Destiny's Path

by Kimberly Hunter

  “Gotcha.”

  “Good. Now, open your door and just sit there. Remember to breathe steady and don’t try to identify everything at once. Pick one thing and focus on that. It helps.”

  “Here goes,” she said as she opened the door.

  She sucked in a sharp breath, head snapping back as if she had been slapped.

  “Sasha, you all right? Can you hear me?” Flynn asked, seeing her brows scrunched with pain, a small whimper escaping.

  He quickly got out the car and came around to her side. He pushed her hand away from her head and tilted her face up. “Can you understand me?” “Yes. Head hurts a little.” She blinked a few times like she was trying to focus.

  “I know. Find one thing and concentrate on that. If you can’t, we’re leaving. Now. I won’t risk your health for a new wardrobe.” He frowned, taking her pulse, the doctor in him coming to the fore.

  After all she had been through, he was pushing too hard, but the full moon was coming quick and she needed to understand her new senses. Bringing her to a busy shopping mall had seemed like a good way to help. Now he wasn’t so sure. Her pulse was erratic, skin clammy, complexion sheet white. She was breathing hard, chest rising and falling rapidly. Flynn could feel her pain beating at his senses like hummingbirds wings. Then, like a slow tide, it receded and a slow smile curved her luscious lips.

  “I see by that smile that you’ve found something to focus on?”

  “Uh-huh. You.” She smiled, her color finally returning as her pulse and breathing steadied.

  He pulled her up into his arms, lightly kissing her. “I’ll be glad to be your focal point. And after we get home, we can focus on a few more points.” He growled, kissing her deeper, his erection poking her in the stomach.

  She pulled back a little after the kiss, smiling up at him while her hands played in his hair. “Well, you might want to get your point under control, or people will stare.”

  “You make me crazy.” He laughed, laying his forehead on hers. “One kiss and you have me stiff as a poker, ready to have my way with you.”

  She laughed as well. “Don’t worry. We can have our way with each other when we get home.” Her stomach then rumbled.

  “That’s a promise. But food first and then clothes. C’mon.” He grabbed her hand and locked the Jeep.

  Flynn reminded her that as long as she kept her focus, then everything would be fine. Otherwise, she could suffer sensory overload. Flynn let out a deep breath, glad his True Mate was such a quick study. She would need that quick mind.

  After they ate—rather, glutted themselves—they did some shopping. She wanted to pay for everything, but Flynn refused. She wanted to shop for bargains; Flynn wanted her to have the best, damn the cost. She said it was really weird going into a pricey store and buying whatever she wanted. Sasha told him she had been shopping for deals as long as she could count money and pay for things herself. Buying a sixty-five-dollar pair of jeans that fit perfect was really strange in her world. After he recommended the two-hundred-dollar pair of boots that she looked sexy as hell in, well, the expression on her beloved face was more than worth the price. They looked great with the skirt and cashmere sweater Flynn added to the purchase.

  Flynn had never been much of a shopper. He usually found exactly what he needed, paid for it, and left the store. But shopping for Sasha was a new joy. She wasn’t used to having expensive things. But that was going to change. His Mate deserved to have the best, and that was what she was going to get.

  By the time Flynn was satisfied, it was late, and they needed to get back. Plus, she was starting to get pale again, and he could feel her pain. Trying to focus on him and shop at the same time was tough since she’d never done it before. Her first day of practice had gone well, but keeping it up was taxing.

  “Time to go. You’re tired, and it’s getting late.” He took her arm and ushered her out of the mall.

  “And hungry.”

  “And hungry.” He chuckled. “Once you’re in the Jeep, you’ll feel a bit better.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Soundproof. I had it done to make your transition easier.”

  “You did that? For me?” Her surprise was evident, but she was clearly happy that he would go to such trouble. “You’re going to spoil me.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  She got in the passenger side and closed the door to blessed silence. “Ahh, that feels great.” She sighed, closing her eyes and laying her head back against the headrest.

  Flynn put the bags in the back, closed the door, then got in and started the engine. They were out of parking lot area before Sasha knew it.

  “Better?” he asked, touching her cheek.

  She opened her eyes and gave him a weak smile. “Much, thanks.”

  The further away they drove, the less pain Flynn could feel from Sasha. He let out a silent breath, glad of her quick recovery time.

  “Flynn, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” She looked over at him with luminous eyes.

  “What’s that?”

  “You wouldn’t happen to remember some jewelry I might have been wearing, would you? The night I was attacked?”

  “Jewelry?” His brow furrowed in thought. “No, I don’t recall seeing any jewelry on you. Come to think of it, you were barely covered in that dress of yours. It was in bad shape. Torn beyond repair, I’m afraid.”

  She frowned in disappointment. “Oh, well, I was just hoping that maybe one of you guys had found the set. No big deal.” Though Flynn could tell it was. “I figured there was a slim chance the set might have been recovered.”

  “The set?”

  “Yeah. A gold torque with matching bracelet. It was pencil thin and had matching wolf heads with emerald eyes on the ends. The bracelet too.”

  “You’re kidding.” He laughed. “Wolf heads?”

  “I kid you not.” She smiled wanly. “I bought the set at an antiques shop. It was beautiful and bargain priced for the amount of gold, so I couldn’t resist.”

  “Well, I’m sure I would have remembered seeing something like that. We’ll ask Gabe. Maybe he knows something about them. If not, I’ll have another set made for you. No problem.”

  “That’s okay, Flynn; you don’t have to do that. You’ve bought me more than enough already.”

  “I’m not doing this because I have to, sweetheart. I’m doing this because I want to. You deserve to have nice things, to be taken care of.” He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.

  “But when you do all this, it makes me feel like I’m using you. Like I’m taking advantage.” Her eyes lowered, a blush staining her cheeks.

  “Darlin’, you’re not using me.” He smiled as she looked up at that. “You forget the Lupus can smell deceit, and you haven’t a deceitful bone in your body. In fact, you’re the most honest and straightforward person I know outside of the Pack.” He squeezed her hand in reassurance. “You have a home with us, with me now. I want you to feel comfortable, at ease with your new life. I want you to be happy and free of worries.”

  She looked down at their joined hands. “I’m not sure I know how,” she whispered, her demeanor that of a lost child. “I’ve been adrift for so long and put everybody else first that there was usually nothing left for me. Being happy for myself is kind of a foreign concept. It hasn’t happened all that often.”

  “It will now. You can count on it. Your happiness and well-being are my top priorities.”

  She looked over at him, giving him a glimmer of a smile. “Is that the doctor or Flynn speaking?”

  “All and more, baby.” His voice was raspy as they finally turned into the drive. “And tonight I’ll show you just how happy I can make you.”

  “What an accommodating man you are.” She grinned with wicked delight.

  “Only for you, darlin’,” he growled, leaning over to kiss her deeply. He couldn’t help it. It had been hours since last he tasted her.

  Good Lord, but the woman tast
ed like heaven. He couldn’t wait until they were alone in their room. The thoughts and ideas going through his head couldn’t be accomplished in the front seat. A bed would definitely be needed for what he had in mind.

  A discreet knock on the driver’s side window interrupted anything more.

  ***

  Giving her a wicked grin that hinted at more to come, Flynn opened the door to a beautiful woman with flame-colored hair and Charlie’s features. This must be the older sister, Angel, Sasha surmised, not sure if she should be happy to meet Flynn’s sister or ticked that the woman had interrupted them. “Well, when did you blow in?” Flynn asked, picking Angel up in a hug and laughing.

  “Put me down, you mutt!” She squealed in delight.

  “Is that any way to talk in front of my True Mate?” His tone was filled with mock seriousness as he put her on her feet. “And here I thought Mated life had mellowed you.”

  “You must have Angel confused with some other Lupa,” a tall, gorgeous man with jet hair and laughing green eyes said as he came to Angel’s side.

  Both men laughed as they shook hands and embraced good-naturedly.

  “Robert, what brings you both by?” Flynn smiled. “It’s been a few months.”

  “We came to meet your True Mate, of course,” Angel replied.

  “Among other things,” Robert said mysteriously.

  “Later.” Angel gave him Mate a pointed look. “I want to meet Flynn’s True Mate first.”

  Sasha was standing behind Flynn while all this was going on, watching the three exchange greetings with laughter and love. A great difference between her family greetings and this one. Although she didn’t miss the byplay between Angel and her Mate. It gave her a feeling something was up. She really didn’t want to know. Her dance card was full at the moment.

  When Flynn turned to her, she stepped to his side. “Sasha Edwards, this is my sister, Angelique, and her Mate, Robert Douglas.”

  “Angel, please.” She smiled, giving Sasha a warm hug. Sasha could smell apprehension and something else coming from her. She hadn’t gotten the hang of putting smells to all the emotions yet.

  “Nice to meet you.” Sasha returned her hug; then Robert came up, he too embracing her warmly. The Lupus were a touchy people.

  “All right, Angel, what’s up? You’ve got that look, and I smell trouble.” Flynn crossed his arms, trying to look stern. The twinkle of merriment in his light eyes ruined the effect, though.

  “Why Flynn, I do believe I’m hurt. Can’t I come and meet your True Mate without suspicion?” Her green eyes, so much like her mother’s, widened innocently.

  “Cut the crap, Angel. What’s up?” He gave her a gimlet eye.

  “Okay, since you asked so nicely.” She snorted. “Gabe sent me and Robert an e-mail a couple of weeks ago with a rather interesting picture attached.”

  “And?” Flynn prompted.

  She reached into her pocket and pulled out Sasha’s torque set.

  “My jewelry! Where did you find them?” She was glad they weren’t lost.

  Angel gave her a strange look, not attempting to hand over the set. Okay, something was definitely up here.

  “What’s going on, Angel?” Flynn asked a bit more sternly, also seeing the odd look on her face.

  She wasn’t paying any attention to Flynn, though; her eyes were directly on Sasha. “Where did you get these?”

  Her tone was casual but with a slight edge of accusation. Sasha didn’t like it.

  “They’re not stolen, if that’s what you’re implying,” she answered with steel in her voice.

  “Please, just tell me.”

  Sasha wasn’t sure that she liked being interrogated about something she had spent her hard-earned money on.

  “I got them a couple of years ago at an antiques shop. The dealer said they were fifty years old, possibly older. I paid a few hundred dollars for them. That satisfy you?”

  Angel blinked with surprise, then started laughing outright. “Thank God the man never knew what he had.”

  Sasha stared in confusion at her change in behavior.

  “Angel, I swear…” Flynn growled.

  He was ignored. “Sasha, I’m so sorry. It’s just, well, the dealer was way off base about the age of these pieces.”

  Now Sasha was confused. “They’re not fifty years old?”

  “More like a few thousand.” She snorted.

  “Pardon me?” It was Sasha’s turn to blink in surprise.

  “What’s going on?” Flynn continued to ask that question, but it looked like Angel wasn’t ready to answer him yet.

  Sasha looked at the set in Angel’s hand; she had a dreamy expression on her face and not a little awe.

  “I never thought to see these in my lifetime, let alone hold them.” Angel looked at the three of them. “These are a piece of our history. A small but solid link to our past and proof positive that humans weren’t the only thriving species on the planet thousands of years ago.”

  “Wait,” Sasha said, holding up her hand. She really hated to be confused. “If these pieces are so valuable as far as history is concerned, and I’m assuming monetary as well, then how in the world did I end up with them? Shouldn’t they be in some museum or collection somewhere?”

  “There isn’t much of our history that is available to the outside world, so the dealer had no basis for comparison, thank God. He just knew they were old and solid gold,” Robert explained. “And as for being in a museum or private collection, yes, they should be. Or more accurately, they would have been if not for a small detail surrounding them.”

  “What detail?” Flynn asked, now as curious as Sasha despite being ignored.

  “A very old prophecy,” Angel replied with glee.

  “A prophecy?” Now she knew she didn’t want the answer.

  “That’s right.” Angel grinned widely, then went into further detail. “A few thousand years ago, a great Alpha reigned but was alone. Then one day, he found his Mate, his True Mate. She too was an Alpha, almost as strong as he. As a First Mating gift and a sign of great respect, he had a torque set fashioned for her that was identical to his own. Together they ruled for many centuries and had many children. But the Pack seer had grave news about the future of the Lupus. That one day, our numbers would dwindle, and fewer and fewer babes would be borne until none would be borne at all. Mated couples would try to conceive, but to no avail. The Lupus would die without children to carry on the line. But the seer also had a prophecy, a ray of hope for our future. That one day she would come, our Alpha of old restored, to breathe new life into our fallow fields, to give strength where once was weakness and hope where once was despair. She who wears the Alpha’s twin torque will be our salvation.”

  “Or she would have been if a jealous lover hadn’t murdered the Alpha and his True Mate. She got rid of both torques, ensuring that the prophecy wouldn’t happen, no matter the consequences,” Robert added.

  “Well, that’s a very interesting history lesson, but it still doesn’t explain how I got the set and nobody could see how old and valuable they are.” She wasn’t sure where these two were going with this and definitely did not wanting to know. She had the distinct feeling she wouldn’t like it.

  “Of course it does. It’s what most call fate or kismet.” Angel seemed to enjoy sharing that supposition.

  “Fate?” Sasha snorted in disbelief. “Sorry, but I’m not a believer in fate, kismet, or any of the above. Real life and hard work won’t allow it.”

  “Well, I think your belief system is about to change.” Angel chuckled.

  “Oh, how’s that?”

  “Because the prophecy just came true.” She paused, then added, “Through you.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Whoa! I think you need to reevaluate here, okay?” Sasha held up a hand. “I’ve been a part of this Pack two days. Well, two conscious days. And I’ve had a lot of things thrown at me.” Literally. “But this is just too much.”

  “Are
you sure, Angel? This isn’t one of your stories, is it? Some obscure piece of lore with no basis in fact?” Flynn seemed as shocked and distressed as Sasha.

  Sasha gave Angel a puzzled look at Flynn’s question.

  “I’m an anthropologist specializing in ancient cultures. I’m also the Pack historian,” Angel told her, then directed her attention to Flynn. “And no, it’s not some story, and yes it’s true. The torque set alone proves that.”

  “But how do you know, Angel? And why haven’t any of us ever heard about this legend?” Flynn asked, his expression saying he was taken aback by all this.

  “Because it was hidden,” Robert replied.

  “Let me guess, history buff too?” Sasha raised a brow.

  “Sort of. I specialize in the restoration and repair of ancient artifacts. Documents, paintings, jewelry.”

  “Which is how we just stumbled onto the legend,” Angel said.

  “Quite literally, in fact.” Robert laughed.

  “Wait.” Flynn held up his hand to stop any further tales. “Before another lengthy discussion ensues, let’s go inside. Sasha and I haven’t eaten yet, and I think it best to hear the rest of this on a full stomach.”

  Sasha wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the rest.

  “Good idea. Dinner should be ready by now anyway.” Angel nodded as she finally handed over Sasha’s torque set.

  “Thank you. I never thought I’d see these again.” She eyed the set with trepidation.

  “And now you’re not sure about having them at all,” Angel surmised.

  They walked up the porch steps and into the foyer.

  “Well, age alone makes them extremely valuable. But ancient prophesies are not exactly a part of my belief system, no matter the supposed proof of this set,” Sasha replied, still clinging to her doubt. Though she did get the sinking feeling another bomb was about to be dropped. On her head.

  “There you are.” Charlie entered the dining room. “I’m sure Angel has imparted her news?”