Saved by the Big Bad Wolf: A Darkhills Romance

by Elizabeth Greene

  With his wolf finally still, Cayden was able to think clearly enough to reason with his animal side.

  “I had to do it.” Cayden spoke softly under his breath. “They would’ve killed her if we’d stayed.”

  His wolf growled at the threat, baring his fangs.

  “We couldn’t have taken them all on.” Cayden tried to speak rationally to his animal. “One on one, hell, even two or three on one; yes, I’m sure we’d have won, but not when a whole pack stands against us. And Rose wouldn’t really want to turn her back on Darkhills. She told us herself, they’d taken her in and raised her as their own. They’re all she has.” Cayden shook his head sadly. “And we’d be a poor substitute.”

  His animal paced with annoyance. He knew what Cayden said was true. One lone wolf could never provide the security and stability that a lifelong bond to a pack could.

  “Besides, you and I both know what happens to true mates. We vowed never to put ourselves in a position where we could become like him.” Cayden stared out at the mountains and fought against the memories of his father. Thinking of him never did him any good.

  “We’re not made for the kind of life she deserves. We aren’t cut out for pack life. We don’t even know how to be a good mate.”

  His wolf huffed.

  “The old man was right. We will never be good enough for that kind of life. All we do is fuck things up and hurt people.”

  Like we’ve hurt our mate. His wolf pitched in bitterly.

  “The only way to give her what she needs is to stay away from her.” Cayden said firmly.

  He knew it was the right thing to do, but it didn’t stop his heart from aching.

  Cayden pushed away from the fence and turned back in the direction of the diner. He couldn’t dwell on how much saying goodbye to his beloved mate, hurt him. It would only hinder him in doing what was right by her. He needed to focus on something else.

  Like rebuilding his life.

  His home had been destroyed and the small amount of savings he had wouldn’t last long if he were living out of motels. He needed employment. Luckily for him he had an offer on the table. He didn’t know what it entailed or whether it would be something he would morally agree with, but he no longer cared.

  Cayden climbed back up into the cab of his truck and slammed the door shut behind him. If doing the right thing caused him this much heartache and misery, then maybe he should make putting his mate’s needs above his own, the last right thing he did. The job on offer, regardless of what it was would give him what he needed. Distraction, money and a way of preventing him from ever considering himself worthy of Rose.

  He started up the engine and pulled out onto the freeway. It would be quicker if he took the route back through the Darkhills, but that was no longer an option. The long way around it was. He’d still get to Tumbricane before dusk. Lucian Nightingale would have his dirty, old pickup parked outside his stately mansion for a little longer than he would like.

  Cayden grinned at that. The prim and proper son of a bitch hated his truck and Cayden took great delight in refusing to upgrade or even wash the damn thing. It was worth it just to see the slight twitch of disdain on the bastard’s face.

  With his wolf settled in a miserable slump, the journey passed fairly uneventfully. Cayden ignored the vibrations of his phone on the passenger seat. He’d block Samantha’s number or get a new phone if he had to, but he couldn’t answer her calls. Eventually the phone stopped buzzing and he could convince himself that Rose had decided she wanted nothing to do with him.

  It was for the best.

  Thankfully, tiredness meant that Cayden needed to concentrate more on the road than on his thoughts. It was tempting to stop for a break and sleep in his truck like he used to all those years ago, but he wanted to get the meeting with Lucian over with so he could start focusing on the task at hand, helping him push any thoughts of his mate out of his mind.

  It was late afternoon when he turned off down the lesser-known track that led to the edge of the Tumbricane estate. It was lesser known and lesser taken. More than once Cayden had to stop his truck to clear some fallen debris from the bumpy track. When he eventually pulled up in front of the mansion, he killed the engine and leaned forward in his seat to crane his neck upwards.

  Tumbricane was huge and intimidating. Its towering grey walls and dark turrets loomed above him. Even in the daylight the place gave off an ominous aura. Cayden had often thought it would make the perfect film set for many a scary movie.

  Apart from a small rental, there were no other cars parked up outside. Cayden knew that the car wasn’t Lucian’s. If the man didn’t like his truck, he certainly wouldn’t have approved of the obnoxiously white saloon. Lucian Nightingale was the type of man to drive a classic sports car or have someone else do the driving for him. Cayden assumed it must’ve belonged to someone else, likely some city dweller. Most people who lived and worked in these hills drove something a little more substantial.

  It looked as though Cayden wasn’t the only guest that had been invited. He wondered how many others would be arriving. Perhaps the job required more hands than one. Whatever the situation was, he’d find out soon enough. Lucian had said to arrive after dark so until nightfall he would simply close his eyes and try to get some sleep.

  Cayden leaned back in his seat and shut his eyes. The many crows that had made the mansion and the surrounding woodlands their home, cawed loudly, making it difficult for him to drift off. Then his phone began to vibrate on the passenger seat again. He glanced over at it warily, expecting to see Samantha’s name on the screen, he sat up and accepted the call when he saw it was Lucian calling.

  “If you insist on parking that disgrace of a machine in front of my home, you can at least get out of it and come inside.” The crisp articulation of a British accent barked at him. “Only homeless people sleep in cars Mr. Greystone, and this is not a shelter for ruffians.”

  Cayden chuckled, unable to hide his amusement.

  “I’m glad I amuse you. Now get inside before I see to it that your vehicle is towed.”

  “Alright, I’m on my way.” He hid his smile and was mindful not to roll his eyes.

  He was obviously being watched by the elusive man, despite the mansion looking deserted.

  “I cannot meet with you now, but you can at least wait in a guest suite. My man servant will escort you.”

  With that, the call ended. Cayden shook his head ruefully. Lucian was stuck up for sure, but it appeared he was also feeling generous. Either that or the presence of his trusty old truck really did aggravate him that much.

  He grabbed his gym bag from the back seat and headed over to the ornate wooden doors of the mansion. They opened before he had a chance to knock.

  “His lordship wishes for you to follow me.” A dower looking man in smart attire said in a low, monosyllabic tone, his eyes downcast.

  Cayden’s wolf was twitchy. He didn’t like this place one bit.

  Nothing for it my friend, needs must. Cayden reassured his wolf.

  “Lead the way.”

  The solemn butler walked at a steady pace skirting along the edge of the main room that acted as a type of assembly hall. This was where Cayden usually met with Lucian to discuss business. The room was shrouded in darkness with thick heavy drapes blocking out any light from the large windows that looked out onto the beautifully manicured courtyard beyond. Cayden paused and frowned. He’d seen the courtyard by night on previous visits and couldn’t understand why it would be blocked from view now. Perhaps there was maintenance work going on. Maybe that was the job. Although he doubted it.

  The dark room was vast with a ceiling that seemed to rise into the sky. The only light came from matching sconces that hung like sentries either side of a large and ornate chair that sat at the end of a long run of deep claret carpet, at the far end of the room. The long walk that any visitors would have to endure to speak with Lucian while he sat in wait, was most likely designed to be deliberately
off putting. Cayden always felt as though it were more of a throne room than an assembly hall. People didn’t come together as equals in this room. The hierarchy was clearly established.

  Above him the walls were lined with a balustrade and a walkway that ran the length of the hall with ornate doors spaced evenly along. The rooms that lay behind those doors remained a mystery to him. Every time he had visited, they had been closed. He craned his neck upwards to see the same arrangement continued for two more levels.

  To describe Tumbricane as a mansion was an understatement, especially when you considered the rest of the building that encircled the main hall and the numerous other large buildings that made up the estate. Not to mention the bridge that crossed the deep cavern between the mountains and the forest that formed the main approach. The place was a fortress.

  “This way, Mr. Greystone.” The butler called sternly to usher him along down a dark corridor situated in the corner of the room.

  Obviously, this wasn’t a sight-seeing tour.

  It was a good thing that he had no problem seeing in the dark, Cayden mused as he followed behind the man as he steadily climbed a musty smelling, spiral staircase. The sound of their feet scuffing the stone steps was the only thing to be heard. The hard floor soon gave way to the same claret carpet that ran along the length of the balustrade. Cayden glanced over the side and looked down upon the central hall from the first floor. From this height he could truly take in the emptiness of the place. The butler stopped abruptly outside one of the sets of tall wooden doors, causing Cayden to halt suddenly to avoid ploughing into him.

  He opened the door and motioned for Cayden to enter.

  “Lord Nightingale will see you later tonight. You will be called when it is time. Until then, please stay within the guest suite.”

  With that the dower butler turned on his heel and slunk back into the dark corridor, his footsteps echoing as he descended the spiral stairs.

  So creepy.

  Cayden stepped into the dark room and found the light switch on the wall beside the door. A soft glow from the delicate chandelier overhead illuminated the large and luxurious room. Cayden’s mouth dropped. The room was a stark contrast to the cold and sparse hall below. The dark wood cladded room was warm and inviting. A four-poster bed dominated one side of the room, covered in plush, deep green cushions. The bed was turned down with a matching green velvet blanket decorated in ornate gold trim. Cayden doubted he’d ever seen a bigger bed. An empty hearth sat opposite the bed, with two comfortable chesterfield armchairs in dark red leather placed either side. A low coffee table sat between them, a sparkling crystal decanter and accompanying tumblers perched at the centre. A deep amber liquid shone from within. An extremely thoughtful gesture.

  Cayden shut the door behind him and walked in, dropping his bag by the door. He reached the heavy golden drapes and pulled them back. The room flooded with sunlight, the perfectly kept courtyard garden below drew his eye. The fountains dotted throughout the meandering paths trickled gently and the colour from the roses below were the most vibrant he had ever seen.

  Rose.

  Thoughts of her sprung to mind and he shut out the image of her delicate features, refusing to pay any notice to the sharp stab to his heart. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he looked out over the gardens with blind eyes.

  Definitely not a gardening job required, Cayden mused. He couldn’t understand why the view had been blocked from the room below.

  As much as he enjoyed the view of the garden, his eyes were heavy, and he doubted he’d have the opportunity again to sleep in such luxurious surrounding. Cayden dragged the curtains shut once more and headed over to the coffee table, he passed a giant free-standing bathtub in one corner, discreetly hidden from the rest of the room by an ornate golden silk screen. He wasn’t usually one for taking long baths, but in the absence of a shower perhaps he’d take a dip later. Until then he would ensure he got a good few hours’ sleep.

  Cayden carried the heavy decanter and one of the tumblers back to the bed and climbed on. The mattress moulded to him and as he sat back against the headboard, taking greedy gulps of the fiery whiskey, he told his mind to switch off. He wouldn’t think of her. He had no right to even dream of her.

  He was a lone wolf and that was the way he would stay.

  He knocked back another glass of the strong liquor, enjoying the burn that scorched down his throat and pooled in his belly. His wolf’s eyes shuttered, and he curled up. He placed the decanter and glass upon the bedside table and flicked the switch on the wall beside him. The glow of the chandelier gently faded to nothing.

  With a heavy heart, Cayden welcomed how the quiet darkness of the room pulled him under. He just hoped the oblivion that would follow would give him the peace he craved.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Rose

  Rose closed her apartment door and slumped down onto her couch. She’d said goodbye to her friends in the car, refusing their offers to come up with her and get her settled back in.

  Cayden was gone.

  Every part of her ached, from her head down to her toes. Her heart felt like it had been shattered into a thousand pieces and Rose didn’t even know if it could ever be put back together again. Her wolf had exhausted herself in her grief and was thankfully still for now. She lay lifelessly, staring out into some invisible, dark abyss.

  She’d tried hundreds of times to contact Cayden. Samantha was relentless in her efforts to call him and leave him messages. Rose had taken his number and had called him over and over, had written out dozens of text messages to him. There was no reply.

  She’d eventually given up any hope that he would come back, and her grandmother and friends had convinced her to return home. Samantha had promised to continue to take good care of her grandmother and to stay in touch. She wasn’t going to give up on trying to get hold of Cayden either.

  The journey home had been a long and silent one. Carly had tried to talk with Rose, she’d tried to soothe, tried to ask her about her feelings, tried to instigate her to be angry. But it hadn’t worked. Finally, Clint had placed his hand upon Carly’s leg and shook his head at her. The quiet that followed was better. She appreciated the support of her friends, but nothing would help her.

  Her mate was gone. He had left her.

  She wanted to be angry with him. She wanted to be able to hate him, but she just didn’t have it within her. She had nothing inside. Just a vast chasm of emptiness where her heart used to be. Somehow, she had loved and lost in the less than 48 hours.

  Rose lay back on the couch staring up at the ceiling. What was there for her now? Hours ago, she had been contemplating how to get the pack to accept Cayden as her mate. This morning she’d been nestled in his arms after the most beautiful night with him and everything had felt so right. The echo of the utter contentment she had felt in that moment haunted her. She wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed tight to try to ease the emptiness. It didn’t help.

  She would do right by her mate. He may have left but she still knew him to be a good male. She would set the record straight with Russell and the pack. He was an honourable wolf. Despite not returning to face the repercussions of his actions.

  Frustration welled within her. It was the one emotion other than her initial despair that she felt.

  Why had he left? Why didn’t he return to speak with Russell?

  Russell had contacted him that morning. Cayden said he had to sort some things for the Beta. Had that all been a lie, or was that why he had left? Had Russell demanded it?

  Rose shook her head. Russell, despite being Beta and soon to be Alpha, was not a commanding wolf. He was eager to please and was the epitome of the nice, boy next door. Always offering to help, always polite. His over-the-top niceness grated on Rose a little if she were truthful, but he was harmless. She couldn’t see Russell ever demanding anything.

  As if summoned, there came a knock at her door, followed by the Beta callin
g out a greeting.

  “Rose, you in there? You OK? I just wanted to check on you, wanted to talk. If you feel up to it, that is.”

  She rolled her eyes and sat up. It was time to face the music. She could at least restore Cayden’s reputation, regardless of how he felt about her, she still felt a strong need to protect him. She stood and squared her shoulders and went to open the door.

  Russell stood in the hallway clutching an extravagantly large bouquet of flowers. He had taken of his cap and smoothed his burnt orange hair down. Clearly he was making an effort, but Rose wasn’t sure why.

  “Oh Rose, you have no idea how good it is to see you again. I’ve been beside myself worrying for you.” He thrust out the flowers into her hands. “I got these for you. I know they can’t make up for everything that you’ve been through, but I guess, I don’t know. I guess I just wanted you to see how much you’re cared for.” He fixed her with the biggest puppy dog eyes, that wouldn’t been comical had it not been so off putting and out of place.

  “Russell, hi.” Rose greeted him in return. “Thank you for thinking of me. They’re lovely. But you needn’t have worried. I’m fine now, thanks to Cayden.” Best to get straight to it and not draw this out any longer than it needed to be.

  “I’m not sure I understand, sweetheart. Can I come in?”

  Rose nodded and showed him into her apartment, ushering him to take a seat on the couch. She laid the flowers down upon the coffee table and sat beside him. She knew she should probably offer him refreshment. Her grandmother had taught her proper manners, but honestly, she just wanted this over with so she could go to bed and likely cry herself to sleep.

  “Now, how did you manage to escape him?” Russell asked, taking her hands in his own. The action caused a shiver of distaste roll over her. “Oh sweetheart, look at you. You’re shaking. Can I get you anything?” Russell soothed.