“Yeah, but we didn’t,” Dominic grinned.
“You almost did,” Rayna taunted, and his smile vanished.
“Anyway, where’s my brother?” Rayna asked. Quinn and Isaiah were too stunned to speak. “Ah, I think I hear his dulcet tones now,” Rayna drawled, as the sound of Rafe’s yelling increased considerably.
“I think you should leave them be for a while,” Isaiah cautioned, as Rayna stepped toward the sound. “It sounds as though they have a lot to sort out.”
“Sorry, but no. Thank you both so much for everything you’ve done but this is wolf business. We need to pay our respects to the new Alpha.” At her words, more werewolves appeared, all moving toward the stream. “My pig-headed brother is going to have to wait until we’re done,” Rayna finished, and they converged on the arguing couple.
“We can’t watch,” Isaiah drew Quinn gently away. “She’s right, this is a sacred and private ceremony. It’s not for us to witness.” They walked a short distance before Quinn found her voice.
“You said you need to convene the Guardians?”
“Yes. They need to know what happened.”
“Isaiah,” Quinn struggled to formulate the right words to ask, “why weren’t you ever branded a Hunter? The way you fought Caleb…”
“Without being conceited, I am an exceptionally gifted warrior, Quinn,” he replied smoothly. “You have never seen me fight, so I can imagine it would come as quite a shock to you, but yes, I do possess many of the skills required. Fortunately, I do not have to use these very often.” His eyes were hooded and Quinn had the distinct feeling he had closed the subject.
“I’m sorry,” he continued, before she could say any more, “about Caleb. I know you wanted answers.”
“I’ll get them,” Quinn vowed. “With or without Caleb, I’ll get them.”
“I know these past few weeks haven’t been easy for you.”
“I feel guilty,” she admitted, “for keeping the truth from my dad and Tristan. But I know you’re right. We can’t tell them until we have more information. The only thing I couldn’t stand more than keeping it from them is to know that they will carry this burden too, and be powerless to do anything about it.”
They walked the rest of the distance in silence. It was a long walk, but neither had the heart to call on the herd after what had happened last night. The unicorns had been traumatised and they were best left to Kellan in their distraught state. When they reached the cornflower field, Isaiah placed a restraining hand on Quinn’s shoulder.
“The others are not far,” he murmured, “they will be here by nightfall. I’d rather explain things myself.”
“I won’t mention it to anyone,” she promised. She would spend the rest of the day indoors.
“I’ll go in,” Isaiah offered when they reached Kellan’s house. Quinn didn’t argue. Someone had to tell him of the foal’s death so that he could go and check on the herd, but Quinn didn’t trust herself not to let something slip.
Exhausted, she managed to have a tepid shower, washing Caleb’s blood off her hands before crashing on her bed. She was jerked from a dreamless sleep hours later by the sound of rapping on her door. Dressing quickly, she found Piper on her doorstep.
“Oh thank goodness!” Piper breathed. “I thought maybe you weren’t in there.” Her face was in darkness. Night had fallen.
“The meeting?” Quinn asked and Piper nodded.
“Everyone’s there.”
“Then I guess we better hurry,” Quinn smiled reassuringly.
“You what?” Braddon thundered across the council table. True to his word, Isaiah had called everyone back to discuss what had happened in Lunar Grove. They had remained silent as Isaiah recounted everything that had happened. He left nothing out, although Quinn noticed he downplayed his own role, and made it seem as though, without Quinn’s help, he might not be here to tell the tale. Quinn didn’t correct him. She trusted Isaiah’s judgment.
“You killed a ward?” Braddon continued, his eyes boring into hers.
“No,” Tristan shook his head in denial, gazing at Quinn as though he barely recognised her anymore.
“I’m not sorry,” Quinn said defiantly. “Caleb killed Vivienne, he tried his best to kill Rafe and Isaiah, and he preyed on a unicorn foal. I wasn’t about to let anyone else die.”
“How is the herd?” Daniel asked, turning to Isaiah. To Quinn’s relief, he did not appear to be angry with her.
“In a state of distress, as is to be expected. Kellan is with them now. They will mourn, but they will recover.” Monique sniffed loudly at this. When she had learned of the foal’s death she had sobbed her eyes out. Monique’s natural kinship with all Summerfeld’s mystical creatures was both a blessing and a curse. She felt their pain even more deeply than her comrades.
“How is Lucky?” Piper asked kindly, trying to distract her.
“He’s fine,” Monique gulped, giving a small, watery smile. “He’s growing by the day.”
“Isaiah,” Daniel interrupted, having no patience for the young women’s conversation. “If the pack hierarchy is compromised, what will happen to the wolves?”
Quinn watched as Isaiah paused. It was still so hard to believe, let alone put into words. Wordlessly, Isaiah moved to the door of the record room. He opened it, murmuring a few softly spoken words and a moment later Channon followed him out into the open. A murmur of confusion rippled through the Guardian ranks, although Quinn caught a few gasps of relief that Channon was alive and well after all.
“The pack has a new Alpha,” Isaiah announced bluntly. “Channon fought for dominance last night and she won. The pack is hers.”
It was an unprecedented situation. Never in the history of werewolves, even before the City was created, had a female held the role of Alpha. It was unnatural, and yet, as Quinn gazed upon Channon, it seemed right. Quinn suspected that Channon’s reasons for rushing into the woods that night went far deeper than she would ever admit. She had done it all for Rafe – so that he would be safe. Quinn admired her courage, and her strength.
“Congratulations,” Daniel said eventually, his eyes glinting. “It would seem that in one evening you have turned the tables. Yesterday, you and Rafe were walking out of this Cathedral to your imminent death, and today you stand before us a queen.”
“Thank you,” Channon murmured, unused to such praise. She waited patiently while the others congratulated her, everyone expressing their relief that she and Rafe had come to no harm. In contrast, Rafe had hardly showed any gratitude. Channon had never known him to be so angry. He was furious that she had risked her life by fighting the other wolves, which was ironic given that they had been destined to die last night anyway, but more than that, he didn’t seem to know how to act around her. When Rafe had fallen to his knees before her, Channon had pulled him to his feet. He was her husband and the love of her life. She didn’t want his service, she just wanted everything to be as it was before, but she feared that might not be possible.
“He’ll come around,” Rayna had tried to reassure her, but Channon wasn’t so sure. She wondered if she had made a mistake, but there was no going back now. She could not step down, and the only way for her to stop being Alpha was for her to be defeated by a new challenger. This seemed unlikely, given how euphoric the pack was. After the initial shock of her being a woman, they had celebrated, most thrilled to see the back of Caleb.
Piper took her back through the Gateway and Channon stood alone on the cobbled street, seeing Summerfeld through new eyes. This was her land, the land of her people. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would die to protect them. Only a few hours ago she had been trying to save her own skin, but now that mattered little in comparison to the pack as a whole. It pained her that Rafe didn’t support her decision, but deep down she knew she had made the right one. She might have done it to save them, but it was meant to be. She felt it in her heart and soul. She was born to be Alpha and she would not give it up without a fight.
Chapter 26
In an effort to remove Quinn from the prying eyes of the others, Isaiah asked her to accompany Monique into town to visit with Jonas. Grateful as she was for the reprieve and the break from the constant questioning of the others, Quinn felt just as uncomfortable within the gypsy community. Although Rowena went out of her way to be hospitable, Balthazar always seemed to be on his guard when they were around. The more time Quinn spent with Rowena, the more she suspected that, in another life, they might have been friends. The fiery woman was kind and courteous and she obviously adored Jonas, who Quinn had discovered was not her biological son. Her maternal instinct toward him reminded Quinn of her own bond with Jack and Ava. The twins were thriving with Camille, and Quinn did not regret her decision to allow Camille to raise them, but it pained her how quickly she had been replaced. The children no longer clung to her when she left after visiting, and they had completely embraced Camille. For the first time since she had taken them in, over two years ago, Quinn felt like an aunt. Before, she had felt like a mother.
Tristan had declined her offer to come with them. He had been unable to meet her eyes since learning that she had killed Caleb. Quinn could understand why; it was incomprehensible for a Guardian to take the life of a ward, but Tristan hadn’t witnessed the maimed body of the unicorn foal, or Caleb attacking Isaiah with intent to kill. Quinn knew she had done the right thing whether Tristan understood it or not, but their relationship had become so complicated she doubted they would ever be able to put all the events behind them. Added to her confusion was the fact that she had not heard from Drake since their altercation in the diner. She had tried to convince herself it was for the best, but she missed his confidence and his company.
“Would you like something to eat?” Rowena asked, offering Quinn a bowl of what looked like berries.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“I haven’t put any love potion in them,” Rowena teased, poking fun at her gypsy heritage, and Quinn laughed.
“Love potion is definitely not something I need right now.”
“You and Tristan… you’re together, right?” Rowena asked. Quinn frowned, considering the question, and Rowena assumed the worst. “I’m sorry; it’s none of my business.” It wasn’t, but Quinn found that she didn’t mind Rowena’s curiosity.
“It’s not that,” she reassured her. “It’s just that I’m not really sure anymore.”
“He loves you?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“But you’re torn?” Rowena probed. Rowena had witnessed her and Drake together in the woods the night that Drake had saved a gypsy girl from being mauled by one of the men. It would be very bad if news of Drake reached any Guardian ears.
“I’m not torn,” she replied curtly. Rowena didn’t press her. Instead, she picked a berry from the wooden bowl and chewed it thoughtfully.
“Who’s Jasmine?” Quinn couldn’t let the subject drop, and she recalled Drake calling Rowena by that name. She wondered if perhaps Rowena had a sister. Her answer was nothing that Quinn had expected.
“She was my ancestor.” At Quinn’s expression of astonishment, Rowena hastened to add.
“We gypsies believe in myths and legends, Quinn. It is a part of our culture. We believe that some beings are immortal and can live forever.” They were skirting a very fine line, one that Quinn should laugh off, in keeping with her simple human act, but she couldn’t.
“So… you think that Drake knew this ancestor of yours?” she tried to muster as much skepticism as she could.
“I do,” Rowena replied simply.
The sound of Monique’s laughter reached them and both women looked up to see Jonas chasing her around the camp with what looked like a dead snake. Quinn smiled, despite herself. She knew Monique well enough to know that the girl was being flirtatious – Monique would find the snake fascinating, but she obviously enjoyed being chased.
“They make a sweet couple,” Rowena remarked.
“I wouldn’t exactly call them a couple.”
“Do you have something against Jonas?” There was a slight edge to Rowena’s voice.
“Not at all, in fact, I like him very much. But they’re young; it’s not as if this relationship will last.”
“I met Balthazar when I was very young. You would be surprised how long love can last.” She couldn’t hide the note of bitter regret in her voice.
“Can I ask what happened between you two? It’s obvious something went badly wrong.”
“I did something terrible and when he found out it was over.”
“It can’t be that simple.”
“Balthazar sees things in black and white,” Rowena explained. “There is no grey area.”
“You still love him, though?” Quinn didn’t feel guilty asking, given that Rowena had questioned her about her own love life only moments ago, but before the other woman could respond Monique interrupted, taking a seat beside Quinn. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled. Jonas came to sit cross-legged before them, pulling up blades of grass and stripping them deftly between his fingers.
“You ready to get going?” Quinn asked.
“Not yet,” Monique pleaded.
“You’re welcome to stay for supper,” Rowena offered. “It’s nothing fancy, but there’s plenty to go around.”
“No; thank you, but we should really be getting back.” The afternoon sun still hovered innocently in the sky but Quinn preferred to head back sooner rather than later. “Half an hour,” she warned Monique. Jonas helped Monique up, and the two wandered off hand in hand.
“She doesn’t really relax, does she?” Jonas mused, as they passed Rowena’s truck and entered the trees.
“No,” Monique agreed. “She doesn’t. Isaiah says she’s one of the best Guardians he’s ever seen.”
“Isaiah,” Jonas feigned confusion. “He’s the leader, right?”
“Not really. It’s hard to explain. We’re all equal, but Isaiah and Daniel have been around the longest, so they’re kind of informally in charge.”
“How’s Lucky?” Jonas changed the subject abruptly, and Monique grinned.
“He’s fine. He’s growing by the minute. Kellan says we’ll have to move him soon.”
“To Giant’s Castle?”
“Yeah. I’m worried something might happen to him.”
“You do know he’s a dragon, not a kitten or a puppy?” he teased, and she shoved him with her shoulder. Their hands broke apart, and Monique stopped, wanting to take his back, but not sure if she had the nerve. Jonas turned to face her and her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t realised how deep into the woods they had come; the sounds from the campsite had completely disappeared. It was the first time they had been alone since the day he had snuck into Cliffdale.
Jonas seemed to realise the same thing as he turned to look back in the direction of the camp, and Monique felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Jonas must have noticed her blushing because he tensed, as if preparing himself to make the first move. Monique couldn’t know that, having never kissed a girl before, he was just as nervous as she was.
Determined, Jonas placed one foot in front of the other until they were almost touching. Monique stood perfectly still, staring at the ground between them. Summoning his courage, Jonas lifted her chin so that he could see her eyes. Monique’s heart stopped in the instant that their eyes met, and all of her embarrassment faded away. When Jonas’s dark head came towards her, she rose up to meet him without hesitation. Nothing could have prepared her for that first kiss. Back at school many of her friends had boasted about their first kiss, but Monique doubted that theirs had been anything like this. Her head swam and her toes tingled. Instinctively, she curled her arms around Jonas’s neck as his hands settled on her waist. It was gentle and unrushed, and, when it was over, he kissed the tip of her nose. Her answering smile was all the reassurance he needed. Jonas longed to kiss her again but, wary of Quinn’s chaperonage, and the fact that Monique would be mortifie
d if they were caught, he took her small hand in his own and led her slowly back the way they had come.
Back at the camp Quinn checked her watch. She couldn’t see Monique anywhere. Excusing herself, she got to her feet but, before she could begin searching, Balthazar cut across her path.
“Going so soon?” he asked pleasantly.
“I’m afraid we must be getting home.”
“Where exactly is home?” he asked casually. “Do you live near here?”
“Not far,” she replied, non-committally.
“Do you live with your niece and her mother?” Quinn stiffened. He had glanced at her wrist.
“Yes,” she scanned the crowd of people in the clearing, trying to find Monique.
“Maybe I could bring Jonas around one afternoon? I’m sure he would enjoy the change of scenery...” Quinn stopped searching and faced him directly.
“What exactly is it that you want, Balthazar?” His eyes narrowed at the hostility in her voice but Quinn held her ground. She sensed that he knew more than he was letting on, particularly after Rowena’s openly honest comment about Drake. Then Balthazar’s gaze dropped once more to the heavy watch on her left wrist and her suspicions were confirmed.
“Why are you hanging around here, in New Haven?” she demanded. “You’ve been here for weeks. What are you looking for?” Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Rowena shaking her head, warning Balthazar to remain silent, but Balthazar knew the game was up. He had known from the moment he met Quinn that it was only a matter of time.
“You know what I’m looking for.”
A long silence followed these words and Quinn’s blood thundered in her ears as Rowena rushed toward them.
“You need to leave,” Quinn warned in a low voice. “Get your people out of here, today.”
“Or what?” Balthazar challenged. Every thought he may have entertained that the Guardians would hear him out died as he looked into Quinn’s unyielding tanzanite eyes.
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 45
