Return to Kadenburg

by T. E. Ridener

  He immediately regretted letting that slip. In fact, he was becoming increasingly annoyed with his lack of restraint as he felt Dimitri’s shoulder tense against his stomach. He sighed, letting his head fall downward.

  “I’m sorry,” he added quickly. “I should not have attempted drugging you. Old habits die hard.”

  He was afraid Dimitri was going to ignore him, or worse; he would dump him in the woods and leave him defenseless against the werewolves. Rutley didn’t have a doubt in his mind that they were lurking about, somewhere, waiting to chomp on the crunchy goodness of a hunter’s bones. He would be their ideal target, too, right? He’d already killed two of them tonight.

  Nearly ten minutes passed by before Dimitri finally broke the silence.

  “You didn’t have to attempt drugging me, you know,” he said quietly. His tone suggested that he was angry, or disappointed. Rutley couldn’t figure out which one it was just yet. “If you wanted to know something, you could’ve just asked. That’s usually how a conversation goes.”

  Oh great. Now Rutley felt like a douchebag. He was only doing what he’d been trained to do. Their acquaintance had happened so quickly, and Dimitri had left even quicker; how the hell was he supposed to know that he would comply? That wasn’t how it worked in the past…..

  “I’m not the best at conversations,” Rutley replied, squeezing his eyes shut again. Damn, he could not handle the motions of traveling right now. The Holter Truth Serum was definitely some grade-A-helter-skelter party magic, and he would have to remember to never drink it again. “I was really only ever good at talking to Liam.”

  Dimitri stopped dead in his tracks then, and Rutley was cursing himself silently for opening his big mouth; again.

  He couldn’t apologize fast enough as he found himself being placed on the ground again, two strong hands resting against his shoulders to keep him upright as Dimitri’s eyes bore into his. He seemed really angry.

  “Are you jerking me around right now?” Dimitri asked between clenched teeth. “Because if you are, I will do us both a solid and snap your neck right now. Is that what you want?”

  Rutley’s eyes felt like they were as big as saucers as he stared up at the wolf. Being jacked up on truth serum was not the best thing in the world right now. Dimitri was probably intimidating enough without the added effect of echoing and jittery edges. In a way, Rutley felt like he was going insane. Maybe Dimitri needed to kill him……

  “Hey! I’m talking to you,” Dimitri growled.

  “No! I mean…..no, I’m not jerking you around. Why would I?” Rutley asked, swallowing hard. “Liam was my best friend growing up, okay? I’m not using him as some ploy to set you off, and for fuck’s sake, can you stop staring at me like that? It’s bad enough that my brain is fried at the moment without you adding in your wolfy scare tactics.”

  It was almost like a battle of wills at the moment, and Rutley didn’t have much on his side as he swayed back and forth. He blinked, keeping his eyes on Dimitri’s as the wolf’s nostrils flared.

  “He never mentioned you,” Dimitri said matter-of-factly. “Don’t you think your so-called best friend would mention you at least once? We were together for a long time, Hunter. I don’t recall ever hearing your name.”

  So it was true then. He was Liam’s boyfriend. Awkward tension hung heavy in the air around them as Rutley squirmed beneath the weight of his palms. “Well, maybe he did but you didn’t realize it,” he shot back with a quirked eyebrow. “Do we really have time to be arguing about this right now? We need to find the others.”

  Dimitri exhaled through his nose as he cocked his head to the side. He studied Rutley closely before he nodded. “You’re right. But this conversation isn’t over, you got me?” He poked his index finger against Rutley’s chest, and damn it, that hurt.

  Rutley rubbed at his chest before frowning. “Yeah, I got you,” he replied quietly.

  Werewolves, he thought with a mental scoff. This is going to be one hell of a night.

  Ten

  Lorcan was silent as he walked alongside of Presley, appreciating the calming effect the sound of the rushing water had on him as they made their way along the riverside. He glanced at her occasionally, watching the way she hugged her arms around herself and kept her gaze on the ground. He desperately wished he could read her mind. He wanted to know what she was thinking; feel what she was feeling, but he couldn’t do that until she gave herself to him completely. Until they completed the coupling that so many generations had before them, they would remain frustratingly distant.

  He was beyond happy about what had happened earlier in the evening of that fateful night. Even though he wasn’t a big fan of what came after, he had faith that they could pick up where they left off when things got back to normal.

  Things will never be back to normal. He reminded himself as he stepped over a large rock and reached his hand out to help her. He was quick to react when she seemingly lost her balance, catching her in his arms as she gasped.

  “I’ve got you,” he whispered, offering a small smile.

  “Thanks,” she replied before straightening up and smoothing a hand through her unruly blond curls. God, he loved her hair. He loved everything about her. He loved her.

  They weren’t far away from his house now. He knew they were a safe distance away from the wolves because their stench was fading. That god awful ammonia smell was finally out of his system, as were the drugs, and Lorcan was hopeful that he would feel much better by the time the sun came up.

  No, he wouldn’t feel much better. Greg was dead, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to explain that to the boy’s family. He’d let them down. He’d failed at keeping the younger ursithrope safe. He felt guilty for it.

  At least Presley is safe, he reminded himself.

  But what about Dimitri? His brother’s mate had been left behind to face his demise, and all Lorcan could think about was Presley’s safety? Had he really become so selfish?

  The muscle in his jaw tensed and relaxed over and over again as his brows drew together on his forehead. He was so disgusted with himself. Everything was a mess…..

  “I’m tired,” Presley said softly.

  “I know. I am, too,” Lorcan admitted as he lifted his eyes to gaze at her. “We’re almost there. I’m pretty sure that after my mom hugs the living daylights out of us, she’ll fix us some food and send us to bed for a week straight.”

  He chuckled, and he was relieved to hear the small laugh escaping her lips. He was glad she could still find humor in something, even after all of this.

  What will we do now? He wondered, reaching his hand out to carefully take Presley’s. He felt as her tiny fingers curled around his and his heart did a backflip. He lifted her hand to brush his lips against her knuckles, giving it a gentle squeeze as he pushed the thoughts away. They could worry about that tomorrow. Right now he needed to focus on getting them back home, where they belonged.

  Taking another step, Lorcan instantly froze. He felt Presley still beside of him as his eyes searched the darkness surrounding them. “Did you hear that?” He asked quietly.

  “Uh huh,” Presley nodded as her fingers tightened around his. “I did.”

  Despite how tired he was, Lorcan became surprisingly alert as the alarms sounded off in his head. Could the wolves have followed them? Natalie promised to keep them distracted long enough for Lorcan to get Presley to safety. Did she go back on her word?

  He inhaled deeply, taking in every scent he could, trying to sift through them as he pulled Presley closer to himself. Deer, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, and skunk were prominent; but he could smell something else, too.

  He felt his skin heating up as the bones in his body hummed in preparation. His head felt like it was going to explode as he turned to gaze at Presley. “You need to hide,” he instructed gently. “Don’t come out until I tell you to, okay?”

  Presley stared back at him with wide eyes, nodding. “Be careful,” she whispered back.
r />   “I will,” he promised, watching as she ran towards the trees and disappeared.

  Turning his attention back to the bank, Lorcan’s eyes darted back and forth, ready and waiting for his enemy to come into view.

  Come on, his inner bear roared eagerly. Come out and fight!

  While Lorcan usually wasn’t one for violence, he’d taken as much as a person could possibly take over the last few days. Being held captive by the werewolves and learning of Breslin Connor’s intentions with Presley had definitely pushed him over the edge. Having his only brother killed by that son of a bitch kick started the hatred in his heart, and knowing that Dimitri and Greg were both dead because of that bastard made the idea of killing something tonight that much more enthralling.

  Bracing himself for whatever was about to happen, Lorcan cast one final glance in the direction Presley had disappeared in. As long as she stayed out of the way, everything would be all right. He couldn’t imagine seeing her get hurt after her aunt’s sacrifice to free her; to free them. He wouldn’t let anyone else get hurt.

  As two figures emerged from the trees, Lorcan released a roar of warning, darting forward with vindication and anger flowing freely through his veins. The claws burst forth from his fingertips as he swiped at the first figure, missing entirely as it darted out of the way. Damn it!

  He turned his attention to the second figure, feeling the fur sprouting up on his arms as his body finally shifted into the massive beast that had been kept at bay by force for days. It felt good to bear out again.

  “Whoa! What the hell?”

  Lorcan snarled, chomping his pointed teeth together as he stalked towards the male. He couldn’t make heads or tails of what was happening. All he could focus on was the need to kill. It was a hunger he wasn’t used to experiencing, but he knew it was best to give such urges an outlet. Who better to release them on than the enemy?

  A loud howl sounded in his head then, and Lorcan turned his attention to the massive wolf jumping towards him. He felt a small nip against his neck and that only infuriated him further.

  Kill the wolf! His bear screamed.

  Gladly, Lorcan replied as he stood on his hind legs, reaching his paws out to shove the wolf away before snapping his teeth again. At least he would get to kill one wolf tonight.

  “Lorcan! Lorcan, stop!”

  Jerking his head in the direction of Presley’s voice, Lorcan stared in horror as she came into view. No! She was supposed to stay hidden!

  “Lorcan!” She called out again.

  He could see the look of fear on her face as she ran towards him. Why was she running out of the woods? Didn’t he tell her to stay put?

  Just then, he was knocked to the ground and the weight of the wolf crushed against his chest. It hardly hurt, but it managed to piss him off as he released a deafening roar.

  “Stop it!’ Presley repeated, and somehow, he managed to listen to her. He wasn’t sure why he was listening, especially when a wolf was pinning him to the ground, but he did as she asked.

  He listened to the sound of harsh air leaving the wolf’s nostrils and he turned his attention back to it, watching as its hazel eyes began to glow.

  Shit…..Dimitri?

  ––––––—

  It all happened so fast. Presley was grateful that her senses were still intact when the two males came into view. It was weird, really. She couldn’t explain it, but as Lorcan lost control over his bear, hers was incredibly calm. She had time to register the scents and faces and was able to prevent Lorcan from killing them.

  It was a good thing, too. She was in a state somewhere between crying and dramatic splendor as she recognized the red wolf currently sitting on top of Lorcan’s chest.

  “Dimitri!” She called out, reaching them within seconds. She rested her hands against her thighs, panting for air as a smile graced her lips. “You’re alive!”

  The wolf turned its head to look at her, cocking its head to the side before yipping in response. She smiled again, shaking her head. “I thought you were dead.”

  “I might be,” the second man replied from his position on the ground. He was sprawled out upon the bank, his hands resting above his head as he stared at the sky. “I think I’ve shit myself.”

  Presley’s smile slowly faded away as she remembered one of the laws Lorcan had told her. It made her feel nauseous as she straightened up and rested a hand over her stomach.

  We never let humans in on our secret.

  It took everything in her to keep herself from going into shambles as she turned her back to them. She knew Lorcan and Dimitri would shift back into their human forms and they would be naked, but that wasn’t necessarily why she couldn’t face them at the moment.

  The tears blurred her vision as she recalled the entire conversation with Lorcan in her mind.

  “What happens if you break the rules?”

  “Most are punishable by death.”

  “Oh god,” she whispered, clutching her stomach as the bile rose in her throat. She didn’t even have anything to throw up, honestly.

  “Presley,” Lorcan, the human Lorcan, was at her side in an instant. He pressed his hand against the small of her back as he pulled her closer. “Are you all right?”

  “No,” she replied, shaking her head. “No, I am not all right.”

  “What’s wrong?” Dimitri asked as he appeared on her other side. “Did I frighten you? I’m sorry, Presley. I really didn’t have any control over it. I thought he was going for Rutley and my wolf freaked out.”

  “No, no,” she sobbed. The hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she glanced up at Dimitri, sniffling. “No, I’m so relieved you’re okay. I just-”

  She was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching-and they were coming fast. She felt two sets of arms wrapping around her, attempting to shield her from whoever was arriving, but she knew it wasn’t necessary once she heard the voice.

  “Lorcan!”

  It was Mr. Bamey. She sighed in relief, though the grief still ate at her soul. Even if they made it back home now, the truth would surface. Lorcan had revealed himself to a human.

  “We’re down here, Dad!” Lorcan called back before he turned his head to gaze at her once more. “We’re going to be all right,” he smiled. He had such a beautiful smile…..

  “Lorcan!” Mr. Bamey exclaimed as he appeared on the other side of the river. He didn’t seem to have any regards for the icy water rushing by as he jumped in and made his way towards them. “Lorcan!”

  She watched in silence as father and son embraced on the riverside, and it made her heart break. If only Mr. Bamey realized how much trouble Lorcan was going to be in. If only anyone could realize the heartache she was experiencing over the fact of knowing what all of it meant.

  Too much was happening all at once. Perhaps it was because of the small being she was carrying, or trauma the last five days had caused her; all Presley knew was that enough was enough, and everything was overwhelming her.

  As her Uncle Arnold’s excited voice pierced the night air, Presley felt the world around her growing rapidly dark. As she fell backwards, two strong arms caught her, and the last thing she saw was Dimitri’s concerned face.

  Eleven

  Tension was growing thicker by the second as Rutley watched different people swarm past him like eager little worker bees. He still wasn’t grasping what happened in the woods, and hell, maybe he never would; but he’d definitely made a promise to himself that he would never let his family’s truth serum into his system again.

  “Move, move,” Mrs. Bamey ushered as she hurried down the hallway. “Somebody get me a wash cloth!”

  The Goult girl fainted by the river, and Dimitri insisted on carrying her all the way back to the house. While Rutley knew he needed to keep a close eye on the wolf, he got the feeling that Dimitri would be far too distracted with her wellbeing than to make a run for it.

  Don’t treat him like a suspect, Rutley, he chided himself as he lifted a han
d to rub the back of his neck. He’s different.

  But just how different was Dimitri? It was obvious that he was a bit more level headed than the werewolves Rutley had met before, but how could he be so sure he could trust him?

  Well, he was dating Liam, he speculated. Liam was always a great judge of character, wasn’t he? Surely the guy can’t be that bad…..

  “Here,” Mr. Bamey grunted as he thrust a cup of coffee into Rutley’s face.

  Rutley’s upper lip curled back as he shook his head. “No…..no, thank you,” he glanced up at the older man. “I’m really trying to cut back on my caffeine intake.”

  “Uh huh,” Mr. Bamey eyed him suspiciously. “Boy, I reckon you’ve been through a hell of a lot tonight. You better drink up; you’re gonna need it.”

  “No, really. I’m fine,” Rutley insisted. “Can I get some water instead?”

  “Water?” Mr. Bamey quirked a brow. “What is wrong with you, boy?”

  “Oh, Richard!” Mrs. Bamey scolded as she returned. “What’s wrong with you? If Rutley wants some water, get him some water!”

  Mr. Bamey muttered under his breath as he turned to move back into the kitchen, leaving Rutley alone with the sparkly eyed female he’d grown to love like a mother over the years.

  “Oh, Rutley,” she said softly, reaching out to touch the side of his face. “Thank you so much for finding my son.”

  Rutley smiled gently, taking comfort in her caress. Mrs. Bamey was the closest thing he’d ever had to a mom since his own died. She was kind, loving, and she always treated him like part of the family. He briefly wondered if she treated Dimitri the same way, but the thought passed quickly.

  “I didn’t really find them, Mrs. B.,” He admitted. “We sort of bumped into them along the way.”

  “Well, it doesn’t matter,” She insisted with a shake of her head. “They’re safe now and I owe a lot of thanks to you. You were going to try to save them, weren’t you? That counts.”