by Cassia Briar
Damian popped the top off another beer. “I’m just saying what needs to be said. Angel can’t let the alpha role go unfulfilled for too long.”
“Can we let it rest for… I don’t know, one day? Let Dad’s ashes cool off first?” Casparo sent our youngest brother a withering look.
“Fine.” Damian took a swig, then focused on me. “You know Bruno and Selena hooked up, right?”
I startled out of my dismal thoughts. “No. When did that happen?”
“Couple months ago. You should see them together. She’s actually back to smiling—‘cause you know you broke her heart. And Bruno drools himself every time she looks at him. Big bad Bruno’s been pussy whipped.”
Casparo sighed. “You spread more gossip than Mom’s knitting group. Maybe you should join them.”
My chest clenched at Damian’s words. I knew I’d broken Selena’s heart, I’d hoped no one else had noticed. Apparently, that wasn’t the case. I needed to talk to her before I left again. Make amends somehow.
As much as Casparo didn’t want to discuss it, Damian was right, I couldn’t let the leadership role lapse. I wasn’t worried about the Pacific Pack, they were all family and friends, my home pack. But the Gran Lobo Pack, the collective of all the smaller wolf packs, was a different story. Any one of the smaller pack alphas could get it in their head to challenge me. I needed to get over to the Rockies soon, with my bride-to-be in tow.
Estevan, my father’s beta, and now my acting beta, appeared in the doorway. “Sir, Bruno has returned.”
“Send him in.” I stood.
Bruno strode in with a large rectangular package under one arm. He held it out. “Here it is. Sorry it took longer than expected. I was followed for a short time, but I lost them.”
I took the package. “Tromara followed you?”
“No,” he shook his head, “a couple of witches. The quee—Isabella has persuaded some over to her side with that video. Queen Caprice’s speech probably dissuaded some, but not all. Be careful out there. The Tromara and old Council are recruiting allies.” His brow furrowed. “I heard Dad passed. I’d like to pay my respects now.”
“Go. I’ll see you again before I leave.”
Bruno lumbered out of the cavernous room.
I faced the old beta. “Estevan, I need you to keep fulfilling your role here as pack leader while I’m gone. I need to get this back to the Academy.” My fingers smoothed over the brown paper.
“Very good, sir.” Estevan nodded curtly, he took long, even steps toward the door.
My brothers murmured, “Beta,” with bowed heads as he passed, showing their respect for the temporary leader.
Damian leaned back down in his chair. “When are you leaving?”
“Within the hour.” I pinned them both with an expectant look. “I want you two to keep an eye on Mom, okay?”
“Of course,” Casparo said. “You didn’t have to mention it. We know our responsibilities.”
“Good.” I took the Codex out of its wrappings. The heavy, leather-bound tome reeked of death. I hoped Caprice’s dragon fire could destroy this vile thing.
“You can’t carry that in wolf form,” Damian pointed out.
I slipped it back into the package. “I’m not going to. I’m taking one of the cars. One of the fast ones.” Hugging the Codex to me, I faced my brothers. “Take care you guys. I’ll see you when I see you.”
They both saluted me as I headed out. In the winding passageways, pack members respectfully stepped aside to let me pass. I found my mom and Bruno in her room. They sat silently over the jar of ashes.
I cleared my throat. “I’m leaving.”
Mom waved me over. I kneeled down and she flung her arms around my neck. “You be safe, Angel. Do what you need to do, then come back to us.”
“I will, Mom.” I hugged her back with my free arm, released her, and stood. Facing Bruno, I said, “I’d like a word with Selena before I go.”
His dark eyes darted to mine. “This isn’t a good time.” The words came out with a growl.
The direct eye contact, denial of my request, and the growl were the beginnings of a challenge. If I pushed this, we’d fight. That fight might not be a friendly one between brothers either. But I couldn’t back down. I was the eldest. Being alpha was my birthright.
“I don’t like your tone, brother.” I growled back.
Bruno slowly gained his feet. While two years younger, he was taller and broader in the shoulder. If he didn’t challenge me for alpha, I hoped he’d be my beta once I formally took charge of the packs.
“You’ve caused her enough pain,” his voice was low and deep. His muscles flexed, preparing for an attack, on the verge of shifting.
“I’m not going to hurt her. You need to back down. Right. Now.” My heart pounded, and I was sure my eyes were glowing. The urge to shift and fight was getting stronger by the moment.
The seconds ticked by. My muscles tensed and shuddered from the strain of holding back my wolf.
Bruno dropped his gaze. “I’d prefer if you spoke with her some other time.”
The tension broke. The urge to shift subsided and I wanted to blow out a relieved sigh. Instead, I said, “That’s fine. I need to be on my way.”
Mother’s white fingered grip on the jar released. She muttered a prayer of thanks under her breath.
Bruno’s shoulders relaxed. “Safe travels.”
“Thank you.” I hugged my mom once more before leaving them.
Shit. That was a close call with my brother.
I sped along I-5 South at night in the new Corvette Stingray. It was red, and I was going fast, but the chances of getting pulled over for speeding along this stretch were minimal. Besides, I was basically going with the flow of traffic—everyone drove like dicks on this stretch of freeway.
The Stingray handled great on the flat road surface. I’d have to swap it out when I got to Estacada. No way would this car make it up the rough road to Academy Obscura, for that I needed my family’s SUV.
I reached over to the passenger seat and touched the brown paper covering the Codex. It was becoming a weird nervous habit to make sure the book was safely here in the car with me. I was making good time. This vile book would be in Caprice’s hands before the sun came up. The only part I had yet to figure out was how to get back into the Academy undetected.
The Tromara had been outside the walls, watching and waiting. They were sure to be doing the same now.
I punched the button to dial Jaxon on the borrowed phone and set it to speaker. He answered with, “Jaxon, here.”
“It’s Angel. I’m about two hours out.”
“Oh good. So listen up, Josh has been all over this place like some kind of sleuth. Any way, he found a hidden passage. It runs from the Dean’s Hall sub-basement to a trapdoor in the woods about two miles south of campus. Of course it’s all warded now, but I’m sending you the coordinates. We’ll create another diversion. This way you won’t have to make it to the gates. Text me when you leave Highway 224.”
“You got it. See you soon.” I ended the call. The screen immediately brightened with his text of GPS coordinates. I was not at all surprised that Academy Obscura had more secrets.
I passed around a slower moving SUV in the fast lane. As I turned on my signal to edge back into the furthest left lane, the SUV sped up, riding the side of my bumper. I pressed the gas pedal down and the Stingray lurched forward. The other vehicle did the same.
“What the fuck?” I muttered. The driver was not letting me merge. “Dickhead.” I could totally play this game and win. My car was faster. No doubt about it.
I glanced toward my passenger sideview mirror at the same second a semi-truck plowed into that side of my car. I stepped on the pedal but it was too late. The SUV had me pinned on the other side. Fiberglass and plastic shrieked as it shattered around me, crushing inward.
As if this whole thing was orchestrated, the two vehicles kept moving to the left until we were driving in th
e median. We lost velocity on the grass. The bottom of the Stingray ground painfully against the uneven surface before coming to a halt.
I tried to get a glimpse of who these fuckers were, but my side windows only revealed the shiny metal of both vehicles. To get out of here I’d need to—
A dark figure appeared at my windshield and smashed his fist through the glass. He proceeded to rip the crumpled safety glass away. I tossed the Codex in the back seat before shifting to my wolf form. No way were these fuckers taking that book.
I charged at him, just as his beefy hand reached in for me. We tangled on the ground in a heap of limbs. I snarled, snapping at his throat. He blocked the attack with his forearm, and I sank my teeth in. The Tromara grunted. He used his legs to try to shove me off. I tightened my hold as putrid blood filled my mouth.
A stabbing pain pierced my side. I yelped, struggling to take in my surroundings. Five more Tromara surrounded me. Fuck.
I released the one on the ground in favor of tearing out the throat of the one who’d stabbed me with a big ass sword. He wasn’t ready for my change of focus. I chomped down on the soft flesh of his neck and shoulder. More hot, rotten tasting liquid splashed my tongue. The Tromara gurgled as his life left him.
Spinning, I readied for the next attack. Three bolts of electrifying magic hit me simultaneously. They jarred, making my teeth rattle. Another flash of light and my left front leg snapped. I howled in agony.
Two swords found the vulnerable flesh of my belly. They drove deep, past fur, skin, and muscle to the delicate organs beneath. I staggered. My broken leg gave out first, followed by my shaking back legs. I choked and sputtered on my own blood. My head swam. Vision blurred. This couldn’t be happening. I wasn’t supposed to die at the hands of the Tromara. Not like this, on the side of the highway—alone.
A numbness drove away the blinding pain. My throat made gurgling noises.
“He’s finished,” one dark figure said to the others. “Get the book. Let’s go!”
No. My death was not the tragedy in this moment. My failure was worse. I tried to crawl toward my car. I had to protect the Codex. Had to get it away from them. I couldn’t fail my mission.
A final kick to my ribs sent me into darkness.
8
Montrell
In my owl form, I flew south over the interstate seeking Angel’s sports car. I’d expected him to make the return journey to the Academy as a wolf. When he’d taken off in a car, I’d been caught by surprise and scrambled to follow. Morphing from bear to owl had taken a moment and I’d lost track of Angel. At least there was only one direct route from the Olympic National Forest to Portland. The red car would have been easier to spot in the daylight. Not so much in the dark.
I’d made a split second decision to follow Angel, to watch his back, when I realized the Tromara were waiting outside the campus walls. He was on an important mission and, whether he liked me or not, he could use the backup. I’d discreetly tailed him as he’d made his way north. Then I had stayed nearby for the days he was with his pack. Going completely unnoticed had been a challenge—which I was grateful for, it meant his people knew what they were doing. Though, I’d have to give them some tips on spotting shapeshifters to up their security.
There was nothing nefarious about my intentions, I’d simply wanted to avoid Angel knowing I was there unless he needed my help. The alpha wolf didn’t particularly like me. I could only presume my presence would offend him in some way. As long as he didn’t encounter any trouble, he’d never have to know I’d tagged along.
A momentary pang shot through my chest. I hoped Caprice wasn’t too worried about my sudden disappearance. I had no phone on me. No way to communicate and tell her where I was or what I was doing. My abrupt decision was rash, and I could have handled it differently, but it was too late for that. The last thing I wanted to do was cause her pain. I shook it off. She’d understand.
I swooped lower, searching the rush of traffic below. Surely I wasn’t that far behind him? I clamped my beak tight, annoyed at myself for letting him get past me so easily. A crash up ahead involving a semi-truck caught my eye. I glided closer.
At first glance, if appeared a though the semi had run an SUV off the road. Then I noticed the sports car trapped between the two and my pulse raced. Sirens sounded in the distance, so this must have just happened. I landed near the wreckage, shimmering to my human form to investigate the situation. Dread pooled in my gut.
Two human males were on their phones, leaning against their vehicles. They must have called in the crash. I tried to avoid them as I poked around. The driver seats of the SUV and semi were vacant. Stepping around toward the car, I caught the scent of fresh blood. My gaze snapped to the unmoving naked body of a man. I bolted to his side and peered into his face. My worst fear was confirmed. Angel.
I inspected him. Blood seeped from numerous wounds on one leg and his torso. One of his arms lay at an unnatural angle. He lay still—too still. I searched for a pulse at both his wrist and his neck, finding a faint thump. He’d lost so much blood.
The sirens drew closer. I didn’t have much time to make a decision.
I could let the ambulance pick him up and follow to the hospital. But what if the doctors figured out he was not like other humans. Werewolves had those extra dense bones and muscles, and who knew what else.
The only other option was to take him with me. Except I was no medic… However, I did know someone who could help. We were only half an hour from the north end of Portland.
With that decision made, I did a quick search of the sports car. It was empty. The Codex was gone.
“Hey!” one of the humans yelled. “What do you think you’re doing?”
I ignored him. So this had been a Tromara attack. Infuriated at what losing the Codex meant for us, and my inability to have done anything to stop it, I stomped over to the SUV. The keys had been left in the ignition.
I climbed in through the driver’s door and twisted the key, it started right up. Metal grated on metal as I eased the vehicle away from the wreckage. Once cleared, I turned in my seat and spotted a blanket in the back. I grabbed it.
The human was advancing on me. “This is a crash scene,” he said. “You can’t move that vehicle until the cops get here.”
Again I ignored him. I wrapped the blanket around Angel and lifted him.
“You can’t move him!” The human stuck his finger in my face. “He needs an ambulance.”
I growled, the sound completely animal. “Move.”
He stumbled backward immediately.
I placed an unconscious Angel in the backseat and strapped him in as best I could, hopefully it would help stop the bleeding, then climbed up front. Like a criminal leaving the scene, I floored it.
“I have your plate number!” the human shouted. The other one was by his side now, also looking outraged.
In moments, we were rolling down the interstate toward help. I hoped.
I pounded on the front door of a little craftsman style house in Northeast Portland. Pale yellow and blue colored the sky as dawn arrived. I really needed to get Angel out of the SUV before daylight took over completely. We didn’t need to draw the neighbors’ attention. My fist shook the wooden frame three more times.
The door swung open revealing a bleary-eyed woman with short, dark curls in a silk pajama set. Ruby Romano.
“What’s going on?” she asked, evaluating me with her hazel eyes.
“I have a severely injured werewolf in the back seat.” I gestured to the vehicle parked in her driveway.
She nodded. “Bring him into the garage. I’ll meet you there.”
I bolted toward the SUV, flung the door open, and gently hefted Angel in my arms. Damn, he was heavy. Staggering for a moment before I found my balance, I made it to the garage’s side door. It opened and I ducked inside. What appeared to be a garage on the exterior was actually a full on medical clinic, complete with various machines, white walls, and bright lighting. I
t was known within the supernatural community as an emergency medical center for our kind.
“Set him there.” She pointed to the operating table.
I did as she said, laying Angel, still unconscious, on the cold metal. His skin was unusually pale, his features slack. Blood streaked his skin and had soaked through the blanket. A wave of panic washed over me. He had to live. He had to.
“I’ll take it from here. You need to wait outside.” That hazel gaze briefly locked with mine before her full attention turned on Angel.
Without argument, I let myself out. A covered patio linked the house and garage. I leaned against one wall with a ragged sigh. Lifting my hands to rub my face, I noticed the dried blood on them and stared. This was a damned disaster. I had done all I could to save Angel’s life, and hopefully it was enough. But I’d failed in keeping the Codex from the Tromara. We were all fucked.
To win this war we needed a miracle. Like…a fully fledged dragon. That would certainly turn the odds in our favor.
I dropped my hands and straightened. The only thing holding Caprice back was me. Maybe it was time I swallowed my pride, and my idea of romantic love, and just mated her. Having to share her with the others still left a bitter taste in my mouth, but if that was the sacrifice I needed to make to get us all out of this alive…so be it.
Unable to stand still, I got to work moving the SUV and ditching it several miles away. The police were sure to be looking for the vehicle. I wiped it down—which didn’t do much to hide our DNA considering the backseat was drenched in Angel’s blood.
Discretely as I could, I flew back to Ruby’s house and continued to wait.
What felt like hours later, the sun high in the summer sky, Ruby stepped through the garage door. She pointed a shiny, dark grey wand at me. “You have a lot of nerve coming here, Montrell Freeman. Treason? Really? Your mother would have been quite disappointed if she were alive to see this day.”
