"Cinda, are you okay?" Mia asks while rubbing my back. Her voice is a little higher than usual.
"I'm fine." I take deep breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth. After a couple minutes, I sit up and stare at Sabrina.
"You're putting him up to this, aren't you?" I lower my voice and narrow my eyes at Sabrina. "He'd never think of this on his own."
"Oh, he doesn't need too much encouragement." Sabrina waves her hand in the air. "He's just more dedicated to this pack than Caiden is." As she says Caiden's name her mouth curls into a pucker, looking as if she's eaten something sour.
"How can you say that?" Mia jumps to attention, shaking with rage.
"Calm down, Mia. She obviously doesn't know Dylan that well if she calls him dedicated," I say as I place my hand on Mia's shoulder.
"Face it. Ever since Caiden lost his Mate—he hasn't exactly been the same." Sabrina shrugs and flips her hair over her shoulder.
"You don't know the intense bond Mates have, nor what it's like to lose one!" Mia growls.
"All the better for Dylan to be Alpha. He found his mate, she rejected him, and he's overcome it."
"Is that what he told you?" I ask with a furrowed brow. She nods with pursed lips. "Whatever, I'm going to shower." Mia turns to follow me out.
"Nice chat girls. We should do it again sometime." Sabrina smirks as we leave.
Chapter 23
Caiden
"No." I shake my head as Dylan and I discuss plans on what to do about Felix. "He'll come for her, and we must be ready when he does."
"She isn't staying much longer, right?" Dylan asks, though it's more of a statement than a question. "Putting the entire pack at risk, against Felix, a powerful Alpha that we know nothing about, is a foolish act," he mumbles under his breath, but I catch every word. Rolling my eyes, I turn and gaze out of the only window in this room; it's the view of the forest, my sanctuary.
I hear the crunch of the soft leather as Dylan sits down in one of the wingback chairs. Glaring at him, he leans his head back against the headrest.
"What's going on with you and Lux?" he asks. Looking back into the forest, I think of her—the first time I saw her standing in the doorway of my house. After a minute or two of silence, Dylan clears his throat.
Turning to look at him, he raises his eyebrows, "Well?" he says. I turn back to the forest.
"Do you think I don't notice you scenting her every chance you get?" He purses his lips and rolls his eyes. "You probably don't even notice how often you do it, but how can I miss your fingers brushing across her back, her arm, her shoulder, anywhere you can touch her to leave your scent."
It's true when I'm near her I can't help myself, my wolf has an unyielding need to scent her. I can't explain it; my wolf has never had this driving force to scent before. The thought of her sweet scent—mint and honey—floods my memory, and a heat rises to my face thinking of last night. I knew it was wrong. I took advantage of her, but in that moment I only wanted one thing, and that was Lucinda.
Blinking several times, I turn my back to the forest and come back to reality; I notice Dylan watching me with a scrutinizing gaze. My words catch in my throat.
How do I have a conversation about my feelings for Lucinda? I'm not even sure what those feelings are, and to talk about it with her Mate of all people. No.
We stare at each other for another awkward moment before he speaks again. "I can't explain it, but there's something special between you two. My wolf can sense it. When you two are near each other, the energy that ripples through the room is like no other I've felt." He pauses to take a deep, calming breath.
I have noticed my wolf acts differently around her; I'm stable and more in control.
"Her strength reminds me of Elizabeth," I say, forcing the whisper from my lips.
"Who?" Dylan asks. I realize he never knew her.
"Elizabeth was my mate." The look we share says it all, no other words are needed on this topic.
"Caiden, I say this as your Beta and as your friend. Lux is special. The dynamic your two wolves have—" He's cut off as the door flies open.
Turning toward the intrusion, a warmth rushes over my body as her scent swirls in the room declaring her presence. My nostrils fill with her heavenly scent and I wipe my palms on my jeans as my pulse quickens.
"Lucinda, is everything okay?" I ask, stepping closer to her.
Lucinda and Mia stand in the doorway. Lucinda's lips are drawn into a tight line and her brows are furrowed. I notice Mia tugging at her arm, trying to pull her back into the hall. What happened to set her off?
"How could you?!" Lucinda says with a rough voice. Glaring at Dylan, her eyes begin to swirl black. Whoa, she needs to calm the fuck down.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, placing my hand on her shoulder, extending my dominance to calm her. I have craved those little sparks of energy ever since the first touch. Dylan's right, I can't help but touch her when she's so near.
"We just had a little chat with Sabrina," Lucinda says, clipping her words.
"Come on, Cinda, this can wait until you've calmed down," Mia says, still tugging on Lucinda's arm.
"No it can't wait, you don't understand! Felix will come looking for me. This pack will be destroyed," Lucinda says, her eyes glued on Dylan.
"Lucinda," I say firmly, positioning myself in front of her, blocking her line of vision to Dylan, and forcing her to look at me. "I know Felix will come, that's what we've been working on, creating a defensive strategy against him. We're a strong pack with many experienced warriors that will be ready and willing to fight." Her eyes slowly focus on mine and the beautiful golden hazel begins to return.
"No Caiden, your pack is weak, thanks to him and Sabrina." She looks back at Dylan, and her intensity begins to rise again.
"Do you really think you can win against Caiden?" she yells. I tilt my head, unsure I heard correctly.
"Against me, what?" My voice drops as my eyes squint. I look between Dylan and Lucinda, and finally to Mia, who is leaning against the door frame.
"Sabrina told us all about their little plan for Dylan to challenge the Alpha," Lucinda sasses as she strolls over to Dylan. "You make me sick." She lunges for Dylan, but I grab her waist pulling her back before her fist makes contact with Dylan. Surprised by her outburst, it takes me a moment to process what she said.
"Is this true?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at Dylan.
"No," Dylan says. He stands tall, rolling his shoulders back. His pupils restrict as he talks. "That is not MY plan," he says, flaring his nostrils.
"See Cinda, I told you it's all Sabrina. She's been after Caiden since we were kids," Mia says, firmly stepping into the room toward us. Mia's right, ever since the first dance in sixth grade, Sabrina has been making my life miserable. I'm not even sure what I did, other than not ask her to dance.
"It doesn't matter if he was or wasn't going to act on it," Lucinda says. "If Sabrina's thought of it, who has she talked to, how many other people have thought of it?" Lucinda closes her eyes and rubs her temples.
"I'm sorry, Caiden," she says. As she opens her eyes, I see a tear threatening to run down her cheek. "Your pack is broken. There's doubt and loss of confidence in you, their Alpha. Your pack is weak and vulnerable. I've seen it before. Felix will destroy you." Her voice cracks at the end. I want nothing more than to engulf her in my arms, but I have to remember my place. I am the Alpha and her Mate is here and can comfort her. She has a mate, she has a mate...
"Is that how it happened?" Dylan steps forward, reaching for her hands. She nods and another stray tear runs down her cheek. "You said it was a pack of rogues," Dylan says, squinting his eyes cursing under his breath and twitching his nose.
"How else would you describe Felix and his lawless followers? They're just a well-organized band of stray rogues."
"So you were there?" Dylan asks. I watch him rub his thumb against the back of her hands. A sharp pain
shoots through my arm, and my hands begin to shake. I take a deep breath and smell her lingering scent still mixed with mine from last night, and my lips tug up in a one-sided smirk, and my hands steady.
"Yes. I should never have asked for their help and protection, but I had nowhere else to go, so I went home.”
"Hold on," I say, "what happened?"
Lucinda takes a deep breath before continuing.
"I got mixed up with Felix again about three years ago, soon after Mia and Gavin left. I needed a little space," Lucinda says, glaring at Dylan, "and time to figure things out. When I first met Felix, he interested me. He was an Alpha, but his band of followers were wanderers. They didn't have a place to call home. They lived a rogue lifestyle, which worked for me." She shrugs and turns to me.
"But then I witnessed his madness. He kills innocent people for fun and slaughters humans for sport. He even keeps captives to pit against each other or worse—against other things for entertainment," she says, cringing.
"What type of things?" Mia asks.
"Dark, sinister things. Things I didn't know existed and never would've believed if I didn't see it with my own eyes."
"That doesn't really help—"
"Blood sucking vampires—"
"They're real?" Mia asks.
"I wish they weren't." Lucinda gaze’s is unfocused as she stares into nothingness.
My father told us stories of vampires when we were young. But we always thought they were just that, stories. I have never seen a vampire, but if the stories are true then I hope to never meet one.
Dylan squeezes her hands to bring her back from wherever her mind wandered.
"So what did you do?" Dylan asks.
"I left. But I was careless. I should've known better. He caught up to me as soon as Mia and Gavin left. Only this time he was determined to keep me." I wipe a tear off her cheek as she continues to talk. "He threw me in an old dry well; you should've seen the look on his face when I climbed out the next day." She allows a weak smile to cross her face.
"He immediately charged me and we fought. That was when he decided he was going to claim me as his." A small shiver runs through her body. "Cody helped me escape that night."
"And you came here?" I ask. Her glassy eyes answer for her.
"It didn't take him long to follow me. I should've known better, Felix is one of the best trackers I've ever seen."
"His pack attacked at night while we were sleeping. They killed everyone they came across. My dad, who was still the Alpha, and your dad," she says, turning to Dylan, "was still the Beta, they ordered me to stay hidden, refusing to turn me over to Felix. He said he would let everyone live if I went willingly, if not he'd kill everyone and take me by force."
"They fought through the night. At sunrise, I peeked out and saw a small circle of what was left of our pack. They were surrounded by Felix and his men. Only a couple dozen were still alive, and so many had died all because of me." She looks down and continues, "I thought I could save them by giving myself to him. But after he bound my arms and legs, he turned and with one quick movement beheaded both the Alpha and Beta. Then his men did the same to everyone else. They slaughtered an entire pack. And the worst part, they drank the blood and feasted on the flesh of my dad and burned the rest. He gave me some of the ashes in a glass vile and told me I should be happy and grateful for what he did."
Watching her as she tells her story, I notice a change as she finishes.
Turning to me, she says, "I'm leaving."
"No, you're not," I counter. "Not with Felix tracking you."
"It's the only way you'll survive." Lucinda's voice begins to rise. "He's not coming to kill the Alpha and lead the pack; he's coming to destroy you and your pack."
"No, my pack will fight," I say through a clenched jaw. My heartbeat quickens and I feel beads of sweat trickling down the small of my back.
"It'll be a slaughter." Her eyes soften as she speaks. "Those who haven't lost faith in you will lose confidence when you ask them to fight Felix for a mere rogue."
"But you're not a mere rogue." I rest my hand on her shoulder and smile. "You're my Beta's mate."
Our eyes lock, and in that moment the energy coursing through my soul is sparking, causing little bursts of fire to break out all over my body. Her eyes open wide and I know she feels it too.
"No," Dylan says. I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. "Lux, you aren't a rogue, and you aren't my mate. You are the Daughter of an Alpha, an Alpha that was slain; and a member of an entire Pack that was ruthlessly slaughtered by Felix."
Lucinda bites her lower lip as I digest what Dylan said. Mia breaks the silence.
"Yes, that is perfect! It's the truth, and inspiring!" Turning to look at Mia, I catch her smiling, and I frown.
"What?" She says, looking at me and wrinkling her nose.
"Okay seriously, this," Mia says, waving her hands toward Lucinda and me, "is way more confidence building than, that." She says, this time, motioning between Lucinda and Dylan.
"Even if I am an Alpha's daughter, they don't know me." Lucinda protests. "Why—" she begins, but Mia cuts her off.
"That is exactly why we need to have the cookout tonight," Mia says with a wide grin. She has always loved parties.
"And Mia's right." Dylan clears his throat before continuing, "This," he says motioning between Lucinda and me, "is inspiring. The energy you two give off is enough to rebuild confidence in the Alpha."
"I still think I should leave," Lucinda says frowning. I hadn't realized it, but at some point, I must have grabbed her hand because her soft and delicate fingers are squeezing mine.
"No. You're staying." I squeeze her hand back.
"Something tells me that Felix will attack us even if you aren't here, so you may as well stay," Dylan says, and my lips curl into a small grin. Now he's thinking and acting like the Beta I know him to be.
"Fine," Lucinda says with a sigh, "I'll stay, for now. But only to help you." She looks at me. "You need confidence restored and I'll do whatever I can to help fix the damage Dylan and Sabrina may have caused with that stupid plan."
Chapter 24
Lucinda
Stepping out of the shower, I hear the latch on a door. Grabbing a robe, I peer into my bedroom.
"Mia? What are you doing?" I ask.
"Caiden asked me to keep an eye on you." She is lounging on my bed. "He's worried you'll leave."
"I'm not going anywhere, not yet anyway," I mumble.
"Cinda! Don't talk like that." Mia jumps off the bed and walks toward me. "Don't run. Stay, please stay," she says in a low voice, holding both my shoulders, her face only inches from mine.
"Even if you won't stay for yourself, stay for Caiden." She looks at me with deep, sorrowful eyes. "There is something there. You and Caiden," she pauses and releases her grip on my shoulders. Tapping her lips with her right fingers, she places her left hand on her hip. "I don't know, you two just click."
"I said I'll stay to help him, so I'm staying. I don't need a babysitter." I shift my weight.
"I think someone has a little crush," Mia says in a singsong voice. The sweetness of last night flashes in my memory. And then I remember the poison of his words this morning.
"No, I don't think so," I say matter-of-factly.
"Oh please," Mia says with a wave of her hand. I shrug.
"So, what's going on with you two?" She asks. "And don’t say nothing." She looks at me with a stern face.
"Nothing?" I can't help but smile.
"Nothing my ass," she says, "something happened last night, his scent was all over you; I want details!"
"Details? Ew! He's your brother!" I wrinkle my nose.
"I knew it! I knew something happened!" Mia squeals in delight, and then her face turns serious. "I've been so worried about him. The past few years have been hard. I've watched him spiral out of control, and I know the pack's noticed too. I'm not surprised
they've lost faith." She frowns and looks to me with tears in her eyes. "It really has been Dylan that's kept the pack together, kept a revolt at bay." Blinking back her tears, she continues, "But now that you're here, Caiden's different. He's been more stable since you arrived."
"Mia," I say in a soft tone, "we both know I'm not his mate. So I don't know why I'd have any effect on him."
"Yeah, I know. Maybe it's your wolf?" Mia shrugs her shoulders. "She does declare your presence very loudly when you enter a room." Mia snickers.
She's always teased me because my scent is strong; she says it spreads into a room well before me, as if my wolf is announcing 'I have arrived'. Rolling my eyes, I try to hide a smirk.
"Maybe, and that is exactly why it would never work between us," I say. Mia looks at me with squinted eyes and a wrinkled nose.
"He's a strong Alpha, and I'm sure you've realized by now, I am too. Two Alphas together would be a disaster. A relationship needs two parts to work in perfect harmony, a dominant and a submissive; the pair are meant to complement each other, not work against each other." I take a deep breath before continuing. "Caiden and I, we're both dominant.”
Mia snorts.
"Can you imagine the chaotic mess two dominate Alphas would cause when they disagree? And I'm sure we would disagree. It would never work. Can I get dressed now?" I ask. Mia gives me a small, sad smile before answering.
"Why do you think I'm here?" she says. She flashes a wicked grin. "I've come with gifts."
I follow her head as she turns and waves her hands toward the bags of clothes sitting on the floor next to the door. Damn. There goes my plan to wear jeans and a thermal to the cookout. Mia grabs my arm and pulls me toward the bags of clothes.
"Do you really think I'd let you go wearing those?" Mia says, pointing to the heap of dirty clothes on the floor.
"What devilish plan do you have in store for me tonight?" I ask.
"Me?" Mia says with a giggle.
"Let's get this over with," I sigh.
Mia grabs the bags and begins to unpack, placing several outfits on the bed. Inspecting them, I see they're actually not that bad. I really like the first one: a pair of distressed jeans with a mint green baby doll style top. But I remember how chilly it is at night and move on to the next.
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