To The Wolves: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (The Hollow Pack Book 1)

by Camille Rae

  “Where does a fancy man like you develop a taste for uta?” I said, quirking a brow.

  “Oh, I have my secrets,” he said, smirking.

  I felt the familiar pangs of excitement and giddiness, like I was on a first date. Granted, that date had come after a night of him sleeping in my bed, so we were doing things a little backwards, but nothing in Laeris had been what I had expected so far.

  “After I left Queen City, I worked at a place like this,” he said, leaning in close to keep his voice low. “In Edenth. Not far from where I found you.”

  I nodded, remembering how he had mentioned Edenth to me before. “Are you a very good cook, then?” I asked, unable to keep a smile from curling the edges of my mouth.

  He leaned back, touching my braid. “I guess you’ll just have to find out,” he said matter-of-factly, but I could see a teasing twinkle in his eye.

  My stomach fluttered. I hadn’t let myself get giddy in so long, and it felt nice. But who knew what was going on with Loel? I couldn’t forget he had a magic spell over him, making him feel inclined to protect me.

  Even so, magic or not, I liked the way he was making me feel. That was worth something, wasn’t it?

  He ordered for us, and I looked around, taking in the energy of the stall and the food stalls just like it surrounding us. It was early in the morning, but everything felt so alive.

  Across the bar from us, I noticed a man staring at us. He lowered his brow and made eye contact with Loel, saying something I couldn’t hear. I saw him glance to my ring.

  Loel shook his head in a quick motion, but I felt his entire body tense. He put an arm around me pulling my arm so that my hands weren’t resting on the bar, the gesture casual and light, but I knew better. His other hand stayed near the handle of his dagger that he kept strapped to his waist. The man stood, walking away.

  I held my hands in my lap, twisting my ring, and glanced up at Loel questioningly as he looked down at me, his face a mask. He tugged my scarf up a bit higher around my chin.

  I leaned in close to him and asked, “Is everything okay?”

  He nodded, squeezing my shoulder. “You resemble a certain person who is not welcome in Nos,” he said pointedly. “But I didn’t realize it would be that obvious to anyone but me.”

  The entire morning, I had been so excited to go without being noticed, I had forgotten that no matter what, I was still the identical twin of Enemy Number One in Nos. I wanted to smack my palm to my forehead. I stared up at him, trying to determine if it was safe for me to be out here.

  “Thankfully, most people here have never seen Queen Elestra, but perhaps we’ll buy you a hat after breakfast,” he said lightly, his hand running up and down my upper arm.

  I smiled, turning back to the counter. I felt safe with Loel, knowing he’d protect me. Still, I pulled a few stands of hair out of my braid to fall around my face. I could imagine my Graces having heart attacks seeing me looking anything less than perfect, but it would help me to hide my face, even if the difference was slight.

  Our food arrived and I devoured almost the entire bowl in record time, savoring the combination of the rich, salty broth and the varying flavors of the vegetables, some slightly sweet, some spicy. It was a strange breakfast food, but I was enjoying it too much to care about that.

  I spooned broth into my mouth, and Loel caught my eye, then lifted his bowl to his lips to show me that I could do the same. I gave a quick glance around, noticing one or two other patrons drinking straight from their bowls. I lifted the bowl to my lips and tipped it back, slurping up the last of the savory liquid.

  I wiped at my mouth and felt Loel tense beside me again. I looked up to see that the man from before was back, standing across the bar with two other large men. They were all glaring at me with narrowed eyes.

  Running was my first instinct. Perhaps I could hide in the stall with the brightly patterned rugs I had seen on the way.

  The expressions of the men changed suddenly, and I felt warmth at my back. I turned to see Lachlan and Cash stepping up behind us, their bodies loose and casual, but I knew better than to underestimate them.

  Lachlan put a hand on my shoulder. “How was the uta? Save any for me?” He asked lightly, leaning in to look into my bowl. I noticed he wedged himself on the other side of me, keeping me between him and Loel. Cash was a lot less inconspicuous and stood behind me, his arms crossed, his expression hardened.

  I saw Silas appear across the stall near the men. He spoke to the man who we had seen originally, keeping a smile on his face the entire time. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I could guess it was a shock by the surprised expressions on the stranger’s faces, opposite of the polite, calm look Silas had.

  The men stalked away in the opposite direction, and Silas turned, giving me a friendly wave. I shook my head, glad we could settle something diplomatically and not by stabbing someone in the chest. For once.

  Lachlan gently massaged my shoulder, and I realized that my heart was racing and my hands were shaking. I calmed with his touch, but still looked around at the Wolves as Silas came around to join us.

  “They didn’t even save us any,” Lachlan pretended to complain to Silas.

  Silas raised his eyebrows, giving Loel a look. “You should have told us you were bringing her out here,” he said, his voice audible in my head without his lips moving.

  “I did,” Loel smirked.

  “Before there was trouble,” Silas reprimanded.

  I imagined Loel somehow got the message across to the guys that we needed backup.

  “Wait, how can I hear this?” I asked out loud.

  Silas raised a brow and Cash snorted from behind me. “I suppose you are getting some of our pack bond,” he said.

  “Your what?” I asked. Pack bond?

  Lachlan tapped his temple. “Our communication. It’s how we talk in our pack.”

  “And you can all hear each other?” I asked.

  They all nodded.

  “You’re lucky we could get here so fast,” Silas turned back to keep reprimanding Loel.

  Loel shook his head. “I honestly thought it wouldn’t be a problem this early in the morning and in the south market. It’s not like I took her to Hull Row.”

  “What’s Hull Row?” I said, but no one seemed to be paying me any attention anymore.

  Lachlan sighed. “Everything’s fine, Silas,” he said. “No harm done.”

  Silas raised his eyebrows. “We’ll talk more about this later,” he said.

  “We’re done talking about this,” Loel said aloud, and I felt pressure on my chest, as though his command was to be taken seriously.

  My ring grew warm against my skin, and I twisted it again, trying to lessen the weird feeling it gave me.

  We stood after paying and walked back into the market. “Can’t I just buy a hat and then we can keep exploring? I want to see Nos,” I said.

  “It’s not safe, Caia,” Silas said, looking at me with an apologetic expression. “Besides, we have a lot of studying to do if we’re going to get you caught up on Laerisian history.”

  My patience was wearing thin. I was done with not being treated like a grown ass woman, like the royalty that supposedly ran through my blood.

  “I’m not going back to the Citadel yet. You four can walk with me like you’re some kind of bodyguards, or you can cart me back to my ivory tower and I’ll figure out a way to escape my room and wander around here alone. Your choice,” I said, my voice steady but demanding.

  I could see Lachlan hiding a grin, but Silas was full-on glaring at me. “We can explore for twenty minutes,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

  “Two hours,” I countered, crossing my arms.

  “One hour,” Silas tilted his head, questioning if I’d push it.

  “Two hours, and then I’ll study with you for two hours,” I said, holding out my hand for a shake.

  “Two hours, study with me for three hours, and then train with Lachlan and Cash for two,�
� he said, grabbing my hand before I could question what I’d be training for.

  “Deal,” I said skeptically, looking over his shoulder at Lachlan, who was chuckling.

  Lachlan clapped Silas on the back. “That was a good one,” he said. He looked to me and gave me a wink. “Don’t worry, Princess, we won’t take it easy on you.”

  Loel had looked amused and calm during the entire exchange, as though he was watching a younger brother act pretend to be an adult.

  It struck me for the first time that they must have had ranks of some sort, and that Loel outranked Silas.

  The day went by in a blur. After buying a hat, for two blissful hours, I was permitted to walk around Nos, almost feeling like a regular tourist in a new place. Loel walked happily beside me, holding my arm and pointing out things to me as the group took me on a tour of the city: gigantic Gothic temples to the many Gods that Laerisians worshipped, houses of famous people I’d probably meet in Theo’s company, hidden shops where one could buy magical items.

  Nos reminded me a bit of a variety of Eastern European cities that I had wandered through while traveling. Though a relatively new city, by any standard, the culture felt rich with many different types of people who had come to Nos as refugees, running from the Queen’s Army. It made me feel very small, knowing that everyone from Nos had come from somewhere else, except for maybe the very young children who had been born there.

  Silas mainly sulked nearby, occasionally offering insight to a few historical details as though he couldn’t help himself, and Cash dragged behind with all of the enthusiasm of a man held at gunpoint.

  We stopped at the third weapon’s shop in a row — a peace offering for Cash, whose eyes turned into actual hearts at the idea of a new weapon — and I hovered near the door. Loel didn’t leave my side, but instead, looked back over his shoulder to see if the rest of the guys were looking. Satisfied they weren’t, he grabbed my wrist, yanking me out the door and around a corner into an alley.

  I laughed, joy bubbling over my entire body, and he pinned me against a wall, an arm on either side of me.

  My heart was pounding as I looked from his eyes to his lips. He bit his bottom lip and I felt warmth low in my belly.

  “You look really silly in this hat,” he said, jokingly pulling it over my eyes.

  The hat was a large, wide brimmed felt hat and kept my face mostly hidden from view. I laughed, pushing it up out of my face. I put a finger to his lips and joked, “Shh, I’m in disguise.”

  He bent closer to me and nipped at my finger, his tongue drawing up the length of it. I was breathing hard in anticipation. “It’s such a shame to hide such a gorgeous face,” he said, his lips brushing mine. My stomach clenched in excitement. “But on the other hand, I don’t mind keeping it a secret. More of you for me.” His voice was barely audible.

  He moved his hand to my neck and touched his lips to mine, softly, questioning at first. I leaned forward, giving him every ounce of permission I could.

  I wanted him. It wasn’t the spell, or something more sinister making me want him. I simply wanted him, and I was going to let myself give into that, even if just for one kiss.

  His mouth claimed mine, his entire body pressing me into the wall. I moved my hands under his jacket, gripping his shirt in my fists, holding him to me. He tasted warm and familiar, his skin hot under my hand.

  His kiss was hungry and possessive. He was claiming me. His tongue flicked over my lower lip and I sighed into the kiss, opening my mouth to draw him in further.

  Whistles and hollers began behind Loel, and we pulled away from one another, smiling.

  “I’ve been dying to do that since I saw you in that dress at dinner,” he said, brushing his lips over my ear before he pulled away.

  My entire body was tingling from anticipation, and I had to adjust my stance to stop my legs from shaking. The men were standing at the entrance to the alley, laughing. Even Cash had a smirk on his face.

  Silas was shaking his head, though he had a huge grin on his face. “Caught red handed,” he said, patting Loel on the shoulder. Loel laughed, and I could have sworn his cheeks were tinged with color.

  Silas tried to end our tour ten minutes early, but I stood my ground, wanting to find just one more thing to eat before sitting down to study. We settled on the warm bread rolls Lachlan had treated me to the day before. Loel poured honey onto mine as I held it in my hands.

  I moaned loudly as I took my first bite, saying, “Oh, yes,” to the food before I realized I sounded like a bad porn star.

  Loel’s eyebrows shot up, and then he coughed into his fist. I could see Lachlan biting his lower lip, and I dipped my head in shy embarrassment.

  “Wow, seems like you’re, uh, really enjoying that,” Lachlan commented, clearing his throat and hiding a grin behind his hand.

  Cash was focusing very intently on the horizon.

  “Actually, I think this roll might be better than sex,” I said, smiling with my cheeks full.

  All four laughed at that, shaking their heads.

  “Clearly, you haven’t been doing it right,” Cash said, and we all snapped our heads to look at him, speechless for a moment.

  Together, we burst out laughing again, and I was delighted that Cash had lightened up, even for just one second. I smirked to myself. So, there was still a human inside of him, after all.

  Chapter 14

  Caia

  Two hours later, I was in a considerably less excited mood, sitting in a library with Silas. The Citadel’s library was a giant two-story room lined with leather bound books of all colors. The room was bright and airy, with huge windows along a wall, and large tables scattered throughout. Men and women in burgundy robes sat at most of the tables, discussing seemingly very important things in hushed tones, occasionally glancing our way.

  Silas and I sat at a smaller table apart from everyone, seeing as how it might seem suspicious if we were overheard discussing simple Laerisian history. The people of Nos had no idea where I’d been and explaining that I had lived in a different world was a little complicated. We went for mystery, instead.

  The table was made of thick wood, and it felt cool against my cheek as I rested my head on top of it.

  I had always been a good student and I loved reading, but even after an hour and a half of learning about the history of Laeris, we hadn’t even gotten to the good stuff, or anything that would explain why I disappeared and then reappeared.

  From what I had gathered, Laeris was surprisingly a lot like my world. Or, rather, the world I had lived in for most of my life.

  “Did the man from today speak a different language?” I asked, sitting up and interrupting Silas’ soliloquy about a Great War thousands of years ago.

  He paused for a moment, giving me a look of Really?

  I batted my eyelashes cartoonishly and his face broke into a grin.

  “It was the old tongue,” he said, his voice quiet.

  “What, like Laerish?” I grinned.

  He rolled his eyes and said, “It has no name, and it is forbidden to speak.”

  I leaned closer, my eyes wide. “Why?” I asked.

  “It is said to hold power,” he said, raising an eyebrow and pushing up his glasses. “The Cascan man from the river also spoke it. Did you not notice?”

  “Oh, is that the same language?” I asked, furrowing my brow. Were the men from today Cascan? “I think I was a little too caught up in the man from the river trying to attack me.”

  “That was strange, wasn’t it?” He said, pausing to think for a moment. “And the Cascan clans live pretty far from here.”

  He moved three books to point to a map that was spread over the table. I was surprised to find that Laeris consisted of two very large landmasses with a sea between them.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  He pointed to the center of the western land mass.

  “Where would the Cascus live?” I asked, and he pointed to the very upper left corner of the cou
ntry. About as far west as possible.

  “Where’s Queen’s City?” I asked, and he pointed to the eastern land mass, along the water that ran between the two lands. I should have guessed. Best place for a rebel city would be on a completely different continent.

  “We call them West Laeris and East Laeris, but that’s a bit old fashioned, even. Under Queen Aeliana’s rule — that would be your mother — it was decided we would just call them altogether Laeris. It was a good way to unify the country. Your mother was a political genius, truly,” he said, staring down at the map.

  I smiled at the warm thought of my mother being intelligent. The parents who had raised me had been so average. They had never even helped me with homework.

  “So that language, the old tongue, is magical?” I asked, mulling over the idea. Silas nodded.

  “Why would that man use it against me if he called me his queen, then?” I asked.

  Silas tilted his head, biting his lower lip as he thought. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I’m not sure if he was trying to hurt you or take you.”

  Take me? I cringed, shuddering involuntarily at the thought. Too many kidnappings for one trip.

  “Not completely related, but Loel mentioned the man from this morning looked at the Golden Heart,” Silas said finally, meeting my eye again.

  I nodded, considering that. “Did they say anything strange to you when you spoke to them?”

  He shook his head. “I didn’t say that much. I just said that you were with us, and I introduced myself and the guys as the Wolves, and I asked him if he had any further concerns,” he said, grinning. Then, he added, “He did not.”

  I smiled. Silas was intelligent, but diplomatic. His rationality had already driven me crazy, but he had succeeded in not letting us get in a large public fight this morning, so that had to count for something.

  He smiled back and I noticed fine lines appearing at the corners of his eyes. I had always just assumed he was around my age, but he might have been slightly older than I originally thought. Perhaps mid-thirties? His dark blonde hair held no gray, but it was tousled, and I noticed that he ran his hands through it when he was deep in thought.