by A. C. Mason
“I’m sorry, Gabby, I didn’t mean to upset you.” From Gabby’s reaction, she could imagine Cathen suffered the same sting of rejection. It wasn’t as if she’d meant for this to happen.
“What would I do without you, or any of us, for that matter? You saved the lives of nearly every member of the pack in some way or another.” Her friend’s words reminded her that leaving meant losing the pack for good too.
“Of course you are right, Gabby.” Alexia wasn’t strong enough for this.
Gabby hugged her. “It’s okay. I’m sure you’ve been through so much these last few days. You must remember that VanWolf picked Cathen as his Epsilon-Beta. If he didn’t feel he would care for you as he should, he would have picked another beta. In your heart you know that.”
Did she? All she knew right now was VanWolf had lied to her and so had Cathen.
“The others should be ready to receive you shortly to prepare for the ceremony. That way you will be ready for when Cathen returns.”
“Did he ask them to do this?” The question remained, which was the lie? Did he intend to set her free, or would he force her into their pairing?
“No, but now that you’re both back there is no reason to delay your union.” Gabby smiled.
“That’s a wonderful idea.” She needed to get Gabby out of the room so she could leave. “I’d like to rest before they bathe me. I think this will be a wondrously long night.”
“How thoughtless of me.” With a hand to her chest, she exhaled. “Given your journey you must be exhausted, you poor thing,” Gabby said.
She hated lying to Gabby, but if they suspected what she was up to they would stop her. “It’s okay. I’ve missed you so much.” She walked her to the door, hugged her, and when Gabby had gone, closed it.
Alone in the room, she withdrew the leather carrying bag from the trunk. As fast as she was able, she stuffed in money and a few things from her nightstand. She stood at the bedroom window and opened it.
The sun was setting in the distance, the perfect veil under which to escape. A metal staircase led down below. She grabbed a jacket and refused to look down, then climbed on the ledge.
She could so do this. The sooner she got out of there the better. No way could she be responsible for Cathen’s death. That wasn’t how she wanted to gain her freedom. She would leave and eventually he’d find another mate. She descended the shaking stairwell. Her life wasn’t the only one she needed to think about.
Chapter 16
Cathen stuffed his hands in the pockets of his wool coat and exhaled the sweet tobacco. Smoke rose in the night. His long bangs tossed in the breeze. The plan was moving forward. Later tonight he could move the pack, then set his mate free. The moon grew larger every night. Until the peak would come tomorrow evening, and he felt his control slipping. Life wasn’t fair. But he would make it that way for Alexia. She’d been through enough, he knew that, and had suffered more than most.
“Cathen, Alexia is gone.” Gabby said, intruding into his thoughts.
He must have misheard. “What do you mean, gone? There were two guards outside our bedroom door.”
“And how many did you place outside the bedroom window?” Gabby questioned.
Damn it. “What happened?” What would have driven her to flee?
“She said she wanted a short nap to be ready for your passionate night. The mated pack females prepared for the ceremony of grief to cleanse her. But she’d been so upset while we were talking that I came to look in on her, you know, to make sure she was all right, and she was gone.” Gabby sniffled. “The betas just left to try and pick up her scent.”
Alexia must believe he’d put the mated females up to this. How would he convince her he hadn’t? Cathen slid into a dark alleyway, closed his eyes and reached out to her mind. Since she hadn’t agreed to be his mate, he did not feel he could intrude in her thoughts when there was no reason for it. When they’d rejoined the pack he’d withdrawn from her mind.
“Alexia,” he called, using their souls’ link. If he lost her, he didn’t know what he would do. “Alexia, please.”
“No, I’m not talking to you.” Her voice sounded shaky, as though she were crying, and his insides felt hollow.
That was a start. “I didn’t ask the mated females to prepare you.”
“You think that’s why I left? No, Cathen, that isn’t why I’m leaving. Men can be so thick.” Her sassier side came across loud and clear with that comment.
At least she was responding to him. “Then what are you angry about?” He began to sense from which direction her essence came. South. Shit. That area was heavily patrolled by the Italian military aided by the Nazis.
“Gabby told me the only way for you to free me is through your death. You lied to me and claimed Varor had made things up. I can’t trust you.” Though her words were angry, he heard the pain she felt. “So did you intend to die, or to force me as your mate?”
Up ahead a water taxi was unattended. “Please come back to the pack and we will talk about this together.” He climbed into the boat and paddled southwest, the direction in which he’d sensed her. She was on the move.
“So it’s true, you did lie to me? There is no way I’m coming back, as you’ll never let me out of sight. I’ll be responsible for another death. I won’t have your blood on my hands. Nor will I be your mate. I can’t deal with this, not in my condition.” She huffed.
Something was wrong with her and she hadn’t told him. “What condition? Are you injured or sick?”
“No. I’m fine. I didn’t mean to say that.”
Maybe she’d end his life for him by giving him a heart attack. “You might not have meant to say that. However, you did, so what condition are you in? Are you incapacitated?”
“I’m not having this discussion. You don’t need to worry about me anymore. I’m relieving you of your duty.”
Cathen laughed. He couldn’t help himself. After everything they had been through, she thought she could just say a few magic words, and bang, it was over. “You don’t think I would do that for you if that were an option? It doesn’t work like that, Alexia. Whether we like it or not, your bond with VanWolf linked you to me.” As long as he kept her talking, she was giving away her location.
“What do you mean by ‘whether we like it or not my bond with VanWolf linked us’?”
“You are trying to change the subject. What condition are you in? I cannot help you if I don’t know what is wrong with you.” He needed to get to the bottom of her comment.
“Nothing is wrong with me. Actually, for all I know it would just further the resentment you feel toward VanWolf.”
“I don’t resent him. He had every right to you. What I don’t understand was why he told me you were to be my mate and then took you for himself.”
“What? You are lying. Stop.” She raised her voice.
Was it his fault if the truth hurt? “Right, because everything I say is a lie. If you don’t believe me I would be more than happy to share the memory of it with you.”
Silence. He closed his eyes. Had he pushed her too hard and now she was shutting down on him?
“Alexia?”
Nothing.
“Alexia…”
“I think I’m being followed,” she whispered in his mind.
This was that moment when he wanted to say I told you so. However, he bit his tongue as he was more afraid for her life than he cared about being right. He sensed she wasn’t very far away. Perhaps around another turn.
“Stay out of areas with people. Werewolves might be scanning human minds to see if they have had a glimpse of you.” How had his betas ended up behind them? “Put a scarf or hood over your face.”
“Please don’t let them take us… I don’t want them to hurt my baby.” Fear trembled in her pitch.
He clenched his fists closed. There were too many things floating around in his mind for him to rationally address what he’d just learned. “I would never let them hurt either of you. I p
romise you that.”
From the strength at which he felt her fear, he knew she wasn’t far. He leapt in the water. Limbs became paws and man morphed to beast. In Shunu form he could cover twice the distance. Cathen submerged all of himself and moved as fast as he could.
“Cathen,” she screamed in his mind.
He thrust his entire body out of the water and onto the walkway. Water dripped from his fur onto the stone beneath him. Men had their hands on his mate and were rushing her down the street. Fear widened her eyes. How dare they? At full gallop, he charged toward them. One turned back just as he lunged at him and bit into his leg. The man screeched. Cathen tossed him to the stone side of the bridge, knocking him unconscious. Blood gushed from the man’s head. Cathen growled low and menacingly at the man dragging his mate. Lifting onto his hind legs, he launched onto him, wrestling the man to the ground. He dove into the man’s neck and tore open his throat. Blood coated his mouth. He hated for her to see him this way, more beast than man. There were more on the way, though. Of that he could be sure.
“Come.” Cathen gestured to the alley with his snout. The small boat wasn’t too far away. He could place her inside and pull her to safety.
“Should I ride?” She hustled alongside him.
That was a question better answered by her. He didn’t want to do anything further that could possibly hurt her or the life growing inside her. “Is it safe in your condition?”
“Probably safer than getting caught again.” Her eyes pleaded with him not to push her on the matter.
He lowered next to her. She climbed onto his back, one leg on each side of him. One paw in front of the other, he took cautious steps forward, not wanting toss her about up top.
“I’m not made of glass,” she scolded him. “I’m pregnant.”
Why was he the one in trouble? She was the one hiding important facts from him. For all he knew, he’d already pushed her too hard while they were escaping. Now it made sense, though, that she’d wanted to rest and was so tired. It wasn’t like her to complain. And the fact that she’d said she couldn’t jump from the train. She was solid, always keeping others’ spirits up when they had to vanish. Then there was her getting sick after she’d eaten when they’d stopped and she’d made the shelter.
Chapter 17
Alexia could tell Cathen was thinking about the fact that she was pregnant, but rather than talk to her about it, he was formulating how to deal with this complication.
“Our child isn’t a complication.” He responded to her thoughts. “Love and children are the two things all Shunus value over all others.”
“The child is mine and VanWolf’s.” The baby was all that was left of the love she’d shared with VanWolf.
“Do you think because I did not create the child that I would love him or her any less? It is an honor for a male to be a guardian and teacher to a child. You lack understanding of our ways and of me.” He turned the corner into an alley.
“But you hate VanWolf. How could you raise his child?” she questioned.
“I do not hate him.” He slowed his steps. “I do not know any other way I can explain to you the relationship he and I shared. The bond.”
In front of them red eyes appeared, glowing in the dark, then another set. Behind them she sensed two more werewolves. They were trapped.
“The pack betas aren’t far behind. I won’t allow anything to happen to you or the baby. I guarantee you that.” The resolve in his tone was clear.
Alexia feared to the depths of her soul that he would die there to free her and she’d be carried off to safety by the pack. She couldn’t lose him. The moon vanished behind clouds, plunging them further into darkness. She dismounted and he blanketed her with his body. If they wanted her, they would have to go through him, and he wasn’t moving. Static tension lowered over them. The weres snarled as they moved forward.
“VanWolf begged for his death in the end,” the largest said. “The last name he spoke was Emmiline.”
They snickered.
That wasn’t true. VanWolf had used the last of his strength to speak to her and Cathen. These weres knew too much of the pack’s past. How had they learned such an intimate fact, including the name of VanWolf’s first mate?
“Are we going to exchange sad stories all day, or are we going to get on with this?” Cathen taunted them.
“I want to get this over with. I cannot wait to mount your bitch,” the fat one said.
With his claws, Cathen wiped the grin from the were’s face. “Say that about my mate again.” Another one came at him. She tried to intercept, but he angled her away with this body and deflected the attack.
“You aren’t to engage,” he snapped at her.
“But…” She couldn’t just stand by while they tore him to pieces. There were four of them and one of him.
“I know I’m not the mate you wanted, but can you please do as I’ve asked for once?” Cathen fixed his gaze on the weres.
His words were unfair. She’d listened to him right up until she’d uncovered he’d lied to her.
The one he’d clawed across the face whimpered, licking his wounds. The other three moved in again. Something was holding up the pack betas, as they should have been there by now.
“Yes, they are being blocked by werewolves,” Cathen informed her.
One leapt for her and she ducked down, and Cathen shielded her, bucking the were off. Another came at her from the side. Cathen met the attacker and nipped his snout. The beast retreated, but from the weres’ moves and counter maneuvers, they were working to wear down Cathen. He saw this and only needed to last long enough for the pack to reach them. She was sure they were being worn down in much the same way.
“We need to get out of here.” So she stated the obvious, but she wanted them both to make it out of there.
He huffed. “I hadn’t clued into that.”
At least he was good humored about it. “You grab two and I’ll handle the other.”
“You are so stubborn. That is out of the question.” Cathen was swarmed by two and was brought down. They bit and clawed him.
The third came toward her. She backed away.
Cathen snapped the neck of one and slit open the other’s chest with his claws.
Up until she’d verbalized to Cathen about the life growing inside her she hadn’t thought much about her baby. These things would likely experiment on her child. Dark red eyes inched closer. Cathen propelled himself into the creature’s body, knocking it down, and tore into its neck with his teeth. The beast’s high pitched yap faded in the wind.
Blood dripping from his snout, Cathen moved toward her. His gold eyes glowed.
“Cathen, it’s me, Alexia. Your mate.” She held out her hand for him to smell her.
His movements were steady, yet tempered. He growled deeper.
Alexia stepped away from him.
Cathen leapt into the air toward her. A shot rang out. The bullet entered his frame and he dropped to the ground. Not a sound came from him. She ran toward him. This couldn’t be happening to her.
“No, not like this. Not after everything we’ve been through.” She wouldn’t lose him. “I need you, Cathen please...”
“Get her,” a man shouted behind her in a thick German accent. “Quickly, before she can heal him.”
Two men grabbed her arms and lifted her. She pushed and thrashed against them.
“The betas are around the corner. This is for the best, coquette. You shall be free. I love you.” He grew still.
“Cathen.” She reached for him, she couldn’t lose him. He’d been there with her every step of the way. Images of a life without him at her side protecting her felt empty. “Please don’t do this.”
If she could get to him, she could heal him as the man had said. What if she used her abilities on them? She’d never directed her healing power on someone healthy. Everything had a negative and positive. If her ability could heal, it could also harm.
She pressed her ha
nds to the arms of the two Gestapo dragging her, took a cleansing breath and forced the healing energy into them. They convulsed as though they were being jolted by electrical shock. Jerking back and forth, they dropped to their knees. So she thrust even more of the energy out of her to pass through their bodies. Red oozed from their eyes as they collapsed.
The man with the pistol pointed the firearm at her. “I don’t mind shooting you in the leg. You cost the life of my brother.”
She had? “Who are you?”
“Your worst nightmare.” He chuckled. “Wilhelm Deifies, head of the bio warfare division of the Gestapo. You’ve proven hard to track, Miss Pane.”
No. She was Mrs. VanLoup.
Varor, in wolf-spirit form, charged from the side and bit into the man’s arm. The Gestapo cried out and dropped the weapon. The betas swarmed the officers. Once the men were on the ground, the Shunus ended their lives swiftly. The betas turned toward her and stopped at the sight of Cathen’s motionless body.
She ran toward Cathen, but Franko intercepted her. “We must go now. More will come.”
“No, you have to let me try to save him.” She knelt beside Cathen’s naked human form. A hole pierced his heart where the bullet had entered.
“We haven’t the time, and most of us are too weak to fight them again,” Franko said.
Varor pulled up next her. “If she wants to try, we must support her.”
She placed her hands on Cathen’s chest. His skin grew cold. He didn’t stir at her touch. Already her own energy felt weak. She wasn’t even sure she could save him. Had he been gone too long? She laid her hands on the bullet wound.
“I won’t lose you.” She hoped he heard her through their link. “Cathen, come back to me.” She closed her eyes and took in the energy around her. Her mate wasn’t dead. She refused to accept it. Warmth radiated from beneath her fingers. “Restore what another has destroyed. Guide my hands to heal him,” she prayed.
She moved within herself to draw on more of her inner wolf-spirit. Everything around her vanished.
“Alexia,” VanWolf called to her.
