by Jen L. Grey
My eyes burned with unshed tears as I took deep, calming breaths, trying to not cry. She had no idea how much her words meant to me. “Thank you.”
“Now, enough of that.” A tear trailed down her face, and she brushed it away. “Let’s go join the rest of the family and enjoy the what’s left of the holiday.”
I entered the living room where everyone was full and tired. This was the perfect time for my plan. I walked over to where Mason sat on the couch with one of Jaxon's guards—Ryan.
"It was an epic fight." Mason said.
Ryan's cobalt eyes lit up and he ran a hand through his dark blond hair. "MMA fighting is the best."
"Are you talking about your glory days?" I sat in Mason's lap and placed my arm around his neck.
"I wouldn't say glory, but hell, it led me to you." He leaned down, capturing my lips with his.
"No, I lead her to you." Ella lay on the couch across from us with her legs in Louis's lap. "You owe me everything because of my good deed."
"Don't give me that shit." Mason wrinkled his nose at the thought. "Fate would've gotten us together without your annoying self-helping."
"Kids." Dehlia entered the room, a bright smile on her face. "Behave."
James stood from his chair and wrapped his arms around his wife.
"Do you know how much I'd wished that I'd be able to say those words again?" She shook her head and leaned back against James's chest. "This is the happiest I've ever been."
"Me too." James leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "This is like a miracle."
Babe. Mason would already be alerted to something being up. I rarely called him that pet name.
Yes? Mason's emerald eyes met mine. He tilted his head to the side as he arched an eyebrow.
Nailed it. I'm going to call Rose.
No, we don't need the witches to become more involved than they already have been. He sounded like Kassie now.
Stop it. I tried to keep a casual expression on my face.
Tommy's black eyes locked on me.
Dammit, he might be even more observant than Kassie. It's Alec, for God's sake. Your sister is torn up over this, blaming herself. I'm not asking for permission, but if you don't want to be involved, then that's fine too.
Elena. Fuck. You're putting me in a bad spot. Of course, I want to find him, but your guardians are going to kill me after it's all said and done. Mason's fingers ran through my hair, making my turkey-induced coma worse.
No, they won't. I had to admit they were scary though. If they killed you, I would fall apart and be unable to lead.
A sexy-ass smile spread across his face. You are too strategic for your own good. He took in a deep breath and rubbed his free hand down my arm. You’d better be damn glad I love you and care so much for Alec. How is that witch going to help us?
I'd researched it last night while he was in the shower. Locating spell. All we need is something of his. Maybe a hair ... a fingernail clipping, a shirt he wore unwashed.
And what is she going to charge you for it? He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in tight for a hug.
"Ew ..." Ella wrinkled her nose and rubbed her eyes. "Stop being all lovey-dovey."
"Says the girl with her feet in Louis's lap." I'd stopped calling him Prince. It was odd now that he’d submitted to me and became one of my own pack members. His dad hadn't called me yet, but I noticed Louis cleared a lot of calls ever since that day. It would only be a matter of time before I had to deal with the fallout from that as well.
"Right. In his lap. The rest of me is not in his lap, tangled up in his arms." Ella pointed at her parents. "In front of our parents."
"It sounds like you're kind of jealous." Mason winked at her and nodded to Louis.
Louis lifted both hands in the air. "Hey, don't get me involved in this. I'm just here enjoying some downtime. You do realize that you all go nonstop, constantly. It's tiring."
"Well, unlike the two of you, I can't keep my hands off my mate." Mason pointed at his parents. "And neither can they."
"They aren't mates, silly." Dehlia rolled her eyes and waved Mason off.
That's when I realized how hard this hit home. She hadn't even told her parents about Louis.
The room filled with awkward silence for a moment.
"Really?" Ryan leaned back in his seat and focused on them. "On the plane, they were having a whole conversation about it."
"Obviously, one we didn't want to share with everyone right now." Ella took a deep breath and pulled her feet from Louis’s lap, plopping them on the ground.
"Are you saying that the prince is your mate?" James's words were slow, and he stared his daughter down.
"Yes, he is." Ella huffed out a breath and stared at the ground.
"But, honey, that's wonderful." Dehlia rushed over and sat next to her daughter. "Why wouldn't you tell us?"
"We were going to." She reached over and took Louis's hand in hers. "After Alec was found."
You're right. Mason's hand squeezed my waist gently. We've got to do something. This has all gone on long enough. Let's get this over with.
Now was the time to make the move while Ella was distracting them.
Ella glanced in my direction, and I nodded my head to the side. Understanding flashed through her eyes.
I stood and stretched my hands over my head. "I'm going to go lie down in Ella's room for a little while if you don't mind."
"No, it's fine." Her voice was a tad eager, but for those who weren't aware of what was going on, it mostly sounded like she was still emotional.
"Hey, if you want Mason's old room, it's no biggie." Ryan lifted a hand in the air. "I don't mind."
"Thanks, man, but Ella's room is just fine." Mason stood and reached for my hand.
"No funny business." Ella narrowed her eyes at us like she would have if this had been any normal day. "If I smell one thing that upsets my stomach, there will be hell to pay."
I scanned the room and almost sighed in relief when Kassie and Mona didn't seem too concerned at all. I avoided Tommy because he had been watching us too closely. I was hoping it was only because I wasn't used to how he worked anymore. Him being assigned to Mason felt like we were getting acclimated all over again. Even so, my father had trusted him, and he’d saved my life by shooting Darren.
What's the plan? Mason placed his hand at the small of my back as we walked down the hallway that led to the bedrooms.
No, clue. I had to hold my laugh in. Sneak out the bedroom window?
How much do you love me? He stopped at Ella’s bedroom door and opened it up.
He stepped in after me and pulled out a set of Suburban keys from his pocket. There was a reason why I was reliving my glory days.
I'm not sure how the hell it's possible, but you're much sexier now than before. I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. Wait, they'll hear the car.
Nope. He parked the car over at one of the other pack member's houses. Dad had them move the car over there earlier so we had somewhere to park. His smile dropped.
There was only one reason why he'd act that way. Let me guess—Meredith.
The one and only. He walked over to the window and slowly lifted it without making a noise.
Meredith was one of his former girlfriends. Girlfriend was probably pushing it since they both seemed to be in it purely for physical reasons, but that didn't make it any better. Granted, that was his past, and I couldn't hold it over him. He hadn't even glanced her way ever since we met one another.
He jumped out of the window and motioned for me to come out. The longer we're in here, the more likely they're going to come to check on us. So we’d better get a move on.
That was probably true. Kassie would want to go home soon since the meal was over. She'd been on edge all day, expecting Nicholas to strike. I was hoping to strike first though.
I turned, heading back to the door and locking it. Every little bit would help us in the long run. As soon as it clicked, I ran across t
he room and jumped through the open window, only catching air. Pretty soon, Kassie and Mona would regret training me so hard over the past twelve years. They had me running obstacle courses, taught me how to fight, and helped me to build endurance. I did it all without my wolf, which made me even more skilled now that I'd finally let her free.
I landed on my feet and stood waiting for Mason to lead the way.
Damn, sometimes I forget how much they trained you. Adoration filled his eyes as they took me in. I bet you could beat my ass.
Let's find out later. I glanced around, expecting either Kassie or Nicholas to pop out at any time. Let's get this car and go.
We crouched down low as we passed by all the living room windows, and when we were out of view of the house, we took off in a hard, fast run. If we got caught now, they wouldn't let us out of their sight at all. Still, I had a feeling this was the only way we could get the upper hand and save Alec. Otherwise, I wouldn't be willing to risk it all. I only hoped that we were making the right decision.
Chapter Eighteen
Mason clicked the key fob to unlock the car doors. We were going to make it. I hadn't been all that sure. Yet, we still needed to find something of Alec's before we could meet Rose.
We need to go to his house. That was probably the least thought-out part of the plan.
No, I got something of his. Mason reached the driver’s door. That's why we needed to go to Ella's room. He gave her a wolf necklace on her last birthday. He’d handcrafted a wood replica of his wolf.
Right as my hands settled on the handle of the passenger door, someone cleared her throat behind us.
"Going somewhere?" Meredith's voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
"What's it to you?" Mason's growls were already laced through his words.
"Well, the older, sexy guard told me to alert him if I saw anything suspicious." She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder, and her amber eyes focused on me.
"So, what are you going to do?" Whether she liked it or not, I was her queen.
She huffed and crossed her arms. Even in her long-sleeve shirt, her boobs were on full display despite being covered. "Nothing." She dropped her hands to her sides. "I'm assuming your escaping has something to do with Alec."
"You sure seem nosy ..."
Stop. I couldn't blame her for not liking me. In her eyes, I’d taken Mason from her whether we were fated mates or not. "Of course, it's for him. I'd do anything for my pack members." I said the last two words slowly, watching for their impact.
"Even me?" She arched her eyebrows, and her eyes leveled on me.
"Of course." Whether it was my job or not, I cared for every single one of them. "Without hesitation."
"Even after the way I acted?" Meredith bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
"You were hurting." Even though it was clear she needed this conversation, now wasn't the time. "We all do stupid things when something important is at stake."
"Clearly." Tommy's familiar scent hit my nose first before he stepped from the woods next to her house. "What are you two doing?" His eyes flicked to Mason and then me.
"I'm tired of waiting around, sitting on the defense." I straightened my shoulders. Tommy was scary in a way Kassie and Mona could never be with me. "The vampire’s in control and is lapping it up. We need to take that control away from him."
"And how do you suggest doing that?" Tommy arched an eyebrow.
"Rose, the witch." I was ready for Kassie and Mona to appear behind him. I was sure he’d already alerted those two before coming after us. "She can do a location spell and help us find him. Maybe we could surprise the vampires for once."
"It's the best option we have." Mason set his shoulders.
Tommy nodded. "I agree."
I felt the wind knocked out of me. I hadn’t expected him to agree. "What?"
"Look, I think this is the best move. I'd rather be open to your plans instead of disagreeing and telling you no." Tommy ran his fingers over his mustache. "I learned that the hard way with your father." He smiled and shook his head. "It's better, even if you disagree, to go with it. Otherwise, you have the very leaders you are protecting sneaking off on their own."
He had a point there. "True."
Meredith glanced over her shoulder. "You guys better hurry. I think my mom saw you out here. We were told to alert James if we saw anything fishy. I'd say having our queen and future king hanging around in the open during a crisis would be considered that."
"Thank you." I waved Tommy on. "Let's get going."
The three of us piled into the vehicle, and Tommy sighed. "If I see anything, Mason, you'll have to listen to me since you're driving."
"Fine." Mason backed out of the driveway and shifted the car into DRIVE.
The final tone was set in the car. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and found Rose's number. Taking a deep breath, I pressed CALL.
The phone rang a few times, but soon Rose's familiar voice filled the line. "Elena, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Though I need your help." I hated having to rely on a witch, but at this point, we needed answers. "I know it's Thanksgiving and all, but is there any way you can help us with a location spell?"
"I'm always available to help ... for a cost." A door shut on her end of the line, and her voice dropped even lower. "All magic comes with a cost."
"That's fine. I'm assuming more of my blood." Hell, it couldn't get worse than it already was.
"That's the very one." A car started in the background. "I'll be at the shop in ten minutes. The spell shouldn't take long at all."
"We're on our way." I hung up the phone and turned to Mason. "We're heading to The Portal."
"All right." He nodded and turned right onto the main road that would take us there.
"Is this the same witch who saved the wolf at the house in NYC?" Tommy focused his attention on everything that we passed.
"Yeah, her name is Rose. She's part of the local coven here." It had been by luck that we'd found her. At the time, I didn't think I'd be able to find anyone to help me, but the first door I walked through, there was Rose. She'd looked at me strangely at first. After a few minutes, she was open to the idea, stating she had some issue with vampires and this could be a win-win situation. Ever since then, I hadn't looked back.
"We need to get this over with quickly." Tommy shook his head and glanced at my phone. "Kassie and Mona would know to look there first. I'm assuming they know about the store you speak of."
"Of course they do." He was right. As soon as Kassie and Mona caught wind we were gone, they'd head right there. I had to bank on Ella causing enough drama to keep them distracted.
Mason pressed the gas pedal and took a deep breath. "Then, I guess we better hurry."
As we walked into the shop, the comforting smells of rosemary and thyme tickled my nose. It felt like I hadn't visited here in years when it had only been a couple short months.
"Elena, it's so good to see you again." Rose walked out of her back room with her amber eyes already glowing. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, emphasizing her sharp cheekbones. "I just wish it was under better circumstances. The last few times you’ve needed me have been doozies."
That was an understatement.
"Look, we don't have a lot of time here." Mason pulled the wolf pendant from his pocket and held it out. "This was something Alec made just a few months back."
"Excellent." She took the pendant from him and lifted it into the air. "This is probably better than even his hair. It’s beautiful, must have taken a lot of time and work. A piece of his soul resides in this."
I'd never considered the possibility of something like that happening before. I’d always thought of a soul in the context of being inside a person, but it made sense, in a way. "Could that be similar to someone losing their parents young?"
"Are you asking if your parents left a piece of their souls with you?" Rose lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow.
This wasn't
the time or place, but I couldn't help myself. "I am."
"It's funny that you ask that." She tilted her head to the side and scanned me over. "Your parents loved you so much. They’ve even left some of their auras behind."
"Their auras?" I wasn't even sure how that was possible.
"It's light, but they left such a large piece of their souls behind. I can see the faint hint of their auras surrounding you ... protecting you. It's strange." She pursed her lips and tapped her chin. "It happened after you released your wolf, so there may be something to that."
So they were still a part of me after all. "Okay, thank you." Hearing that information from Rose meant more to me than she'd ever know. "Payment first?"
"Always." She grabbed a tube from the counter and headed over to me. "A slightly larger drop than normal, please. I'm having to use your blood differently now since the vampires are wild."
I wasn't sure what that meant, but hell, it didn't matter at this point. "Dagger?"
Are you sure about this? Mason's gaze stayed locked on her.
It's for Alec. I wasn't thrilled about it either. This will be the last time. Or at least I hoped it was.
Tommy growled as she held the dagger out toward me.
"Chill, I'm not going to attack her." Rose laughed and shook her head. "You always have brutish, overly serious people around you."
"She is the queen." Tommy lifted his chin in the air as he stared her down. "And you're a different race at that. It's not normal for your kind to want to help us."
"I can understand why you'd be so jaded." She glanced at me and pointed at the dagger. "You've seen a lot, I'm sure."
My phone rang with the tune that indicated it was Kassie. They knew we were gone. I pricked my finger, piercing deeper than normal. It stung, but I was so used to it by now that it didn’t faze me anymore.
With the fingers of my other hand, I squeezed the area, pooling the blood into a large drop. The metallic scent of my blood hit the air.