Dark Veil (4 page)

Chapter Four

Perhaps the biggest paradox that existed for Cade in that very moment was the one between himself and his mind. His heart ached with such agony that he was sure he would die from it. Yet, even as it hurt so badly, he was sure that he wasn’t real at all—it was like existing in some thick fog that he couldn’t see through. All the sounds that existed within the world were nothing more than hushed voices off in the distance somewhere. He tried to move, tried to do something with himself. It had been hours of this, but every part of his being was numb. But his heart—its heavy thumping in his chest reminded him that he was very much alive and very much in pain. It beat with such ferocity that it was the only thing that let him know he was still alive.

A baby.
Their
baby. The very thought of it was something beyond belief. Never in his wildest dreams had he even though it were possible. What a cruel hand fate had dealt them this time. Even his
wolf
had taken it upon himself to lay low, brooding in the confines of his mind as everything sank in. The
wolf
should have been raging, should have been fighting to protect his mate, to keep every other male at bay, because now he had claimed her fully as his own. But the
wolf
was quiet.

As Cade stood there staring into nothingness, the muffled sounds of voices began to come to life. Phoenix’s voice slowly penetrated the dense fog that was surrounding him.

“Cade …” He said his name in such a way that Cade realised he’d probably been saying it a while. But even then, he couldn’t bring his mouth to move and form words in response. “Cade, your father is on the phone.”

He felt Phoenix’s gentle touch on his arm and turned to him. “Tell him I’ll call him back.”

“He says it is urgent. He’s not going to go away.”

No, of course he wouldn’t. That was Trevor—what Trevor wanted, Trevor got. The thought just ignited some fury deep within Cade. It was people like his father who always caused the shit, yet they were the ones who came up smelling like fucking roses. Pretty much everything worked out for Trevor—well, almost everything. Phoenix was the one thing that hadn’t. Oh, defeat must have tasted bitter in his foul mouth, but Cade wasn’t stupid enough to let his guard down fully on that one. Maybe the battle was over, but the war between Trevor and his hatred of the half-breed was just simmering under the surface.

Cade greeted his father in the usual manner. Their relationship had never been a strong one. Trevor saw Cade like his mother—weak—but Cade saw his father as greedy and power hungry. He would never forgive his father for setting Phoenix up and leaving him to die. If it wasn’t for the oaths that kept him in place, Cade would have no qualms about telling his father that he would drop the MacDonald name.

“Council meeting tonight. We need all of the family in attendance,” his father barked at him down the phone.

“You made it quite clear some time ago that I am not your family. I think you have the wrong number.” The two years since Cade had been taken to the cage as punishment for breaking Society law by taking in Phoenix now seemed like a lifetime ago. Trevor had been furious that he had taken a half-breed in, and had informed him then that he and Cade were family in name only. What right did he have now to make these demands? He could piss off for all Cade cared. It had been months since they had actually exchanged a word—any kind of word. Even then, he had only seen and spoken to him because it was a pack run, and Cade had to show his face to make sure that his father didn’t look like an idiot who couldn’t even control his own family. Wouldn’t want to show Trevor’s little band of followers that one of his sons had got away. Fuck no. The man had an image to keep.

“Tonight you are, and you will come to this meeting.”

“Or?”

“There is no
or
, Cade. Tonight, at seven. I will see you there. And do yourself a favour and leave the little half-breed at home … this is family business. It does not concern him.” With that, Trevor hung up the phone. Cade stared at the receiver, wishing that there was a way he could ram his fist into it, reach inside and wrap his fingers tightly around his father’s throat. It was long overdue. He slammed the receiver down instead. He didn’t need this shit and he certainly didn’t need his father’s stupid games.

Phoenix was standing near him, waiting and listening, of course. Cade said nothing about his father’s remark, but he was sure that Phoenix had heard it. He might have started out as a
Human
, but his hearing was now like an
Other
. “I’m going to go out for a run,” he said. “I’ll catch dinner. I have to go out this evening.”

Phoenix nodded but said nothing. Cade wanted to tell him that this meeting was nothing to worry about—that it wasn’t about him—but he couldn’t. The truth was that he didn’t know what it was about, but knowing his father, it would be something that was going to make his mood sink even more than it already had.

You can come run with me if you like,” he said, trying to offer maybe a little reassurance to the boy that nothing had changed between them, no matter what his father wanted.

It was dark when Cade shifted back from
wolf
to man. It had calmed him at least, and he had hunted rabbit. Nothing special in that—rabbit was so common in this area. Phoenix had come, too, and they had each ripped into their kill as they had sat together in the grass after the hunt, still in their
wolf
forms, with the crisp air around them. Then they had sat and cleaned themselves, Cade leaning over to Phoenix to clean him like a protective wolf would do to its young. He wondered if this is what it would be like with his actual chid. Would his child be
wolf
or
tiger
? Would he get to run with it this way, and then share these moments of parental intimacy? And although Phoenix was not his son, they were bonded, and acting this way didn’t feel wrong to him.

He left Phoenix to the television and his studies, and then he drove to Malcolm’s house. When he pulled into the drive, he sat in his car, hesitating, every part of him wanting to leave—not just this house, but everything. Gemma would be in there. As much as he was burning inside to see her, he needed his mind clear, because if he saw her, he would beg. He would plead with her not to kill their child.

He’d asked her for some time to think about things. He hoped that time would help her see things differently, to change her mind about having an abortion. He couldn’t believe that she would even consider killing their child. He gripped the steering wheel and fought the rage that surged inside, fought not to burst into the house and find Gemma. His
wolf
urged him to go get his mate, force her to leave with him, to keep her and their baby safe. Frustration ate away at him, at his inability to force Gemma to do anything. He wished he could just let the animal inside take charge. Things would be so clear-cut then. Logic and Society would not play any role, and all that would matter was that his mate and child were protected.

He would call her tomorrow maybe, but he needed time and so did she. It was so hard for him, though. It went against everything that he was. It went against his
wolf,
who needed to protect his mate. If she was there, his resolve would break down and it wouldn’t matter what his dad wanted just now—he’d be focused on Gemma. He would take her and leave. He’d take Phoenix, too. But then Stephen … Everything was so fucking complicated. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel of the car and got out before he drove himself crazy with it all. He banged the car door closed too and made his way down the drive.

There were many cars leading up to the house. It seemed that Cade was the late one. When he went into the house, they were all gathered in the usual room, the silent room, but the door was open, so whatever it was didn’t need to be kept quiet. Every member of the Society was there, as well as the Council. This was big—fucking big. He entered without knocking, his eyes instantly scanning the room for Gemma. But she wasn’t there—neither was Gemma’s kid sister, Evie. Stephen was there, however. He caught Cade’s eye and gave him a curt nod the moment Cade entered the room. Cade didn’t go to him, though. His eyes fell on his mother, Katherine, instead. She went to stand up to greet her son, but Trevor grasped her hand and stopped her—just another show of his power and dominance. He was forcing her to lose her son, too, whether she wanted it or not. Trevor had spoken so it was tough shit what his wife may want.

He couldn’t stop Cade, though. He strode over to them, his eyes defiant on his father as he approached, Trevor’s expression hardening with each forbidden step. Cade stopped when he reached his mother and stooped to embrace her, leaving her no choice but to do the same. He would take the blame for it—he didn’t care. Maybe she wasn’t allowed to hold her son, but sure as hell Trevor couldn’t stop Cade from doing it.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered softly against her ear before placing a delicate kiss on her cheek. She raised her hand and gently stroked the back of his head, her eyes shining with unshed tears that made his heart clench painfully in his chest. He wished she could send Trevor to hell and leave the fucking asshole—but Cade knew his mother would never leave her husband.

“You too,” she whispered back. “Have you been looking after yourself?”

Cade nodded and smiled before kissing the top of his mother’s head and letting her go. She was the one who didn’t look like she was eating properly. Her eyes were dark, her hair duller than normal. Had she always seemed so small? Cade didn’t remember, but she looked different and not in a good way. It was his mother he probably missed the most—her and maybe Danny.

Danny was young—Phoenix’s age. He was too naïve to make his own decisions just now so anything he thought, Cade could forgive him for, but the boy needed to open his eyes. He needed to see what Aaron and Trevor were really like. Oh, Trevor must have been so pleased with Aaron, to see that he had managed to breed himself a carbon copy. What a shame for Aaron, though—already his life was marked for one of misery and greed as he blindly followed in their father’s footsteps because he had been taught that it was the right thing to do.

“I think everyone is here,” Malcolm said, as Cade found himself an empty chair and sat down. This wasn’t such a private meeting it would seem. There were four people at the table that he didn’t recognise, and the tables had been extended so that everyone had a place to sit. Cade surveyed them all wondering what surprise it was that Trevor had up his sleeve. There had to be something.

Malcolm nodded to Aaron. “We’re ready.”

A woman sat beside Aaron—attractive, rich—the kind you could tell had been born into money, lacked brains as all spoilt little rich girls did. Daddy would have provided her with whatever her heart had desired. She smiled up at Aaron as he stood and Cade felt his stomach twist. Oh god … no.

“Malcolm …” Aaron began by addressing the head of the Society and Council before his own father. A piece of respect that Cade was sure pissed Trevor off every single time. “Mother, father.” He cleared his throat and smoothed down the non-existent creases from the front of his jacket. “I asked Malcom to call this meeting tonight because I come here seeking the Society and the Council’s permission. I wish to put forward an official potential.” Cade’s blood froze. The woman next to Aaron took her cue and stood. “This is Isobel Dean. I request that the Council and Society approve a permanent mating between us and a joining of our families and packs.” He reached down to the file that was in front of him and pulled out some papers, which he handed to Malcolm and Trevor. “We have done all of the appropriate tests. Isobel is able to bear my young and she is deemed fit and healthy. We will be a good match.”

Malcolm said nothing at first but took the papers and started to inspect them. If Malcom was anything, it was that he was fair and kept the rules the same for everyone, no matter who they were to him. He looked up when he was done with a perfunctory smile. “It seems that you have done all of our work for us.”

“Yes. To save you the bother. I have copies for everyone here. May I pass them around?”

Malcolm nodded his permission. It was customary for the Society, and then the Council, to agree on the mating. It seemed that Aaron had both of them there, but of course, everything had to be checked first. What would be the point in a mating, especially if one of them was beta, when the potential mate couldn’t or wouldn’t produce offspring? Or maybe there was something in their blood that would bring risk to the family line. Aaron handed the copies to everyone at the table, but the only thing that really mattered was that Malcolm had read his, and he was happy with the request. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have allowed Aaron to carry on. In turn, the heads around the table muttered and nodded their agreement, too. Cade felt the world around him slipping farther away with each nod. It seemed that fate wasn’t done with him today. No, she was here to make sure that he was well and truly screwed.

“I have no objections,” Malcolm said as he took a pen from the holder in front of him and signed the bottom of the document. He held out the pen to Trevor, whose eyes were alight with his excitement. After everyone had put down their signature, the pile of agreements mounted up in the middle of the table.

Aaron could mate with Isobel.

Cade glared at his father.  There was no doubt the son of a bitch had known. This was why Cade had been summoned. His heart sunk as he suddenly realised that, apart from Isobel and her parents, the fourth person sitting at the table that he didn’t recognise had to be one of the Castle women—and judging by her age, Cade guessed it was the mother. He had been set up and he’d walked right into it like a world class fool.