A Cursed Embrace
Page 36

Bren scrambled to his feet. “Where are you?”
“The Den. Please hurry.”
“We’re on our way, Taran,” Bren promised.
I bolted after him. “Bren, wait. I don’t know how to get there.”
“I’ll show you.”
We raced down his apartment stairs and into my car. I started the engine. “How do you know where the Den is?”
“Aric offered me asylum there once we became aware of the Tribe. Take Eighty-nine to Squaw Valley.” He frowned. “How come you don’t know where it is?”
I thought back to Paul’s funeral. “I’ve never been there. Only weres are allowed through the gates.”
Bren scoffed. “What a bunch of snobs, just one more reason not to belong to a pack. I tell you, the day I call one of them is the day hell freezes over.”
I drove fast, worried about Emme and uneasy about what would happen once I reached the Den. Would I have to fight my way in?
Bren interrupted my thoughts. “You and Aric were pretty serious, weren’t you? I mean, it wasn’t just physical?”
I had the impression Bren had been watching me closely. “I thought so.”
“Did you ever meet his parents?”
“I spoke to his mother a few times on the phone, but his father died on a mission when Aric was fifteen.” I became quiet. Eliza Connor had thankfully survived the attacks.
“What is it, Ceel?”
“Nothing. It’s just that his mother had invited us for Thanksgiving. I was supposed to meet her then, but of course that’s no longer possible.”
His eyes softened before he turned back to face the road. “Sorry I brought it up, babe.”
Bren gave me more specific directions when we arrived at Squaw Valley. He had me turn onto a winding dirt path that led up a steep mountain. It made sense why the wolves owned SUVs; the stomach-churning drive up the path took almost fifteen minutes. I rolled down the window, hoping the magic of the area would settle my nerves. The Jeffrey and ponderosa pines and California red firs added a fresh aroma. Yet the growing scent of were magic fed my anxiety. Unlike the bewitching power of Tahoe, the divination of the mountain told me I wasn’t welcome. And that only danger waited.
“Do you feel that?” I asked Bren.
“Huh?”
I shuddered. “Never mind.”
We veered onto a paved private road and approached a colossal wrought-iron gate. My shoulders relaxed slightly when a familiar figure stepped out, smiling. “Hi, Celia, it’s nice to see you. Come on in.”
“Thank you, Heidi.”
Bren gawked at her as we pulled away. “Are those real?”
I glared at him. “How the hell would I know?”
Bren lowered the window and placed an arm against the doorframe. His laid-back demeanor dissolved as he took in the campus. “You know, this place sits on over a hundred acres. With so much land, I never understood why Aric ran at Tahoe. I’d think his wolf would prefer the rugged terrain.”
“Aric was out exploring the area the day we met. The beach was close to the lodge where he and the other wolves were staying. They liked Tahoe and thought they’d find a place around the lake.” My tigress paced inside me, vigilant of the danger we continued to perceive.
“But then they moved in with all of you.”
I continued to take everything in. “Yes.”
“Makes sense,” Bren said.
“Why?”
“Wolves are pack animals, Ceel. In becoming their girlfriends, you became part of their pack.”
I thought about us all living under one roof. How easily we’d grown accustomed to their presence and how we had depended on one another. “I guess you’re right.”
The trees cleared. Rows of beautiful, three-story lodges simulating a majestic ski resort occupied the clearing. Each building, while unique, was adorned with stone steps and railings leading to sweeping wraparound porches with stout granite pillars and outdoor fireplaces. The landscaping consisted of strategically placed shrubs, trees, and plants that intermingled with sculptures designed from boulders and petrified wood. The Den didn’t so much resemble a school, but rather a vacation spot that catered to the ridiculously wealthy and the power elite.
I stopped the car in front of one of the larger structures and jumped out. Bren and I wandered down the stone-paved road trying to figure out where to go. I feared the worst when I dialed Taran and my call went straight to voice mail.
“Hi, Celia. Aric is in the main building over there.” The little wolf who snagged my flag pointed to a building across the street.
I looked at the building, then back at him. “Hi, John. I’m not looking for Aric. I need to find my sister.”
“Oh, the little blonde who was hurt? She’s there, too. Follow me.”
The building John led us to was at least three times the size of the other lodges. He had us wait in the massive foyer while he jogged up the steps of a sprawling wooden staircase. Moments later, everyone, including Emme, appeared at the top of the stairs.
I sprinted up the stairs, grabbing Emme in a tight embrace when I reached her. “I’m okay, Celia, really. It just took me a little while to heal,” she said.
I released her slowly and hugged my other sisters before addressing their wolves. Worry and anger shadowed Liam’s boyish features. “She was knocked unconscious, Celia. I thought she was gone.”
Rage prickled my skin. My baby sister had almost died at the hands of those bastards. “Did you kill them, Liam?”
He turned back to Emme. “Of course I did. I—”
A ripple of strength and authority swept in, similar to the small waves before the tsunami hits. In the arched doorway, Aric stood with two men and a woman. My tigress recognized them as the pack Elders; their power was unmistakable.
Liam and Gemini took Emme and Taran and hurried toward them. Koda grabbed Shayna and me and followed them with Bren at our heels. Koda released me only when Aric came to stand by my side.
The larger and most commanding of the two male Elders examined me closely. He was a tall, African-American with broad shoulders and bulging muscles, despite his advanced age. Gray touched his short black hair, and deep-set wrinkles framed his eyes. His gaze didn’t appear challenging, yet he seemed to expect something of me.
Aric nodded slightly and moved close enough that I felt his body heat. The fondness he’d demonstrated to the Elder in that subtle gesture made me realize I’d just met Martin Lockwood, the pack Alpha.
CHAPTER 28
I stepped away. It hurt too much to have Aric near and know we could no longer touch. Martin pursed his lips. A small motion, but I noticed it anyway.
Aric didn’t attempt to close the distance between us. Instead he mirrored his Warriors, who had bowed their heads.
The remaining male Elder stepped forward. He was Native American with waist-length black hair streaked with silver. Unlike Martin, whose expression I couldn’t read, this guy was clearly ticked. “Explain yourselves,” he snapped, unleashing a deep growl.
“Anara, calm,” said the Native American woman behind him. Her pure white hair flowed behind her like a veil. She was petite and slight of figure, but stood strong. And although I placed her at about eighty, her only wrinkles fell along her laugh lines, leaving me the impression she’d smiled a great deal throughout her life. She touched Anara’s shoulder, soothing him and silencing his growls. It was only then the wolves dared speak.
Gemini stepped forward. “Ladies, may I present our distinguished Elders, Martin Lockwood, Anara Running Bear, and Makawee Light-Feather. Honorable Elders, this is—”
“We know who they are,” Anara said tightly. “The question is, why are they here?”
“I allowed them to come, Anara,” Aric interrupted.
Anara’s thick brows appeared menacing enough to crawl off his face and slap me. “Aric, your lapse in judgment astounds me. First last night’s exploits and now this? They need to leave.” He trained his glare specifically at me. “You don’t need any more distractions.”
I glared right back. “We were just leaving.”
Aric stepped in front of me so fast the breeze from his speed pushed my hair back. Bren gave my arm a warning squeeze. Everyone tensed. I realized too late that mouthing off to a pack Elder was probably not the smartest thing to do.
“Then do so now,” Anara snapped.
The Warriors quickly escorted us outside. Someone had already parked our other car in front of the building, no doubt to expedite our departure. Emme and Taran drove off after some hurried encouragement from Liam and Gemini. Shayna chose to ride with me. She climbed into the back of our SUV. Bren took the front. I could feel the Elders continuing to watch us. I wanted to leave just as badly as they wanted me gone, but when I tried to open the driver’s-side door, Aric stopped me.
“Please, wait. I want to talk to you.”
Anara’s voice imitated that of a beast. “Aric. Let her go and return to my office now.”
Makawee interrupted in a serene whisper. “Anara, allow him a moment with Celia.”
I turned to her, puzzled that she knew my name. She greeted me with a small smile. “Yes, child, I know who you are. I recognize your aroma from scenting it on Aric.”
Makawee’s smile widened at my blush. “Anara,” she continued, “you were young once. Let Aric say good-bye.”
Anara didn’t argue. He followed Makawee up the stone steps, stopping once to glare at Aric and me before entering the building. I didn’t see Martin. Yet I sensed his essence all around me.
I turned to Aric. It was the first time I’d allowed myself to really look at him since arriving at the Den. Deep shadows collected beneath his eyes, while lines bracketed the corners. His jaw bore heavy stubble. I couldn’t get over how hard he appeared; it was as if he no longer slept, and no longer cared about anything. He stepped closer to me. “Celia, may I hold your hands?”
Aric’s request aggravated the tension between us. It reminded me that I’d told him never to touch me again. My God, so much had changed. Just a few weeks prior we had slept in each other’s arms. And now . . .
Aric took my hands into his when I nodded. And just like that, the familiar feeling of warmth encompassed us. He let out a deep sigh. “Celia, things are so broken between us. I just wish I knew how to make them right.”
“You can’t, Aric.” My face cracked into a million pieces. “Look, I don’t like what you’re doing, but I realize you don’t have a choice.”
Aric didn’t say anything; instead he squeezed my hands tighter, regarding me with apparent sorrow. I allowed the heat we shared to comfort me one last time before pulling away. The moment we separated, loneliness consumed me. “Good-bye, Aric.”
I slipped into the SUV before I did something stupid. I wanted to kiss him, to beg him not to let me go, to tell him I’d be willing to share him with Barbara. But my tigress managed to hang on to our self-respect. She knew, like I did, that I wanted and deserved more.
My hands trembled badly. It took me several tries to push the key into the ignition and I almost broke the key in the process. I peeled away, raw emotion stirring every nerve in my body.
“Damn. That sucked.” Bren drummed his hand against the armrest. “I mean, it was like a scene right out of Titanic.”
I gripped the steering wheel firmly and tried to focus ahead. A loud crushing sound caused me to glance in the rearview mirror. The lump in my throat grew tighter. Aric stood next to a cracked granite pillar, blood spilling from his knuckles. Yet instead of staring at the destruction, his gaze fixed on my car.
“Oh, shit!” Bren said, looking back. “I hope that was just decorative. You know what, Ceel? I think Aric loves you.”
I tried to stifle a sob. Shayna reached around the front to tug Bren’s arm. “Dude, knock it off. You’re making her feel worse.” Her voice softened to plead with me. “Ceel, please don’t cry. It’s going to be all right, I know it is. Hang in there, tiger.”
I took a few calming breaths, but I couldn’t stop shaking. The road blurred in front of me, and I felt the car swerve off the road. Bren grabbed the wheel and jerked it to the left. I took it back and yanked it away from him. “Celia. Stop the car.”
“No,” I growled at him.
“Damn it, you almost hit a fountain. Stop the car now!”
My foot stomped on the brake. I glared at him when he came around the driver’s side.
“Get out. You’re in no condition to drive.”
I didn’t move. My eyes closed and reached into my inner beast. She alone had kept us safe when we found the bleeding corpses of our beloved mother and father. She had been my strength through our terrifying abuse. She kept us functioning when Ana Lisa’s body failed her. She would help me survive without Aric. Because as much as we hurt, and as much as our loneliness threatened to smother us, we refused to lie down and die.
When my eyes open, Bren frowned back at me, more with worry than the anger he’d held moments before. “My world is shit, Bren. Get back in the car, and allow me some control.”
Shayna stepped out of the car and placed her hand on Bren’s arm. Her eyes glistened with tears. “Please, dude. Just let her drive.”
Bren leaned toward me. I thought at first to haul my ass out. I tightened my hold on the steering wheel hard enough to bend it. Bren surprised me by kissing my cheek. “You’re going to be okay, kid.”
I couldn’t sniff lies. Yet I knew Bren didn’t believe his own words. He ambled around the car, his head lower than usual. The moment he buckled in, I sped off, probably a little too fast. Taran and Emme idled at the gate. Taran rolled down the window when she saw me. “You all right?”