A Wolf's Oath (48 page)

“
Did you write the note?” she questioned the minute she
arrived.

“
Of course I did Eric, it’s right over there.” She pointed to
the kitchen. When Erica took a step towards it, she placed a
restraining hand around her wrist. “We should be heading out Eric,
we don’t know when Sebastian will wake up.”

“
That’s true,” Erica admitted.

“
If he finds us here then the surprise will be ruined. Come
on.” She tugged Erica towards the door and pushed her gently
outside.

Erica instantly noticed that there was only one car in the
driveway and turned to her friend. “Where’s your car
Anna?”

“
I left it in town, I didn’t want to make any noise in case I
woke Sebastian up by accident,” Anna lied smoothly. “I can always
come back and get it later.”

“
You didn’t have to worry about that, he sleeps like the dead.
You’re really going all out to make this party a success aren’t you
Anna?”

“
Of course I am Eric. You mean a lot to me, I would do almost
anything for you. Now come on, get into the car so we can be on our
way. It’ll be quicker if I drive because I know where we’re
headed.”

“
Ok,” Erica agreed climbing into the passenger seat as Anna
slipped into the driver’s. The car started with a muted hum and
then they were on their way. Anna’s gaze was glued to the front
door the entire time they were backing away from the house; her
mind constantly expected Sebastian to burst out of the front door
and demand she return his mate. Luckily, Erica had been correct, he
was a heavy sleeper and they managed to drive away with no
impediments.

The drive to the estate of the Western clan took longer than
the journey to Erica's cabin had when she had been in her lupine
form but Anna had expected this. Regardless of the longer journey
time, the familiar stone walls of her home were soon visible. Anna
quickly risked a glance at Erica, hoping to see a sign of
recognition, she had spent many years here before her siblings were
born, but her face remained blank. Suppressing a sigh of
disappointment, Anna pulled into the drive way and led Erica down a
series of halls until they were in a large, practically empty room
that Anna had sectioned off for her explicit use.

“
There’s not much here at the moment but I’ve arranged for the
caterers to come in later and the more impressive decorations and
furniture should be right behind us.”

“
I don’t know how to thank you Anna. It means a lot to me that
you’re willing to do this for Sebastian.”

“
I’m doing this for you Eric.”
There’s
no way I’d be willing to go through with this façade for him let
alone doing it for real.

As
Erica's eyes scanned the barren
environment, she swallowed audibly as trepidation filled her. “This
is just an informal party right?” she gulped feeling slightly
intimidated by the size and grandeur of the room that Anna had led
her into.

Though there was nothing in it aside from the fixtures, their
golden sheen told her that the large chandeliers that hung from the
ceiling were real and very expensive. The wooden floor beneath her
feet had the sort of sheen that could only be acquired through
meticulous and near constant polishing and Anna’s casual reference
to the staff that were coming to assist them all served to make
Erica anxious. While she had awoken in similar surroundings, she
had almost forgotten that fact during the time she had spent in the
much smaller cabin she shared with Sebastian. To be surrounded by
such splendour now was slightly intimidating.

“
You’ll be fine.” Anna smiled, waving off Erica's concern. “You
have other things to worry about.” The clamour of feet, hitting the
stone floors told them that the people Anna had requested to help
throw the party had arrived. The doors were thrown wide and Erica
was swept away into a whirlwind of activity. Caterers, barmen,
movers with furniture laden arms, beauticians and hairdressers
descended on her, all demanding her attention at the same time. A
surge of pride filled Anna as another step in her plan was
fulfilled. She had instructed her staff to direct all their
questions and demands towards Erica, which would keep her busy,
distracted while she implemented the next step. Anna began
shuffling towards the door, trying to get out of Erica's line of
sight but she didn’t move fast enough.

“
Anna, come and help me!” Erica pleaded, turning her large blue
eyes on Anna as she tried to cope with the competing demands of all
the different people that were surrounding her.

Repressing the urge to scowl Anna walked to Erica's side and
dove into the task of organising a party on such short notice. As
time continued to pass Erica became more confident in managing the
staff answering their questions with ease and going about her task
with gusto. Anna slipped out of the room now easily avoiding
detection from Erica and sighed with relief as soon as she entered
the hallway. Pulling her mobile from the bag that was never far
from her side, she dialled Erica's cabin. The phone rang for so
long that she was beginning to think that Sebastian wasn’t there,
but eventually his sleep heavy voice came through the
receiver.

She took a deep breath preparing herself for what was to come
next. “Sebastian?”

“
Anna? Is that you?”

“
Yes. Have you seen Eric?” she demanded, making sure she
injected a note of fear into her voice.

The tremor in her voice quickly gained his attention and she
could practically envision him turning around frantically trying to
see where she was. “No. She wasn’t here when I woke up, she must be
out.”

“
Oh God, she’s gone,” she whimpered.

“
Anna what’s the matter?” She hiccupped into the phone as
though she were crying and she could feel that Sebastian was
becoming panicked. “Anna, calm down and just tell me what’s going
on.”

“
Eric met this man,” she began. “Vincent, yes I think that was
his name. He said he knew what you were, Sebastian I think he was a
hunter.” His low growl flowed to her ears across the phone. “She
said he asked for her help to capture you. He told her to meet him
today.”

“
Why didn’t you tell me?” he hissed angrily.

“
I thought I had persuaded her not to meet him,” she sobbed.
“She wanted to meet him and tell him to leave you alone. I told her
that the best thing she could do would be to pretend he didn’t
exist. I didn’t know what else I could say to her. It wasn’t as if
I could just come out and tell her that she’s a werewolf and he’s
out to skin her alive,” Anna snapped, hoping to inject a suitable
amount of righteous indignation into her response.

She could hear him moving about and soon the sound of
crinkling paper met her ears. She smiled. “She left me a note,” he
snarled before proceeding to read her own letter to her. “Dearest
Sebastian, a few days ago I met a man who knows what you are. I
think he wants to hurt you. I’m going to tell him to leave you
alone. I don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll be home as soon as I can.
Love Erica.”

“
She really has gone,” Anna gasped. “Sebastian, what if it’s
the hunter that caught Eric before? What if she’s walked straight
to him?”

“
The silly woman. If she tells them that she’s not going to
hand me over then they’ll just take her instead. I can’t let that
happen. Anna?” he barked, demanding her attention. “Do you know
where she’s going? Did she tell you where they were meant to be
meeting? Tell me damn it!”

“
I think she said they were meeting at Larive lake.” The phone
went silent with a click and a small smile appeared on Anna’s face.
Her fingers began to dial a different number as soon as Sebastian
had disconnected and this time it didn’t take long for the other
person to answer. “He’s on his way.”

“
And I’m here waiting,” Vincent chuckled.

Sebastian couldn’t believe Erica had willingly gone to meet
the hunters, while it was true that she didn’t know they were out
to kill her too, the knowledge did nothing to quell his
anger.
My silly mate is going to get
herself killed trying to protect me. When I get my hands on her I’m
locking her away for the rest of her life. She won’t leave my sight
ever again.
He grumbled the threat,
refusing to believe that there wouldn’t be a chance for him to do
such a thing to his mate in the future. Dashing out of the house,
he immediately saw that the car was missing and groaned in
frustration. Transforming into his lupine form he ran headlong
towards the lake Anna had told him the hunters were located. His
sensitive nose immediately detected a distinct lack of Erica's
scent and a wolfish grin crept across his features. The car had to
be slowing her down; she couldn’t cross the terrain directly to
arrive at the specified destination.
Good,
I’ll get there first.

I hope that he’s there,
his wolf
inserted.
The man who took our mate in the
first place. I really hope he’s there, waiting for his just
punishment.

So do I,
Sebastian agreed.
I would really like to sink my fangs into his
throat and make sure for myself that he can never trouble Erica
again.
The thought spurred him on and he
ran faster covering vast amounts of terrain in an attempt to reach
the man before Erica arrived.

Chapter
Forty-Five

Erica stood in the middle of the hall that Anna had so kindly
donated for Sebastian's party directing those around her with
increasing ease. She had learnt quickly that things worked more
smoothly if she had a little bit of space between her and them and
the centre of the room was the only place she could achieve that.
The furniture was still pouring in and the movers needed as much
room as possible so that made it impossible to work at the room’s
edges and being in that position had instantly made her feel
trapped. The helpers seemed unable to complete the simplest task
without her assistance and while that fact would normally have
frustrated her, she realised that they were doing her a favour and
so didn’t comment on their seeming incompetence. People were
flowing around her at an amazing pace and though she was enjoying
preparing for Sebastian's birthday, she was feeling increasingly
guilty about the way she had left him.
He
was so angry the last time I went somewhere and left him nothing
but a note. He doesn’t deserve that. The least I can do is tell him
in person where I am.
Her newfound belief
had her throwing her hands up in a silent request for those around
her to stop demanding her attention for a moment.

“
Would you mind just quieting down for a minute please?” The
request had the desired effect and those around her were soon
quiet. “Does anybody have a phone that I could use? I want to call
home and check that everything is alright.”

One of the more competent servers approached her and handed
her a small mobile. Erica smiled cheerfully at him, taking the
mobile and dialling home. The phone rang for a few seconds before
it was answered, but it wasn’t the deep unknowingly sensual voice
of her fiancé that she heard but the more childish one of her
brother. “Hello?”

“
Wyatt, it’s Erica, could you put Sebastian on the phone
please?”

“
He’s not here,” he responded easily. “Where are you Erica,
we’re hungry.”

“
What do you mean he’s not there? He just left you alone? Did
he tell you where he was going?” The questions came thick and fast
as confusion built within her. Sebastian wouldn’t just leave the
children at home without him for no reason, what was going
on?
Has something happened to
him?

“
Erica where are you?” he pressed.

“
I’m at Anna’s.”

“
Oh. Why are you there?”

“
We’re planning Sebastian's birthday party,” she responded
distractedly, her mind racing with thoughts of what could have
happened to make Sebastian leave the house without telling
anyone.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she almost missed
Wyatt’s next question. “Why are you doing that now? Ryan said his
birthday was months away and they’re twins, they have the same
birthday.”

“
What?” she demanded, the harsh tone of her voice worrying
Wyatt immensely.

“
His birthday is in November, that’s a long way away
Erica.”

Her mind was racing as the information sunk in.
I don’t understand. Anna told me that it was his
birthday today. She brought me all the way out here. She gave us
this hall. She’s enlisted all these people to help. She wouldn’t do
all of this if she wasn’t sure that it was his birthday but Wyatt
never lies.
What’s going on
here?

That’s what I’d like to know,
the
mysterious voice added.

Not wishing to alarm her brother any further, Erica took a
deep steadying breath, forced a smile to appear on her face and
hoped that she sounded calm. “Silly me,” she chuckled. “I must not
have been listening properly. It’s probably someone else’s
birthday. I must have misheard. I have to go now Wyatt, Sebastian
and I will be home as soon as we can. Until then, there should be
some cereal on the counter and some milk in the fridge. Don’t touch
anything dangerous and don’t go near the stove ok?”