Cade’s entire body stiffened. He shoved his chair back with a guttural growl. The wolf flashed in his eyes, gold and silver flecks that swirled around his irises. “Katerina? Olmstead?”
Mara pushed herself to her feet. “Yes, what’s wrong? How did you know?”
Cade raised his hands and backed away, out of the kitchen and into the hall. “Katerina Olmstead is the fire elemental who trapped me as my wolf. She killed my father and his entire pack. She tried to kill mine, and would have killed me if I hadn’t escaped. She’s your fucking sister?”
Mara clenched her fists at her side to stop them from shaking. “Only by blood. I met her once and told her to go to hell. I didn’t like her. She tracked me down so she could tell me that the man who was responsible for our mother’s death was dead. She gloated about it. I thought she might have had something to do with it.” Mara couldn’t breathe. A few drops of water escaped her balled hands and a high pitched hum reverberated in her ears.
“Mara, calm down,” Eleanor said sharply. “I don’t fancy a shower.” The air elemental reached over and grabbed Mara’s arm. A breeze ruffled her hair. It brought the scent of Cade to her nose and soothed her, but it appeared to do nothing for him. He looked wild.
“My father killed your mother.”
A knock at the door made everyone jump. Cade growled and whipped his head around. “Livie.”
“Cade, I had no idea. I haven’t seen her in more than a decade. She told me she lived in Arizona. I had no reason to talk to her. She’s not my family. She’s my blood. That’s it.” Mara took a step towards him. When he didn’t flinch or move back, she took another. Then another until she was in front of him. He refused to meet her gaze. “Look at me.”
The doorbell rang five times in a row and another round of knocking followed. “I need some air,” Cade said roughly. He brushed past Mara. The door opened and shut with a slam.
Mara slumped back against the wall and sank to the floor. She dropped her head into her hands. “He’s never going to forgive me. And I can’t blame him. I’ve lost him.”
Lillian tsk-tsked. “A few minutes ago, that wolf looked at you like you were his reason for living. I don’t think he’s going to walk away from you now. But if he does, he doesn’t deserve you. Now get up and come back to the table. I want to know who this Livie person is and more about what your no-good sister did to that wolf of yours.”
Mara didn’t move, but she did raise her head to look at her aunt and told her about Cade’s seven months of hell trapped as a wolf under Katerina’s cruel hand, and how she’d come to find and care for him, their trip to Bellingham, and Mara’s heated—or rather, watery—encounter with Livie.
Lillian rose and dug around in her purse. She pulled out a small, heavy-looking leather case. “Livie and I are goin’ to have a little talk. No one messes with my niece.”
“No!” Mara got up and took Lillian gently by the shoulders. “She didn’t know who I was. She smelled my . . . whatever the hell it is . . . and she got a little upset. I’m fine. I don’t blame her. Cade made her promise not to touch me again. He’s her alpha. I don’t think she’d dare cross him.”
“If it does, she’s going to meet my .38.” Lillian jerked her head towards the case and shoved it back in her purse.
A rough laugh escaped Mara’s lips until her aunt’s words sunk in. “Wait. You have a gun?”
“I’m from Memphis, hon. They issue you one when they print your birth certificate. Now sit back down and let’s get you some tea.” Lillian patted Mara’s shoulder and headed towards the stove.
“I need something stronger.”
Lillian turned smoothly and headed for a high cabinet. “Whiskey then.” Two fingers of the golden liquid went into a glass and Mara tossed it back. It burned its way down her throat and warmed her from the inside out. Eleanor sat quietly with her eyes closed, a gentle breeze coming from outside—Mara realized she was probably listening to Cade’s conversation with Livie.
Would he ever forgive her? Her stomach twisted into a knot. She didn’t want him to leave, but there was no way he could stay now. She said a silent prayer that he’d at least say goodbye. She needed to touch him, to breathe in his scent one last time and feel his arms around her. Goddess, when had she gotten so needy?
Eleanor patted her hand. “They’re going to be out there for a while. I think this is a good time to teach you how to work with your element.”
Twelve
“One question, boss-man,” Livie said, leaning against Mara’s garage door. The rain had stopped, but the wind whipped around her, ruffling the angled blond bob of hair. Cade paced back and forth in the driveway. “Gut answer. Don’t think about it. Do you believe her?”
“Yes.” Cade stopped. “Mara’s the purest soul I’ve ever met. She saved my life. If she was working with Katerina, if she had any idea what her sister did to me, all she had to do was let my wolf die. I had hours left when she found me in her car. Without food, warmth, her touch, I would have died that night. I remember this friend of hers. A vet. She called him to help me. He wanted to euthanize me and she stopped him.”
Livie growled a quiet oath. “So why are you still out here?”
“I don’t know what to say to her.” He slouched against the car. “She’s my mate, Livie. She doesn’t understand yet, but I’m already falling for her. It’s more than the instinct to claim her, I want to know her. I want her to know me and part of that is knowing everything that happened to me. How’s she going to feel now that she knows it was her blood who did this to me?” He turned his hands palms up to show Livie. His fingers were burned from the first knuckle to his palm. “To you.”
“You won’t know how she feels until you tell her.”
“You’re on her side now?” Cade asked. He walked back to the porch and sat down on Mara’s front steps. Livie waddled over and sank down next to him with one hand on the small of her back and the other cradling her belly.
“No. I’m not.” Livie held up her hand when Cade glared at her. “I’m on your side. But I saw how you looked at her. I know how I feel about Shawn. If you can have what we have, even if it’s with an elemental, that’s what I want for you. You weren’t there after the fire. Liam dragged my wolf out of the flames. Shawn was unconscious. Smoke inhalation. I was in so much pain, I couldn’t even shift.” She shuddered. “It might have been the same charm that kept you a wolf. I don’t know. It took me three days before I could shift back and when I did, the scars were permanent. Shawn stayed by my side every second. He held my wolf in his arms constantly, talking to me, keeping me calm. I don’t know that I would have made it without him.”
For a long while, neither of them spoke or moved. A few cars slunk down the quiet street. It was a cool December day, cloudy but dry. Livie played with the hem of her sweatshirt. “You don’t look good, boss-man,” she murmured. She bit her lower lip. “I’m worried about you.”
“I’m healing. I need the pack. And I need to figure out how to tell Mara that I don’t want to leave her. That she’s mine. I’ll be steady once I do that.” He touched her arm and squeezed. “And shit. I need a whole pan of lasagna. A couple of steaks. Maybe another pie.”
Livie laughed. “Has Mara learned how much weres eat yet?”
“She has some idea. I’ve cleaned her out the past few days. She was so sick, she hardly ate before.” Cade explained what he knew about Mara’s illness to Livie. “I want to cook for her. I used to cook, didn’t I?” Little by little, his memory was returning, but there were still gaping holes he couldn’t fill on his own.
“Yeah. At least once a week. Lasagna was your favorite. Probably why you’re craving it now. You want to try making it?” Livie dug into her pocket for her mobile phone and searched for a grocery store. “There’s a store three blocks away. If you swear to me that you’ll go back inside and stay there until I get back, I’ll go shopping.”
“Oh God yes, please. Get enough for a couple of pans.” Cade couldn’t hel
p his smile. He was practically salivating. He looked back at the door. “Stay out here with me for a bit first? I’m not ready to go back in there yet. I’m still working out what to say.”
“Anything you need. But you’re going to have to go talk to her sooner or later. The mating call is only going to get stronger, you know.”
Cade rested his elbows on his knees. “When you and Shawn mated, was I there? For the ceremony?”
“Everyone was. Well, except Peter, of course. He didn’t join the pack for a year afterward. You stood up for us.”
“I wish I could remember that.”
“What do you remember?” Livie asked.
“Bits and pieces. I remember my father. Leaving for college. His funeral. My mother’s a blank. I can’t picture Mike, but I can hear his voice. Mara found photos of everyone for me. All of you. The newspaper did a few stories after the fire. I don’t remember Ollie at all, but Liam and Christine are pretty solid. Shawn and Peter less so. I remember everyone screaming when the apartment burned. God. The worst memories are the strongest right now. Tell me about Shawn. When you mated. Something good and happy.”
The diminutive wolf leaned against Cade. “Do you remember the mechanics of the ceremony?”
“No.”
“Mike insisted on the formality. I’m younger, but Shawn’s the weaker wolf. Bitten and all. He had to petition Mike for me. Stupid fucking antiquated rules. But whatever. Mike gave his approval and asked you to stand up for me. With my parents being human, they didn’t have any rights in Mike’s pack, so you were sort of a proxy for them. My werewolf big brother.” She jabbed him playfully in the ribs. “You grumbled the whole time.”
“Well, that sounds like me. At least I think it does.”
“Yeah. You hated the rituals he insisted on. Did away with all of them when you took over. Shawn asked the pack for permission. Everyone agreed, of course. I would have left the pack with him if they’d stood against us. And then it was done. We had a big camp-out that night and he and I turned together the next morning. Our wolves . . . well, Mike was about ready to send out a search party by the time we came back.” Livie rubbed her belly. “The pup’s kicking like crazy today. He’s going to be a strong one.”
“Can I?” Cade raised a brow.
Livie laid Cade’s hand over her rounded stomach. He laughed when a tiny limb impacted his palm. “He’s going to be an alpha someday.”
“That’s what Shawn wants. I don’t care as long as he’s healthy. Or she. I feel like it’s a boy, but I haven’t tried to find out. I didn’t want to go to a human doctor in Ireland. Too risky.”
“Mara’s a nurse. Neonatal. She probably knows someone who could be trusted.”
“You think we’ll be here long enough to make that a possibility?” Livie sounded almost hopeful.
Cade looked up and down Mara’s street. The house next to hers was for sale. It was huge. Three stories. The for-sale sign said five bedrooms, three baths, and a daylight basement. Cade squinted to read the informational sheet tacked up on the post. Six hundred thousand. It needed work, but it looked like it had good bones. Liam and Peter could fix it up. For the first time, he allowed himself a glimmer of hope. He couldn’t leave his pack. He wouldn’t leave Mara either. Not if she’d have him. But they needed to make sure that Katerina wasn’t a threat to any of them before they made any decisions.
“Maybe,” he replied. “Do you think . . .?” He couldn’t ask. He might still be the pack’s alpha—if Liam hadn’t petitioned to take over—and if so, he couldn’t ask for permission to take an elemental mate. It wasn’t how things were done. He might have abolished most of the pack’s formal ceremonies, but an alpha did not ask their wolves for approval. For anything. He remembered that much of himself.
“Cade?” Livie laid a hand on his arm. She never called him by name. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. None of us did. Not really. Not after seven months. There isn’t anything I won’t do for you. Even accept that you love an elemental.”
Cade met her eyes. They shimmered in the gray late afternoon light of winter. He wrapped his arms around her slight frame and tried to reign in the emotions that threatened to drown him. The lump in his throat made it too hard to speak.
They sat together in companionable silence until Livie’s phone buzzed. She showed him the text message.
Got a flight out last minute. Cost a fucking fortune, but we’ll be there tomorrow night. Liam hasn’t stopped pacing since you called. Love you.
“Leave it to my mate to be worried about the cost of the tickets,” Livie muttered.
“Well, it’s his job, isn’t it?” Cade asked. Shawn was the pack’s financial planner.
“Yeah, but if there was ever a time to spend money, it’s now. Liam, Ollie, and Peter have been working at one of the local pubs. Christine got a job in a surgery, but the only thing she can do is answer phones. You want to know what name he chose for me when he picked our new identities? Mary. Mary Scott.” Livie snorted. “Mary and Isaac Scott.”
Cade chuckled. “It’s good to meet you, Mary.” He stuck out his hand and Livie shook it formally.
“Thank God you’re okay, boss-man. I want to come home. I don’t think I could stand another potato or stew. We couldn’t even run much. Not as a pack anyway. Shawn and I came back here a few times looking for you and we got to run together—conceived the pup in our woods in Bellingham—but otherwise we’ve had to confine our wolves to Liam’s castle. Three stories isn’t enough to run in. Plus, our nails did a number on his hardwood floors. He was pissed.”
“I imagine so,” Cade said with a genuine smile. It felt good to laugh and grin again, to feel the camaraderie he thought he’d always enjoyed with Livie. They’d worked together for several years before his capture and though much of that time was fuzzy, the flashes of memories were coming faster now.
Livie recounted some of what Shawn had done to establish new identities for the pack, how he’d lucked out with some good investments. Of all of them, Liam’d had the most trouble returning to Ireland. He’d loved an Irish elemental many years ago—long before he’d come to the United States and joined Mike’s pack. But she’d committed suicide while he’d been on a family trip to London. He’d never forgiven himself for leaving her.
Story after story unfolded and Cade’s rough memories sharpened and solidified. During a raucous story about Ollie’s first night working the bar in the local pub, the front door opened and Lillian cleared her throat. “Wolf, I need a minute of your time before I take Eleanor back to my apartment.”
“Is Mara okay?” Guilt tasted bitter in his mouth. He shouldn’t have gotten angry with her. She’d told him from the beginning that she was adopted. She’d saved his life. She’d done nothing but help him since he hid in her car.
“She’s resting and I don’t want you to disturb her. Either of you,” Lillian replied frostily.
Cade stood up and helped Livie to her feet. “Livie, this is Lillian. Mara’s aunt.”
“Livie Grantham, ma’am.” Livie held out her hand.
Lillian huffed. “How many more of you wolves are there?”
“The rest of the pack should be here tomorrow,” Livie replied. “Five more.”
A chill raced down Cade’s spine and his mouth ran dry. He needed his pack more than he needed his next meal, but the idea of facing them again triggered a base need to run to Mara and hold her close. He wanted her with him. For the rest of his life.
“Well, y’all better not give my niece any more stress. She’s had enough to deal with recently. It’s why she’s restin’ now. You both keep it down and let her sleep till she’s good and ready to get up again. Usin’ her element tuckered her out and if she don’t replenish her energy, she’s gonna get sick again.”
Cade puffed out his chest and stood up straighter. “I won’t let that happen, Lillian. I swear to you. I’ll take care of her.”
Livie took a step back. “This isn’t a conversation you need me for. I�
��m going to go to the store. Boss-man, do not leave the house. I’ll only be twenty minutes. If you do anything to put yourself in danger, Liam will have my pelt.”
Cade flinched. No words could have cut him deeper. Liam will have my pelt. She’d only have said that if Liam was in charge. It was natural. Cade was gone. Dead, they’d assumed. He ran a hand through his shaggy locks to give himself a moment. Liam had done the right thing. When the pack got here, he’d pledge his allegiance to his former beta and they’d figure out how to make things work. He hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I won’t leave. I promise.”
The petite wolf dug for her keys and headed for her rental car. She tossed a quick glance over her shoulder. “I shouldn’t even go, but damn. This pup wants lasagna and he wants it now.”
Cade chuckled. Everything he’d missed hit him and he took a step back. How could he have forgotten Livie? How could he have forgotten any of them? For the hundredth time since he’d shifted in Mara’s bed, he cursed his wolf.
“Well, come on,” Lillian said, turning and heading back to the kitchen. Cade slunk after her, stopping only to lock the door. He wasn’t taking any chances.
“Sit down and stop acting like I’m about to hit you with a rolled-up newspaper,” Lillian snapped. Eleanor chuckled from the living room. The air in the house was humid and heavy. It smelled like Mara. Rain, fresh coconut, and almonds. The scent wrapped around him like a warm blanket. He wanted to lose himself in it.
Cade sank into one of the chairs and waited for the elderly woman to sit across from him. “What are your intentions towards my niece?”
Shit, she doesn’t pull any punches. “I care about her. She might be the one for me. If she is . . . if she’ll consent to . . . err . . . date me, I’ll try to prove that I’m the one for her as well.”
“What if she asks you to leave?” Lillian leaned forward. Her bright blue eyes sharpened.
“I’d go. Mara has nothing to fear from me. Ever. I shouldn’t have walked out earlier. I didn’t know what to do. Livie told me I was an idiot. Among other things.”
A Shift in the Water Page 17
