by Lacey Thorn
“Who is we?” Tah asked.
“I… She’s not ready for me to share that, yet. She’s afraid. Trust me. Please.”
Tah slowly nodded his head though only those in the room could see him. “I trust you, Ariel. You’re family.”
“I’ll make some calls,” Gideon promised. “I’ll head toward you as soon as I can throw a bag together and get Vic. Stay by the phone. I’ll call back as soon as I have information.”
“Wait,” Daniel ordered before anyone could disconnect the call. “I’m coming, too, Ariel. It’s past time we spoke.”
She was silent for so long Daniel feared the call had severed, after all. But when she finally answered, it broke something inside him.
“I can’t be who you need,” she whispered, and the click of disconnection echoed as his body clenched tight and began to shake.
“He’s seizing!” Gideon yelled, giving voice to what Daniel was feeling.
He fought hard to stay conscious. He needed to get to his mate. She’d called him, and no matter what she believed, she was exactly who he needed. There would never be another woman for him. Never. As darkness jerked him under again, he screamed for his lion to help.
Chapter Five
Ariel helped Quinn into the hotel room. She was worried about the other woman and that meant Ariel could focus on something other than her earlier conversation. And Daniel. She’d told him she couldn’t be what he needed. Did he realize it was goodbye? She should have never admitted that she’d called him. Had she known he was there, she wouldn’t have. Why was he back at the ranch? When had he arrived? Did he know she’d been to his house? Oh, God! Had he found the letter she’d left? She swallowed forcibly, sure her heart was lodged somewhere along the column of her neck.
“You’re mated then?” Quinn asked as she eased down on the mattress. Fresh blood stains marred her shirt above her abdomen. Ariel needed to see what was going on, see if there was anything she could do while they waited for Gideon to call.
“No,” she answered belatedly.
Quinn’s brows lifted. “Daniel isn’t your mate?”
“I…” Ariel blew out a hard breath. “It’s complicated.”
“I think that could be said about any relationship,” Quinn quipped then grimaced as her hand went to her stomach again.
“Okay, I need you to show me what’s going on,” Ariel warned. “I won’t ask the whole story, but the others will when they arrive to help get you home.”
“I can’t believe Isaac Erikson let a pride move onto the ranch,” Quinn mused.
They’d spoken about Riverton and the pride that now resided there. Ariel had done her best to tell Quinn about the others, so she’d know what to expect. What she hadn’t shared was that they suspected Isaac had sent Quinn to infiltrate one of the hunter facilities. Or that they’d been worried and trying to locate her since Darby, one of the newest members of the pride along with her mate Calloway, had sent out an SOS to the council of watchers, which Darby’s dad was a part of.
“I should probably tell you, Isaac isn’t there any longer.” Ariel cleared her throat before continuing. She wasn’t sure what Quinn thought of Isaac. “He’s dead.”
Quinn opened her mouth then snapped it shut before shaking her head. “It feels wrong to speak ill of the dead, but I’d be lying if I said I was sorry.”
“Understandable.”
“He was a hard man. I still have no idea why my dad trusted him. Then again, Dad always did see the best in people.” Quinn looked incredibly sad. “I hurt him. Before I left. I was harsh and cruel and blamed my mother’s death on him.”
“I’m sure you’re one of those people he only sees the best in,” Ariel said, unsure what else to say. Hell, she’d been locking her emotions inside for so long, she had no idea how to have a conversation like theirs. She was the last person people would search out to share their feelings with.
“I’m not sure how he’ll feel about this,” Quinn murmured, cupping her belly.
“Tell me about this,” Ariel said. “You’re bleeding. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”
“We’re both as good as can be expected. For now.” Quinn looked as if she were going to add more, but Ariel’s phone rang.
“Jot this down,” Gideon said then growled out an address and directions. “We’re heading toward you now.”
“Who’s we?” she asked, almost holding her breath.
“Me, Vic, Gabriel, and Kenzie.”
Not Daniel. Did she really blame him for not wanting to come after her? She’d basically told him there was nothing for them. Honestly, she’d left him long before he’d left the ranch. She knew she couldn’t handle mating Daniel. She couldn’t…wouldn’t… She didn’t like to be touched. She barely handled casual touches from her friends. Mostly, Finn and Murphy. Occasionally, Vic. Gideon and Griffin knew she didn’t like to be touched and refrained unless she initiated the contact first. How the hell would she handle the type of touch Daniel would expect and need from his mate? She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat as she thought of that type of intimacy.
“Listen, there’s something you need to know.” Vic’s voice filled the line. There was some bickering from the other’s, but the other woman cut them off. “Fuck that! She needs to know.”
“What? What do I need to know?”
“Daniel was hurt.”
“When he lost his phone?” she asked Vic.
“Yes. They don’t want you to know because of… Well, because you’re not mated. He was shot, Ariel. Multiple times. We lost him several times on the way to the ranch. He was barely clinging to life when we got him there. His lion wasn’t healing him, and he slipped into a coma. He didn’t wake up until this morning.”
“Oh, God. Is he okay? Was he drugged? Is that why his lion wasn’t healing him? Gideon?” There was no hiding the panic in her voice. She’d heard Laura and Finn talking about Daniel having a death wish. She’d blown it off as Laura being overprotective or even the other woman trying to persuade Ariel to give Daniel a chance. Laura had no idea how badly Ariel wanted just that. But had it been more that that? Had Daniel really not cared if he lived or died? Because of her?
“He’s… His animal is still not responding. He’s healing more along the lines of a human. Very slowly. He’s in no condition to come after you,” Gideon said.
Ariel swallowed. Gideon was hiding something. She knew it but wasn’t going to call him on it. She wasn’t Daniel’s mate. She didn’t have a right to answers where he was concerned. He’d almost died, and she had little doubt it was her fault. This was why she’d left. To save him. The only way she knew how.
“Ariel?” Vic asked when she remained silent.
“I can’t save him,” she whispered, remembering her dream and the command to save him. Had she somehow known Daniel was hurt? What did that mean?
“What? Ariel?” Vic asked again, and Ariel was glad they hadn’t heard her. The dream meant nothing. It couldn’t.
“I’ll see you when you get here,” she replied and disconnected before anything else could be said. “Up for another drive?” she asked Quinn as she grabbed her bag.
“I’m not sure it’s necessary,” Quinn grumbled, but the fresh spots of blood on her shirt said differently.
“Let’s go.”
With a grumbled sigh, Quinn stood and followed Ariel out. Thankfully, it didn’t appear that anyone had followed them, but Ariel would still keep her senses open. She knew first-hand not to be caught off-guard when it came to hunters. Quinn had escaped wherever she’d been. She’d said someone had helped her and sent her to Thomas. But were they friend or foe? Thomas could be merciless and cruel when it suited him. Ariel could never forget that.
Quinn stayed silent on the ride, much as she had before. The woman was in more pain than she was willing to admit.
“Where’s your mate? Is he still there?” Ariel voiced the question as softly as she could.
“I don’t have a mate,” Quinn admitt
ed.
Ariel dropped her gaze pointedly to Quinn’s stomach before glancing back up to the road.
“It’s complicated,” Quinn added, and Ariel didn’t miss the fact she mimicked exactly what Ariel had said about her and Daniel.
“Touché.”
“Are you sure we shouldn’t head out and meet them? I don’t need medical attention,” Quinn argued.
“You do,” Ariel challenged, following Gideon’s directions. “Your shirt is slowly changing colors, and that particular shade of red isn’t flattering. Plus, you keep holding your belly. We’ll wait there for help.”
Or at least Quinn would. Ariel had no intention of going back to the pride. There was no room for her and Daniel both on the ranch, and if one of them was going to stay gone, it would be her. Plus, she was planning to go back to the clearing where Thomas had found her. She kept telling herself it was just a place. That it held no power over her, but that was false. It held memory and blood. Hers and that of the shifters who’d… Those who had died that day. She couldn’t explain it, but she needed to see it. Well, she could explain it. Her hope was that going there would prevent it from taking on the mythical proportions of her nightmares.
Nightmares. That brought her right back to the dream she’d had about Daniel. Of him calling for her. His lion asking her to save him. What did that mean? Had the phantom pain she’d felt during the dream been a correlation to where he’d been shot? She shook her head and once again, gave herself a reminder. It couldn’t. She couldn’t save him. Or herself. Hell, she couldn’t save anyone.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Quinn murmured.
Well, maybe, she could save one person. Her glance fell to Quinn’s softly rounded belly. Make that two. It was a start.
“Have you ever thought you might be crazy?” Ariel replied before thinking better of it.
Quinn laughed. “Every day of my life since I followed Isaac’s plan and found myself in a hunter’s lab. Didn’t take them long to figure out I wasn’t who I said. I was moved around a lot after that. Sent to different labs for different things before I had the pleasure of becoming Dr. Talbot’s guest.”
“Dr. Talbot?” Ariel held in the oh, shit that wanted to escape.
“I see you’ve heard of him. Let me assure you he’s worse than you could possibly imagine.” Quinn’s hand cradled her stomach again. “Far worse.”
“What did he do to you, Quinn?”
“Anything he wanted,” she whispered, and Ariel didn’t think the other woman was even aware of the single tear that tracked down her face.
Quinn turned in the seat, so that she faced Ariel. “I don’t know what’s complicated between you and your mate, but don’t let it keep you from him. Be with him. Love each other. You never know how long you’ll have together. Life is anything but predictable.”
Quinn turned away then, seeming to pull into herself as she faced the window, though Ariel wasn’t sure she saw any of the scenery. It was something Ariel was all too familiar with. God knew, she was inside her head far too much, which was never good. Now, thanks to Quinn’s cryptic comments, Ariel was thinking of Daniel. He’d almost gotten himself killed because she’d turned from him. They’d never be able to find their way to one another. Not with her past and his near death. He’d never say it, but there would be plenty of accusations in his pride’s eyes and comments.
She stayed silent for the rest of the drive, and Quinn fell into a light slumber. The woman was exhausted. Physically and maybe mentally, as well. There was so much more to her story, and Ariel felt a chill go over her as she thought of Dr. Talbot and what he might have done to Quinn. The man had held Gabriel’s mate, Kenzie, in a cage when she’d been a baby. He’d taken her mother, Thomas’ sister, and ripped Kenzie from her womb. Whatever he’d subjected Kenzie to had repressed her lioness. Then, just as Kenzie had met her mate, Dr. Talbot had sent a shifter named Nix to infiltrate their pride. He’d managed to inject Kenzie with something that had repressed her emerging lioness again. Kenzie was strong and fierce, a former Marine who held the spirit of a lioness regardless of whether it had fully emerged. Quinn was human. There was no telling what horrors he might have visited on her.
Ariel finally pulled the car onto a stretch of dirt road that was somehow familiar, though she couldn’t recall ever being there. Yeah, that made no sense.
“Are we there?” Quinn asked, blinking her eyes.
“Close,” Ariel murmured.
“What’s wrong?” Quinn must have picked up on the uncertainty in Ariel’s voice.
“Nothing,” she offered with a shrug. “How are you feeling?”
Quinn lifted one side of her mouth. “Free.”
“We’re going to keep you that way,” Ariel promised.
Quinn merely glanced back out the window while Ariel drove. She followed the winding road as it curved behind a field and followed a tree line until it took a sharp left and led into the thickest part of the heavily wooded area. A house was hidden deep in the foliage, far from prying eyes. If Gideon hadn’t told her it was there, Ariel would have thought the road had abruptly ended. As it was, she stopped in the yard and put the car in park before shutting it off and facing Quinn.
“We’re here.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Quinn asked.
“If Gideon says they can be trusted, then I trust them.” Ariel did her best to assure Quinn. She understood fear, though. It had taken her time to get to the point where she’d trusted Gideon like that. She blinked in surprise. Actually, there were several people she trusted now. When had that happened?
“There’s someone on the porch,” Quinn whispered, and Ariel jerked up her head, ashamed she’d let her thoughts keep her from noticing their surroundings. That couldn’t happen again.
An older woman had stepped out on the porch. Steel-gray hair was piled on her head. She was tall, lean, and weathered. She smiled and beckoned to them with her hand.
“Stay here for a minute,” Ariel said as she pushed her door open.
“No,” Quinn murmured as she released her belt and shoved the door wide. “If you trust Gideon, then so will I.”
“Come on now,” the woman urged. “Gideon said one of you was hurt.”
“Me,” Quinn called and walked toward the house. Ariel fell into step beside her, opening her senses in case of threat.
“My sister’s inside. We’ve been watching for you since Gideon called.” The woman paused as they reached the porch, offering her hand to assist Quinn then staring at Ariel for a long moment. “You lived. I’m glad. We weren’t sure you’d make it. Of course, if anyone would have been able to will you into healing, it would be Thomas.”
“What?” Ariel stood as if rooted to the steps while the woman and Quinn turned and entered the house. The hell, she finished in her mind. How did this woman know her? And why would she think Thomas had willed her into living?
Chapter Six
“Ariel.” She was the first thing that came to Daniel’s mind as he awoke.
Movement caught his attention, and Daniel watched Tah rise from the chair in the corner and move toward him, phone in hand.
“I let the professor and Tony know you’re awake. You scared us. Again.”
“What happened?” Daniel asked though he vaguely remembered.
“You had a seizure,” Tah replied, sliding his phone into his pocket. “Took three of us to hold you down. Fuck, I was afraid you were going to snap your neck.”
That explained why he was sore as hell. “What caused it?”
“We don’t know yet. Both Tony and the professor are running tests. What do you remember?”
“Ariel.”
Tah nodded. “She called before it happened.”
“She left,” Daniel stated. “Alone. I’m going after her.”
Tah stopped him from getting out of bed. “Hold up. You can’t go anywhere until we know what’s going on with you. What if you have another seizure while behind the wheel?”
�
��Where’s Murphy? He’ll watch over me.”
“He’s not here. He texts every few days to say he’s okay, but Finn can’t get him to answer when he calls. He thinks something’s off. If Laura wasn’t pregnant, I don’t think I’d be able to keep him here.”
It spoke volumes that Finn thought something was off with his brother. The two of them shared a special bond, one that allowed them to sense each other.
“When did Murphy leave, and who’s with him?” Daniel asked.
“He never came back here from Illinois,” Tah replied. “He’s on his own.”
Illinois, where Daniel had walked them into hell and taunted it would be a nice day to die. Fuck! “There were hunters everywhere, Tah. Ask him something only Murph would know.”
“I did. No response yet.”
Daniel glanced around, and something clicked in his head. “Where’s my brother? And Gideon?” One or the other had been in the room with him since he’d woken up.
Tah heaved a sigh, rubbing his hand over his face with obvious frustration. “They went to help Ariel.”
“Son of a bitch!” Daniel exploded. “I won’t be kept here while someone else goes to help my mate.”
“She’s not your mate,” Tah said softly.
“The fuck she isn’t!”
“You heard what she said as well as I did,” Tah countered.
“She said she can’t be what I need. That’s bullshit, and you know it. She’s all I need. She’s everything. No more tiptoeing around when I’m home. Hiding before I slink away again without seeing her. She’s been in my house. In my bed. Her scent surrounds me every time I’m here, and it’s all I crave when I’m gone. I won’t give up on her. Not now. Not ever. But I’m done running. I need her, and I know she needs me, too. And if she’s going to my home, then she has to know that on some level.”
Tah gave him a long look as if weighing Daniel’s words before nodding in agreement. “It’s about time.”
“About time?” What the hell did that mean? Daniel had been told to give her space. To give her time.
