“I used to hate the Shifter Sea as well,” he whispered.
“I don’t hate it. But my wolf doesn’t like being here. We wolves belong to the land, not water.” I opened an eye. He was grinning like an idiot.
“I think our wolves have more in common than you’d think. We might let them run from time to time. Shifter Island has a lot of unexplored areas. Old ruins belonging to some forgotten civilizations and such.”
My eyes bulged because his revelation contrasted with everything my father and Edna had told me about Shifter Island. It meant to be completely explored and the only virgin territory was the Ebony Forest. If they could add moons what else have they changed? All of sudden, despite the cool breeze I began sweating. I freed myself from Ryder’s arm and took a deep breath. The sea wasn’t meant for us, but its smell was a soothing balm for nerves.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing,” I lied. He was an enemy, I shouldn’t forget that. Explaining to him what I knew, would make it obvious how ignorant Moonless clan was. Ryder must have picked up some of my scents because he left me alone without further imploring. In my mind, I thanked him for this.
What looked like a convulsed snake from the coast, now grew to a massive shoreline, walled and enforced with metal columns. At its bottom were a stone pier and a small metal gate. It was opened and swarming with soldiers. The sight raised my hackles, my wolf almost took over and ran away. She believed this was because of me. And it was difficult to not agree with her thinking. Why else would squads of soldiers come to welcome me?
“What’s up with them?” Rocco asked.
“Perhaps, they are worried about their favorite wolf, AKA Rocco,” Ryder replied, winking toward me.
I turned away ... blushing. First, asshole Rocco, now Ryder? Not on my watch! I was not going to be a slave to my body. I will like who I want to like, do you hear me?
“It must be because of the assault on the Second Ring,” the port master said quietly. He intended the words to not reach my ears and they shouldn’t as the roar of the engine, the buffeting of the wind, and the scream of cut waves was louder than expected. I picked them anyway. I fucking was there, idiot. “It’s the First-Level Protocol. Every arrival to the island must be checked.”
“Even us?” Rocco asked with disbelief.
“It isn’t me who make decisions here.”
“Of course,” Gabriel said coolly. The only reaction from the port master was a venomous glance my way. I didn’t lower my eyes, coming close to challenge the old man. He showed his canines which caused fur on my neck to bristle. Then the moment was gone as the motorboat reached the pier. All was quiet except for a slash of waves against the breakwater and footsteps of the soldiers on the pier. They parted for a severe man, gray-bearded with hawky nose and eyes like two pits of molten fire.
“Lord Hunt.”
“Uncle.”
“Your parents are greatly upset.”
“And why is that?” Rocco snapped. The sudden hostility made me wince with shock but their uncle’s face didn’t twitch. This is some control. If one of the lesser shifters talked to me in such a fashion my wolf would tear them apart.
“First, your message and now the attack. You were lucky,” he replied, not looking at Rocco who departed the motorboat and was striding away alongside the pier.
“What’s wrong with my message?” Hunt asked, much softer than his brother but some uneasiness wormed inside his tone. If I only could smell them. I’d be able to tell much more. Well, the soldiers reeked of suspicion and a specific scent made by bodies when people were at high attention.
His uncle, like the port master, glanced my way and his forehead creased.
“It greatly unsettled your father and … is this what I think it is?”
“It depends on what you are thinking.”
He sniffed then winced. Chances that he actually managed to pick up my scent lay at absolute zero. I only smelled soldiers because of their similar scents that magnified each other. Singling out a person was impossible with the sea wind.
“Moonless scum.”
Gabriel softly growled and I almost felt his wolf. Feeling one another’s wolves was common but required a strong bond. Well, our connection was based on mutual hatred. Ryder grinned in a sly but dangerous way, something told me he wouldn’t drop it even on his deathbed. I have to watch him. Then he left the boat, shouldering his uncle!
The old man sniffed and called after Ryder.
“Your father will hear about this, cub.”
“You’re free to tell my mother too, geezer.”
“Pathetic,” he said to himself, then his eyes were all over me. “Come the next day, I may be left with only one choice. Kill your brother.” His tone was soft, warm even when he said it.
Brother?! So they weren’t only from one clan, they were also brothers. Moons above preserve me…
“We’re going in, Hunt,” Gabriel announced but when I made a step a wall of soldier blocked our way.
“Moonless Clan is banned from ever entering Shifter Island.”
“She has permission and summons,” Gabriel replied, he managed to rein his emotions as well. What was wrong here? Why were they suddenly so hostile to each other? Was this what Gabriel had warned me against? Could the island be even more cutthroat-like? I shook my memory. Certainly there was a clan or two that constantly fought within, brothers killing brothers, sisters killing sisters. All for the title of an alpha male.
“And what about the third curse?” I spoke for the first time. It caused the old man to go beetroot red. The third curse should only apply to my father but the old man didn’t need to know that.
“You should slap her, Gabriel. This is a breach of protocol. Only when asked commoners may speak directly to the members of the royal clan.” Eh, what? A royal clan? Since when shifters have royalty? Before Goldfury stole the title of alpha king, the ruling clan was all about strength. Royalty my ass. Father would laugh hard hearing this.
“Take the documents and let us pass, uncle. I need to see father and I don’t wish to keep him waiting.”
“But...”
Hunt moved and the soldiers divided, creating a path for him. Gabriel grabbed my arm and gently pulled me after him. When we reached his uncle, Hunt was by the gate, unlikely able to hear a whisper that left his uncle’s mouth.
“You won’t last a day here, scum.”
Chapter 8
Hostility was exactly what I’d expected when my father told me about the summons. Why then I feel surprised to experience it? The wall turned out surprisingly thick. A tunnel beneath was bare concrete with equally spaced, boring yellow light bulbs.
Four soldiers accompanied us to the other side. Gabriel asked Hunt about the message which had upset their parents but the alpha king heir told him he didn’t know what was up. This entire thing smelled fishy. A parking lot waited for us on another side. More than a dozen black SUVs were parked in a neat line.
“It’s another hour-long drive to the academy,” Gabriel said.
Unsurprisingly, Rocco took a car and left ahead of us. Gabriel explained that today was an important sport final and Rocco was a die-hard fan. It was nice to hear it wasn’t because of me even if I knew the truth was different. Ryder waited for us.
“That old prick needs a lesson.”
“Push him harder and you may get a chance to give him one,” Gabriel said.
“Good.”
The soldiers stepped to the car as well. Hunt stopped and I froze, sensing skyrocketing tension.
“We were ordered to stay with the moonless.” The soldier’s voice was emotionless, almost mechanical. All of them wore masks and completely back uniforms.
“Overruled and denied,” Hunt simply said and entered the car. The soldiers saluted and withdrew. Just like that, huh? Okay. Hunt was something more than the alpha king heir.
“I tell you, I’ll dance with the old man,” Ryder grinned. “And tear him apart.”
“Isn�
�t that a bit too much dramatic?” I asked entering the car.
“It is called an honorary challenge to death,” Gabriel answered. “After your clan had been exiled, it has been rarely happening.”
“What are you trying to say?” And why did you take the front seat again?
Ryder laughed.
“It doesn’t seem she knows much about her clan’s history.”
“I know more than you think,” I snapped, angry. Did they think they have a right to lecture me about my clan’s history? This was some serious horseshit.
“I bet you do,” Ryder kept laughing. “But nothing of this is true, girl.”
With that, he pressed exact buttons that kept my rage going. I didn’t explode though, I grew angry and my face turned red but my father’s lessons returned in time. Only weak shifters let their ire control their behavior. It is because they cannot keep their wolves in check. Shifters who lose themselves to their wolves becomes eventually feral. I used his words as a counterweight to balance my erupting temper. It worked. My wolf calmed down. It also killed the potential conversation. Both, Ryder and Gabriel, tried to start another one but I didn’t follow up. Instead, I focused on the world outside. I was on Shifter Island. Place where I was born. I expected to find a strong connection or at least an emotional charge here. It hasn’t happened as if I was a stranger to this land. I didn’t understand enough about shifter magic to know what was possible.
Shifter Island was closer to my imagination. Beautiful fields and forests, farms accompanied by huge houses. We passed cars and petrol stations. Shifter Island looked like an ordinary American state. At least, until the academy came into a view. I expected ... well, an academy, not a castle surrounded by the high walls.
“What’s up with the walls?”
“Didn’t you hear?” Ryder asked surprised then burst out laughing. “Of course you didn’t. Poor thing. War.”
“A war?”
“With who?” I asked genuinely intrigued. Did the other shifter clans try to overthrow the traitorous Goldfury? It pleased me to know that maybe not all the clans on the island hated us right now.
“Enemies,” Hunt said simply, cutting off anything Ryder may say. “Now stay quiet. Uncle Victor is embittered by the whole situation and he didn’t fail to warn the academy’s guards.”
“He’s trying to undermine your authority, brother.”
Hunt didn’t comment on Ryder’s statement. Even I felt it was too resentful. I hoped that Ryder wasn’t this kind of jerk who would go on hating someone forever. Isn’t that a bit too hypocritical? I mused, knowing how wrong it sounded in my head.
The whole castle and walls were surrounded by a moat. Its black waters didn’t twitch, rather an ominous sight. A stone bridge led to a tall gate. How strange it seemed to drive a new car into a medieval-style castle. The two didn’t match each other. Before the gate lifted, two soldiers approached the car and asked a few brief questions.
“It looks like an old prick didn’t bother informing anyone about our arrival.”
Gabriel calmly shook his head, but his attention was once more on me. I could sense his intention to say something. Perhaps, his brothers’ presence was stopping him. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about him. Or Rocco for that matter.
Hunt drove the car through a labyrinth of streets. Then he got us into a tunnel that led downward for a few minutes. A parking lot was waiting for us there. And of course, a bunch of soldiers. They were shifters, the windless chamber allowed me to smell everyone without much issue. The room itself reminded me of a dungeon, although I’d never been to one.
“Lord Hunt, the alpha king is expecting you.”
Hunt raked his fingers through his gleaming black hair and looked at me, my stomach flipped over that gaze. This shouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t be another stupid one in their flock of followers. Their handsome faces didn’t...
Hunt beckoned to me and like an idiot, I approached him. His two brothers flanked me. The soldiers around us smelled wary. Nothing as paranoid as Hunt’s uncle’s guards.
“Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
No answer.
We entered a small room with a mirror and a railing. Ten soldiers joined us making the air inside chocking and stale. What—
The room lurched and my stomach dropped to the bottom. The panic on my face was too visible because Ryder asked if I had never been to an elevator. I’ve heard of it, but our Alaskan dwelling was situated far away from civilization. The elevator sailed up smoothly but Gabriel’s attention started to weird me out. Now, his gaze dipped to my lips and I had to turn away. If he wanted something then he should say so, otherwise... what the hell is wrong with me? Not even a day passed and you’re already thinking about fucking a Goldfury? These guys are enemies. Remember this, Cora.
I did my best to do so. But moon help me, this was harder said than done. The four Goldfury brothers were the most handsome dudes I’ve ever seen. It didn’t do me any favor that their bodies looked like a gym was their second home. But that wasn’t all, not even close. Their hidden scents intrigued me. Most people had an obvious fragrance. It revealed their inner emotions to me. The four brothers had their odors well masked. Not to mention their sharp, well-fitted clothes. Gods, why them?
The elevator eventually slowed down and stopped, the door slid apart. A long, well-furbished corridor led to a silver door at another end. Six soldiers stood motionlessly alongside each wall, between exquisite and fragile-looking tables and chairs. These couldn’t be anything other than decorations.
We poured out of the elevator and strode toward the silver door. I glanced at the guards by the walls. They seemed slightly different. But except for a red sash draped across their chest, I couldn’t pinpoint the source of my feeling. None of them reacted to our presence and as we reached the end of the corridor, Hunt opened two wings of the silver door.
Woah.
Now that was a room. With a high domed ceiling and a low hanging, excessively branching, chandelier that looked like a product of a spiders’ colony. It was pricked with thousands of little lights. Richness and abundance of the room, no, the chamber escaped my vocabulary capabilities. Thick carpets, heavily draped walls, ridiculously complex furniture, all this in two dominating colors – red and gold – and trapped in endless patterns.
“This is a waiting room,” Gabriel announced. “Take a seat on a couch and wait.” Good thing I didn’t eat or drink anything. I’d choke to death. This was a waiting room? Were they fucking kidding me? My clan starved, lived in log houses in a place where temperatures dipped to minus fifty, while alpha-fucking-king shat with luxury. I grew angry and even my father’s words or mental exercise did little to ease it down.
Both, Hunt and Gabriel, pressed their hands against an empty wall and something clicked. An outline of a door appeared on that wall and they entered it. A room beyond looked even more splendid. Fuck me! A sudden fragrance of fruits and pinewood filled my nostrils. A strange combination.
“Would you like something to drink?” Ryder asked.
I squished my lips together to not berate him in front of soldiers and his father in the other room. Such a scene could very much send me home and ... oddly, I didn’t want this to happen. I was now in clutches of curiosity.
“No, thank you,” I replied a tad harshly.
Ryder nodded, seemingly not bothered by my answer.
“See you in a moment.”
Before he reached the wall door, a low voice roared.
“You fucking what?!” Did it belong to the alpha king? “You went beyond the safety of the First Ring to save a bunch good for nothing soldiers?”
Instead of hastening, Ryder stopped by the door and frowned. Something crashed in another room and I started, worrying about Hunt and Gabriel. Stupid idiot. They are your enemies.
“We didn’t expect the assault.”
“Of course you didn’t, idiots,” the alpha king’s voice quieted down. “You almost kille
d yourself, Hunt.”
A rustle of paper followed.
“What’s that?”
“The summons sent in your name.”
“This is obviously fake,” the alpha king snapped.
“It is not,” Hunt replied. “We checked it thrice before departing.”
The alpha king fell silent. After a moment he grunted, “Why didn’t you leave her in the Badlands?”
Ryder was one strange guy. He allowed me to listen to his father’s private conversation and didn’t seem concerned.
“We didn’t know who she was at the time,” Hunt replied. This hurt a little.
Although I didn’t see them, I could feel the tension in another room. I am a few steps from the traitor who betrayed my father. How can I stand here and listen to this? I did not move. It’d be foolish on my part to attack him now. I will take my time.
“What do you plan, father?” Gabriel asked and my eyes opened wider because his tone was filled with a plea. It didn’t fit his noble bearing. My breath caught because his answer would determine my future on the island. If he didn’t summon me, then who did and why?
“I cannot send her back. I’d need the entire council’s agreement to do that. Fucking backstabbers. This is their doing. Anyway, she won’t last here long. When the moonless scum fails the problem will solve itself. Now, Gabriel, leave us. We must discuss the attack on the Second Ring. It’s the third time this month.”
Ryder made a mocking expression which lifted my mood a little. I was seriously confused about this entire thing.
Gabriel exited the alpha king’s chamber. The door shut behind him. Good thing that Hunt wasn’t coming. He was scary and I’d rather do as he’d said, stay out of his way.
“Why did you let her listen to...” Gabriel started then figured out that I could hear him too. “Sorry about that. Our father can be insensitive.” And traitorous. I couldn’t say it in a room full of soldiers.
“It’s only fair if she knows what she is up against.”
“We can protect her.” My eyes popped out because I must have heard it wrong. Did Gabriel just say it? My cheeks warmed, without a doubt changing their color.
Bewitched: A Paranormal Academy Romance Page 4
