by Haley Weir
Rina’s eyes widened. “That’s pretty fucking harsh, Casey.”
“What was I supposed to do? Sit around his castle until he decided to talk to me? And even then, what was left to say? He wasn’t interested in dating for a while and seeing where things went. Dating Giddeon Black ends in marriage.”
“So you ran because you were scared?” Olivia asked.
“I left because his life is too complicated right now and I’m not giving up my life to live in a castle that’s plopped in the middle of nowhere in Alaska.”
Even Diana seemed put off by her reasoning. “I live in Detroit, Rina lives in LA, and Olivia goes in whatever the direction the wind takes her. The only thing you have in Washington is your job. And if your job is your life, then maybe you need to reorganize your priorities.”
“My work means something. Once this prototype launches, I’ll be saving lives.”
“You’re an executive partner. Can’t you work out of state?” Rina asked.
“I wouldn’t want to. My lab and my new office are at headquarters. Besides, I haven’t known him for that long. It’s not like I’m in love with him or something.”
“Aren’t you?”
“What do you mean?” Casey glanced over at Rina. “I don’t love Giddeon.”
“We’ve been trying to get you to talk to Ty since long before you two said you were getting a divorce. You only talked to him because you were afraid of losing Giddeon.”
Casey stood up and grabbed her jacket as she headed towards the stairs. “I don’t have to sit here and explain myself to you. None of you understand what I’m going through.” She stomped up to her room. They’d lock her up in a mental institution if she told them about the bear shifters. Casey wished she could go back in time and tell her past self not to make that stupid profile for KDA. She hadn’t expected her life to change so drastically on vacation.
Somehow, she always got herself into situations she couldn't handle. Casey opened her laptop when she entered her room and booked flights for everyone to get home. Part of her felt bad that she was cutting their trip short, but she had to get away from Giddeon before anyone persuaded her to stay in Alaska. Four hours after booking the flights, Casey had her bags packed for her departure in the morning.
"I can't believe you," Olivia said from the doorway. "We've all done some pretty messed up shit, but this takes the cake. He deserves better than this, and so do you."
"I'm pretty sure sleeping with a married man and skipping town when he leaves his wife because you're afraid of commitment is worse than my problems, so back off." Casey regretted her words the second they were out of her mouth. "Liv, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone there—”
The door slammed. Casey screamed and picked up the bedside lamp before she hurled it at the wall. She hadn't meant to bring up something so painful for her friend, but her emotions had caused her to lash out.
~*~
Anchorage, Alaska
The taxi pulled up to the drop off location at the airport and Casey stepped onto the sidewalk. Diana, Rina, and Olivia arrived not long after she did. They walked inside of the building in their comfortable travel clothes without a word spoken between them. Casey pulled them aside and hung her head sheepishly. "I'm sorry I've been an enormous jerk all night," she said. "I said some things I didn't mean out of anger and I don't want to leave things bad between us. You're my best friends and I love you like sisters. But I need your support in this. Even if you think I'm being stupid, just be there for me."
Rina nodded and pulled Casey into a one-armed hug. "I love you, too. Have a good flight. Call me when you land." She hugged Diana and Olivia before heading towards her terminal.
Casey watched her friend go and turned to Diana. "No unsolicited advice for me before you leave?"
Diana laughed and hugged her tightly. "Just follow your heart. And, yeah, you are totally being stupid for walking away from something great."
Casey shoved her friend playfully and waved goodbye to Diana. Olivia said nothing but offered her the same hug as the others. When they parted, Casey turned in the direction of her terminal and walked towards the future she had always wanted.
Her flight was long and just quiet enough that it allowed her head to be filled with doubt. Casey shook it off and shut her eyes for the remainder of her trip...but when the plane dropped, Casey was nearly catapulted out of her seat. She gripped the armrests and looked around as the emergency lights came on. The stewardess hurried into the cockpit. Casey scrambled to clip her seatbelt as the oxygen masks fell from the upper compartments.
When the turbulence slowed and the plane began to cruise at a safe altitude, Casey relaxed against her seat and removed the mask from her face when the pilot announced it was safe to do so. Apparently, there had been a mechanical issue that nearly crashed the plane. It barely registered in her mind how close she had come to death until she landed at the airport.
Her phone beeped as she turned off airplane mode and text messages popped up on her screen. Olivia, Rina, and Diana checked in to let her know they arrived safely. Casey ignored the other texts, still not in the right mindset to deal with anyone in that moment. A taxi took her to a hotel for the night, and she contacted Damien Dramen, the CEO of Technocom, Inc.
Damien was an intelligent, if not elusive man. He responded to her email with nothing but support until she mentioned having met Giddeon Black. Casey's phone rang, and she answered her boss's call. "It wasn't anything business-related. We met through personal channels while I was in Alaska."
"I am very familiar with Kismet Dating Agency," Damien replied. "Giddeon Black and I share a long and colorful history. I hope you found his company enjoyable."
"I don't really like discussing personal matters, Damien."
"Of course. I understand."
"But how did you meet Giddeon?" she asked. "He never mentioned you."
"He did so as a favor to me. I asked that he not speak of our friendship to anyone outside of his family."
Something about Damien's tone struck her as odd. "He's a very powerful man. Some might even call him extraordinary." The other end of the line went quiet and Casey took it as a sign that her suspicions were correct. "You're like him, aren't you?"
"Not exactly, no."
"But you're a shifter?"
"Yes. And the Black family is regarded with the utmost respect amongst my people after they aided us in a war that threatened to render us extinct."
"When I told you that I was going to Alaska...were you hoping I would meet Giddeon?" Casey felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach.
"I won't lie and say that the thought hadn't crossed my mind. Giddeon deserves a good mate and I knew he could make you happy again after your divorce."
"He wanted me as his mate."
"And you rejected him?"
"I'm not ready for something like that," she said defensively. "It's too much."
"With all due respect, I don't believe that for a second."
"And why not?"
"Because the day you walked into my office for an interview over seven years ago, I knew you could do anything you set your mind to. I’m not in the habit of hiring inexperienced graduates into my company, Miss Hartley, even ones from Yale,” Damien explained. “It was your drive and the vision you had for the future of this company that swayed me.”
“What does that have to do with Giddeon?”
“You made it to the top of the ranks faster than people with ten years of seniority over you. I knew when I gave you the promotion that you would be able to lead the company into a new era and be the queen that Giddeon and his people needed.”
Casey was stunned. “Queen? You’re joking.”
“Not at all. You have leadership qualities that most lack. You stand by your convictions even if it means angering those around you. When you make mistakes, it doesn’t take long for you to adapt and make the necessary changes.”
“But I don’t know anything about magic and shapeshifters.�
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“Maybe not, but I have no doubt that you’re capable of more than you give yourself credit for. Technically you’re still on vacation, so take some time to think about what we’ve discussed and then let me know what you want to do.”
“Even if it means working out of state?”
“Even so.” Damien ended the call, and Casey dropped her phone on the bed beside her.
“What have I gotten myself into?” she huffed.
Chapter Eleven
Three days later…
Castle Black
Destiny, Alaska
Giddeon stood upon the wall that surrounded his palace. Fighters awaited his order should they be needed. He looked down at the row of armed men. The leader of the Reckoning stepped forward brazenly. "Where is Seth? Where is my brother?"
The leader smiled and gestured to his men. They dragged a bound man to the front with a black burlap sack over his head and shoved him to his knees. The bag was removed and Giddeon bit down on his cheek to keep his anger in check. Seth's battered appearance was like a swift kick to the chest. "Hand him over!" Giddeon shouted.
"I'm here to make a deal," the man replied. "There won't be any handing over until I've had my say." He rested his hand upon Seth's shoulder and Giddeon saw his brother flinch away. "My name is Octavius. Your father knew me well, Giddeon. He used me to do his dirty work for years, forced me to kill shifter families that refused to join his Sleuth. And when the Russians invaded Kodiak Island, he stabbed me in the leg and left me as bait to get away from the enemy."
"My father died years ago. Why make your claims heard now when he is not here to defend himself?"
"Because I made a vow to myself that I would end his bloodline the way he had me slaughter hundreds of shifters!" Octavius unsheathed a golden dagger from his belt, and the men behind him cheered him on as he pressed the blade against Seth's throat.
Giddeon felt his Alpha roar bubble up in his throat. He jumped down from the wall and landed on his feet. Octavius watched him closely as he approached. Giddeon heard the gate open behind him as Balor and Caleb led their fighters into the field. "You've made the mistake of threatening my family one too many times. Surrender now, and I won't kill your men."
Octavius cackled and circled Giddeon without so much as a hint of intimidation in his gaze. "You're only half the bear your father was. I don't fear you, little Alpha."
"You should."
"And why is that?"
"Because I have something my father didn't." Giddeon raised his arms and sent a ripple of magic through his enemies. They grasped their heads and fell to the ground. Octavius alone remained standing. Blood dripped from his nose as he glared at Giddeon with malice.
"The ethereal blood was supposed to have died out with your grandfather."
"Well, it didn't." Giddeon barreled down. He wanted Octavius to bend to his will. The man dove to the side and picked up one of the discarded rifles, pulling the trigger without hesitation. Giddeon stumbled back as he took a slug to the chest. His breath wheezed out of his mouth, and the spell broke. Octavius and his men open fire on the shifters.
A member of the Reckoning dragged Seth out of sight. Giddeon gave chase. He swiped half-shifted claws and cut down the men who stood between him and his brother. Seth fought back, but his movements were slow. Giddeon got closer and realized that he looked ill with fever. Something big hit him like a freight train. Stars danced behind his eyelids as he struggled to his feet.
Octavius had shifted into something that resembled a bear, but there was no fur on his body. Pale, fleshy skin stretched tightly over thick muscle and dense bones. Giddeon stared in horror. "What are you?"
The creature shifted and Octavius stood before him once more. "The Russians took me as your father intended," Octavius said. "A serum was formulated from the glands of natural bears. Its purpose was to give humans the strength and speed of a bear. But their serum didn't work the same way on a shifter like me. I didn't turn into a super-soldier, I became an abomination."
Giddeon tried to imagine the horrors Octavius must have faced, but he failed to conjure an image that did it justice. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, but Seth had nothing to do with it. None of us did."
"All of the blood that has been spilled in the name of your father cannot be washed away with pitiful apologies." Octavius attacked. The man lunged for Giddeon with that golden blade that glittered in the sunlight.
Giddeon shifted completely. He stood on his hind legs and summoned his Alpha will. The effect was immediate in the other shifters that fought at his side transformed into beasts that pummeled the Reckoning. It wasn't long before a spray of bullets mowed down some of Giddeon's warriors. He called for a retreat and Caleb led the others behind the safety of the walls.
Octavius slashed at him with that blade and cut Giddeon across the middle. The Alpha couldn't get to his brother. Giddeon was forced to retreat with the others when the guns reloaded. He shifted before he reached the gates and limped through the opening. Bullets ricocheted off of the iron barricade. Giddeon collapsed against Balor. His brother helped him to the infirmary behind the kitchens of the palace. He was laid out on the bed. Without Seth, there was no healer with enough skill to aid him. Giddeon gripped the covers beneath him and spouted profanities.
Balor tore open his shirt and probed around the wounds. "You're lucky the bullet went straight through. However…it pierced your lung, and I have no idea how to fix you."
Caleb rushed into the room. "What can I do?"
"Nothing unless you know a healer," Giddeon retorted bitterly.
"She's not a healer exactly, but I know someone who might be able to help." Caleb ran from the room once again. It was ten minutes before he returned. Balor had made some sort of makeshift patch that allowed him to breathe somewhat.
Caleb escorted an elderly woman inside of the infirmary. It took a moment before Giddeon realized she was blind. "Hellen, my brother needs your help."
"Of course, dear."
Giddeon's vision faded to black, his body unable to fight against the pain.
~*~
Technocom, Inc.
Washington, Virginia
Casey adjusted her skirt and walked through the mirrored front doors of the company. She swiped her security badge at the checkpoint and stepped into the elevator that led to the executive floor. Her heeled foot tapped to the rhythm of the generic elevator music until the doors slid open. Heads turned as she sauntered confidently towards her new office.
The room was still empty aside from a desk, a chair, a company computer, and a phone. Casey smiled with pride as she took in the view through the large windows. A knock sounded upon the door and Damien entered her office a second later. "You're supposed to be on vacation."
Casey ignored his pointed stare and took a seat behind her desk. "You never told me what kind of shifter you are."
Damien turned around and closed the door. His inky black hair had been slicked back from his perfectly symmetrical face. Large, wide-set green eyes looked back at her. "The Dramen Pack is a long bloodline of wolves. A rare breed."
"A wolf…" Casey gasped. "I've been working for a company ran by a werewolf?"
"You would never have suspected unless you went to Alaska, so what difference does it make?" Damien's tone was defensive.
"I'm sorry. I'm just new to this." Casey rested her elbows on her desk and leaned forward. "I really liked Giddeon, but I felt like being with him would force me to leave a job that I love and give up the modern world."
"They're shifters, Miss Hartley, not barbarians. Castle Black even has Wi-Fi," he chuckled. "And you wouldn't have had to leave the company. Had you chosen to stay, I would have offered for you to head the new research and development facility opening in Alaska."
"But I just got promoted to be your partner."
Damien leaned against the edge of her desk and looked out the window as he spoke. "Being the executive partner of this company is an honor, that I won't deny. Howev
er, the work is mostly done in board meetings, phone conferences, and a few semi-annual trips to visit our foreign investors."
"That sounds…"
"Boring?" he asked with a raised brow and a knowing grin. "I gave you the promotion because you deserved recognition and I truly believe you could excel in this position, but your brilliant mind belongs in a lab."
"So, I'd have to take a demotion?"
"Not necessarily, but your work duties will have to be redefined," he answered. "Success here isn't measured in just promotions and accolades. Sometimes it's about the payoff of taking risks and pushing boundaries."
Casey stood up and stood at the window. She looked down, and her vision shifted. Instead of seeing the city she had grown to love, she saw Seth on his knees with a blade to his throat as an army stood behind his captor. She stumbled back and shook her head. Damien caught her before she fell as a searing pain exploded against her ribs. She touched the spot that hurt the most, expecting to see blood, but her hand was clean. Damien helped her to her feet just as another burst of pain knocked her back down. She gripped the lapels of his coat and held on as her abdomen ached.
"Casey!" Hands shook her out of the strange daze.
She checked her body for wounds. "I...don't know what happened. There was so much pain."
"Is it Giddeon?"
"I-I think so." She crawled over to where her purse sat on the floor beside her chair and dug for her cellphone. Casey dialed Giddeon's number four times and never got an answer. She then called the groundskeeper's son Cole. The young man answered enthusiastically.
"Yo! What's up, Miss H?"
"I need your help, Cole. This is important." Casey heard scrambling around and suspected Cole had actually set his bong down for longer than two seconds. "I need you to look over at the castle and tell me what you see."
"You mean the shootout?"
"Shootout?"
"Yeah, some dude showed up with a buttload of guns and shot the place up," Cole replied.
"Was Giddeon injured?"
"You mean Mr. Black? I don't know. They don't talk about what happens there with regular folks like us, but my buddy Kyle heard that some people got hurt."
