by Jami Gray
“Hedge their bets?” Raine repeated. “Are you telling me someone was stupid enough to let wolves fight with humans?”
Surprisingly, it was Warrick who answered. “In that particular case, yes. There was a maverick who convinced a couple of other lone wolves that stacking the deck against the human fighters was a sure way to make some money.”
Raine frowned, puzzlement clear on her face. “Wouldn’t that be overkill? I mean, a wolf could take out a human with no problem.”
“But they can also take more of a beating,” Warrick explained, coming to stand behind the couch. “Makes for higher odds if the human seems to dominate in brutal fights and then suddenly goes down under one solid hit.” He shrugged. “For a short while, it worked.”
“Who took the report, Ryuu?” Xander didn’t want to ask Warrick, choosing to keep her focus off of him.
Ryuu studied her before answering. “Sebastian.”
She exchanged a knowing look with Raine. When her friend went to say something, she gave a short shake of her head, warning her off.
Unfortunately, Warrick was paying attention. “You want to tell me what’s going on, Xander?”
No, actually she didn’t. Wasn’t it enough that she had to sacrifice her relationship with him to keep him safe? Did she have to be the one to rip apart one of his few friendships? Between her imagined betrayal and what she was beginning to fear was a very real one, would Warrick ever take a chance on believing anyone again? She wanted to tear something to pieces, preferably Sebastian. Instead, she sat there, stubbornly silent, unwilling and unable to hurt him any further.
“Perhaps we should go back to why your pack ties aren’t working,” Cheveyo offered. Relief at the offered reprieve had Xander looking up, only to encounter Cheveyo’s steady regard. He shifted his gaze to Warrick. “To interfere with such a connection would require a great deal of magic.”
Warrick rested his arms on the back of the couch and leaned forward. “A great deal of magic? Similar to what a wizard could wield?”
A tight smile creased Cheveyo’s face. “Possibly, but—” He held up a hand. “—until I have Raine study the magic’s weave, I won’t know for sure.”
Energy flared around Warrick and Xander’s skin suddenly stung with hundreds of small stings. His wolf hadn’t like that. Slowly, the sensation faded. “You’re asking me to put my pack at risk by letting her in that deep.”
Raine snorted. “Trust me, Vidis, the last thing I want is to mess with your—” Gavin deliberately coughed, and Xander got the impression Raine made a quick change in her word choice. “—pack.”
“As much as I appreciate your offer, I’m going to decline. I’ve seen firsthand how unpredictable your magic is, Raine. ” He still spoke to Raine, but Xander felt the lash of his comment. Yep, her alpha was one seriously pissed off puppy right now.
She refused to give him the satisfaction of reacting. Instead, she cradled the beginnings of her own temper. “You can’t afford not to let her check it out.” She was grateful how calm she sounded as she challenged Warrick, even as she refused to look at him.
Next to her, Ryuu looked at her as if she’d lost her damn mind. And maybe she had, but she couldn’t sit here while her alpha risked not only his wolves, but himself over some misguided paranoia.
“Are you sure you want to challenge me, little wolf?” The question was asked in a dangerously soft tone next to her ear.
She closed her eyes, fighting to hold still and hide her rioting emotions. With his hot breath curling over her scalp and neck, it was obvious his wolf was too close, allowing him to move faster than the eye could track. She wasn’t fooled by his seeming control. “I’m thinking of the safety of all our wolves,” she ground out, keeping her eyes shut and fists clenched in her lap. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring Zeke home safe.”
His snarl sent a primal fear spiraling through her, drying her mouth. “Are you saying I wouldn’t?”
She forced her eyes opened then, using every ounce of courage she had, she slowly turned until mere inches separated them. It was so hard not to let her voice shake, but she managed three words. “Let. Her. Check.”
He held her gaze for an interminable moment, his wolf holding her stare but she refused to back down, resigned to losing him. This was too important. She didn’t know what he saw but something had him giving her a slight frown before all emotion smoothed away and he pulled back, breaking their staring contest.
Straightening, he visibly got himself back under control. He took his time as he made his way around the couch and took a seat on the section facing the fireplace. Once situated, he looked at Raine. “Don’t harm me or mine, and I won’t harm yours.”
This time the growl came from Gavin, who’d risen to his feet and stood in front of Raine. “Don’t threaten her, Vidis.”
Warrick’s smile was anything but humorous. “I don’t make empty threats, Durand.”
“Neither do I,” Gavin snapped back.
“Enough.” Raine’s soft reprimand was followed by a tug on the back pocket of Gavin’s jeans, until he retook his previous position. When he was once again seated, she turned to Warrick. “I give you my word, no intentional harm to you or yours.” Something unreadable passed between the two.
Xander forgot to breathe as Warrick considered Raine. No Kyn gave their word lightly, and Raine was smart to word her vow so carefully.
“No harm,” he agreed.
The pressure on her chest lifted and Xander tried to quietly suck air into her lungs.
Ryuu stirred, but Warrick stilled his movements with a small shake of his head. The small spike of energy tingling along Xander’s skin was a clear indicator that Warrick was telling his Second something. Reassurance, probably. It didn’t seem to be working because Ryuu frowned and folded his arms.
“Do you need anything?” Xander asked Raine, remembering the candles and salt circle they used in Arizona to help Raine make the transition from the real world to the one that existed in-between.
Raine flicked Cheveyo a quick look before shaking her head. “No, I—we’ve been practicing.” She leaned back into the couch, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Gavin reached out and captured her hand, his protective move proclaiming loud and clear where he stood.
Warrick had settled back into the couch as well. Xander could make out the subtle amber glow that flickered like candlelight under his half-closed eyelids. Even though he kept the bond locked tight, she sat there, poised to do whatever it took to protect him, while her wolf paced back and forth deep inside. Neither one of them thrilled with their inability to sense what was happening. She took small comfort from Gavin’s presence, knowing he provided Raine a measure of control.
The sound of a clock ticking away somewhere in the house became overly loud in the quiet. When Raine finally spoke, Xander jumped. “Okay, I think I’ve found it.” Her voice was slightly distracted.
“Describe what you’re seeing,” Cheveyo leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees. His attention going from Warrick to Raine.
“I recognize Vidis’s colors, but I’m not sure what pack ties would look like.”
“They would be bundled, like a many layered cord,” Warrick answered, showing he was aware of what was happening.
“Ahh…” Raine fell quiet. Xander caught the restless movement of her friend’s fingers, as if she was sorting through something. “Okay, I think this is it.” She paused, her head tilted to the side and her brow wrinkled.
When a few more quiet minutes past, Cheveyo said, “Raine, you need to tell me what you’re seeing.”
Raine’s eyes opened, their eerie glow caused Ryuu to startle. “You could have come along for the ride,” she grumbled, and Xander caught the flex of Gavin’s grip.
Cheveyo’s lips tightened and a fine tension stiffened his shoulders. “We already discussed this, and it’s best if I stay out of your magic for a bit.”
Since Raine and Gavin managed to drag the witch’s spirit from the clu
tches of a Soul Stealer, Xander didn’t blame him for not wanting to go back in. Hell, she wasn’t sure if she could let Raine near her and her wolf, considering how things turned out last time.
Raine huffed out a sigh. “Fine.” Her head swiveled toward Warrick. “Most of your ties kind of disappear the farther they move away from you.” She shifted on the couch as if she was going to get up and step closer. Gavin held her in place. “If I follow them, I think they lead back to your individual members. But there’s a couple of ties that seem to be blocked from the rest.”
When Raine addressed him, Warrick had opened his eyes and now he watched her. “By what?”
“I’m not sure. It keeps slipping away,” she murmured. “I’m going to go a little closer…” Her voice trailed off.
Tension rose from Raine and spread through the room, until Xander wanted to scream.
“Well, that’s not good,” Raine finally said.
Xander reached the limit of her patience. “Plan on sharing?” she snapped, the coiling tension making her muscles hurt.
Raine turned her freaky gaze on Xander, her lips curling in a very unhappy smile. “I would if I knew what I was looking at. Every time I get close it slips away like a shadow.”
“What does the magic weave look like?” Cheveyo broke in.
Xander knew, from her conversations with Raine, that when she looked at an individual’s magic she not only saw various colors but individual weaves as the magic wove together, creating distinct patterns as unique as fingerprints.
Raine closed her eyes, her concentration evident. “I’m not sure, but I think we’re looking at a shifter.”
“Why?” the witch pushed.
“It’s like Vidis and Xander, but not.” She raked her hands through her hair. “Hard to explain.”
Cheveyo studied the ground between his feet, thinking. “Whoever cast a spell on the ties is using their connection to Vidis to fuel it, so if we try to break what’s holding it closed, chances are it will come back on Vidis.”
“What if I try unweaving the threads,” Raine offered.
“I don’t think that would be wise,” Cheveyo answered.
“Why?” Warrick asked.
Cheveyo’s mouth tightened and he shrugged. “We don’t know enough about this spell to know what will happen if Raine touches it. It sounds as if it’s constructed to feed off of existing connections and the fact it seems to hide from her, gives me a very bad feeling.”
“I have a missing wolf, Cheveyo,” Warrick said. “He’s mine to protect and mine to bring back home. A bad feeling isn’t going to keep me from using what I can to find him.”
“No.” The sharp denial escaped before Xander could call it back. When everyone, including Warrick, looked at her, she could feel the weight of their stares. It didn’t matter. “No one is going to mess with whatever it is until you can guarantee Warrick won’t be harmed.”
“I’m with Xander,” Ryuu chimed in. “We can’t afford for you to screw around with Vidis or the pack ties.”
Warrick held up a hand to stop both Xander and Ryuu. “Not your decision.” He stared at them both.
“That’s not your only problem,” Raine broke in and all three wolves turned to her. She looked worried. “Whatever this is, I think it’s killing your missing wolf.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Raine’s announcement reverberated through the room. Shock left Xander reeling. “No. There’s no way they can do that without you knowing.” She turned to Warrick, panic raking through her and her wolf. “Right?”
“The pack ties should be inviolate. The only person who should be able to impact the pack ties is the alpha who creates them. The fact that someone managed to block my connection with any of my wolves shouldn’t even be a possibility.” He growled and rubbed a hand over his face. “What the hell’s going on, Cheveyo?”
Cheveyo raised his head and narrowed his gaze on Warrick. “The only way someone can influence your connection to any of your wolves is if they shared a connection to you and the rest of your pack.”
Warrick stiffened. “You think it’s a pack member.”
“It’s the only explanation that makes any sense,” Cheveyo confirmed.
“My pack is loyal!” Warrick shot back, but Xander caught the creeping doubt as his temper spiked.
“Someone’s playing you.”
Gavin’s quiet comment brought Warrick up from the couch in a strangely liquid movement, revealing how close his wolf was. He brushed past her to the open space by the windows. Her gaze followed, her heart aching as he began to prowl back and forth.
She watched, her stomach clenching so hard it hurt. The more they talked about this, the more her suspicions solidified. But if she had problems making sense of it, it would be a hundred times worse for Warrick.
Ryuu’s nudge brought her attention back and he jerked his head toward Warrick in a silent demand. She frowned. Did he really think Warrick wanted her anywhere near him right now? Even as locked down as the damn bond was, she could feel the tendrils of anger, betrayal, pain, hurt, love, and denial seeping around the edges. Each one a stinging lash across the psychic heart of her and her wolf. If such delicate touches hurt this much, she dreaded what sat behind that tightly locked door.
Ryuu’s wolf flared, rounding his dark eyes with an amber light, and he gave her a silent snarl. She snapped her teeth back at him, frustrated and worried that her overtures would be shot down in front of everyone. This wasn’t about her. This was about Warrick and if they wanted to untangle this mess, they needed to take a real in-depth look at someone they trusted.
It took her a minute to uncurl from the couch, her abused thigh muscle having stiffened from being in one position too long. She couldn’t miss the expectant looks on the faces surrounding her. All of them—Raine, Gavin, Cheveyo, even Ryuu—foolishly thought she’d be able to…what? Calm Warrick and his wolf down? Maybe she should warn them that what she was about to tell Warrick would do anything but calm him.
Carefully, she made her way over to Warrick, stepping directly in his path. His head swung up and he towered over her. It was hard to meet his gaze, but she did. All those feelings, leaking around his block in the bond, were swirling in a furious storm of amber and gold. Funny how the same body that could make her feel so safe could also make her feel so small.
This close to him, there was no way to mistake the roiling energy surrounding him. It pressed against her like the heated winds before an electrical storm, making it hard to drag air into her stuttering lungs. Keeping her movements slow and careful, she laid her hands palm down on his chest. “There was a scent on the guy who jumped me tonight.”
His heart thundered under her touch. “Whose?”
She swallowed tightly. “Sebastian’s.” She heard Ryuu’s sharp intake of breath.
Warrick didn’t take his gaze from Xander, and she got the impression their tenuous connection was the only thing keeping him on two feet. “No.”
Tremors shook his frame and, standing inches away, she watched as the change ran under his skin, bones shifting slightly. A disturbing sight but she didn’t flinch. As his control began to crumble, hers solidified. She couldn’t let his wolf rise in front of Cheveyo and the others. He’d never forgive himself.
“There has to be an explanation.”
“Maybe.” But even she could hear the lack of belief in her answer.
“Sebastian wouldn’t betray Vidis,” Ryuu’s snarl sounded behind her.
He must have leapt over the back of the couch, but she wasn’t sure because she didn’t dare break her visual connection to Warrick. Right now, if the muscle twitches and minuscule shifts under her hands were any indicators, that connection was the only thing keeping Warrick grounded.
“Why not?” Gavin asked.
“Sebastian is Vidis’s Third,” Ryuu said. “Besides strength, loyalty, and trust are necessary parts of holding that position. Seb loves Warrick and has always protected him and the pack.”
“Maybe he still is what?” she asked, unable to see where Warrick was going. Under her skin, her wolf turned frantic, picking up on something Xander was missing.
“Protecting me, protecting the pack.” There was a decided lack of emotion in Warrick’s voice, but he didn’t take his gaze off of her.
Her vision began to narrow as her pulse picked up and her limbs began to numb. The voice in her head was screaming at her not to ask, but she ignored it. “From what?”
“You.”
His one word answer hit her as hard as any punch and she stumbled back, reeling. Someone reached out to steady her, but she spun away, unable to bear any touch. It wasn’t so much his answer but the wave of accompanying emotions he finally allowed to seep through that was flaying her to the quick. On some level, Warrick blamed her.
“Someone needs to start talking in clearer sentences real damn quick.”
The fact that Raine’s voice was crystal clear meant she was close. Xander opened eyes she hadn’t realized she’d shut and found Raine standing between her and her pack mates.
She had to bury her emotions where he couldn’t find it. She dragged every damn block she could find and threw it at the thrice-damn bond she shared with her alpha until she could finally breathe. It took precious minutes, but she managed to get some distance between her ravaged emotions and what was happening around her.
“Sebastian has had some issues with Vidis and Xander becoming mates,” Ryuu offered when Warrick showed no signs of ceding to Raine’s demand.
Sharp-edged fury rose and cut through all the emotional bullshit like a heat-seeking missile. “Did you not stop to think I might want to know this?” Xander demanded of Warrick, stepping around Raine.
“He’s entitled to his opinion.”
His unruffled response just about sent her and her wolf springing for his throat. Only the fact that she knew Ryuu would step between them held her back.
