by D. M. Shane
The inference pissed off my brother, and my mate sobered at Gideon’s rebuke. Very few things pissed my brother off, but comparing him to a werewolf? That put you on a fast track to his shit list. Gideon didn’t take kindly to being compared to storybook frauds.
“Gideon, stop,” I chided, shooting him a look. “No, we’re not werewolves. The werewolf, as you know it, is a violent beast controlled by the cycles of the moon. It attacks people, turning them into werewolves with either a bite or a scratch. They are naught but a storybook legend created centuries ago by humans as a scare tactic.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“Lycans are shapeshifters. We don’t howl at the moon, we don’t attack people, and we can’t turn anyone. We’re born this way and we’re all male. Most of the Glacier Mountain Pack are dire wolves, but there are other shifters here. We live in a peaceful society away from humans and we have rules that keep our community running smoothly and safely.” I gave her a knowing look. Her cheeks flushed at the reminder and a frown formed on her lips before I continued.
“We do nothing that draws attention to our existence, and we don’t harm others as a general rule, except in self-defense. We will, however, defend ourselves to the death.”
She rubbed her temples as she struggled to make sense of the information given. It was a lot to process. “Back up a minute. You said all Lycan are male, but you said ‘we’ aren’t human. What did you call me again?”
Her breathing quickened, and I could sense the anxiety building up as she clenched and unclenched her fists, fidgeting in her seat.
“Let’s take a break,” I offered. “I can tell you’re stressed.”
“No, I don’t want to stop. Just get it over with.”
“Your breathing is erratic. I don’t want you to have another panic attack,” I said, reaching for her hand. She didn’t pull away when I touched her and rubbed her palm with my thumb. “Here. Will you let me try something?”
She hesitated, closing her eyes for a moment, and nodded. I let go of her hand and carefully pulled the blanket off her. In an instant, her anxiety spiked, rolling off her like violent waves crashing upon the shoreline in the middle of a thunderstorm. I didn’t let it deter me from what I was about to do.
“Sit up straight, knees together.”
She did as I bid her, despite the instinct I felt through the bond telling her to flee. She flinched when I placed my hands on her knees. “Relax. You’re safe.”
She clenched and unclenched her jaw several times before answering with an okay. It tore me and my wolf up that Aislin was so easily upset and untrusting. I vowed from this moment to do everything in my power to remedy that.
“I tried this the other night at the bar, and I’ve done it a few times since. I know you’ve felt it, but you probably didn’t recognize it for what it was. Do you remember?” I asked.
She nodded. “I felt warm and calm. Like a tranquil ripple of energy flowing through me.” Her eyes grew big. “That was you?”
“Yes, it’s an ability I have. I’d like to try it again.”
“Okay.” Nodding, she reached for Sara’s hand and gripped it tightly.
“Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. I can feel what you’re feeling so try to relax. Picture your feet. Imagine all those tiny little muscles going lax. When you feel the tension leave, work your way upward until you feel every muscle, every nerve, every joint releasing all tension they’re holding.”
With my hands resting on her knees, I pushed heat out of my body and into hers. I followed its path with my mind as it worked its way from her knees and up to her center and then outward into her limbs. Next, I pushed a quiet stillness into her, and followed it along the same path, directing it toward her center as well. I felt her racing heartbeat slow and her anxiety beginning to subside. Her breathing soon followed and the tension in her body disappeared as she visibly relaxed.
“Whoa.” Aislin’s eyes snapped open with a gasp, and she looked directly into mine. “I feel woozy.”
I thought it strange how the colored parts of her eyes swirled like ominous thunderclouds. Something tickled the back of my mind, like I should know why. Like I should remember something, but it was all forgotten when she swayed in her seat, and I reached out to steady her.
“I’m sorry. I used a little more energy this time because I wanted you to recognize what you’re feeling. It’s normal to have a reaction when you’re not bonded. Put your head between your knees and keep breathing.” I shouldn’t have pushed so hard.
Several minutes passed before she finally sat up. She rubbed her temples, and when she finished, Sara handed her a cup of tea, which she sipped slowly. “That’s really weird. I’m not sure I like it.”
“It won’t always be like that. You’ll get used to it,” Sara promised.
“What’s a bond?”
“When we find our mate, we form a bond. Every one of us has a match out there somewhere. Someone we’re fated to be with, and when we meet him or her, we feel an inexplicable pull toward each other. We’re drawn to them. Familiar. And when we bond, we bond for life,” I cautiously explained. “Some of us don’t wait for our fated mates and some of us wait forever if we have to.”
“Oh.” She looked anywhere and everywhere except at me. I knew this subject still made her uncomfortable, but eventually, instinct would win no matter how hard she fought it. Her reaction told me what I already knew.
“You’ve felt it, haven’t you?” I coaxed. Her cheeks flushed again. “And you don’t feel it with anyone else, either.” She shook her head, still avoiding eye contact, and I sensed her becoming overwhelmed again. “That pull you feel, it’s because you and I… we’re mates.”
At that, she laughed and returned her gaze to mine. “Mates? I barely know you, yet you think you have some claim on me? No.” That last word was a lie upon her lips, and she knew that I knew.
“I don’t think. I know. As time progresses, the pull will become increasingly harder to resist until the bond is complete. You won’t be able to deny it.”
“No. No way,” she argued. “This is some freaky shit.”
“Let me ask you something. When you first met me, you could smell something. Do you smell it now?”
Recognition lit across her face. “Cinnamon. And cloves. Maybe a slight hint of vanilla. Oh, and musk.”
I nodded. “And Gideon?”
She cocked her head to the side in thought, then inhaled deeply. “Teakwood. Cardamom. And bourbon.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “But it’s different. I’m not drawn to him.”
“We all have our own unique scent. Our bond mates have a slightly different, but similar scent that complements our own. You scent of cinnamon and spice with hints of vanilla and citrus. That magnetic pull I described? Only fated mates feel that. That’s how we identify our mate when we meet them. The tug is instantaneous, but you wouldn’t have known without being raised in the Pack. I’m sorry,” I apologized. “Your parents would have taught you this.”
Aislin’s mixed emotions swirled around us in the atmosphere. My wolf whined under the surface, unhappy at causing her discomfort.
“Is that why Kane… why he sniffed me? He’s one of you, isn’t he?” she asked.
“Yes. Any Lycan could scent you and know by your essence that you’re an Aeternus, but the difference between Kane and me is that he wouldn’t have felt the connection. You’re not his mate,” I continued explaining.
“So, I’m what again? I’m sorry I keep asking. I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around all of this.”
“You’re an Aeternus,” I answered. “It’s Latin for forever. Eternal. In our world, it means ‘life mate’ or ‘soulmate.’ All females are born Aeternus. The difference between us is that I can shift into my animal and you cannot. An Aeternus is bound to her human form.”
I’d be lying if I said the possibility of my mate being an Immortalle hadn’t crossed my mind. She descended from both Vamphyre and Lycan lines, just as all
Aeternus used to be, but that was impossible. The last known Immortalle died centuries ago after Aislin’s grandfather instituted First Law and forbade all members of the Covenant to mate with Lycans. And dying with them? Their ability to share in their mate’s gifts. But… what if? It would be an incredible thing if that were the case. And just as dangerous.
Sara caught the knowing look I shared with my brother and covered her open mouth. Gideon frowned. Aislin puked.
16
Arkkadian
I replaced the bowl of cold water on the nightstand for the second time. Aislin rested on my bed with a cool cloth across her forehead. I took it and dipped it in the bowl, squeezed out the excess, and replaced it.
“I’m sorry. This is my fault,” I said. “There isn’t much to do, except rest. It’ll pass with a little time.”
“Let’s not do that again.” She groaned before leaning over and retching into the bucket. “It’s a cool trick, but my stomach does not agree.”
“Just rest. I’ll come back and check on you shortly. I’m sending Gideon and Sara home for now. We’ll talk more when you’re feeling better.”
“Not going anywhere.” Moaning, she leaned over and vomited into the bucket again.
I closed the door behind me, kicking myself for being so reckless. Even so, that wasn’t a lot of energy. Not by a long shot. That much of a reaction wasn’t normal. I suspected someone had tampered with the memory block. It wasn’t unheard of. If someone wanted to suppress dangerous information, adding that devious little trick would make gaining access to certain memories a hell of a lot harder.
If I couldn’t even pass a small amount of energy into her without causing such discomfort, then probing into her mind would have much worse consequences. There were only a handful of Soul Shadows in existence, and fewer still who had the power that afforded that extra ability. I was one of them. That drastically narrowed the playing field. By the time I made it back downstairs, Sara and Gideon had everything cleaned up.
“I’m sorry for being a jackass earlier,” Gideon apologized, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to my mate the next time you see her,” I told him. “You forget she didn’t grow up in our world. Hell, I have to keep reminding myself. She knows virtually nothing of her ancestry, and until recently, monsters didn’t exist in her world.”
“The hard part is over, at least,” Sara said as she returned from the kitchen. She stood with both hands on her lower back, belly protruding, and winced as the baby kicked. Without a doubt, the little one was strong. “I’m sure none of this is easy, but imagine witnessing your best friend being murdered right in front of you and then finding out your whole life is a lie. I’d say she took it rather well, considering. She’ll have a tough time, Arkken. Be gentle with her. Be patient. She’s grieving the only family she had. Give her a chance to learn our ways before you go full Alpha on her again or you’ll scare her away.” Sara turned to her mate. “I’m tired, and I’m going home to take a nap. Are you coming with me?”
“Go ahead. I’ll be home shortly, my love. I need to talk to my brother about a few things first.” He hugged her and kissed her belly. While Gideon walked her out, I put another pot of coffee on to brew.
“You’ve got your work cut out for you, brother. She’s got a lot of demons to deal with. I don’t envy you,” he said solemnly as he rejoined me in the kitchen. He leaned against the counter next to me and clapped me on the shoulder. “What I’d like to know, though, is who planted that little nausea trick in her head? She shouldn’t have reacted so strongly. Whatever they’re hiding, it must be pretty damaging.”
“I know.” I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. “I could break the block now, but I’d rather wait until she’s mentally and physically ready. I have to take my time and get to know her better. Get her to trust me. It would be much easier if the bond was complete. Lord knows my damn wolf is aching to fulfill the need, but she’s nowhere near prepared for that. It’s taking every ounce of restraint to keep him in check.”
Gideon drummed his fingers on the counter, staring out the window at the children playing outdoors. The look of concern etched on his face was disconcerting. “Who do you think is responsible?”
“There’s only a handful of Soul Shadows with that level of skill. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. Besides me and you, there are the Vanes; Arden, Rafe, and Rhett. Alaric and Mathias, Malcolm Fisher, and Weston Knight. I’m not sure anyone else has lived long enough to have obtained that much skill.”
“As far as I know, that’s it,” Gideon agreed.
“Arden and Rafe would have killed her outright. Malcolm and his Caribou River bears rarely step foot outside of Canada, except for the annual conclave of Lycan Nine. They mostly keep to themselves.”
“Weston and Alaric were close. Alaric spent a lot of time between the Pacific Rim and Yellowstone packs. The rumor was Weston was one of the shifters who helped Alaric rescue Wren after her father imprisoned her. One of them could have done it, but Weston told me once that Alaric had cut off all ties with everyone when they went into hiding. Weston said he’d tried numerous times to find them, but every trail was a dead end. Does Mathias know he has a granddaughter?” Gideon asked.
“Honestly, I doubt it,” I replied. “If he did, he would have hidden her somewhere among the Lycan Nine. Mathias would never have left his own flesh and blood unprotected like that, but on the offhand that he did, then he sure concealed one hell of a secret.”
“That only leaves Rhett. He doted on his little sister, and everyone knows he detests his father. It’s entirely plausible he and Wren kept in contact all those years she and Alaric were in hiding. Rhett wouldn’t have hesitated to kill Ryker Slade if given the chance, either,” Gideon suggested. “Hell, maybe he did. Everyone knows there was no love lost between those two.”
“It makes sense, but until we break the block, we won’t know for sure,” I remarked.
17
Aislin
Ugh. I felt like death warmed over. Twice. Maybe three times for good measure. I’d spent the better part of the last several hours lurching up the non-existent contents of my stomach into a plastic bucket. Breakfast had long since departed, and my stomach was as empty as my wallet. My mouth tasted sour, my teeth were fuzzy, and I had the worst headache I’d ever felt in my life. That loathsome little woodpecker was once again pounding out Morse code in my skull. Even small bits of light made my whole head scream in protest. I’d finally given in a few hours ago, turned off the lamp, shut the curtains, and surrounded myself in a pitch-black cocoon. I only poked my head out from under the covers long enough to puke.
Arkkadian had come in a few times to check on me and bring me water, giving me a lecture about staying hydrated. He’d also brought some heavier pain meds since the others he’d previously given me hadn’t even touched the incessant boom boom boom stomping around in my head.
My stomach was finally waving the white flag of surrender, ending its assault on the poor bucket. My headache hadn’t raised the flag yet, but it was getting there. At the sound of a knock on the door, I peeked my head out from under the covers. The light from the hallway blasted my retinas, and I scrunched my eyes shut, wincing in pain. I yanked the covers back over my head with a whimper.
“Sorry about that,” Arkkadian apologized and shut the door quickly behind him, once again blanketing the room in darkness.
He carried a tray to the bedside, and I sat up, leaning against the headboard. He clicked on the lamp, and I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. The smell of warm toast made my stomach rumble. I didn’t think I’d be this hungry after spending the last several hours paying homage to the bucket gods, but I’ll be damned if that toast didn’t smell like the finest home-cooked meal I’d ever had.
“Feeling any better?” He brushed a stray lock of hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear.
I noticed the fire had been stoked. I must
have been pretty out of it because I didn’t remember him even lighting the fire. The warmth was soothing.
“A little. I’m kind of hungry. The toast smells good.”
“Good, but we’ll keep it bland to start. I also brought some saltines. If you can keep those down, then maybe you’ll be up for some of Sara’s chicken soup later.” Arkkadian sat down on the bed next to me. Then he reached up and took my chin, gently examining my face. I was sure I looked as bad as I felt, but he didn’t seem too worried. Apologetic maybe, but not worried. Or maybe that was just his Alpha façade.
Interestingly enough, I didn’t feel the need to pull away from him. Instead, I felt that strange little tug way deep down again. The more time we spent together, the more I recognized the sensation. Maybe Arkkadian wasn’t so bad. Despite the spanking he’d given me earlier, one I’d unquestionably deserved, he’d been very kind to me from the moment we’d first met. He’d saved my life, and not once had he ever tried to take advantage of or hurt me.
It didn’t help that he had the body of a god, one that shouted fuck me now! from the rooftops. Or that every time we were in a room together, I constantly caught him adjusting himself when he thought I wasn’t looking. The reaction in his pants hadn’t escaped my attention, and the sexual tension revolving around him was thick. The feeling was definitely mutual.
When I saw him in his birthday suit yesterday, I’d gotten way more than I’d bargained for. Just thinking about it sent searing heat straight to my core, and my cheeks flushed. Not that I had any experience in that department. None, to be exact. Shaking my head, I pushed all such thoughts from my mind.
“Thank you. I’m sure this will help,” I said, and then took a bite of the toast. It was still warm, the butter fresh. Homemade. It was heavenly, and I groaned with pleasure. I ate slowly, though, worried my stomach might opt for an instant replay. “You make great toast.”
