by Mandi Casey
“Blake, my blood would be spilled. Have you not seen a woman give birth? I mean, there’s plenty of movies out there that show the woman’s blood is spilled while having a baby.” Simple enough, Matt was trying to cause trouble. So far, he had done a fine job since his arrival.
Raking his hands through his hair, Blake snarled. The sound thundered through the store. “I know what happens when women give birth. The prophecy requires the blood of your family member to be spilled during the birth of our child.”
I stood in a huff. “Our child, Blake? There will be no ‘our child’.”
At that moment, I was struck with the truth of the matter. Since moving to Kenosha, finding out that vampires and werewolves existed, meeting my sister’s boyfriend who was a werewolf, I knew the Others kept things from me, but I hadn’t realized every aspect of my life with the wolves had been a set up.
“Sydney, I told you the prophecy doesn’t matter to me. I love you.”
I went up to Blake. Raising my hand in the air, I swung my open palm with all the fury that coiled within my body.
Blake caught my wrist before the intended strike connected with his cheek.
I jerked on my arm, but he held fast. “You said you loved me, that we were life-mates. Blake, you’ve blinded me with my emotions, good job. You won’t be given the opportunity again.”
He tugged my arm, yanking me hard against him while using his other arm like a vise to keep me close.
Blake leaned forward so his breath was hot as it blew against my face. “I said I loved you because I do. I also said the prophecy matters nothing to me.”
He didn’t look away when Matt chimed in, “Oh, Blakey boy, you’re gonna have to do better than that. Your woman doesn’t look too pleased with you right now.”
Matt’s playful laughter triggered a strong urge to go over to where he stood and slap the arrogant grin off his face.
Betrayal by the man I thought loved me, the man I’d begun to fall in love with, stung. Bad. I ground my teeth to keep from crying in front of them. I’d save my tears for later, when I was alone. I’d scream or cry, maybe even kick my feet, but I wouldn’t let them have the pleasure of watching me suffer.
“Blake, it’s true, isn’t it? Just like I thought. Your pack planted Michael down in Chicago. You sent him there to make sure you had the closest blood relative to me, my sister. Admit it, you son of a bitch.” The words spewed from my mouth like lava.
Blake’s hurt expression, the lifting of his upper lip, and the furrow of his brow tugged at my heart. Betrayal from someone I loved wasn’t easy to stomach. It didn’t make me stop loving him, but my self-preservation instincts were on high alert. I didn’t want to let him have the chance to persuade me into believing it was all just coincidence.
I stepped to the side but Blake kept his hand on my arm. “Matt, thanks for making Blake clarify what was really going on with the wolf pack.” Frowning at Blake, I said, “Because I don’t know if Blake would have ever come clean on his own.”
My head began to throb.
Letting go of my arm, Blake went to stand chest-to-chest against Matt. The Mobile wolf stood an inch taller than Blake, but Blake’s shoulders were far wider than Matt’s.
“You have done enough damage for one day. Leave now.”
Matt didn’t puff out his chest, nor did his eyes change color. “I only did what I had to, wolf. The Selected needed to know what will be done to fulfill the prophecy.” Bowing in my direction, Matt said, “Selected, the Moon Goddess is our deity. She has proclaimed you are indeed the one to fulfill the prophecy that will change the future of all wolves. You will ensure the survival of the werewolf species. With the ability to control the change at will, the wolves will be invincible against all enemies, from this world and of the Underworld.”
The intensity of Matt’s words made me step back. He had the eyes of an obsessed lunatic.
Grandma had warned me in her journal that there were both vampires and wolves who felt the Selected should be kept under lock and key until it was time for them to use her for their own twisted purposes.
Worried that Matt would take me as his prisoner, I stepped back, clearing the door for their exit. “Blake, Matt, you’ve both given me quite a bit to consider. Right now I need some alone time. I’ll see you both later.”
Blake gripped my shoulders in his hands. It was painful to look him in the eye because he had hurt me more than I thought possible. He knew the prophecy required bloodshed from my family member. His cousin had conveniently been dating my innocent sister from the day I’d moved to the city and been bitten by the rogue wolf. It was all too much to be just coincidence.
“Blake, one more question for you. How long has Michael been living down in Chicago?”
He knew why I was asking; he’d also know I’d find out if he lied.
“Sydney.” He caressed the sore muscles in my neck. If I weren’t so angry with him, the massage would have been exquisite. “My love, Michael has been down in Chicago for a few years, not months. I know what you’re thinking, but my cousin was not sent down there to ensure Brianna’s cooperation with her part in the prophecy.”
“So why exactly did he go down there?” I needed to hear him tell me the truth, once and for all.
Blake took a deep breath, as if knowing what he was about to say would make me more upset with him. “My father sent Michael down there a few years ago to keep an eye on you. It took a while to track you down. Believe me, we were quite surprised with Michael’s reports that you were not aware of who you really were.”
“So you knew who I was before I moved to Kenosha? You knew I was a target but you didn’t warn me?” I couldn’t believe my entire life had been a lie. It was surreal that people I hadn’t even met knew more about me than I did.
Glaring at Matt, Blake nodded his head toward the door.
Matt held a hand in front of him. “My lady, until next time we meet.”
Waiting for Matt to leave, I ignored him. The temperature of the room went down but remained higher than the seventy-two degrees set on the thermostat.
Blake sat on the couch. I followed, but it wasn’t because I wanted to be near him. I needed to sit down since it felt like all the energy in my body had been drained out of me. I found myself feeling a bit disoriented, once again not sure of anyone or anything in my life.
Blake rested the ankle of one leg on his other knee. “My father is the leader of our wolf pack. He is responsible for taking action to ensure the safety and survival of our pack. Matt was right when he said I have my head up my ass when it comes to you. I don’t know, maybe he has a point.”
I didn’t know what he meant when he said Matt was right. At that moment, I didn’t much care. “Blake, were you down in Chicago, too, with Michael, before I came here?”
A disgusting sensation prickled across the hair on my arms. Had they been watching me since finding where I was?
Blake shook his head. “No, Michael was charged with keeping your family safe until it was time for you to come here. We knew you’d eventually make the move since your aunt kept the previous Selected’s store open. Now here you are.”
The forlorn tone of his words made me almost sad for him. I did care for him and his family, but I wasn’t going to be stupid about it. I wouldn’t let myself fall for his charms so he could use me to achieve the goals of his pack.
“So, what now, Blake? Why did you keep the truth from me?” Anger burned deep within me. I wasn’t going to be anyone’s tool.
He grabbed my hand but wouldn’t let go when I tried to pull away. Anger pulsed through my body. I didn’t want his soothing touch to divert my determination to find out what was going on.
“Now, we move forward with telling your sister the truth as planned. We work together to find the rogues. We will continue working
on us.” He said the last part more as a statement than a question. Must be nice for him to be so sure of where we stood, because I was not sure about anything.
“That doesn’t explain why you lied to me.”
Blake rubbed his thumb along the top of my hand, sending heat up my arm. The anger coursing through me began to wane.
“I didn’t lie to you on purpose, Sydney. The prophecy has many parts to it. Even I don’t know them all. The part about spilling the blood of your family didn’t seem important when we spoke of it. I was wrong. I should have told you.”
“Yeah, you’re not kidding you should have told me. Blake, being the Selected isn’t something I can just decide to walk away from. I can’t go back home expecting to be left alone. The Others will always find me, no matter where I run to. You can’t withhold information like that from me again. It makes me think I can’t trust you. Besides, my ignorance makes me a vulnerable target.” He let my hand go and stood. I watched while he shuffled over the wooden floor while I remained on the couch.
“I know that now. I said I was sorry, why can’t you just accept that?”
“Are you joking? I can’t move on because I just found out the man I thought I was falling in love with has been lying to me the entire time I’ve known him. You have some nerve, Blake.”
Blake’s eyes turned amber-bronze. His movement was only a blur. His lips crashed down against mine while his hands entangled in my long, black hair. The heat of his body melted my resistance. I kissed him back. Warm hands wandered down my back, inching me closer to him.
When he broke the kiss, he said, “Sydney, I knew it.”
I didn’t appreciate the smile plastered across his face.
Blake had hurt me, bad, yet he stood holding me, happy as could be.
“Don’t be so pleased with yourself, wolf. You’re still in a world of trouble as far as we”—I pointed to him and then myself—“are concerned. I don’t know if telling Brianna is the best decision right now. So much is going on. I don’t know how much help I’ll be able to give since I’m having trouble with this curse thing.”
He leaned his forehead against mine, still smiling. “Sydney, my life-mate, you make me the happiest man alive. Hearing you say those words, after all this time, makes me want you. Right now. Right here.”
“No, not right now, not here. Blake, I’m still mad at you. We’ve got serious issues. I’m not the kind of girl that solves her problems with sex.” I chastised him with all the harshness I could muster while being in his arms. I did want him to carry me to the storeroom, to feel those glorious hands all over my body.
He loosened his hold, giving me the opportunity to shimmy out of his grasp.
Changing the subject, Blake said, “Are you planning on rogue hunting with us?”
“I don’t think so. I think I need a break from you right now. Everything is just too much to deal with. I need time to think things over.”
Blake’s face reddened in frustration. He stomped to the door, whipped it open, and left without another word.
A single tear descended down my cheek.
I may have just ruined the one chance at true love I’d ever have.
Chapter 12
The smell of pot roast filled the air of the living room when I got home from work. I smiled in relief. Aunt Judith hadn’t been waiting for me the last few nights with dinner, which was out of her regular routine. I’d been coming home to a dark house, she already having retired for the evening.
I pushed the door to the kitchen open to find Aunt Judith reading from a book I’d seen up in Grandma’s library many times, but had never paged through it myself.
“Aunt Judith, how are you feeling?” Putting my coat and purse onto the empty chair across from her, I positioned myself so I could get a good assessment of her features.
She wore a thick, thermal nightgown with handmade, blown glass beads she’d sown into the neckline. Colorful beads placed in purposeful patterns had adorned her neck as they had for as long as I could remember. Aunt Judith wore them because she believed they provided her protection from various evils. Since moving in with her, I’ve grown to realize her practices against superstition had substance to them.
Closing the book with a loving, gentle grace, she caressed the cover with care. “My dear, I’m doing just fine. Don’t you worry about me.” Her laugh was weak. The lack of energy didn’t go beyond my notice, either. “You’ve got quite the load on your shoulders as the Selected. You shouldn’t be worrying about your old aunt.”
I spied the empty bowl in front of her. My stomach growled, making me realize it had been another long day without eating lunch. Walking over to the counter where the crock-pot was keeping the roast and vegetables warm, I glanced over. “Do you want seconds?”
Aunt Judith patted her tiny waist. The thick bulky material she wore couldn’t conceal the frail structure of her body’s frame. “No, dear Goddess, I couldn’t eat another bite.”
She gave me a happy smile that made me suspicious. Aunt Judith’s eyes tended to bear a sparkle of mischief that no longer glinted back at me.
After dishing up a heaping bowl for myself, I sat back down at the table.
“Aunt Judith, I know you’ve been going to see a doctor. I can’t help but notice you’ve lost a bit of weight. Did you find anything out?” I blew on the hot, steaming carrot as it cooled in the air on my spoon.
She got up to carry her bowl to the sink. “My dearest child, I’ve told you before, there’s nothing to worry about. Yes, I’ve lost some weight, but the doctor I’ve been seeing told me everything’s just fine. They did some sort of scan where they inject a medication into my veins. They put me in a loud tube where they can see if I have cancer or not. They said it turned out negative. The scan was quite amazing.”
Yes, modern medicine was full of amazing advances, but that didn’t mean nothing was wrong with my aunt. I didn’t believe people just lost weight for no reason, not without trying.
I finished chewing the food in my mouth—that was a huge pet peeve of mine, people who spoke with food in their mouths, or even worse, chewed with their mouths open—that was like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
“So, the scan said you don’t have cancer, which I have to say is a huge relief, but why didn’t you tell me you thought that was even a possibility? No one should have to go through that alone, Aunt Judith. We’re here for each other. I love you, and I want to help you and be there at your side, like I know you are there for me.” The muscles in my neck relaxed. I hadn’t realized they were tense until she told me the good news. “But that doesn’t explain why you’ve been losing weight. What’s their diagnosis if it isn’t cancer?”
I had faith in modern medical doctors, but I was well aware no one knew everything, no matter how much they told you otherwise. I wanted to tell her that they should keep doing tests but she seemed satisfied with their efforts so far.
Folding her long, thin fingers together, she placed them in front of her on the table as she sat back down. With a shrug, she said, “They think I’m just not eating enough. I used to smoke cigarettes when I was younger and they say my old habit’s affected my lungs a bit. They think that might have something to do with it. Otherwise, I just have to increase my calorie numbers every day and do breathing exercises to increase the volume of air my lungs can hold. The doctors said they’ll repeat the scan in six months just to make sure nothing comes up but honestly, Sydney, I’ve already gained three pounds in the last four days. The protein shakes they gave me have really given me some pep.” She smiled and my heart swelled when at last, that telltale glint glistened back at me, telling me that all would be well.
Finishing the seasoned vegetables in my bowl, I sat back in my chair. “You just need to eat? That’s all they recommended?”
She nodded as she stood and to
ok my bowl to the sink to rinse it out. “Sydney, I’ll do as they say. We’ll see how it goes. I’ve been sleeping more too, and that seems to already be helping. I feel better than I have in a while, so maybe rest and good food will do the trick.”
I watched in silence as she lifted the ceramic basin from the heater to pour the dinner leftovers into plastic containers. Opening the large white door, she shifted the contents of the fridge to make them fit.
When she was finished, Aunt Judith came over to place a kiss on the top of my head. I grabbed her hand in mine, noticing how the bones didn’t protrude through her thin skin quite as much as the last time I held her hand. “Aunt Judith, if there’s anything more I can do around here to let you get more rest, just let me know. I’ll do anything. You know that. I’ll cook more, clean, do the shopping.”
Even I heard the desperate plea in my voice, wanting her to let me help her recover from whatever it was she was going through. She’d always been there for me. It was my turn to be there for her.
Without warning, the stress of the day hit me hard. My head began to pound as I found myself once again holding back tears. My temples beat in unison until the rhythm became a solid vise of pain.
Aunt Judith placed her other hand on mine. Patting me like a child, she said, “You’re already doing what I need you to do, Sydney. Taking care of the store is a huge weight off my shoulders. Besides, I’m the one who’s supposed to be helping you with your Selected duties.”
I stood so we could hug. Her shoulder blades protruded outward against the nightgown. A sob escaped my lips before I could hold it back. Aunt Judith rubbed my back in a way mothers do, because that’s what she’d always been to me, like a mother.
“Aunt Judith.” Releasing her from our hug, I looked her in the eyes. All I saw was concern for me, not for herself. Typical reaction from my aunt, the most selfless woman I’d ever known.
