Ever After (18 page)

****

She was almost ready, and she still had two hours until Travis would come pick her up. Maybe she should take the time and do something a little extra with her hair? Would he like it curly?

He’d told her he intended to have her portrait tattooed on his chest. She’d spent hours touching his various ink. So many colors, so many designs. All of it Travis. Wolves, birds, Greek lettering, and an all-seeing eye on his left arm alone. Her man had turned out to be very artistic. He’d done some of the designs himself. What would his picture of her look like?

She drummed her fingers on her coffee table. Would his friends like her? She wanted them to. Maybe this would be a chance for her. She’d met a guy who she could trust—a man she knew she wanted in her bed more than she’d ever desired anyone—and she wanted to be part of his life. This weekend needed to go well.

A loud pop caught her attention, and she whirled around just as the entire room went up in flames. She screamed and hit the ground, the whole world going black when the first wave of heat hit her.

****

Lilliana’s eyes flew open, and she gasped for air. Something—no, someone—hauled her off the ground.

It took her a second to realize that the person who had her was Cyrus, the man from the restaurant who had creeped her out.

“What?” She coughed. Her lungs burned, her chest was tight, and her skin felt like a million needles jabbed into her pores.

“Stop squirming. It’s hard enough to get you out of here without both of us burning to death.”

She gasped for air. What was he doing here? He’d scared her at the diner. How had he ended up in her apartment? “Did you do this?”

“No.” Cyrus ran down the hall with her in his arms. They’d just gotten out the front door when the building exploded. She hit the ground, still in his arms, after Cyrus was thrown forward onto the pavement. He twisted so she’d landed on top of him instead of beneath. He cursed, and she groaned.

Cyrus stood up, setting her to the side. Blood dripped down his arm where he’d been cut and he tugged his shirt off to expose more cuts underneath. “I’m sorry I should have gotten us out of there more smoothly.

She couldn’t even speak, couldn’t manage to make her lungs work. Everything ached. Her insides felt like they might melt.

Cyrus shook his head. “I didn’t expect it to blow that fast.” He pulled her back in his arms. “You’re seriously hurt aren’t you? I can smell blood and I’m not seeing it on you. That means its inside. Shit. I can’t have that. You’re not good to me dead, she-wolf.”

His words didn’t make any sense to her, but it didn’t matter anyway because the world went loopy and then black.

That was okay. She preferred the unconsciousness to so much pain.

****

Travis pulled up to the apartment building, his heart lodged in his throat. Fire trucks blocked the entrance while police, emergency workers, and firemen ran all over. Lilliana’s building blazed like an inferno.

He left his car in the middle of the street. Someone could tow him if they wanted it gone. “Lilliana.” He screamed at the building as though she’d answer him from that far away.

His legs moved before his mind could consciously catch up to what was going on. She should be home right now; she’d known he would be coming for her at this hour. And if she wasn’t there, she would have called or texted him.

“Lilliana.” He screamed again, plowing in and over an EMT who got in his way. The man said something, but Travis didn’t hear what it was. He had to find his mate.

Two days from the change, his senses were heightened, wild in their ability to process information. He sniffed the air. She wasn’t there. Not on the street, not staring at the building, not waiting in any parked cars. Lilliana was not there.

Travis grabbed on to one of the police officers. “Was anyone in there when that happened? Is anyone hurt?” Maybe she hadn’t had her phone with her when she fled the building.

“Yes.” The police officer nodded. “Several people were taken to the hospital. We’ve had a number of casualties. There was no warning. Just flames and then an explosion. Are you missing someone?”

“A girl. Twenty-four years old. Blonde. Her name is Lilliana Rouse.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t have any of the victims’ names yet. If you come with me…”

Whatever the police officer would have said faded away. His senses had picked up a scent. Two of them, actually. He moved away from the cop and bent down on the ground. Raising a piece of torn cloth to his nose, he inhaled deeply. Cyrus Fennell and, on the ground near the blood-stained clothing, his mate’s blood.

He stood up. Cyrus Fennell had been there, and that could only mean one thing.

The Alpha of New York City had taken his mate. She was injured; that much had been obvious from the smell. Cyrus had done this. New York had just declared war on Philadelphia.

Travis smiled, feeling the surge of adrenaline that his wolf side knew meant violence would be coming. Peace be damned. He’d get his mate back and show Cyrus just how much of a mistake it was to screw with him. Everyone who’d lost his or her lives to Cyrus’ games would be avenged. He’d had enough of playing nice with the evil bastard.

Chapter Four

Lilliana awoke to voices. She had no idea who they belonged to, but based on how horribly her body ached and the pounding in her head, she hoped they were a top medical team who would take care of her without charging her a penny.

A woman spoke. “She’s hurt, and she’s not fully one of us. I don’t know how long the regeneration is going to take. Hybrids are always tricky. Before you say another word, Alpha, I’m the very best, and I wouldn’t lie to you about that. You’re my brother.”

“Lake.” She heard a loud sigh and immediately knew whose voice it was that answered. Cyrus. He’d rushed into the fire to get her. Of course, he might have set said fire even though he’d claimed not to. People frequently lied. “Do the best you can. I need her alive, and I need her kept hidden from Travis until I get what I want.”

“And what would that be?”

A growl sounded in the room. “You’ll know when I want you to know.”

“Right. This is
that
kind of a thing.” Whoever this woman was verbally rolled her eyes. Lilliana could practically hear it.

“Our guest is waking.” Lilliana heard footsteps, and Cyrus stood over her.

“How could you tell?” A woman appeared on the other side of Cyrus. She shared his blond hair and blue eyes. Their faces were similarly shaped, long and elegant looking, but she was small whereas Cyrus probably stood at the same height as Travis. Thinking of him brought pain to her chest. Cyrus had said his name. They must know each other. How? Through Matilda?

“I’m the Alpha.”

“As if that explains everything.” The woman leaned over Lilliana. “I’m Lake Fennell. I’m his little sister and Healer for our pack. I don’t know everything, but I can promise you we will keep you safe until whatever business the Alphas have is finished.”

“The Alphas?” Her voice croaked. She wanted to go back to sleep, but the pain was too much. How badly must she be burned? Perhaps death would be preferable to surviving a few more days in a body that would never heal.

Lake lifted her eyes to look at Cyrus before she stared back down at Lilliana. “Cyrus and your Alpha, Travis.”

“Why are you calling him the Alpha? What does that mean?” Some kind of gang terminology? Travis had said he had things to tell her, things he wanted her to see. Was that his secret? Something to do with Cyrus?

“She doesn’t know.” Cyrus exhaled loudly. “This is too ridiculous. She must be latent. Of course, Travis would find himself a mate who doesn’t know she’s a wolf. You’re a werewolf. Or at least you’re half one. I’m a full one. My baby sister is here is one too. And your boyfriend…he is too. You’re his mate. I’m sorry he didn’t see fit to tell you. You’re quite pretty. I like how you smell. If you’d like to trade up, I can’t promise you a true mating since I don’t think such things exist, but I can promise you that you’ll prefer New York City to Philadelphia.”

Lake elbowed him. “You’re terrifying her.”

“I’m not scared.” She had too much pain for real fear.  “I think you people are all out of your minds. Take me to a hospital.”

Cyrus smiled. “When was the last time someone spoke to me like that?” He laughed, a long hard sound. “You’d be dead in a hospital. Lake here is holding on to your soul until you can heal. You’ll be fine.” He pointed to her necklace again. “I want that totem. He should never have had it. Cousin or no cousin. She liked me best.”

“Shh.” Lake elbowed Cyrus before putting her hand on Lilliana’s arm. “Rest.”

As if Lake’s command made it happen, Lilliana fell fast asleep confused as ever.

****

Travis stormed into his headquarters, not surprised to see all the senior members of his pack waiting for him. He’d called them together, and they always did what he said.

“What is it, Trav?” His second-in-command, Douval, walked forward. “I could hear it over the phone. Something’s happened.”

“Cyrus Fennell.” He roared. His beast wanted to rise two days early. As Alpha he could do so if he wished. Everyone else would have to wait until the moon. Only he didn’t want the change. Not yet. The wolf would wait until it could eat its prey. “He’s taken—and maybe killed—my mate.”

Someone gasped, and the rest of the assembled pack remained silent. They’d known Lilliana would be coming. Some of them had started to plan nice things for her to do, ways to make her feel welcome. He’d watched the small touches happening around the main repair shop. One of the older women had asked if she could take Lilliana shopping. He loved his people. They would have made her transition easier for her. Their joy at his finding a mate, even during wartime, had been palpable. A piece of joy to counteract the otherwise crappy circumstances.

“What’s the plan?” Douval asked, speaking for the pack. They didn’t question Travis motives; they never did. He’d earned their trust with his blood. Still, he liked to tell them more than others might.

“I went to her apartment. The building was ablaze. A couple of people are dead. She might be as well. His blood-soaked shirt was on the ground and I could smell her blood.”

He stormed into his office, and then turned around. “Tomorrow. It’s the full moon. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect time to begin the Take Manhattan plan.”

Travis waited to see if anyone would contradict him or suggest a better idea. They knew they could speak up. He didn’t rule by terror. No one spoke so he said one last thing. “I never wanted this. I hoped we’d never have to use the battle plan. I wanted to rule Philly. Cyrus could have kept Manhattan. I have no interest in Alpha Prime. That position could have stayed dead when Lucian died. Cyrus has waged war by taking my mate, which means New York City will be mine by the time the sun rises in the sky after the full moon.”

He slammed his door and took a couple of deep breaths. Lilliana had to live. He’d spend the rest of his life eliminating any and all threats to her. If Cyrus had hurt her, even a hair on her head, he’d make sure the Alpha’s ending came painfully.
Slowly.

****

Lilliana sat up. She really felt much better, and that seemed sort of impossible. Her hands healed, other than having a bit of an unnatural red glow to them. She could stretch, move, and adjust herself without feeling as though she might break apart.

From across the room, Lake smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re up. I have to go if I’m going to be with pack for the shift. I hated to leave you here alone unaware.”

“You’re serious about this.” A slight throbbing in her left temple jarred her. Damn it. Was it that time of the month again? Her weird headaches, the ones the doctors shrugged away as hormonal, couldn’t have come at a worse time. “You think you’re a werewolf.”

Lake stood up and crossed to her. “I don’t think. I know I’ve been gifted with the change. You should know it too. You’ve never shifted yourself? Usually half-breeds can still become wolves.”

“No.” She snorted. Had she landed in an insane asylum? “My body stays just like this one. Nice and safe and human.”

A vision of the story Travis had told her, the one about the wolves loving the human woman, passed through her mind. Did Travis think that tale was real?

Lake patted her on her arm. “You’re damaged, and I can fix you.”

“What?” A strange warmth passed down her spine. “What are you doing? Stop that?”

Lake shrugged. “I’m sorry. I should have asked before I started, and it’s totally inappropriate that I didn’t. Now that I’ve triggered it, I’m afraid I can’t make it stop.”

“Make what stop? What the hell did you do to me?”

Lake smiled, and Lilliana gasped.  That grin couldn’t be called anything else except…wolfish. “I’m giving you a gift, Lilliana. Welcome to the night.”

Lilliana stared at Lake for a second before looking down at her own hands. They’d been red before, but now? Fur had popped out in small bits, starting at the edge of her nail bed and moving upward along her arm toward her shoulder blade. She screamed and darted off the bed, her heart in her throat.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no
.

Cyrus stormed into the room. “What in the hell did you do, Lake?”

“I gifted her.”

He stared at Lilliana, and she prayed he would have a way to make it stop. Surely, as Alpha or whatever, he had to be strong enough to make this cease.

“Travis is going to hate this.” He stalked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, she-wolf. You’ll get used to the pain of the shift. I’m going to take care of you.”

She stared into his eyes—not beautiful, not like Travis’—but for some strange reason, Lilliana believed him, and nodded to tell him so. This man took care of others. His scent told her his intentions were pure. That thought jarred her, but there was no time to wonder because her bones began to crack. Pain made her scream in agony.