Luke's Dream (24 page)

However, he seemed in no hurry to reach the
room. His measured steps were just starting to get under my skin
when he faltered.

“No,” he said to himself.

A moment later, Winifred and Grey came
running from the direction of the soundproof room.

Sam’s gaze held Winifred. “How?” he said.

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“We’re not sure. Joshua went to get Bethi.
But, something’s happened. We’re not sure—”

I bolted back the way we’d come, using every
bit of speed I had.

Please let her be okay
.

Bursting into the room, I found Joshua
holding Bethi in his arms. It wasn’t a hug for comfort. The scent
of his lust was thick enough to suffocate me. I’d wanted to kill
him before, but now I had a reason that was completely within the
law. He had no business touching my acknowledged Mate.

Stay where you are, Luke,
Winifred
said over our link. I could feel all of the Elders behind me.

Bethi turned to look at us, and her gaze met
mine. It wasn’t just the scent of her guilt that was scaring me;
this time, the guilt was in her eyes, too.

“Joshua?” Sam said from behind me.

“I Claimed him,” Bethi said softly.

I couldn’t breathe. She’d chosen another.
Pain consumed me. My gaze held Bethi’s as I silently asked her why?
Sorrow filled her gaze.

Joshua growled and moved to stand in front of
Bethi.

“As an Elder, you are not permitted to
Claim,” Grey said, angry. “You broke your oath to hold the
interests of the pack above your own interests.” Grey paused. “How
are you still alive?”

Joshua twitched as if in pain, and his growl
grew louder. I didn’t give a shit what happened to Joshua or how he
felt about it. Bethi remained my focus. And when Joshua growled,
her shoulders stiffened and her eyes widened slightly even though
her gaze remained locked on Grey. She feared Joshua. I inhaled and
couldn’t find her scent within the emotional soup Joshua had
created. She was trying to hide her fear, but it was certainly
there. Why would she Claim him then?

“As you are well aware,” Joshua said with
clipped, agitated words, “we are not able to Claim any of these
girls. She Claimed me. I will hold that Claim.”

Bethi’s expression became impassive at his
words. I wished I knew what she was thinking. Knowing she’d linked
herself to Joshua, for any reason, was eating me alive from the
inside. She was the one who first suspected Joshua as the traitor,
that he was one of the Urbat.

Joshua might think he’d hold the Claim, but I
knew it wouldn’t be for long.

When Bethi next looked at me, she gave me a
slow nod from behind Joshua then reached for her blade. My heart
stopped for a second time, and I tensed, ready to leap at
Joshua.

Luke,
Winifred said,
stay where you
are. She asked for our trust.

“Joshua, does this mean you are no longer
able to communicate with the pack?” Bethi asked.

Joshua turned to look at her over his
shoulder. Warning or not, if he moved toward her… My skin rippled,
the shift pushing to the surface.

“He shouldn’t even be alive,” Grey
restated.

“Yes, yes,” Bethi said, with a negligible
wave as her gaze remained on Joshua.

Joshua inhaled deeply. “I feel...something
from you. Not happiness exactly. You’re trying to keep your
emotions from me. Why?”

Bethi gave a small smile.

What was she doing? She had once again put
herself right in the middle of danger and couldn’t even stand up
straight while baiting him. For days I’d kept her relatively safe
to bring her here. If she hadn’t tried going on her own, she might
have even arrived without a scratch, not that I blamed her for the
cut. I just wished she would stay safe on her own for just five
minutes. But no, my girl had zero sense of self-preservation.

“Have you told your leader what happened?”
she asked. “You know he won’t let you keep me.”

Joshua growled, and my claws formed in
response.

“Thomas already knows,” Sam said with
authority.

Joshua’s hands curled into fists, but I noted
his nails elongating.

“Not Thomas,” Bethi said, her gaze never
leaving Joshua’s. “His Urbat leader. So, Joshua, have you told him?
We need to know how soon they will be coming to take me and kill
you.”

For a second Joshua didn’t move. Then, he
looked up at the ceiling and roared. Anger and frustration rolled
off him. As his mood edged closer to volatile and irrational, my
shift inched further forward, and I bared my teeth.

Winifred, if he moves toward her—

He won’t touch her if he tries. I promise
that.

“We need to take it down a notch, guys,”
Bethi said, raising her hands. “This human is way too easy to
break, and neither of you would like that.”

Grey placed a hand on my shoulder.

Winifred told us what she knows. We won’t
let anything happen to Bethi.

“Let’s recap for everyone who doesn’t know
what’s going on,” Bethi said. “By Claiming you, I stripped you of
your Elder privileges, blew your cover with this pack, and voided
your usefulness here in the eyes of your Urbat leader.”

It felt like she’d hit me upside the head
with a brick. Claiming him hadn’t been spur of the moment to avoid
a dream. She’d planned it out. She’d known it when I’d walked her
to the room. I wanted to howl and rage, but I could only stare at
her and hope that Joshua didn’t hurt her.

“In addition, I’ve made you his target since
he will not allow you to keep me. After all, I feel no connection
with you that would help sway any decisions that I might need to
make. There’s really nowhere safe for you right now.”

Joshua straightened his stance, a sudden
seriousness exploding onto his expression.

He took a slow, deep breath. “Why not just
have them,” he nodded at the Elders, “kill me right away? Why Claim
me?”

A very valid and preferable option. I watched
her closely, as interested in her answer as Joshua.

“If they had killed you, you would have sent
one last message to your leader. It probably would have started an
attack and cost countless lives.”

She’d tied herself to him because she hadn’t
trusted that we were safe here. Not from the moment we arrived.
Bleeding and hurt she’d told me to tell everyone to douse the
buildings. I should have listened, not just to her words, but the
underlying meaning. Bethi didn’t think I could keep her safe or
that the werewolves could fight the Urbat.

“What makes you think I didn’t already send a
message?” he asked, his gaze skimming her face.

“To protect me. I’m yours, right?” Joshua
visibly softened at her words. “You don’t want to lose me. Plus,
you’d forfeit your life by doing so. Like I said, they won’t let
you keep me.”

Bethi stepped away from Joshua.

Why was she making it sound like he’d be able
to keep her if he stayed here?

“He underestimated you,” Joshua said,
watching her.

“Your kind usually does.”

“So how do you see this ending?” he asked in
a deceptively calm voice.

“That depends on how many are waiting out
there to meet me,” she said.

Joshua’s breath left him in a huff of
amusement. “Three.”

Three was nothing. They’d sent far more for
us before we’d reached the Compound. Three meant she didn’t need
Joshua’s protection, and I could get rid of him.

Bethi seemed to read my mind.

“I don’t want a Mating challenge,” she said,
looking at Winifred.

I growled. “It is my right.”

“Shush,” she said to me while keeping her
gaze locked with Winifred.

Winifred didn’t look happy.

It’s my right and our law. You can’t stop
me.

Luke, there’s more going on here than we
understand. Bethi knows something. Look at her. She doesn’t want to
die. She doesn’t want Joshua. She’s trying to protect us, and you,
by keeping him alive. I’m not denying your right. I’m asking for
your patience while we learn what she has planned.

She Claimed him. You know what he’ll try
next.

She was silent for a moment.

I know. And I am worried for her. We won’t
leave them alone.

Winifred gave Bethi a reluctant nod.

I growled, furious with the corner I’d been
backed into, and Joshua laughed.

“Like Joshua said, I need to think about how
this should end. I don’t want bloodshed. That’s why I Claimed
Joshua. To avoid just that.” Bethi stepped forward to touch
Joshua’s arm.

I wanted to rip her away from him.

“Joshua, I’d like to meet with the Elders and
figure out how we can leave here without dying.”

He made a satisfied sound and pulled her into
a tight hug. Grey’s hold on my shoulder tightened when Joshua
leaned in and nuzzled Bethi’s neck. Her face twisted in pain, and I
didn’t care about promises or restraint.

“Moron, you’re hurting her,” I said, taking a
step toward them.

Sam put a hand on my other shoulder, holding
me back. I barely kept the change in check. Fur sprouted then sank
back into my skin in perpetual waves.

“Please, Joshua. He’s right,” Bethi said.
“You’re hurting me. I was cut recently.”

I couldn’t see what he did, but I could see
her face. She paled and closed her eyes for a moment. When she
opened them, she looked at Winfred.

“Nana,” Bethi called in a slight panic.

“Joshua,” Winifred said with warning. “She is
in no shape for what you’re thinking. Stop now, or for her safety,
I will stop you.”

Joshua laughed but did release her.

“Soon,” he said, bending down to catch her
gaze. “They can’t stop a Claimed pair.” His hand drifted to her
belly. “A few days will see us truly together.”

Bethi nodded slowly and Joshua smiled.

He wouldn’t touch her. I’d give the Elders
twenty-four hours. Then I’d bathe in Joshua’s blood.

Sam and Grey seemed to know the direction of
my thoughts and continued to hold my shoulders as Winifred held out
her hand to Bethi.

Bethi stepped away from Joshua, and his eyes
tracked her as she moved to Winifred’s side. His gaze held
suspicion. He knew Bethi was playing him. My Mate was a tiny,
compact bundle of serious trouble. And, it was going to get her
killed if she didn’t start trusting someone other than herself.

When Winifred and Bethi left, I gave Joshua
one long look then followed them. Grey was only a step behind me.
In the hall, Carlos waited beside the door.

“Keep him in the room, and keep him
alive.”

Carlos nodded, stepped inside, and closed the
door.

“Come on, son. Let’s get some answers,” Grey
said, motioning me to follow the rest of the group.

I didn’t see the point in walking all the way
to the soundproof room at this point. By now, most of the
werewolves within the Compound probably knew what had been said in
our apartment.

The Elders remained silent through the halls.
When we reached the room, Michelle, Emmitt, Clay, Gabby, Charlene,
and Thomas already waited for us inside. Winifred motioned for
Bethi to sit first then took the seat across from her. The Elders
and the women sat at the table. I stayed near the door, watching
and waiting for an explanation.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Winifred
said.

“Who’s watching Joshua?” Bethi asked
instead.

Bugger Joshua. The next thing from her pretty
lips better be answers or apologies.

“Carlos,” Grey answered. “He won’t let Joshua
leave or let any harm come to him.”

She snorted. “I could care less if any harm
comes to him.”

“Then why did you Claim him?” I asked.

She refused to look at me as she spoke to
Winifred.

“Here’s the deal. The world is not just made
up of humans and werewolves. There is a third race, the Urbat. They
call themselves the dogs of death and are your close cousins.”

“They are the ones you can’t control,”
Michelle added.

Bethi nodded. “Then there’s us,” she said,
looking at Charlene, Gabby, and Michelle. “We don’t belong to any
of the three groups. Werewolf, Urbat, or human. We are unique.”

“Special,” Winifred said with a slight
nod.

“We are here to maintain the balance between
the three groups.”

Sam opened his mouth, but Bethi quickly cut
him off.

“I’m not sure exactly how we’re supposed to
do that. We have abilities. Mine is to relive past lives—not just
my past lives, but all of our past lives—through dreams. Our
abilities seem to help the group we are aligned with in some way.
Michelle’s gift is prosperity. In past lives, she knew the
locations of lost treasure, herbs with medicinal properties, how to
create things to better lives. Pretty much any knowledge that could
be used to create wealth. Charlene strengthens the group she’s
allied with and so on. I have no idea how that all plays in, but as
soon as the Urbat learned of us, they began hunting us.”

Most of this I’d gathered from the last time
Bethi had talked in private with Michelle and Gabby. And it wasn’t
answering the biggest question I had.

“If they are hunting you, why did you Claim
one?” I asked.

“We return every one thousand years for a
period of time. I don’t know all the details of that either. But
I’ve recalled enough of those past lives to know we always die.”
She looked at me. “I Claimed him to stay alive...to buy us some
time to plan.”

Although I’d already guessed that, some of
the tension in me eased upon hearing her say she had no real
interest in Joshua.

You still need to wait to challenge
him,
Winifred sent to me with a look before turning to Bethi.
“To plan what, dear?”

“An evacuation, to start.”

Thomas didn’t immediately scoff, as I would
have thought.

“What do you mean?” he asked.