by Dover, L. P.
“No!” I screamed. Grabbing the first thing I could find, I grasped the tree limb and hurled it right at Darius, at the man I thought was my father. It pierced him in his belly and the sound of him choking on his blood made my stomach curl. Falling to his knees, he looked down at the limb and then over to me. The darkness crept in, but I was able to watch as Sebastian came from out of nowhere, baring his fangs. The last thing I saw was him ripping Darius’ head off and watching it roll onto the ground. I went under with a smile on my face.
Sebastian was alive and the enemy was dead.
Ryker (Three Days Later)
I poured myself a cup of coffee, and watched Sebastian gulp his down as if it wasn’t steaming hot.
“When do you think she’ll wake up?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.” Seraphina had said there was only a small amount of wolfsbane in her injection, just enough to keep her capacitated for a few days. We’d just have to wait for her body to flush it out.
“Do you think she’ll be pissed at me?”
“For what, pretending you were about to die?” He nodded. “I don’t know. From one alpha to another, it was brilliant. But she was terrified when she watched you go down. I didn’t realize she liked you that much.”
“Jealous?”
“Hardly,” I answered with a smile.
As much as the guy got on my nerves, his only concern had been for Bailey. I couldn’t fault him for that. After setting his cup in the sink, he walked to the door and took off his shirt. “I’m going for a run.”
Tyla showed up as he was making his way out the door. She was carrying a large paper bag in her hands, and watched him exit.
“Please tell me you’re not interested in that douchebag.”
She snorted. “As if. I totally have better taste than that.” She said it but I didn’t believe it. “I guess she’s still not awake?”
Sighing, I moved over to the couch. “No.” She sat beside me and set the paper bag on the coffee table. “What’s in there?”
Grinning wide, she pulled out the contents. “My mother made you some soup and I brought two loaves of my homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies. Bailey hasn’t eaten in three days. I’m sure she’ll be starving when she wakes up.”
“Thanks. She’ll love it.”
“I guess your plans to mate on the full moon were thwarted. You’ll have to wait three more weeks now.”
“True, but it’s not that big of a deal.” She nodded, but I could tell she was keeping something from me by the smile on her face. “What is it?”
She bit her lip. “Okay, so I don’t know if you’ve talked to Bailey about this, but I wanted to do something special for her. Ever since she’s been here, we’ve become pretty close. Anyway, I know she’s always wanted a wedding, but it’s not something we do. Maybe on the next full moon, we could throw a party?”
“Like what exactly?”
“I don’t know, maybe a reception of sorts, like they do at human weddings. I think Bailey will like it. After everything that’s happened, it’ll be something to get our spirits up. Besides, I think it’s time our pack makes its own traditions.”
I could hear Bailey stirring in the room above. Her mind was in turmoil over the death and betrayal of the only father she’d ever known. His face ran through her mind and I could feel her pain. “I think you might be right.” Her eyes lit up. “But let’s make it a surprise. I’ll leave the details to you.”
She squealed, getting to her feet. “I’m on it. Kami and I have already been talking details.”
“You already planned this before I gave consent?”
She rushed to the front door and winked. “I knew you would say yes. You’d do anything for her.”
“Yes, I would.” She walked out the door and then shortly after, the sound of Bailey’s footsteps thumped on the hardwood floor.
Stopping at the top of the stairs, the sound of her growling stomach could be heard from where I sat, even without my sensitive wolf hearing. “Do I smell cookies?”
I opened the bag and pulled them out; they were still warm. “Freshly baked from Tyla’s kitchen. You better hurry before I eat them all.”
Jumping down the stairs, she rushed over and snatched the one out of my hand and closed her eyes, moaning as she bit into it. “Holy hell in a handbasket. These taste so good.”
“She made you some soup too. I have to say, she’s doing a better job than I am. The last thing I thought about was food. I just wanted you to wake up.” I gave her the bowl of soup and she devoured it.
“Well, I’m back now. Whatever that shit Darius gave me, it’s not something to play around with. My blood still burns, but not as bad as before. If the Yukon pack starts using wolfsbane against their enemies, we might have a problem.”
I nodded. “I know. It just shows us what cowards they really are. They can’t beat us in a normal fight, so they resort to other methods. Nevertheless, I don’t want to imagine what would’ve happened if Darius had thrown one of those vials at me. Thanks to you, I didn’t have to find out.” After examining the vials, there was a lethal dose of wolfsbane in them. I wouldn’t have survived if it had exploded on my body.
“How’s Sebastian? I was so afraid I’d lost him.”
“So you weren’t worried about me?” I teased.
She pursed her lips. “You didn’t get hurt. How is he?”
“He’s still around, succeeding brilliantly at being a pain in my ass.” She jabbed me in the side and I grabbed her hand and held it. “He’s worried about you. He pretended to be fatally injured to psych Darius out. When you freaked out, it helped make him believe Sebastian’s wounds were serious. The only thing he didn’t anticipate was you being caught up in the middle.”
“So he faked it all? That son of a bitch.”
“He did what he had to, Bailey. You believing he was about to die made Darius lower his guard.”
“So, tell me the truth. Are you guys getting along yet?”
I chuckled. “We’re getting there. But if you want him to be a part of our pack, we have to figure out new living arrangements. Having his alpha ass in my house isn’t going to work.”
She snickered. “Don’t want to share me?”
I pulled her into my lap and kissed her. “Fuck no. I want you all to myself. He can still be your protector, but I can’t have him interfering.”
She held me tight, with her arms around my neck, rubbing her body against mine. “It can’t be all that bad,” she moaned.
Then as if on cue, Sebastian opened the front door and I snorted. “Trust me, it can.”
Bailey (One Week Later)
“I know this’ll make lover boy happy,” Sebastian announced.
Laughing, I helped him unload the last of his furniture into his new house. He was only five minutes down the road. “You’re not that far away. Besides, I should’ve let you move your own shit after what you pulled.”
“You’re still sore over that?”
“I thought you were dying, jackass!”
“I did it to save you, but in the end, you saved me. I know it couldn’t have been easy to kill him.” I tried to hide my pain, but failed. “It’s okay to be sad, Bailey. Darius was your father for most of your life. Even I didn’t know all of his plans until much later. I wish I could’ve gotten you out sooner, but I had to wait until you were ready. And even then, I was too late.”
“You were never fast enough to catch me.”
“I’m faster. You were just better at hiding.” We both laughed and it felt good.
Taking his hands, I looked up into his bright blue eyes. “I was serious when I relieved you of your duties. You don’t have to protect me anymore.”
“I know, but old habits die hard. I’ve been responsible for you for years. It’s not easy starting a new life, or finding a new pack.”
“You’ll get used to it. I don’t want you missing out on life because of me. The only thing I need from you is your help in finding our sib
lings.”
Nodding, he sat down on his new leather couch. “It’ll take some time, but I can do it. I know my brothers . . . I just need to look in the right places.”
I sat down with him. “Do you miss them?”
“I miss a lot of things, B. One day, when you get your memories back, you’ll see how amazing pack life can be. Ryker seems to be moving in the right direction. It’s strange how much his ways are just like your father’s.”
The thought made me smile. One day I’d remember my mother and father. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so lost. “Speaking of Ryker, I have to meet him at the ranger station. He’s taking me hiking, so I can see what it is he does for a living.”
He got up and helped me by taking my hand. “What about what you want to do for a living? You’re not going to waste your degree are you?”
“No. I’m going to apply to different schools this summer. At least my fake parents did something right.”
“They had no choice. They knew you’d rebel if you didn’t get your way. You’re an alpha; you could’ve easily fought your way out.”
I nodded. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone, at least, not until Kade. Do you think Rollin will try to retaliate? I killed Kade and now Darius. He isn’t going to like the humiliation if word gets out.”
“He may not be happy, but I don’t think he’s stupid enough to keep trying. He won’t have a pack left.” He pushed me toward the door. “Now go, before Whitemore comes here looking for you. I’d hate to have to kick his ass.”
“I’ll have to tell him you said that,” I replied with a wink. He opened the door and I got in Ryker’s Jeep. I had gotten my license just like a normal person when I turned sixteen, but I was never given a car or allowed to have one. I was enjoying this new freedom immensely.
When I pulled up to the ranger station, Ryker was standing outside with Cedric. “Hey, babe,” he greeted, leaning into the car to give me a kiss.
“Hello yourself.” Then to Cedric, I smiled. “And to you. Busy day?”
He shrugged. “Same as every day, except we did see a few bears today. They tucked tail and ran when they saw these,” he said, flexing his biceps.
Ryker smacked him on the back of the head, laughing. “Keep telling yourself that.” He leaned into my window and whispered low. “They snarled and huffed at him before leisurely walking away. Don’t let him fool you.”
“Thanks for ruining it, Whitemore.” He started for his car and opened the door. “What trail are you taking her on?”
Ryker looked at me and smiled. “I was thinking about the Hidden Falls trail, out past Jenny Lake.”
“Ah, that’s a good one. Probably lots of snow out that way. I don’t think anyone’s been on it yet. Have fun!” He got in his car and took off out of the parking lot.
Ryker opened the car door and held out his hand. “You ready? We’re going to ride in my truck.”
Looking up at the thick, gray clouds, I breathed in the cool, crisp air and could already smell the approaching rain. “More than ready,” I said, taking his hand. We got in his truck and started down the road.
“There aren’t that many tourists out this way. When do they usually come?” At each trailhead we passed, there were only one or two cars in the parking lots. The snow was abundant on the mountains, but that was what I liked. From what I learned, it stayed on the mountains well into the summer.
“The tourists start rolling in by the end of May and on through the summer, when the mountains are green and the flowers are in bloom. Right now, there’s still plenty of snow, and since it’s melting, the falls should be amazing.” He turned into the Jenny Lake trailhead and parked.
I got out of the truck and couldn’t stop from smiling at the way Ryker looked, all professional in his uniform. “I always thought men in uniform were sexy.”
Grinning wide, he glanced down at his clothes. “That’s what all the ladies say.”
“I have no doubt. Do the tourists ever want pictures with you?”
He chuckled. “Sometimes, but it’s mostly kids.”
“And do you get your picture taken with them?”
“Of course. I like seeing families bring their kids out here and experiencing the excitement in their eyes when they see the mountains. It’s hard to find people who appreciate our land as much as we do. That’s why I do what I do, just like you chose to be a teacher.”
We marched across a small bridge where two human men were fishing. They nodded at us when we passed. The further we went along the trail, the deeper we went into the woods. “What happens if you have a lot of bear activity?”
He picked up a fallen branch and moved it out of the way. “We close the trail down.”
“Do people adhere to those warnings?”
“Not all the time. Sometimes the tourists want to have a close encounter so they can get pictures. Then when they do, they panic and end up getting hurt. You can’t fix stupid.”
We hiked along the trail for about an hour and still no waterfalls. “How far do we have to go?” The farther we went, the more snow there was.
Ryker glanced down at the ground. “Nowhere close. The snow is only a foot deep here. When it reaches four feet, we’re almost there.”
“Four feet? Wow,” I gasped in awe.
We continued on our way and there weren’t any trees or limbs blocking the path. The only thing that raised alarm bells was the grizzly feces on various parts of the trail. If I were human, I’d be terrified. We climbed over a bunch of rocks and then found ourselves hidden underneath a blanket of trees. The snow started to get deeper.
“Is that what I think it is?” I pointed to a bridge up ahead that overlooked a small set of waterfalls. However, the water wasn’t what got my attention.
Ryker grinned wide. “Yes it is, baby. I told you it’d get up to four feet.”
The snow on the bridge was partially melted, but on the other side it was almost like a different land. The snow was higher than the bridge and the fences both. You could see the top posts sticking out of the snow. All it would take was one slip and I’d fall into the rushing water below. Ryker climbed up first and held out his hand.
“I won’t let you fall.”
I took his hand. “You better not.”
He pulled me up onto the hard packed snow. “Be careful where you step. I don’t want you getting lost.” There were holes in the snow where you could see all the way down to the bottom. A person could easily break their leg if they fell in. The sound of the waterfalls grew louder as we edged closer. Once we got past the trees, I got the most magnificent view of the cascading water.
“I think I’m jealous,” I grumbled.
Ryker glanced back at me, brows furrowed. “Why?”
I pointed to the falls. “Because you have all this. I’ve never seen such beauty.”
He grasped my face with his strong hands and kissed me. “You have it now too. There are so many places out here I want to show you. If you want, I can take you to Yellowstone for a couple of days. It’s overrun with tourists, but you need to see it at least once.”
“Sounds like a date.”
His gaze caught something over my shoulder. “Hang tight, there’s something in the middle of the trail up ahead. I’ll move it and then we can go.” I watched him start up the path and move a boulder off to the side, along with a few other rocks that had fallen down the mountain.
While he finished up, I strolled along the snow, leaving a set of my footprints. Then, as if everything clicked into place, I recognized my surroundings. The tree I stood by was the one I hid behind in my last vision. I didn’t realize it would happen so soon. Grabbing a handful of snow, I rolled it into a ball and hid.
“Angel, where are you?” Ryker called.
Holding in my snicker, I knew exactly where he’d be. I could see the vision clearly in my mind. Before he could attack, I circled around the tree and hurled the snowball right at his head, hitting him right between the eyes.
He fell to
the ground and laughed. “You’re gonna regret that.”
It was exactly what he’d said in the vision. I stood there, smirking, with my hands on my hips. “Don’t think so. I’m not afraid of the big bad wolf.”
“We’ll see about that.” He jumped to his feet and chased after me. All I could do was laugh as he gained on me. I knew what was about to happen and it made my heart race. It wasn’t long before he lunged and we went tumbling down to the ground.
With his body on top of mine, he peered down at me, his emerald green eyes raw with passion. “I let you catch me,” I told him.
He chuckled. “You would’ve tired out eventually. We both know I’m stronger.”
“Want to put that to the test? I’ll fight you, right here and now.”
Brushing his thumb across my lips, he leaned closer. “So stubborn. You said the same thing to me when we were kids.”
“I know,” I murmured.
“You do?”
I nodded. “You told me. We used to play out by the lake and ice skate. Every time I’d fall, you’d laugh. You said it used to piss me off.”
His gaze narrowed. “I don’t remember telling you that.”
“It’s because you didn’t yet.”
“What do you mean, I didn’t yet?” he asked, searching my face. When I didn’t respond, I let him search my mind. He wasn’t happy with the outcome.
Holding his face in my hands, I pulled him closer. “The vision doesn’t mean anything. Just because it’s happening now doesn’t mean we don’t have a future. Besides, we’re already changing it right now.” Sighing, he lowered his gaze to my lips. “Tell me about our times at the lake. I want to hear you say it. What happened after I laughed at you?”
“I broke the ice one day, hoping you’d fall through. When it went as planned and you didn’t resurface, I got really scared. Screaming your name over and over, I freaked out and jumped in after you. I panicked when I couldn’t find you and ended up needing the help myself. You were playing a joke on me the entire time.” A sad smile splayed across his lips.
“And I felt like shit when I saw you struggling. From that day on, I made a promise to myself to protect you.” I thought about my words. “Do you think that’s what happens when wolves realize who their mates are?”
