by L. P. Dover
I help him up. "We always have tonight after they leave. That is, unless you, Colin, and Micah decide to get drunk and pass out like you did last week."
We started a new tradition a couple of months ago. Every Friday, Amelie, Faith, Micah, and Colin will come over, and we'll eat dinner, play cards, and have a few drinks. Colin wasn't originally on the invite list, but Faith brought him one Friday, and it ended up being the turning point with him and Cedric. They got along great and have become good friends. Even Beck has slowly found a way into the pack. Tensions have eased between him and Cedric now that we're mated. It's nice being able to embrace both sides of who I am. We've even met several of Beck's warriors in the winter army. I learn more and more about the fae every time Beck visits.
Cedric tilts my chin up and smiles. "Tonight, I'm all yours. No drinking with the guys."
I wink. "Sounds good to me."
"Knock, knock," Faith calls out. "Hopefully, we're not interrupting anything."
Cedric snorts and shouts back. "Oh, you'd be able to hear us."
Faith bursts out laughing. "TMI! I don't need the details."
I smack Cedric's arm. "I'm never going to hear the end of this now."
Cedric waggles his brows. "What? You like to scream."
"Seriously," Faith grumbles. "We can hear you."
Chuckling, Cedric walks out of the bedroom, and I follow him down the hall. Micah hands Cedric a beer while Faith and Amelie stand by the kitchen bar next to a fantastic charcuterie spread with crackers, cheese, fruits, vegetables, and a couple of different dips.
"Wow, that looks amazing." I look down at the food, and my stomach growls. The fruits are cut into different shapes, and it's all laid out perfectly.
Faith beams. "I worked on it this afternoon. Thought I'd do something different."
"I'm impressed." I look out the window to the driveway, and there's only Micah's car. "Where's Colin?"
Faith shrugs. "Still working, I think. I'm sure he'll be here soon."
Grabbing a carrot, I dip it in her homemade ranch dressing. "That's fine. We'll wait for him. Beck is supposed to come tonight too."
Faith's eyes light up. "Good. We need to beat the guys this week. Micah and Cedric can't complain that it's three against one now." My cell phone starts to ring, and since it's at the other end of the kitchen counter where Faith is, she grabs it for me. "It's my brother," she says, handing it to me.
I look down at the screen, and his name is there. Usually, he calls Cedric unless it's something about work. "Hey, Colin," I answer.
"Hey. I know I'm running late, but I'm over at a friend's house. Her name's Meredith. She works over at the gem store in town. You might know who she is."
"Oh yeah, I do. I love her store. I've meant to get by there again."
"Well, she just closed on a house, and she wants to have it decorated. I told her about you, and she wants to know if you can come by for a few minutes. It won't take long. I'll be here with you."
"That's fine. Just text me the address." I'm not about to turn down a job. After we hang up, he texts me the address, and I plug it into my GPS.
Faith crosses her arms over her chest. "Did he really just ask you to do work on a Friday night?"
Cedric walks over. "What's going on?"
I grab my purse and keys off the counter. "I won't be gone long. Colin asked if I'll look at his friend's house. It turns out it's for Meredith, the owner of the Blue Stone gem shop. She just closed on a house and wants my help decorating it. Colin's over there right now."
Cedric nods. "All right, I'll go with you."
"No," I say, placing a hand on his chest. "Stay here with our guests. I'll be back in a few minutes."
I can feel his inner turmoil. He doesn't like me going places by myself, but I refuse to be scared for the rest of my life, wondering when something terrible will happen.
"I can't help it, Laila. You are all that matters to me. I've lost too many people I love."
His pain makes my heart hurt. I cup his cheek and smile. "I'll be okay. Stay here and have fun."
He bends down and kisses me, his lips warm against mine. "Hurry back."
"I will."
I run out to my car and head toward Meredith's, which, according to my GPS, will only take twelve minutes. Her house is just outside of downtown Jackson Hole, not far from her shop. Colin's car is in her driveway when I get there, and they're both standing together, talking and laughing.
I park behind Colin and grab my notepad before getting out. "Hey, you two."
Colin grins and waves me over. It's been a while since I've seen Meredith, but she looks the same with her long, black hair and bright emerald eyes. She waves back and smiles. "Thanks for coming, Laila. I know it was last minute."
"No worries at all." I look up at her new house. It's an old colonial-style house with dark blue siding and white shutters. Very elegant but still with the classic charm.
Meredith motions toward the front door. "Shall we go inside?"
When we get inside, it's immaculate. The hardwood floors look brand new, and the walls are freshly painted. "I love this house. It's gorgeous."
Meredith beams. "Thanks. It took me forever to find the right one. I think I looked at over a hundred houses." She flourishes a hand around the living room. "So … what do you think? I have no clue where to start."
"Do you have anything in mind?" I ask her.
She shakes her head. "No clue. I'll go with whatever you concoct in your mind."
"You sure?"
Her grin widens. "Yep. I trust you." So many ideas run through my mind. I walk through each room and jot down my notes while Colin and Meredith follow me. Once done with the main level, I move to the upstairs. "I want you to figure out something for the basement as well," Meredith suggests. "I'm thinking of converting it to a movie theater."
"That would be fun."
Colin agrees. "When I finish building my house, that's exactly what I'll be doing too."
I take my notes of the upstairs, and Meredith leads us down the stairs to the main level. She opens the door to the basement, and I follow her. It's dark, and all of a sudden, my stomach starts to feel sick. Colin shuts the door behind us, and I'm stuck on the stairs between them, sweat breaking out over my skin. I've never felt this way before. Meredith reaches the bottom of the stairs, and the closer I get to her, the sicker I become. I want to throw up, but I know there's nothing in my stomach.
"Laila, what's wrong? Where are you?" Cedric asks through our bond.
Dizziness overtakes me, and I have to hold onto the stair railing. Meredith rushes up to me and takes my hand. "Laila, you okay?"
I shake my head. "I don't feel so good."
She pulls me further into the basement, and I feel worse with each step. "We need to sit you down."
The room is dark, but I can see with my shifter eyes. The basement is cold and musty with a dungeon-like feel. I sense death all around me. There's also a familiar smell that used not to bother me, but now it makes my body feel like it's turning inside out.
"Laila! What's going on?"
My consciousness starts to slip away, darkness creeping in. "I don't know."
"She's talking to her fucking mate," Colin growls, only it's not his voice. My legs are like Jell-O as I turn around to face him. He pushes me into the dank room that smells of mold and blood … and wolfsbane. Wolfsbane used not to bother me, but that's not the case anymore. Everything is blurry, including Colin's face, but as I lay on the hard, cement floor, I can see his features morph into someone else. Colin's body shortens just a couple of inches, and his skin turns pale. What was once blond hair is now jet black. I've never seen this man before, but it's not hard to guess who he is.
The time has come.
Dorian found me.
Twenty-Two
Cedric
"Laila!" The feeling of nausea overwhelms me, and I know exactly what it's coming from. It's as if I can smell it even though I'm not with her. Wolfsbane.
"Laila!" I shout through our bond again. I hear the name Dorian whispered in her mind before everything goes blank. "Fuck!"
"What's going on?" Micah demands.
My control starts to slip, the anger inside me boiling over to the point I don't even know if I can stop myself from shifting. "He has her," I growl, my voice more primal than human. I slam my hands down on the kitchen counter, the granite cracking from the force. "I can't hear or feel her. They're using wolfsbane."
Amelie gasps. "That used not to bother her before."
"She's more shifter now," I say, growing angrier by the second. I turn my lethal glare to Faith. "Where's your brother? He was supposed to be with Laila. If he let anything happen to her, I'll kill him." I never should've let her go without me. Faith pulls out her phone, her hands shaking as she makes her call. I can hear the dial tone, ringing over and over until Colin's voicemail picks up. My rage multiplies by a million. "Goddammit to hell," I shout. "I have to find her."
I charge toward the door, but Micah jumps in my way. "You'll get yourself killed if you go by yourself. I need to call Zayne, and we need to get the pack together."
"And we have to get Beck," Faith calls out. "This is a fae problem. We've all seen what Laila can do with her magic. We don't stand a chance against a whole army of the dark fae." She looks out the window, and her eyes widen. "Colin's here."
Micah moves out of my way, and I slam open the door. He's not in his car but walking down the driveway. Everyone follows me out, but I storm straight toward him with Faith right on my heels.
"Where's Laila?" I shout through gritted teeth.
Colin stops and holds up his hands, looking confused. "What do you mean? Isn't she here?"
Faith rushes to him, putting herself between us. "You were the last person to talk to her."
Colin shakes his head. "How's that even possible? The last time I talked to her was Tuesday at her father's house. Also, both my car and phone are gone." He stares at us as if we have lost our minds. "I figured you guys were playing a fucking prank on me. I thought as soon as I got here, I'd see my car."
Micah and Amelie join us, and we all look at each other. Nothing makes sense. Whatever the hell is going on, it's not good. What's worse is that I can't feel Laila. "She said you were meeting her at Meredith's. Where does she live?"
Colin's expression grows even more confused. He has no idea what's going on. "That's news to me. I talked to Meredith this morning. She knew I was coming here."
My phone starts to ring, and when I pull it out of my pocket, Colin's name appears on my screen. Dread settles into the pit of my gut. "It's you," I say to Colin, tightening my grip on the phone. "I'm pretty sure I know who it's going to be." Everyone rushes over, and I take a deep breath, trying my best to calm my wolf down. I accept the call and put it on speakerphone so they all can hear. "Who is this?" I demand.
An evil laugh echoes through the phone. "You know who I am, Cedric."
I blow out a huff. "Dorian."
Beck takes this moment to appear out of thin air, but when he sees us, his smile disappears, especially when he hears Dorian's voice.
"Correct," Dorian replies.
"Where the fuck is Laila?" I growl.
"Oh, she's fine. Just a little incapacitated right now. I don't plan on hurting her, not unless she decides not to cooperate."
My body shakes with rage. "So help me God, if you put one scratch on her, I'll rip your fucking head off."
He bursts out laughing, which only pisses me off more. "I'd like to see you try, young wolf. It just so happens I don't give a shit about you or your pack. I'm after Beck." Beck storms closer, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Having Laila gives me the leverage I need to get to him. You see, I know he'll be showing up at your house soon like he has every Friday for the past couple of months. It's kind of sad how he took up with a bunch of dogs that are beneath him."
"Easy to say through the phone, cocksucker," I say, feeling my fangs lengthen.
"You never should've let your guard down. I've been watching and waiting for three months to get to Laila. It was so easy." He chuckles again. "When Beck arrives, I want you to give him a message. He needs to come alone and turn himself over to me. Only then will I give up the sweet, young wolf. If he fails, she dies." He hangs up, and my skin burns like fire.
"This is your fault," I hiss, glaring right at Beck.
Beck's jaw clenches, but he doesn't argue with me. "I'll give myself up. I won't let her die for me."
"You're damn right, you won't. We need to find her."
Colin sighs. "I know where Meredith lives."
Beck stands in our way, his eyes wide with concern. "Did you say, Meredith?"
Colin nods. "Yeah, why?"
Beck hangs his head. "I bet it's Dorian's sister, Meridia."
"Great," I snap as I storm toward my truck. "They fooled us all."
Micah grabs his phone. "I have to call Zayne. We need to get the wolves together." He looks straight at me. "Go to Meredith's or Meridia's or whatever the fuck she's called, and we'll meet you there. I'll take Faith and Amelie to Ryker's."
Colin places a hand on my shoulder. "Let's go. If anyone can track Laila, it's you."
He follows me to my truck while Micah and the girls get into his car. I hop in my truck and shut the door, and Colin gets in beside me. Beck stands a couple of feet away, his expression tormented. "I'm sorry. The last thing I ever considered possible was Dorian going after Laila to get to me."
Now that I'm mated to Laila, I know she's entirely mine, but it hasn't stopped him from still caring about her. "He's been watching us. It doesn't take a genius to see that you have feelings for her."
He averts his gaze to the woods. "It's not like that anymore. She's my friend. What concerns me is my vow to her. Dorian knows we're connected. He'll torture her to get to me, and we both know she won't say my name. What's fucked up is that he knows I'll come willingly, but he'll do it all for fun."
And just like that, things get ten million times worse. Laila won't say his name, and I know that. "What are you going to do? You can't call your warriors."
His eyes meet mine. "No. I have to fight him on my own and hope I win. The future of my land depends on it. No matter what happens, we'll get Laila out safely." He takes a step back. "I'm going to search for Dorian and Laila on my own. I'll find you if something comes up." The air ripples behind him, and he disappears through the invisible door.
I start up my truck and speed out of the driveway toward Meredith's. "Do you think him sacrificing himself is going to be the end of it?" Colin asks.
There's a feeling in my gut I can't shake. "No."
"What are we going to do about it?"
"The question is what Laila's going to do. She won't leave Beck." I press my foot harder on the gas. Beck is her friend, and she's loyal. He may be a pain in the ass, but even I know the right thing to do is help. "I'm going to help him. I don't know how, but I'll figure it out."
It only takes a few minutes to get to Meredith's, and when I pull into her driveway, I can smell Laila's scent; it reminds me of summer apples. The front door is unlocked, and once inside, I pick up on two other scents. The stench of dark magic hangs heavy in the air. Dorian isn't hiding his trail anymore. We search the house, and in the basement is the room full of wolfsbane. There's a spot in the center of the place where Laila's scent is heavier, where she had laid.
I rush back upstairs, and Colin walks in the front door, his fists clenched. "I caught Meredith's scent in the woods. It was different this time. I can smell the dark magic on her."
"She's fae." I had met her at the stone shop and had no clue. None of us did, not even Laila, who is part fae. "They fooled us."
Colin punches the wall and storms outside. I follow him out, and Laila's trail leads us right into the woods. "Dorian's not hiding anymore."
"Do you think it's a trap?" Colin asks.
I huff. "Most definitely, but what choice do we have?" Pulling out my phone, I c
all Zayne.
"Have you found her?" he asks, his voice impatient. "We're on our way to you."
"I have her scent, and I'm going after her."
"Go. We'll catch up."
Sliding my phone into my back pocket, Colin and I take off into the forest. I'm not going to stop until I find her. We run for what feels like hours, but we follow Laila's scent until we come to a clearing in the woods. Through the trees, I see a house I recognize all too well. I've even been inside of it. The scent of rogue wolves hangs strongly in the air.
"Fuck me."
Colin runs a hand through his hair. "Exactly. This is Richard Tanner's house. Or so I thought. The bastard has rogues working for him."
"And that brings the war to us." I can sense three wolves at the back of the house and five more around the side.
A puff of cold air blows across me, and I look over to see Beck appear through the shimmering veil, which is the portal from our world to his. "The man isn't Richard Tanner. Unfortunately, just like you guys, Dorian can switch forms, but his magic is more of a glamour than an actual physical change." And just like that, it all makes sense. With Meredith being a dark fae, I led Laila right into their trap by taking her to the gem shop. Beck turns to me and Colin, his expression grim. "He's in the house right now. He wants me to find him. What's strange is that I can't sense any other fae besides him and his sister. The rest are wolves."
"Did you warn your people?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "I didn't want to take the chance of something going wrong." A low growl rumbles behind us, and I turn to see Zayne, Micah, Sebastian, and Ryker in wolf form. Beck nods at them and then focuses back on me. "Tell Laila I'm sorry for everything. I never wanted it to come to this."
As soon as he leaves the cover of the trees, I can feel the bond between Laila and me open up. "Cedric?"
My heart races, and I breathe a sigh of relief that I can hear her. "Thank fucking God. Are you okay?"
I can feel her uncertainty. "I don't know. I really don't know."
Twenty-Three
