by G. K. DeRosa
“I don’t have all day, Violet…” Ransom’s voice startled me. I fully expected to find Hunter on the other side of the door. I’d been avoiding my Royal friend since discovering his father’s involvement in my attacks. Not because I thought he had something to do with it, but because I didn’t know how to tell him.
I finally opened the door and found Ransom leaning against the wall with his trademark grin. “What’s up?”
“We haven’t hung out in days. You’ve been glued to Hunter ever since the gora bora incident, and I’ve come to express my grievances. How am I supposed to make my claim if you won’t even give me a chance?”
I threw him a dramatic eyeroll and scoffed. “Please, Ransom, you have plenty of girls salivating over you. If you really needed to find a mate that badly, you’d have dozens to choose from.”
“Maybe the one I want won’t give me the time of day.”
I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder, avoiding his piercing gaze.
His nostrils flared when I stood, and he inhaled deeply. “Or is she already tied to someone else?” He nudged me in the side when I didn’t answer. I scanned the room, desperate to find Hunter so he could get me out of this conversation. My gaze landed on North, the faery wolf that had nearly gotten us killed. I narrowed my eyes and shot him a scathing glare. Had he done it for the competition or had Tyrien hired him to take me down?
“Violet?” Ransom waved his hand in front of my face.
“Huh?”
“I said after what happened the other day, you and Hunter can’t keep denying there’s something going on. All the guys have been talking about it. A man doesn’t take a gora bora poisoning for just anyone. Inquiring minds want to know if you’re a free she-wolf or not.”
I chewed on my lower lip and shrugged. “We’re hooking up, that’s all. And anyway, I already told you I’m not interested in finding a mate.”
“Even if it could help you win the trials?”
I shook my head. “Nope. So tell the guys they need to back off.”
Ransom made a stabbing motion at his heart. “You wound me so, Violet.”
The loud slam of a door pulled my attention over Ransom’s shoulder to a seething Hunter. His eyes locked on mine for an instant before diverting to North. His beta power filled the room as he stalked toward the faery wolf. North stood beside his pack mate, Canyon, and the Atlantic wolf, Aquor. The three males were sipping from the gilded goblets that were supplied daily in our VIP room.
North’s eyes bounced up to meet Hunter’s before casting back down to the floor. “What the hell was that in the woods, Lazuli?”
He lifted his gaze and took a quick sip of his drink. “I don’t know what you mean, Aristaeus.”
Apparently, wolf/faery hybrids didn’t inherit their Fae cousins’ inability to lie.
Hunter plucked a grape off the fruit platter and popped it into his mouth, showcasing his fangs. “You drove that herd of gora boras right at us. Are you saying that was an accident?”
Canyon moved closer to his pack mate. “Even if it wasn’t, you wouldn’t have borne the brunt of the poison if you hadn’t thrown yourself in front of the female.” He ticked his head in my direction, and heat seeped all the way to my ears.
“No one was talking to you, Canyon,” he growled. Then he moved closer, his chest practically touching North’s. “Was it an accident or not?” Golden flames rippled across his emerald irises.
North took a step back and lowered his gaze as Hunter’s power crashed into him. “I was on the hunt, Aristaeus. I wasn’t paying attention where I was herding the pack. I was simply trying to kill one and win the trial.”
Hunter rubbed his chin, his fingertips grazing the stubble. “I see.” He spun around and met the eyes of each of the wolves. “Let me make something clear. From here on out, if anyone targets Sierra, you will deal with me. She’s under my personal protection for the remainder of the trials. And that extends inside and out of the arena. Does everyone understand?”
A few muttered yeses filled the air.
“Are you going to piss on her too, Aristaeus? Finally mark her as yours?” Triton called out from across the room.
I opened my mouth, a string of curses poised at the tip of my tongue, but Ransom’s elbow dug into my side. The bastard mer-wolf had already tried to kill me in the arena and now he had to insult me too?
Hunter spun on the overgrown wolf-fish, and his dragon wings snapped out. “I’ve been more than patient with you, Triton. Push me again, and I’ll scorch your fish tail right out of here.”
Araton stepped forward, his golden locks cascading down his broad back and placed his hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “Just admit it, Aristaeus. We’ve all been there before, we see the signs. Sierra is obviously your fated mate. I suggest you claim her before someone steals her right from under your nose.”
“What Sierra and I are is none of your business,” he growled. “I don’t have to explain myself to any of you. Do as I ask or risk my wrath.” Dragon-fire flickered to life along his fingertips as he stared down the entire room.
After a long moment of tense silence, Hunter turned to me. “Let’s go.”
Heat burned my cheeks as I waved at Ransom and high-tailed it out of the tension-filled room. Hunter stalked in front of me, rage emanating off him in toxic waves. “You sure confronting North in front of everyone was a good idea?”
He grunted. “Doesn’t matter anymore. Like Araton said, it’s plain to everyone what we are.”
So why didn’t you just admit it? It was stupid, I knew, but I wanted to hear him confess it to the others.
“Why?” he asked out loud.
Damn nosy wolf! “Don’t sneak into my head like that!”
“I didn’t. You practically shouted at me.” He slowed his pace, allowing me to catch up with his long strides. “The less they know about us the better. Let them have their suspicions, but without confirming it, that’s all they’ll have. Admitting you’re my mate will only lead to more questions. There are rumors about my curse, but no one knows the true extent of it, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
I nodded and forced back the swirl of hurt. I knew Hunter was trying to protect me, but still it stung. I wanted everyone to know, I wanted to shout it from the heights of Silverstalker Lair.
“Vander just checked in. My father arrived at home a few moments ago from the arena. We’ll take over from there.” Hunter’s words refocused my rambling thoughts on the mission. Today was about my mom, tomorrow I’d worry about my mercurial mate.
The flight back to Silverstalker Lair was a quick one. Hunter’s powerful dragon wings ate up the distance in less than ten minutes, but it had seemed like an eternity of joy pressed against his chest, enveloped in his warm arms. Despite forcing myself to focus on the mission, I couldn’t help the lusty thoughts from swirling when our bodies were close.
“Now what?” I asked as we stood outside the back entrance of the lair.
He arched a mischievous brow. “I wanted to try something.” He moved closer, and my body snapped to attention. “I was talking to Cass earlier today about your burst of magic in the woods. She told me you haven’t been practicing with her like you should be.”
I mentally cursed my traitorous friend. “I’ve been a little busy.”
“I know but figuring out how to unlock your magic is key to your survival. We need to focus on it.”
I slapped my palms on my hips and peered up at him. “Okay, okay so what do you want to do?”
He pried my hands off my waist and enveloped them in his. “I want you to try a cloaking spell.”
My brows slammed together, and I shot him my best are-you-serious look.
“Do you not know the spell?”
“Of course, I do.” I knew all the spells. Since I couldn’t actually practice magic, I read a ton about it. I’d memorized nearly every incantation in our textbooks. “I’ve just never been able to make it happen.”
He gave me a
cocky grin. “Well, you never had me before.” His fingers tightened around my hands and he moved closer, his body nearly flush with mine. “Just try,” he whispered in my ear, and a wave of goose bumps puckered my flesh.
“Okay,” I rasped out. My mind flitted back to the academy, to the countless leatherbound texts. “Nascondem ascondem. Nascondem ascondem.” I spoke the foreign words of the cloaking spell and waited.
Nothing.
Hunter moved closer, his body now fully pressed against mine with our clasped hands between our bellies. “Try your wolf,” he said. “She’s the Mystic after all.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I searched for the ever-present wolfish presence in my core. She unfurled from her nap, and her furry head rubbed up against my insides. I glanced up to meet Hunter’s golden irises. His wolf had sensed her, and a low rumble vibrated my chest in response.
“Again,” Hunter whispered.
I repeated the words of the spell, and a tiny spark of energy flickered to life. I held onto it with everything I had, picturing the swirl of magic and imagining it growing bigger and bigger. Warm lips pressed against mine, and my heart sprang up my throat. Tingles exploded over my lips as he deepened the kiss.
Use your emotions. Hunter’s voice echoed in my mind. Use me. Draw from my power to fuel yours.
My hands clenched, my fingers digging into his flesh. I focused on the feel of his tongue against mine, his hard body pressed to my lower half, the ridiculous happiness I felt whenever we were together. My wolf whined, surging to the surface, and a swell of power lit up my core.
“Nascondem ascondem,” I breathed against Hunter’s mouth. “Nascondem ascondem!” I shouted as I broke the kiss, and the smokey scent of magic invaded my nostrils then blanketed my skin. A shimmery violet veil swathed us in magic. “It worked!”
Hunter’s lips spread into a breathtaking smile. “I told you it would.”
“You know this is only strengthening my cause, right? It just proves we’re stronger together, just like I’ve said all along.”
He arched a dark brow and flicked my nose. “Don’t push it, Sierra. You’ve already forced me to abandon nearly all my principles.”
I stood on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his. “Totally worth it.” I took his hand and dragged him through the covered opening at the foot of the hill. “Now let’s go find my mom.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Between Vander, Hunter and I, we’d been following Tyrien for three whole days and come up empty. The more time that passed, the more the hope shriveled inside me. What if she was dead? What if that’s why Tyrien hadn’t gone to see her? There was no one for him to see. I clasped my hands to my chest as fear’s icy claws dug into my lungs.
No, it couldn’t be. I refused to believe it. If Mom were really gone, I’d know it somehow.
I stood atop the wooden platform, staring straight into the masses gathered at the arena without really seeing anyone. The week of trials had flown by and today was the last day of the second round. Most of the events had been simple ones against the lower packs. I hadn’t done great, but at least I hadn’t lost every single one.
I focused my unseeing gaze to the leaderboard over the arena. There were two. One held the names of all the competitors, with those already eliminated in black, and the other held the standings of the Lunar Pack. My name was about halfway down the first board, but last when it came to my sparkly unicorn brethren. No surprise there. Despite all my training with Vander and Hunter, I just couldn’t compete with the other males physically. The only good thing was that I’d doubled down on my training with Cass and my nonexistent magic was starting to trickle in. Sure, it required Hunter at my side, but at least it was something.
“Competitors, everyone ready?” The announcer’s high-pitched voice turned my attention to the game at hand. An obstacle course had been set up within the arena complete with climbing walls, pole vaults, fiery coals, a snake pit and that was only what I could make out from here.
“Just stay by my side,” Hunter whispered.
“No problem.” I glanced down the row of males. There were around twenty of us left in the competition, including all the Lunar Packs. After today, we’d be whittled down to the top fifteen. All I had to do was beat out at least five of the lesser pack entrants. Easy peasy.
A neon timer appeared overhead with ten minutes on the clock. “If all the competitors make it through the obstacle course, the fifteen with the best time will advance. The remaining will be disqualified. If you fall into any of the pits you have one minute to get out, otherwise you are automatically disqualified. Wolf or human form are acceptable. No special powers, Lunars. Keep it fair, gentlemen… And lady,” he added. “Good luck to all.”
We filed off the platform and moved to the starting line as the crowd went nuts. Dozens of names were being chanted, and I did a double take when I heard my own. My eyes landed on Cass and Terra in the stands. My best friend waved and threw me a reassuring smile. I couldn’t wait for all of this to be over so I could spend more time with her.
“Over here.” Hunter ticked his head at the end of the line of competitors. “Better to be on the outside so you don’t get trampled.”
“Awesome, thanks.” I eyed the massive wall at the start of the obstacle course and gulped. It seemed like just yesterday I’d encountered the beast on my first day in the trial. It had taken me the better part of an hour to scale. Luckily, I’d been practicing since then.
“At the sound of the buzzer, you may begin!”
The timer loomed overhead, and my pulse quickened. Five, four, three, two, one. The buzzer rang out, and I sprang forward. Leaping up like Hunter had taught me, I started a few feet off the ground. My claws erupted from my fingertips, and I reached for the hand holds. When I couldn’t reach one, I’d dig my sharp claws into the wall instead. My shoulders burned but I kept moving, pushing myself up with the special sneakers we’d been supplied with. I kind of felt like Spiderman in my suit and super grippy shoes.
Hunter was a body length ahead of me, and I could feel the occasional burn of his gaze as he watched from above. I hated slowing him down. At some point as the competition intensified in the upcoming rounds, he’d have to leave me behind. I wouldn’t have him lose the trials because of me. Unless I decided to go for the gold myself.
With my mom missing, the last thing I’d been able to focus on was my revenge on Tyrien. I promised myself it was coming.
Hunter reached the top and swung his leg over the side, straddling the wall. He reached down and grabbed my hand, tugging me up beside him.
“Thanks,” I said, my voice coming out in ragged spurts. I glanced down the opposite side to the pit below. Dozens of spears filled the ten-foot ditch, and my heart catapulted against my ribcage. “Now what?” I squeaked. One false move down the other side and we were wolf shish kebabs.
“Best bet is to jump over it,” Hunter answered.
A few of the competitors were already on their way down, but no one had attempted a jump. We were at least twenty feet in the air, and I did not like my chances of clearing the pit.
“We’ll get well ahead of the others and avoid the possibility of falling,” he continued. “Do you think you can shift mid-air?”
“Are you shifting me?”
A smirk curled his lip. “The ledge is a little too narrow to shift, but your wolf will be able to make the jump no problem. I’ve seen you do that instant shift. I know you can. Will you trust me?” He squeezed my hand, and the gold eclipsed the green of his irises.
“I trust you. It’s my wolf I’m not so sure about.”
“She can do this, Sierra. She was born to.”
I gulped as I stared down at the pointed projectiles. Too bad Hunter couldn’t use his dragon wings in this round. Ugh. More competitors reached the top and began the descent. We didn’t have much time. I probably wouldn’t die if I managed the shift, just be severely injured. On the other hand, if we did pull it off, we’d be way ahead o
f the others. “Okay, let’s do it.”
Hunter stood with a firm grip on my hand and helped me up. Fur began to ripple over his arms as a fine golden mist crawled up his tall form. “Ready?”
My she-wolf surged to the surface, beckoned forth by his. I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut as Hunter leapt, propelling me forward with him. Energy crackled through my veins, and my wolf took over. In the space of a manic heartbeat, my body stretched out onto all fours and my paw slid out of his hand. My eyes snapped open as I hurtled over the pit. Hunter was beside me, the golden shimmer blanketing his body as it morphed from man to wolf. I held my breath as I watched.
Our wolfish bodies began to lose momentum and before the descent began, I caught a quick glimpse at the rest of the arena. Lush greenery covered the remaining half. I refocused on landing without breaking my legs and bent my knees, crouching down. Hunter had been right. We sailed over the pit and avoided the next obstacle all together—a run across fiery coals. Phew. I landed on my front paws just a few feet past the hot ash and tumbled forward. My snout hit the ground, and I sucked in a mouthful of dirt. Dammit.
The crowd went wild. Somehow, I’d managed to block their crazed shouts and applause until now.
Wolf-Hunter landed beside me as graceful as a freakin’ gazelle. You okay?
Does my pride count?
A warm chuckle echoed through my head. You did well. I’m proud of you.
My lupine heart nearly doubled in size, and a contented whine slid from my slobbery lips. Until my gaze landed on the next obstacle—the endless stretch of greenery. A maze. Twisting, sky-high hedges covered the remainder of the arena.
An imposing wrought iron fence guarded the entrance with a scanner built into a tall post. Guess we’re back to human form.
Hunter’s black wolf nudged his big head into my shoulder, and I nuzzled into his neck. Our wolves were worse than lovesick teenagers. I hated to tear her away from her mate, but we needed to get the hell out of dodge ASAP. Right now, we were in the lead, and I wanted to keep it that way.