Blood Solstice: Part Three in the Tale of Lunarmorte (20 page)

He nodded
and she thought he might not trust himself to speak.

“
I’m leaving with Reuben. Now.”

“
Caia, we’re coming with you.” Alexa and Jaeden rushed
over.

Lucien
opened his mouth to speak but Caia beat him to it. “No, you’re
not.”

“
But, Caia-”

“
Do you want me to do this?” she hissed, feeling so angry at
them. Stupidly she’d hoped their conscience would suddenly make an
appearance, and they’d tell her no. Not that it would matter
because Reuben would still take away his protection if she didn’t
do it.

Jaeden
blanched but Alexa just nodded enthusiastically. “Of course we
do.”

“
Then stay here.”

“
Bu-”

Jaeden
grabbed onto Alexa’s arm. “Be quiet, Lex. We’ll stay,” she agreed,
and Caia could see a shimmer of guilt in her eyes. So she wasn’t so
comfortable with blackmail after all. Too late.

Caia
turned away from them and gave Vil and Laila a reassuring smile.
“You’ll be fine here,” she promised and strode towards Reuben who
stood at the doorway, waiting for her.

“
Caia, wait!” Magnus ambled after her. He grabbed her arm and
spun her around. She had never seen him look so mad before.
“Why?”

Impetuously, she pulled him down to hug him close so she
could whisper in his ear where the others couldn’t hear. “I can’t
explain. I wish I could. But I can’t. I’m still me, I promise.” She
choked on tears and he squeezed her tight.

“
I love you,” he told her softly.

That was
it. She had to get out of there before her control broke. “I have
to go,” she mumbled and pushed away from him, hurrying from the
room. Through the glass fronted doors she caught sight of Saffron
waiting by Reuben’s car in the driveway. She crossed the foyer and
felt Reuben at her back.

“
I hate you,” she told him quietly.

After a
moment of silence came his sad reply, “I know.”

Caia
flinched at the sound of Lucien’s almighty roar from the dining
room. It was followed by a horrendous crash. A shower of tinkling
ensued.

Reuben
sighed as he held the front door open for her. “There go my
windows.”

***

Jaeden
had never felt this guilty in her life. She still couldn’t believe
Lucien had actually thrown Caia out of the pack. And everyone had
let him! Ryder had let him! She wanted to beat the crap out of him
for that. She ambled wearily along the corridors of the hotel. The
place was surprisingly big and surprisingly nice. Everywhere was
hardwood flooring and bright lighting. Faux flowers added a little
romance here and there, and the paintings and décor were modern and
airy, giving the whole place a sense of openness and space. The
bedrooms were huge as well. She had taken one next door to Alexa
and was studiously avoiding Ryder, who for the moment was
thankfully preoccupied with making sure Lucien was OK. Their Alpha
had cut himself up pretty good when he started throwing chairs
through windows and smashing, crushing and basically destroying
anything in his path after Caia had left. If it hadn’t been for
Laila and Vil, who managed to magik them up some new windows, they
would all be freezing their asses off. So… pfft! Who gave a damn if
Lucien was hurt? He’d thrown Caia out.

You’re angry at yourself, not Lucien.

Like
hell!

Dad would be so mad at you.

She
growled at herself and stomped through the halls. She was looking
for Lucien’s room. She wanted to give him a piece of her
mind.

“
There you are.”

She
tensed at the voice and turned slightly to see her mate walking
towards her determinedly. “Ryder.” She nodded at him as if they
were strangers instead of mates.

He
grunted at her, “Jaeden. Nice to see you. It’s been a
while.”

“
I’m not in the mood for your pathetic wit.”

At that
he pushed her up against the wall, his eyes sparking with
irritation. “I’m not in the mood for your childish behaviour but
still I’m going to put up with it because you’re my mate… or have
you forgotten that?”

The feel
of him close to her, his scent, his heat nudged at her heart,
adamant to start it beating again. And she so wanted to just let
go, to just fall into his arms and tell him everything and make him
persuade Lucien to retrieve Caia. But she wouldn’t. Instead she
pictured the gory sight of her father’s body.

She
wanted revenge more.

“
I haven’t forgotten,” she replied quietly. “Although I’m
trying.”

Ryder
flinched and she refused to feel bad for the hurt that flickered in
his gaze. “What the hell does that mean?” he growled, pushing his
face more aggressively closer.

She
shrugged, pretending indifference. “I don’t want it. I don’t want…
you,” she lied, struggling to forget her amazing first time with
him that night at the Centre. She’d never felt closer to anyone in
her entire life.

He
exhaled slowly and took a step back. “You’re grieving. And you’re
angry. Confused. You need time.”

“
I do need time,” she agreed with her dead eyes. “But I don’t
need you.”

And with
that she brushed past him ignoring his shocked countenance, and
continued on through the hotel in search for Lucien, determined her
heart wasn’t breaking.

After
all… she didn’t have a heart left to break.

***

“
Lucien.” Rose sighed, gazing up at him imploringly from the
sofa in the bedroom suite he had chosen for himself. “Talk to
me.”

He didn’t
want to talk to anybody. He was afraid of the damage he would do;
afraid he would take the frustration over Caia’s departure out on
one of the pack. He had managed to shake off Ryder – who was
pelting him with questions – and retreat to his room. Then Rose had
shown up. She didn’t deserve his attitude.

“
I really appreciate your concern, Rose, but-”

“
But why don’t you stick your damn nose in someone else’s
business.”

They
turned to see Jaeden striding into the room, the door slamming shut
behind her. Lucien frowned as he glared at Rose.

“
Jaeden,” he warned.

She
sneered at him and he flinched at the disrespect. Jae had never
dared to look or speak to him in any manner but that which she owed
her Alpha. “Don’t,” she bit out and then turned back on Rose. “Get
out.”

Rose’s
mouth fell open momentarily before she remembered herself. Her eyes
narrowed dangerously. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

“
Jaeden, don’t speak to Rose like that.”

“
Don’t speak to Rose like that?” She guffawed and sliced him
another disdainful look. “Pity you can’t show the kind of concern
you reserve for your ex-girlfriend for your
actual
mate. Or has Caia already
been forgotten and I’m interrupting the re-stirrings of a beautiful
relationship here?”

For some
reason her remark stung and Lucien felt a sense of shame. Not about
Rose. There was nothing going on with Rose. He loved Caia. Which
was exactly why he felt sick to his stomach for kicking her out of
the pack. His plan had totally backfired.

“
Rose, can you give us a minute?” He nodded to the
door.

By the
tensing of her shoulders he knew Rose was annoyed at being
dismissed, but if he didn’t have this out with Jaeden now they
would be at each other’s throats for days… weeks even.

When Rose
was gone, Lucien turned his full attention to Jaeden, reminding
himself she was going through an unimaginably difficult time and to
be patient with her. “If you’ve come to shout at me about Caia you
can stop. I already feel as bad as I’m going to feel.”

Jae
curled her lip. “I somehow doubt that. I mean you have Rose hanging
out with you already.”

He
sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Jaeden, Rose is none
of your business.”

She
smirked derisively. “Is that why you kicked Caia out? To be with
Rose?”

“
For goddess sakes, Jaeden, no!” He yelled dropping down into
a seat, glaring at her the whole time. “I love Caia.”

“
Oh yeah sure, I really got that you know… when you humiliated
her and kicked her out of the only family she’s ever
known.”

Sharp
streaks of guilt spiked him all over. “Don’t. Do you think I wanted
to? But this pack has been through enough and Caia is going to do
something unforgiveable. We need out of this and Reuben has
promised us safety.”

A tense
silence fell between them before she finally nodded and lowered
herself into the seat across from him. Her eyes were suddenly
limped pools and he saw a reflection of his own guilt in them. “And
what about Caia’s safety?”

“
You think I don’t care?” he hissed. “You think I just threw
her out of here like it was nothing? She is my mate, Jaeden. It
goes against everything that I am to throw her to the proverbial
wolves like that… but she’s made this insane decision and her
reasons are not good enough for me to back her up.”

He
couldn’t understand. He needed to understand. He needed to
run.

“
I don’t think her decision is insane.”

Lucien
shook his head. “Jaeden, we’re not going to kill innocent people to
further our means. I don’t know why Caia feels she has to do it,
there’s no good reason-”

“
Oh for the love of the gods, Lucien!” Jaeden snapped out of
her seat. “This is Caia! She always has a good reason!”

What did
she want from him? What did she want him to say? That what Caia was
doing was OK? Because it wasn’t. It would never sit right with
him.

“
Jaeden, I don’t want to argue. In fact, I want to go for a
run. So you can stay here bitching at the wall or you can come with
me.”

She
screwed her face up at him like a child and took a moment. Finally,
she exhaled with a huff, “Fine. I’ll come running with you. But I
want you to know that I think she’s doing the right
thing.”

He
shrugged numbly refusing to look at her, feeling little more than a
young boy lost.

“
Dear Gaia,” she breathed. “You think she’s going to change
her mind. You only kicked her out cos’ you don’t believe she’ll go
through with it.”

Ten
points for wolf girl. Of course he didn’t believe Caia capable of
killing innocent people. The only thing holding him together right
now was that hope. And he wasn’t letting go.

He nodded
in reply. “I kicked her out hoping that would stop her. It hasn’t
but… I have Reuben’s phone number. I’ll check in with him to make
sure she’s OK… and then-”

“
And then what? Be there when she changes her mind?” She shook
her head sadly. “Jeez, Lucien… even if she does miraculously decide
not to take out the Septum do you honestly think she will ever
forgive you for letting go of her so easily?”

Her
question caused his throat to close up and he felt the unbearable
need to swipe at something with his claws outstretched. Finally he
pinned her with his own penetrating look.

Fight
fire with fire.

“
You really think if you keep pushing Ryder away he’ll still
be there when you realise what an idiot you’re being?” He shouldn’t
have enjoyed the way she paled but the animosity between them egged
him on. “Yeah, I didn’t think so,” he whispered with a
smirk.

“
You’re a jerk.”

“
Misery loves company, sweetheart.” He shrugged, only speaking
the truth.

She gave
a pathetic half-growl before jumping towards him with an animation
she hadn’t shown in a while. “OK so… you didn’t actually mean to
kick Caia out right?”

“
Right…”

“
So let’s just go get her. All of us. Let’s do this
together.”

He shook
his head. “I told you I’m not dragging the pack back into this.
Plus… for the hundredth time I don’t agree with what she’s
doing.”

“
But you love her?”

“
Yes.”

“
And you want to protect her?”

“
Of course.”

“
Then let’s just you and me go. We’ll go get her. Keep her
safe.”

He
sighed, running his hands through his hair in frustration. Why was
Jae doing this? She was just making him feel bad… it was like
kicking a puppy for Gaia’s sake. “I can’t. I can’t leave the pack
alone again.” He cursed, feeling his anger at his mate building.
“And Caia knows that! No. She made her choice. I have to make
mine.”

He
watched her shoulders slump, the dim light in her eyes dying. There
was more to this for Jae than she was letting on, but getting it
out of her would mean nothing short of torturing her. He could only
hope she came around on her own.

After a
few minutes of silence he shrugged. “So… you still up for that
run?”

“
Do I get to bite and hit you?” she snapped up from her chair
and started crossing the room to the exit.