“That definitely won’t be a problem,” June hummed thoughtlessly, dazed as she stared at Donovan’s back. Her eyes lowered on their own accord. She idly wondered if every hybrid was well rounded or if he was lucky and well-endowed everywhere.
“Are you staring at my ass?” the alpha suddenly asked without warning.
June’s head snapped up to see that he was watching her with amused eyes and a smile. Her face flushed and she sputtered, “N-no. I wouldn’t… what are you talking about? Why would I…no.”
Turning slowly, Donovan faced her. His chest was almost touching hers, making June’s mouth go dry. The air buzzed as he leaned down, his warm breath fanning her ear as he whispered, “Stare all you want, baby, I’m yours.”
Her mouth fell open, but no sound came out.
The alpha’s glowing eyes pinned her in place long before he wrapped an arm around her waist. June didn’t dare to move as his lips pressed against the side of her neck ever so tenderly. She sucked in a breath, her neck tilting back as his lips made their way up towards her mouth.
Donovan was about to reach his goal when he froze. The arm around her waist dropped and he stepped back. Turning back to the door, cleared his throat, “Someone is coming.”
June mind cleared and she moved her hair over the spot Donovan had been kissing and fixed her shirt. Doing her best to ignore the sparks that still danced on her skin, she rerouted her brain to focus on something else. “You can hear them?”
He was smug as he proudly stated, “Among other things. Your heart is racing.”
“Well don’t listen. That’s an intrusion of my privacy,” she berated, slapping his arm.
Donovan chuckled but the sound trailed off when the church doors parted. Peering past him, June balked at the two golden eyes that peered back at her.
A deep, rolling voice spoke from the dark, “Alpha Holloway, it’s been too long since you last came to visit. There’s a whispering in the spirit realm that you’ve found your mate. She isn’t what you expected, is she?”
“No, she’s not,” Donovan agreed and pulled June forward to stand at his side, looping an arm around her waist. “I need to speak with your guide. A dream walker found their way into June’s head last night, Veros.”
The eyes narrowed to slights, assessing the pair for a long moment. “The spirits say you’re not lying. Come in.”
Donovan nodded his thanks. June stayed beside the alpha as they stepped into the temple. The daylight that entered with them was snuffed out when the door closed with a bang. She gripped the alpha’s arm, not liking that all she could see were Veros’ glowing eyes that were still pinned on her.
“Veros, some light would be nice,” Donovan commented, adding, “June is human, after all.”
“Of course. But if the seers are disturbed, it’s her fault.”
The was shuffling for a minute and then June could see again. Veros had found a torch from somewhere. In the light, he was less than intimidating. The maroon robe he wore touched the stone floor and covered his face. He was a short man with boxy shoulders and the only skin he showed was the gnarled hand that gripped the wooden base of the torch.
The dancing flames, while contained, hit a little too close to home as the dream replayed in her mind. She had never feared fire, then again, she had never died in one until last night either.
Donovan flashed her a concerned look that she brushed off. Dream or no dream, June was determined to not let something mundane control her life. Instead of letting fear win, she asked, “What’s a seer?”
“I’ll catch you up on the way,” Donovan remarked. To Veros, he said, “We’re ready.”
With a nod, the hybrid turned, his robe swishing at his ankles. Letting Donovan take the lead, June followed. Her nose twitched as they moved between dust and cobweb covered pews. She took note that the ones in the middle were dust free. A sheet rested on the back of two wooden benches, creating a makeshift tent. Under it, someone had set up a sleeping bag and next to the pillow was an unlit lantern, and a stack of books.
She was wondering if that was where Veros called home when she saw another set up like it and then three more. The room was empty, yet June had a sinking suspicion they were being watched. Facing forward, she ignored the goosebumps rising on her arm. “Donovan?”
The alpha stopped his own examination of the room and turned to look at her. “Yeah?”
June’s mouth quirked. “You haven’t answered my question.”
Donovan’s turned pink. “To understand what the seers are, you have to know their story first. Just like how humans have their priests and fables, shifters had seers. Once, a long time ago, they were our link to Nyx.”
“Were?” she parroted.
“After the prophecy was foretold, most of the alphas turned their back on Nyx. They banned seers from taking shelter in their churches. Many places like this were burned to the ground. My great grandfather was alpha of Ashby at the time. He was new to the job and while our family has always been devoted to Nyx, he saw closing the church a way to solidify his reign. He exiled the three seers Ashby was lucky to have, boarded up the windows, and locked the doors.
“Like mates, seers were praised among packs. They are the only beings who have direct access to the goddess. When they travel to the spirit realm, they are able to contact her through the souls that rest there. With their aid, packs have been able to avoid countless bloodshed and make great advances in society,” Donovan finished.
After mulling over his words for a moment, June inquired, “If the seers were so coveted then why couldn’t the packs just be mad the goddess?”
“The anger wasn’t directed at the seers but what they stood for,” he answered. “They’re her most devote children. They don’t take mates or even live among the pack. They’re isolated from the world, sometimes remaining in shifter so that they can cross over to other plane without hassle. But while blessed, none of them are soldiers. Casting them out when they solely relied on packs for protection wasn’t just blasphemy but the alphas revenge on Nyx.”
They had reached the front of the room now. Veros turned right at the end of the pews, leading them towards a doorway with a curved arch. He waited for them to catch up before disappearing inside. Donovan had to duck to enter, and June almost laughed until she saw that what waited for them was a narrow, curved staircase.
“No elevator?” she tried.
“No elevator,” the alpha confirmed with a heavy exhale.
“Lovely,” June grunted as they started their descent. Here, between two stone walls, the scent of rot and old water was stronger than ever. As soon as they made it back to the house, she was going to take a long shower. Wistfully sighed and asked, “Is Veros a seer?”
Donovan nodded. “He showed up with the rest. On my third anniversary of being alpha I was drawn to the woods. I walked in circles for ten miles before I saw them. They had been living in the woods for some time, waiting for me to arrive. His particular group is called The Order. The religious texts I’ve read states that they were the first group of seers. I knew something big, like you, would follow. It was as if the goddess herself was telling me to be prepared.”
“I’m not sure if I should be impressed or creeped out. I’ll settle on being indifferent,” June drawled, “How does the pack feel about you giving The Order refuge?”
“They, uh, they don’t know, actually,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, “many of them believe what their parents taught them. They never learned about Nyx or what she stands for. If I confessed now, there’s no guarantee that there wouldn’t be an uprising. Even though I’m alpha and I have the final say, leading an unwilling pack wouldn’t be pleasant. The best I can do is hope that everyone remains oblivious.”
June had no allegiance to Nyx, The Order, or Donovan himself. Yet, she found herself committing to his secret. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
They had reached the end of the stairs and stepped into a spacious basement. In ever
y corner of the room were pallets of dirty blankets. Nestled on top of the arrangements were assortments of things that didn’t go together like food wrappers, loose jewelry, books, and outdated clothes.
She didn’t even have to look at Donovan for him to answer her unspoken question. “These are their nests. In the wild, some species of wolves bring back items they treasure to their caves and sleep among their spoils.”
June counted the pallets and added the other nests from upstairs. “There are nine seers?”
“Fourteen,” Donovan corrected. “Most of them live down here or in the towers. When church was open, a lot of families and pack visitors stayed here before the packhouse was built.”
“Will we meet the other seers?” she asked, her eyes flicking to Veros. If the other members of The Order were anything like him, June wasn’t sure she’d want to hang around long.
Donovan shrugged. “Lycos can call on them if he needs help, but they prefer to keep their distance. I’ve only ever seen the whole congregation together once.”
“And Lycos is the leader?”
“More or less. He comes and goes at his own free will.”
Before June could ask where the guide went off to, Veros came to a stop at a wooden door with etches of swirls ingrained in the wood. What was once probably depictions of people and important moments in history, had faded over time. Without knocking, the seer pushed the door open.
Bypassing the alpha, June stepped inside. Her eyes moved around the room, taking in the long red drapes that covered the walls and the altar off to the left side.
The décor couldn’t compare to the man in the center of the room, kneeling on the ground. His back faced the entrance, showcasing the pink, crisscrossing scars that covered his bare skin. Circling him were lit candles that dripped white wax on the dirty floor.
Something came over June then. In a trance, she dropped to her own knees, overcome with a wave of raw emotion that had her soul aching. She was vaguely aware of Donovan saying her name but nothing else mattered except Lycos.
Speaking, his voice filled the entire room, “June Gilley, I have waited a hundred years for this day. Rise, Luna. You bow to no man, not even the goddess’ guide.”
June stood at the same time as the guide. She waited in anticipation for him to turn around. When he did, however, the serenity she felt was replaced with revulsion and anger. The rage was so unhinged and uncontrollable that June didn’t even realize she had moved until her fist slammed into his jaw.
/CHAPTER FIFTEEN/
“Let me go!” June shouted, fighting to break out the arms that restrained her. Her eyes were locked on Eddy-not-Eddy who stood two steps away, cupping his jaw. It had only taken Donovan a second to pull her off the imposter, not that it mattered much. The second June was free, she intended to show him just how livid she was. “Let me go so I can kill him!”
“You can’t kill the seers guide,” Donovan said for the tenth time in three minutes. He grunted when her fingernails lightly scrapped against Eddy-not-Eddy’s chest and dragged her backwards a foot.
Haughtily, June seethed, “What’s the point of being the True Luna if I don’t have immunity to eradicate liars and frauds?”
“You’re only claiming your title so that I’ll let you go.”
“And?” she pressed, arching her neck so she could meet the alpha’s intrusive stare. “I have to use what I have, right?”
Donovan’s brows pulled together in concentration. He loosened his grip considerably and June thought he was going to drop his arms but then she was turned to face him. With a serious expression, he claimed, “This isn’t how I wanted to do this.”
She stared up at him with confusion. “What are you—”
The words on the tip of June’s tongue were extinguished when he leaned in. June stilled, thinking he was about to kiss her. Instead, he pulled her into his chest. His arms weaved around her back in a tight hug.
An awkwardness settled in the air. June’s arms stayed by her sides until she realized what he wanted. With a sigh, she complied, looping her arms around the alpha with her head resting on his chest. Under her ear, his heart thrummed at a steady pace.
She unconsciously relaxed. Her eyes closed as time and space dissolved with each breath. When she was steady, free from anger’s grip, June dropped her arms and Donovan released her.
Stepping back, she quickly put space between her and the alpha. Her body went stiff as her mind tried to come up with a rational explanation about what just happened.
She hated this.
She hated how her body wanted to respond to his presence. Since waking up in his room, June had been fighting the pull that willed her to act first, regret second. With Jace, it was never a battle between her head and her wiles. Everything she did with him was her choice.
Yet, here she was, robbed of that decision. Her only hope was that he would come to his senses. He was a hybrid, and she was a hunter. Being around him should make her skin crawl. She shouldn’t be wanting him to hug her again.
If her body couldn’t understand that and he refused to realize why this was a bad idea, then it was up to June to set things right. With a new resolve, she glared at Donovan. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
Not giving him a chance to react, she gave her attention to Eddy-not-Eddy. He still stood in the center of the room, a silent observer. Sometime between punching him and now, Veros had left. The small sentiment that the creepier of the hybrids was gone aided June to pull herself together. Dryly, she command, “Explain to me how you’re here when the last time I saw you was at the complex.”
“The complex?” Donovan asked.
“It’s what the hunters call their bases,” Eddy supplied, “I was stationed where June lived to protect her.”
“Let’s pretend that you aren’t crazy. I never saw or talked to you before Dani was taken to Asylum,” she refuted.
“And yet you know my story, or rather, Eddy Castor’s story,” the guide said. He face was smooth of emotion despite her harsh tone. “As Nyx’s guide, I go where the goddess sends me. In this case, my objective was to blend in and make sure your path led you to Alpha Holloway.”
“What do you mean Eddy’s story? You are Eddy. And if your purpose was to protect me, shall I remind you that I was shot? Bang up job, pal.”
“Allow me to clarify,” Eddy-not-Eddy started. “I was sent to protect you until I could guarantee that you would end up here in Ashby. Eddy Castor died when he was twelve years old. When his soul departed from this realm, it was me who woke up in Asylum. I took his place and watched you from afar. By my count, I’ve saved your life three times now.”
June narrowed her eyes. “Prove it.”
Eddy-not-Eddy-but-Lycos stared, his gaze unwavering as he said, “September twenty-third, the day after your fourth birthday, you were playing in your front yard. Your father was watching you from the porch but went inside when the phone rang. Your ball rolled across the street and you chased it. You didn’t see the car coming. I pulled you out of its path. When your father came out, he thanked me repeatedly and helped me get a job at Asylum. The second time was when you were eleven. You fell out of a tree. A neighbor called for help, but you were at death’s door. I snuck into the clinic after hours and called upon the spirit realm to heal you. The doctors were right to call your recovery a miracle.”
June went pale as the memories played in her mind. She couldn’t remember Lycos being there specifically, but someone had pulled her out of the car’s path. And, in the hospital, she remembered a person standing over her bed. When she asked Dale about them the next day, he told her it was a nurse. She had never believed him but let it go, summing it up be a dream.
“And the third?” Donovan chimed gruffly, sounding like he wasn’t having a good time recounting June’s near-death experiences.
“I prompted Dani to use her mate to free June from the hunters,” Lycos admitted. “I informed her that during her execution, the gate would be understaffe
d and unprotected which would allow a group of shifters to easily get inside. I also mentioned that grabbing hostages would conflict the active hunters in the crowd to retaliate in fear of attacking their own family members.”
“Did you tell her to shoot me, too?”
The guide grimaced. “I say that taking you by any means necessary would be beneficial. But you should not blame her, Luna. She was just a pawn. I was certain that the alpha would be there when the hostages were brought in and that he would instantly recognize his mate.”
“Well, I wasn’t,” Donovan growled. “I was visiting another pack. You’re lucky she didn’t die. If I didn’t believe in Nyx or her faith in you, I would escort you off my land for putting my mate in danger.”
“While I’m aware my actions have caused some turmoil, I do as the goddess dictates,” Lycos reminded. He turned to June, then, saying, “Tell me about your dream.”
“How did you know about that?” she asked and edged closer to Donovan. Suddenly, something was telling her that Veros wasn’t only member of The Order to be wary around. Given his confession, Lycos would do whatever his goddess required, even it meant putting innocent people, like Rosie, in danger.
“You don’t have to fear me, Luna. I would never cause you harm,” he promised. “And to answer the question, you and I are connected through the spirit realm. The link strengthened the second the bond between you and the alpha materialized.”
June held up a hand. “Hold on a second. What is the spirit realm? Veros said that he could hear it whispering earlier. Are you trying to say that I have ghosts stalking me?”
Lycos let out a laugh which quickly died when June narrowed her eyes. “The spirit realm is the nonphysical plane that works in occurrence with ours. We can’t see it, but sometimes through intense meditation and rituals, seers can contact the other side. As the goddess’ champion, you have more access than any living person.”
“I can’t access anything,” she argued, “nor do I want to.”
“I understand that this is all new and confusing, June,” Lycos said, “but shifters aren’t the only creatures that manipulate the realm. If you don’t learn to close yourself off, the dream walker will return.”
Genesis: (Book One of the True Luna Series) Page 12