Coveted (21 page)

A muscle ticked in
Lassie’s jaw, and he gazed down at his fists. “We’ve tried locking ourselves up
during the full moon, we couldn’t risk hurting any civilians, but we only
managed to break out of the cages. One even killed himself with a shotgun. He
was unrecognizable. He should’ve been dead. Then his face began to reshape as
he mended.” His voice cracked as he relived the horror. “We’ve tracked the drug
north in hopes of a cure.”

Lassie paused and
looked at James.

“I’d have to run some
tests, but based on what you’ve described, I’d guess the process is
irreversible.”

“You were born of the
blood. The human is correct. There is no cure.” Aiden sighed at their blank
looks. “We try to retrieve the breakouts when new wolf first turn. We monitor
the news and websites. If we’d known of your situation, we would’ve found you
and explained things.”

Lassie gave a grim
smile. “We’re good at covering our tracks.”

“We bring the
infected back to the castle. Animals are predators, ruled by instincts.
Shifters are a violent lot, and it takes time to learn control. Some arrive so
damaged that there is no bringing back their sanity. Strong emotions can bring
the wolf forward. Fighting the change can be incredibly painful. We teach you
how to master both forms and fight the baser urges. Just being near an alpha
can help keep the wolf in line.”

“Why us?”

Aiden paused,
glancing at each man, noting the similarities. “You’re all related.”

It wasn’t a question.

Lassie nodded.
“Cousins mostly. We grew up together and joined the army.”

“The change only
happens if you’re already predisposed to the mutation. Frequent or large doses
of our blood will trigger the conversion, while those who do not have the gene
will miraculously heal. The drug will eventually fade from their systems.”

Lassie’s expression
didn’t change, as if he’d already suspected the truth.

“How did your family
become werewolves?” James leaned over, curiosity written all over his face.

Aiden almost refused
to answer until he saw Shayla look at him for the first time since he’d
rebuffed her. Desperate to keep her attention, he spoke.

“An ancient tale has
been passed down through the generations. It’s said that Fenrir, a Norse god,
fell in love with a beautiful woman. Born a wolf, he was allowed only one night
as a human to win her affections. When she discovered that she was pregnant, she
begged him to allow their children to be born human.

“Being a trickster,
he granted her the wish, but he had no intention of giving up his claim either.
He forced the magic that had allowed him to change on to the children, giving
them the ability to be both man and beast. The bloodline is passed through the
males of the family. With each generation, it becomes diluted. Most never even breakout,
going on to live a normal, human life.”

“Unless they were
foolish enough to inject the blood of a wolf.” Lassie leaned back in his chair,
looking defeated for the first time.

Aiden turned his
green eyes on Shayla, reached over and drew her out of the chair. His touched
burned, and she curled her fingers into fists, quickly slipping out of his
hold. It was too soon, the pain too close to the surface. “What are you doing?”

Lassie rose to his
feet, watching the display with narrowed eyes.

Aiden kept his
attention on her, judging her as the bigger threat. He spoke slowly, as if he
didn’t understand her protest. “We’re going back to the castle.”

She shook her head
even as Lassie spoke. “I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

If anything, Aiden
bulked up more, turning to face off with the other man. “Back off. She’s mine.”

Though the words were
directed at Lassie, Shayla shivered when she saw the large, sharp teeth poking
out from between his lips. Then she stiffened. How dare he think to brush away
his public rejection then think she would ever go anywhere with him.

“Sorry, but I hired
her two weeks ago. For the time being, she stays.”

Each of them spoke as
if she didn’t have a say. Shayla wanted to smack both men upside the head. She
wasn’t some prize to be claimed.

James whistled and
nudged her. “Neither man knows you very well, huh? The last guy who said
something similar ended up in prison when you alerted the government where he
was keeping his offshore accounts.”

Shayla smirked when
both men fell silent and eyed her suspiciously. “It was only a little fraud.
He’ll be out in ten years if he manages to get paroled early.”

“I’m not leaving.”
Aiden stubbornly crossed his arms, daring either one of them to try and get rid
of him. “By asking her to help, you’ve put her in danger.”

“She was in danger
the instant you two met. Helping me catch the men will keep her safe.” Lassie
countered with a stubborn tilt to his head.

Neither man would
relent. And unless she wanted to be here all evening watching their pissing
contest, she needed to get the process moving. “How did you learn of my special
skill set?”

“A detective buddy of
mine by the name of Caine. He said you worked on a cold case for him about a
missing girl. He swore that you were the real deal. That you could do the
impossible.”

Shayla paled, already
shaking your head. “Then you’ll also know that I don’t search for missing persons.
That case nearly killed me.”

Literally.

She only searched for
objects, maintaining a healthy distance between her and the soul-sucking
wraiths. They were intent on stealing her magic, not caring that it would kill
her in the process…anything to break free from the Frost World and seek
vengeance on the living.

Lassie’s jaw clenched,
and his men spread out across the room, readying for a fight. “Three of my men
have gone missing.”

“I’d love to help
you, but I won’t be much use to you dead.”

A growl rumbled from
Aiden. “How long have they been gone?”

“A few weeks. They
were tracking the drug. Their last communication came from this town. They said
they were close. Then nothing. When we arrived, we found no sight or scent of
them.”

Shayla angled toward
Aiden, the pieces clicking together. “These wolves were taken, weren’t they? Like
you. Why?”

James made the
connection first, speaking before either wolf broke their standoff. “It’s the
blood.”

“Of course. The drug
turns those predisposed into wolves. They then tracked the wolves, captured
them, and harvested
their
blood to create more. They need the infected
to keep up supply.”

Shayla very
deliberately turned away from Aiden, her throat so tight breathing became
difficult.

He didn’t trust her.

He never had.

Lassie had been
right. Aiden just wanted to use her to find his men.

He never had any
intention of mating her. She didn’t realize how much she wanted that until it
was taken away.

Emotions became
leaden, distant, as she struggled to figure out the fastest way to put this
part of her life behind her once and for all. Her mother was right. Nothing
good could come from her gift. All she had to do was lead them to the compound
where the wolves were being held and then she’d be free.

It couldn’t come soon
enough.

Her resolve hardened,
and she pushed everything away but the need to complete this job and get the
hell out of Scotland. She glanced at James. They had met when she’d worked her
first and last missing persons case three years ago. He knew the dangers, what
to do if things went wrong.

James looked grim but
resigned. “I’ll be here. Just don’t get yourself killed.”

“Then let’s begin.”
Shayla held out her hand toward Lassie. “Do you have the items I told you to
collect?”

He hesitated, as if
he wanted to protest, but they both knew it had progressed beyond that. She
wiggled her fingers, and he finally withdrew a small tube from his pocket. The
vial was dull in the early morning light. Viscous liquid, dark and heavy, clung
to the sides of the glass, the rotting blood lumpy.

“This’s all I could
get my hands on in such short time. The drug has already degraded. You
shouldn’t be affected at all.”

Before she could wrap
her hand around the vial, Aiden blocked the exchange by shoving his way between
them.

“Not until we know
the dangers to you.”

 Chapter Twenty-three

A
iden had lost control of
the situation, he was losing her, but he’d be damned if he allowed this young
pup to put her in danger. He crossed his arms, refusing to budge, daring anyone
to harm her while he was there.

“You said there were
dangers. What do you mean, exactly?” He nudged his way between Shayla and the
upstart wolf. He didn’t like the proprietary way the guy was treating Shayla,
as if she had no choice.

Shayla remained
stubbornly silent. When she turned those expressive blue eyes on him, Aiden winced.
The warmth and joy that had become so precious to him was gone.

Destroyed because of his
idiot behavior.

His wolf snarled in
denial.

Marked or not, she
was theirs.

His first wife wanted
the privileges that came with being married to a warrior, but she despised the
beast. She wanted the status, but hated to be in the same room with him.
Ridiculed his touch. Neither Aiden nor the beast had contemplated claiming her.

Now the tables were
turned. 

Shayla was everything
he could ever hope for in a mate. And she intended to run the moment she
finished the job. He had no intention of letting her go without a fight. He
would follow her, give up his pack if it meant being with her, even if he had
to remain in the shadows.

Aiden turned toward
the only other person in the room who didn’t have an ulterior motive. James.
“Explain.”

“She only seeks objects.
For people, she has to search longer, go deeper into her gift. The more she
lingers, the more damage it does.” James rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding
the nasty glare Shayla shot his way. “I almost wasn’t able to bring her back
the last time.”

Aiden swallowed hard
at the dire pronouncement. His wolf’s fur stood on end at what they were asking
her to risk.

“That’s how you found
me, wasn’t it?” Everything made sense. He had been a fool, too caught up with
lusting after her, not to notice sooner. He should’ve known she was a Beloved
right from the start.

A beautiful blush
filled her face, and wolf perked his ears up, intrigued by her reaction.

“Not exactly. I wasn’t
really searching. My gift never works on me.”

Her flustered answer
charmed him. She wasn’t telling the truth. At least not all of it.

But she had shared it
with someone else. A burst of jealousy brought a snarled to his face. “You told
your Lassie what you could do.”

Shayla snorted,
crossing her arms defensively. “Don’t you dare try to make this my fault. You
were the one keeping secrets. Lassie knew about my abilities when he searched me
out to do a job.”

They exchanged
glares, while everyone else watched the them with fascination. Aiden puffed up,
unable to defend against the truth, but unwilling to let it go.

“You already knew
about the wolves, didn’t you?”

Shayla shook her head.
“Not at first. I discovered it on my own.”

The knowledge shook
him, and his beast stilled. When? Before they had made love or after? He
quickly went over the timeline, devastated to realize that it must have been
after. His time alone with her meant everything to him. Did knowing the truth
change the way she felt? “You never said anything.”

“Sure, what was I
supposed to say? Ask if you were a werewolf? Since the world doesn’t know about
your species, that means you want to keep it secret. What if admitting the
truth meant I couldn’t leave or worse?”

It smarted, but she
wasn’t that far off base. They guarded their secret closely. If it had been
anyone but her, she would’ve been right in her assumptions. That she believed
he would harm her gutted him.

Lassie and his men
were desperate. They wouldn’t allow her leave without getting their men back.
That Aiden had at one time contemplated using her for the same reason was
immaterial. He might not be able to stop her, but he could make sure she would
come to no harm.

Aiden turned to face
Lassie. “Let’s wait until nightfall. The humans are more vulnerable in the dark,
and the full moon will give our wolves more power. It will be our best chance.”

“I’m agreeable.”
Everyone looked toward Shayla.

“I’d rather just get
this done.”

Aiden stalked toward
her until they were almost touching. She didn’t back down, his little wolf, but
tipped up her stubborn chin, her mouth pursed in an adorable little pout he longed
to kiss. “I won’t allow you to get yourself killed. You will give me time to
organize my men to protect you. At any sign of danger, you will stop. Understood?”

She sighed, dropped
into the seat next to James and crossed her arms, obstinate to the last drop. “Fine,
I just want this nightmare over.”

Swallowing became impossible
at the curt statement. He wanted to protest but didn’t have the right. She’d gone
through hell to save him, and it wasn’t over. But he could do one thing…protect
her from the upcoming battle, no matter the cost. “We’ll meet back here an hour
before sunset.”

* * *

The room emptied
quickly. Shayla watched Aiden storm out, and despite everything, she wanted to
go after him. But what was the point? Everything had been said between them. It
hurt too much to see him and know that she’d lost.

James stood beside
her, studying her with eyes that saw too much. “You were a little harsh. I
think the guy might actually care for you.”

Shayla flinched at the
truth in his first comment. With each breath, shards of her broken heart
stabbed her, and she turned to faced James. “He lied to me. Over and over. He
likes me well enough, but not enough to tell me the truth. He’s like all the
others. Once he sees what I can do, that I can peel back every corner of his
life and bare his secrets, how long do you think he’ll want me around then?”

“You found a man who
didn’t flinch when he learned of your gift. One who has a bigger secret than
yours. I would think you’d be a little more understanding. Except in his case,
he also has to keep his people safe. It’s not just his secret.”

“That’s not fair.” She
gritted her teeth. It was already painful, but if she fell any more in love
with Aiden, it would destroy her to lose him.

James raised a brow.
“Isn’t it? It’s also my job as your fiend to tell you when you’re being an
idiot. You’ve kept yourself apart from everyone. You use your gift as an
excuse. Now you have a guy who accepts and wants everything you’re willing to
give him, and you’re running. Are you going to be a fool and toss it away
because you’re scared?”

Damn James anyway. He
didn’t know the truth. She swallowed hard, bitterness adding a bite to her words.
“He doesn’t want me. You saw how easily he dismissed me.”

James snorted. “What I
saw was the way that man looked at you. If he had his way, he would’ve carted
you off to his castle if he thought he could get away with it. He’d do anything
to keep you safe. You’re lying to us both it you tell me you don’t want what he
has to offer.”

James was right in
one respect. She was a coward. She almost never went out with a man past the first
date. That’s usually when they asked her what she did for a living. When she
told them, they either considered her a con artist or freaked out, terrified
that she’d expose their secrets.

She’d learned as a
kid not to get too close to others.

Never tell anyone
what she could do.

For the last year,
she’d stopped dating entirely.

Never allowed anyone
close enough to hurt her.

Until Aiden.

He somehow sneaked
past her guard.

James nudged her,
practically shoving her toward the door. “If you don’t take this chance, you’ll
never forgive yourself.”

Before she could
formulate a protest, he opened the door, and all but flung her outside. Shayla
stumbled and straightened to see the door to the inn slam shut in her face. The
sunlight blinded her. She shaded her eyes, then reluctantly turned, but saw no
sign of her elusive quarry.

“If you’re looking
for Aiden, he’s down by the docks.” Mac walked out from the side of the inn as though
he’d been waiting. He studied her, the stiffness in his face easing slightly. “Humans
have made his life hell. You wanted to hurt him, punish him for his behavior.
You succeeded. I hope you enjoyed your victory.”

 Shayla flushed in
shame, but met his stare and waited for his judgment. None came, which made her
feel even worse. “There have been so many lies…on both sides. Everything has
been tainted.”

“Not everything. Not
the way he feels about you.” Mac straightened, gazing off in the distance. “If
you care anything for Aiden, tread carefully. After decades of being alone,
you’ve made him feel, and he’s struggling with those emotions. You’re important
to him, and he doesn’t know how to react without messing things up.”

Shayla remembered
Aiden’s shattered expression. She’d lashed out to hurt him, but never expected to
feel so crappy afterward. Mac turned away, leaving her to decide if she wanted to
fight for a second chance. Nerves danced in her stomach as she remembered Aiden’s
gentleness, the way he seemed so determined to keep her safe. She hadn’t
realized how much she’d come to rely on that until he took it all away from her
with his public rejection of her.

She wanted that again
and began walking, then running. By the time she reached the dock, she was
breathless. She scanned the beach, finally spotting Aiden as he worked with one
of the villagers on their boat. The panic that had built up in her chest, that
she wouldn’t find him in time, eased enough for her become nervous all over
again.

A plaid kilt was wrapped
around his waist, leaving that glorious chest naked for her viewing pleasure. No
doubt he wore it so he could shift into whatever form he needed and not get
tangled in clothes. The impressive sight was enough to distract any girl.

Muscles flexed as he moved
a large tangle of nets for the fisherman, making her want to run her hands over
him to feel all that wonderful strength again.

Once wasn’t enough.

She shouldn’t be
surprised to find him helping others. He treated it as just part of his job. He
never asked anyone for help when he could do it himself. He gave his time
freely to everyone. It didn’t matter if it was training with his men…or helping
a female he didn’t know stay alive.

He never expected
anything in return.

Lured closer, she’d
taken just two steps when she noticed a hitch in his stride. As if he knew she
was watching, he straightened, turned and stared right at her. There was no
expression on his face, no softness, the intensity in his eyes causing her
chest to tighten. To have all that focus directed at her made her breath catch.

Aiden strode toward
her, no rush in his steps, his eyes on hers as he wrapped a length of kilt over
his shoulders.

A leather strap was
wrapped around his wrist, up his arm, worn like a brand of ownership. With a
start, she recognized the thin strip of material from her bag. Warmth flushed
through her at the thought of this proud warrior belonging to her.

He stopped a foot
away, taking care not to touch her, as if he was afraid she’d scurry away. His
musk evoked memories of them together, sweet and sexy times that she’d buried.

Awkwardness struck
her for the first time since they’d met, and she fiddled with her fingers,
unable to meet his eyes. “Do you want to go for a walk?

From under her
lashes, she saw Aiden’s brows furrow, studying her as if he expected a trap. He
swallowed hard then peered down the shore before gesturing her forward. “We
should be safe enough if we don’t go far.”

They walked in
silence, and Shayla took the time to study Aiden. He appeared tense. Twitchy.
He scanned the area, but his gaze repeatedly wandered toward her, touching on
her for a second before jerking his attention away when he found her watching.
His hands were clasped behind his back in his standard pose.