hair.
“Ignore him,” I said and gave her a confident look. Then, dropping her hand, I turned towards the woods. “Can you show us what you were talking about? The magic your mom showed you?”
She glanced at Blaze, who gave her a silent nod, then she took in a deep breath and started off through the trees. We followed her, with Denver behind us, quietly fuming. Carrie was focusing on her magic, turning her attention inward and mumbling the spell her mother had taught her. Blaze walked close beside her, his eyes focused on the same thing she was. It seemed as if it was working; their emotions were purely focused on whatever
they were seeing.
Denver and I kept our eyes out for anything suspicious, making sure to protect them in case they brought us to the wolf pack and the witch. We moved slowly at first as the forest stretched up towards the mountain. After a while, the trees thinned, the ground gradually sloped upward, and the atmosphere around us changed.
At first, it was barely noticeable to me, but Blaze and Carrie grew more and more intent on the trail they were following, moving faster as we went higher up into footfalls of the mountain.
Suddenly Carrie stopped. “Do you feel that?” Carrie grabbed Blaze’s hand, stilling him.
He nodded, his eyes wide.
“What is it?” Even I could feel the air was thick with magic.
“Come on.” She moved forward, taking Blaze’s hand with her. “It’s up here. I know it.”
We hiked upwards, threading through the trees until a clearing opened in front of us. Carrie stilled and we all stopped - on the other side of the clearing, a group of wolves sat. At least fifty or more of them surrounded a large campfire, eating. But they were scrappy looking - skinny and dirty, as if they hadn’t bathed in a while. Their hair was wild, unkept, and a woman sat to the side of them, her eyes glowing green. The witch.
As soon as they noticed us, they stopped talking, and, one-by-one, turned to stare at us.
“Oh, shit,” Carrie breathed.
“What?” I stepped towards her, ready to defend her if they came at us.
“I know them.”
I stopped, surprised, and turned toward her. “What?”
She didn’t have time to respond. The wolves reacted immediately, jumping from their sitting position, and, throwing their food to the ground, shifted in mid-stride. They didn’t ask questions or approach us with caution. Within seconds, a whole pack of wolves was barreling down on us, teeth bared.
22
Carrie
The wolf that came at me was running so fast it was a blur. I only had seconds before he was on me but I took a moment to notice his color; grey with brown accents, a color I’d seen that night in my dream. These were the wolves responsible for killing both those women. I was certain of it.