We’d made promises to meet at eleven and then I’d been on my way, walking through the quiet streets with a smile on my face. Tonight was every daydream that I’d ever had come to life. A pack of my own, an Alpha that cared, friends, real ones that made every bit of it sweeter…plus there was Thorne.
Keiran and I never courted, not anywhere that anyone could see. There were no small moments where he lent his support, no times that we sat together for meals or when he walked me to work. I didn’t speak to Keiran, let alone run my mouth like I’ve done with Thorne.
I wrap my arms around myself. The big Enforcer that rarely smiles has smiled with me while he’s told me about our ancestors and the tree protecting us all. I look up at it now. It soars above me, limbs swaying and stars shining through its leaves. I feel a squeeze in my chest, like a band wrapped so tight that I can hardly get a full breath. I rub the heel of my palm into my chest and stop walking. What is wrong with me? I’m almost to my cottage, halfway up the hill to it from the town square, but I almost turn to go back to the Keep. The Healing Rooms are there and I’ll be able to help myself if this feeling gets worse.
I don’t go though because when I turn I smell him.
Keiran.
Citrus, apples, cranberries.
My stomach turns and I have to bend over and brace my hands on my knees to keep from getting sick. Oh hells. What is that smell doing here? Is he here? Fear spikes in me and I turn to look around the lane. There’s no one on it with me. The few houses here are dark and quiet. Behind me, I can hear faintlaughter and singing from the others as they return home from the courtyard.
What is going on?
I take a deep breath and more of that too sweet smell fills my nose. This isn’t an accident or me making a mistake. It’s Keiran. Well and truly, it’s him. Here. I stand up shakily and debate on calling out to him but I don’t.
I’m too mad for that. If he wants to find me here and force himself on my new life then he can face me. My wolf rumbles and it comforts me. She wants him dead. He can face her if he wants to show himself here. I stalk towards my cottage, alert for any sign that Keiran is here. I don’t see anyone or hear anything but his scent follows me like a damn ghost. Every step I take it gets stronger. I know that can only be true if the unthinkable has happened, but still I keep walking. This is my home, my land, my pack and I refuse to give even an inch of it to the alpha that broke my heart and perverted my love, our bond, into a weapon meant to destroy me.
Keiran won’t destroy me again.
Each step I take brings my thoughts louder and louder until the only one I have is so loud I’m sure even Keiran can hear it.
He’s at your house. He’s at your house. He’s at your house.
My cottage comes into view. The dim glow of the firelight inside tells me someone lit the hearth. I square my shoulders and head inside.
Chapter
Forty-Five
THORNE
We’re a few hours into our patrol when I feel it. Like a damn knife being driven through the top of my head and into my brain. It’s hot and sharp, so bright, that everything goes white for a second before I’m able to refocus. I stumble and Lucian immediately notices. My wolf never makes mistakes, and he definitely doesn’t stumble.
I shouldn’t do it but I do, I shift. I can’t stop it. The pain forces me out of my skin and I drop to the ground.
“Thorne?” Lucian asks. He shifted right along with me and I hold a hand out to stop him from coming closer.
“I’m good. Just…need a second.”
The rest of the Defenders are fanned out. We’re running the perimeter in a line, looking for any sign of Moonshadow Pack fucking with our shit but so far there’s been nothing. It’s like they vanished into thin air from the quarry. We’ve been tracking them moving steadily east to push further into their border. Right now, we’re making for the Eastern Ridge. It borders theirsouthernmost reach. If there are Moonshadows coming into our land we’ll find signs of it there.
“I have to go back,” I tell him. There’s only one place the pain would come from. I don’t even have to check the Soul Tie to know its Cordelia. I’d let go of it enough to concentrate on the patrol, and by that I mean I wasn’t checking on it every other minute. The last I’d checked, Cordelia had been happy. Excited. The kind of joy that’s effervescent in the way it bubbles up and overtakes a soul.
That is gone now. Whatever is happening is bad.
“What is it?” Lucian asks.
I know he’s not going to understand if I don’t tell him. We’re on patrol, a direct order from the Alpha and Moonshadow was just trying to light our woods on fire.
I don’t even hesitate, I bite the bullet and tell him. “I’m Soul Tied to Cordelia. She feels wrong.” Lucian’s mouth drops open. He doesn’t say anything for a half second before he bursts into laughter. I watch the idiot laugh so hard that he slaps his knee. “What the fuck?” I ask.
“ASoul Tie?!” Lucian howls and drops to a knee. “Oh my gods. Of all the shifters in the world,youget a Soul Tie?” He’s wiping tears from his eyes at this point.
“It's not funny.”
“You have the emotional vulnerability of a brick wall.”
