AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Piers,” I said firmly, “you will not go find anyone. She’s just luring us out so we’re weaker before the eclipse. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up in the shape Gilbert was in less than twenty-four hours ago.”
Piers stared me down before looking away, pressing his lips into a thin line. He couldn’t argue with that logic, so he found a different point instead. “Then we should help Gilbert. Surely Celeste can do some…some magic spell to wipe his memory of the last day.”
I stiffened and ran my tongue over my teeth. My wolf bristled at the casual way Piers spoke of our mate. “Celeste is a witch, not a magic fix-all dispenser,” I said coldly. “She’s already overworking herself, and you’re not going to push her further by asking her to do what may be impossible.”
“I do not want to forget,” Gilbert suddenly croaked. He leaned against the wall. “It was a terrible thing, but those people don’t deserve to be forgotten.”
I gave a small nod, but Piers scowled. “Now, Gilbert—” he began before his brother cut him off, holding up a hand and shaking his head.
“No,” Gilbert said. “No matter how excruciating the memory is, I donotwant anyone else rooting around in my head, no matter how good the intent is.”
Abigail made a small noise. “I understand,” she said, looking at Piers. “It’s something you never forget. You wouldn’t get it.”
Piers looked hurt, but he took a step back. “Fine,” he said. “I need some space.”
That was all he said before storming out of the room.
I shook my head. “Let me know when you wish to leave the confinement chamber,” I told Gilbert, then I went down the hall myself to find Celeste.
It wasn’t difficult to trace her—she was sitting in the living room next to Liana. Across the table sat my brother, watching the pair of women with interest. I couldn’t seethe spell my fated mate was doing, yet I felt the magic as I approached the room and took care not to creep up on Celeste as she worked.
“Do not overwork yourself,” I cautioned her quietly as I sat on the other side, ignoring the slightly awestruck look Liana gave me before glancing away. “I know helping Gilbert was taxing.”
She didn’t say anything for a minute, then Celeste took a shuddering breath as she blinked several times. The distant look faded away from her silver eyes, and she looked over at me with a smile. “You’re back,” she said, clearly pleased, and reached out to squeeze my knee. “Everything okay in Argentina?”
I nodded. “It’s all taken care of.”
“Good,” she said, looking back to Lyka.
He was clearly curious, but he hadn’t spoken up. He sat with his hands folded on top of the table, and he looked shockinglyrefreshed.Val had kept a close eye on him through the night, but my brother had clearly cleaned himself up and chosen clothes from everything Walter had left out for him. It didn’t surprise me that he’d chosen plain, loose-fitting paints and an equally plain white tee. I was happy to see a man who closely resembled the brother I remembered.
“I was thinking, would it be okay if Lyka went for a run?” Celeste asked me. “Could you ask him if he wants to?” She nodded towards him. “Liana’s teaching him a few words in English, but I don’t think we can ask him anything that complex.”
I frowned. “Why?” My brother hadn’t shown any signs of snapping since Liana’s presence had allowed Celeste to untangle his mind. I wasn’t sure I wanted to mess with that.
“He hasn’t shifted since he…woke back up. I thought getting him on the same page as his wolf might help him a bit. I don’t think it’d do any harm.”
After turning this over in my mind, I turned to address my brother in the language of our youth.“Would you like to head outside and go for a run with me?”
He blinked, then looked more somber.“My wolf and I were not on good terms when I was the Lunar Lord,”he said warily.“I am not sure what that would look like now. What if I lose control?”He paused, his gaze staying on Liana.“I do not want to hurt her.”
I understood that concern all too well.“Celeste has found some research—from her mother, in fact—and believes that a wolf shifter is not capable of harming their fated mate.”
Lyka studied Celeste for a moment.“That is just one witch’s research, though. What if she’s wrong?”
I shook my head. He didn’t know Celeste as well as I did.“The full moon didn’t occur long after I first met her. Celeste tried to run away after the vampire—never mind. Suffice to say, I thought I’d kill her. My wolf was completely feral. You understand what I mean.”And only Lyka really knew what I meant by that.“I threw myself over a cliff instead.”
Lyka inhaled sharply, but eventually nodded.“I suppose we can try. But if I seem dangerous, use your alpha command on me.”
“Lyka—"
He gave me a stern glare.“Promise me, Fenris.”
I sighed. “I promise,”I relented.
We both stood up as I offered Celeste a hand. “We’ll run together,” I told her, allowing her to fall back and explain what that meant to Liana as my brother and I went out to the patio. Lyka watched me for a moment, and I could see tension in his shoulders. I honestly didn’t know how his wolf would respond to him now. Nevertheless, I’d support him however he needed.
When I looked again, a chocolate-brown wolf stood before me. He seemed uncertain, as if his paws were too large or his legs too unsteady, but nothing about him seemed dangerous. When his amber eyes turned to me, there was nothing cloudy in them. I recognized the wolf as well as I recognized the man who’d stood before me moments earlier.Good.
