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“Each betrayal begins with trust.”
-Martin Luther-
Daniela
I see the shock in his eyes, and bite back my tears. It was bound to happen, I knew it from the moment we got close. And now that he’s seen me for what I really am, he’s staring at me exactly like I’d been afraid he would. Like I’m a freak.
Then Luz tugs on my arm, whispering, “You saved my life, Dani.”
She hugs me, barely reaching my shoulder, and I force myself to smile. It’s a small blessing that she’s safe and sound, away from Cade’s clutches.
Then she’s ripped from my arms and into Dom’s. He buries his head in her neck, breathing her in, then kisses her like there’s no tomorrow.
The purity of their embrace is too much to behold. I look away – and meet Tristan’s glare. I take a step forward, wanting to explain. “Tristan, it’s not what it looks like.”
“Really?” He snorts. “Cause from where I’m standing it looks like you lied all along. You don’t need protection, you’re a damn witch!” He shakes his head in disgust. “And to think I fell for those pretty eyes and fake smile.”
My heart clenches, but I still try to reach out for him. He brushes me off, side-stepping me. “Don’t fucking touch me.” His voice his filled with hate. “I’ve seen your kind – they do nothing but serve their own selfish purposes.”
The worst part is, he’s right. My brother’s only in this for his selfish reasons, as is the rest of my family. Only I never wanted it. How can I explain that, when he’s just seen me use magic?
“Tristan, please. Let me explain.” Tears stream down my cheeks, and I can only hope he takes pity on my miserable expression. Maybe it’s that or the last shred of patience he finds within himself, but he nods.
“Fine, but make it quick. The sooner we finish this, the better.”
I take a deep breath, aware of Dom and Luz’s eyes on us. “Before I dive in, Lucas knows. I had to be honest with him when I asked him for protection. He kind of knew already.”
Tristan’s face closes further. “Wonderful. So you could share this second massive secret with your new alpha, a complete stranger, but not the guy you’ve been screwing.”
I gulp past my dry throat, forcing myself to keep meeting his burning glare. “I get you’re hurt, Tristan, but please hear me out. This happened before Izabella died. After you left, our lobisomens pack was weak. Izzy and you were supposed to mate, carry on the lineage. My parents fought – a lot. Then mom died on a raid, and my father lost it. Thiago took advantage.”
“He always was a little weasel,” Tristan mutters. He notices my hopeful look and his expression shutters again. “Go on.”
“Thiago told our father there’s a way to make us more powerful so no one else dies. They forced us – me and Izzy – to partake. A witch performed a ritual and next thing we knew, we had powers. Magic.” The last comes out in a whisper. “I never wanted it. It comes with a price – the eldest daughter has to be sacrificed to the darkness. Izzy was it, that’s why she committed suicide. There was no other way to get out of it. Then it was my turn and... I came here.”
Tristan watches me, something flickering in his eyes. Then his nostrils flare. “And is it a coincidence I smell the zmeu’s scent on you, querida?”
“The what?” I frown. Something about that word is familiar, but I can’t place it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Enough!” Tristan shouts, shaking his head. “I’m done with the lies. With you. You have protection, you’ve lied from the beginning. I don’t know what the hell your purpose here is, but—”
“Enough.”
Dom steps by my side, frowning at his friend. “Don’t say something you’ll regret, Tristan. Take the night to cool off.”
Luz joins him. Her green eyes dart to Tristan, then she grabs my hand in hers and says, “Dani’s staying with us tonight.”
Tristan finally snaps out of his daze. “Like hell she is. We’re not done talking.”
Luz drops my hand, to place both her hands on her hips and glare at him. “Hell yes, you are! I said it, so it’s happening. If you have a problem with that, take it up with Dom.”
Without waiting for a reply, she’s dragging me out of there. Dom tosses her his car keys, then steps to block Tristan’s path. And I have no choice but to follow Luz. I’m still on a high from the magic, but that look in Tristan’s eyes...
Fuck. Why did I use it?
The redhead ahead of me is the answer. I couldn’t let Cade hurt her, not when I see what she’s got with Dom.
We hop in Dom’s pickup, and Luz drives us in the silence to the bungalow they live in. She marches to the kitchen and pulls out a bottle of wine. Her nose wrinkles, then she puts it back in the fridge and heads to the antique hutch in a corner. After rummaging through, she comes up with a bottle of what looks like tequila.
Luz pours us shots and pushes one towards me. Without blinking, I throw it back – and cough as it tears through my throat. “This isn’t tequila!”
Luz laughs. “Nope, it’s ţuică.” The word is unfamiliar, and she pronounces the “t” like a “tsch”, but the liquid is burning fire in my stomach.
She shrugs. “Call it Romanian vodka, if you will. Dom’s secret stash. Now, sip.”
Luz pours another shot, and I drink it. And another. And another. By the fifth, I’m wobbly on my feet and then she pulls the wine from the fridge, pouring us both a large glass. She motions to the stool by the island, and serves us both.
“Now, talk to me. What was all that?”
I bite my lip, feeling emotional. “Told you everything already.” The semi-lie only serves to make me teary-eyed. Merda. Must be the freaking drink.
“You kinda haven’t.” She sits on the stool next to me, leaning forward and holding my hand. “There’s more, isn’t there? Than what you told Tristan. You don’t strike me as the type of wolf to run and leave a pack behind, regardless of how crazy your brother is.”
I shake my head, unable to push the words past my clogged throat. Luz doesn’t give up, though, instead softens her tone. “You need to talk to someone, Dani. And if it won’t be Tristan, then it might as well be me.”
Tears stream down my cheeks, and before long I’m blubbering like a baby.
Tristan
I acted like a dick. There's no way about it, no excuse. But fuck it, how... Clenching my fists, I turn away from Dom and pace the width of the street. The pile of rubble in the distance didn’t attract anyone, and I think it’s probably lucky the area is abandoned.
Despite my anger, I can’t help but be impressed by Dani’s powers. To think she could do all this and stand up to an unsanctioned assault from the Reapers deserves my respect, if not my forgiveness.
“So... I take it you didn’t know about any of this?”
I glare at Dom and he lifts his hands up. “Relax, buddy. I just meant you’ve been getting close to her, but you didn’t feel anything?” He must read something in my expression, because he walks away and starts inspecting the ruins more closely.
Then he pulls out his cell, and I know he’s calling the rest of our pack here. I focus back on pacing, and trying not to hit anything. No matter how much I might feel the urge to.
Everything starts making sense. Do I feel betrayed? Fuck yeah. Dani had too many opportunities to tell me the truth, and didn't take any. Obviously she doesn't trust me – first going to the Reapers, now this.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I run a hand through my hair, turning on my heels and hitting the wall closest to me. Screw control. What has it ever gotten me? My knuckles bruise, but hell if I care. My wolf is at the surface again, and a shudder runs through me. I need to shift.
Then a hand is on my shoulder, and Dom’s there. “You need to cool it, buddy.”
Before I can tell him to back off, Lucas’ Hummer pulls up, and he steps out with Finn. They take one look around, then Lucas motions for Dom to join him. As they edge away, presumably filling our alpha in on what happened, I glance down at my bruised knuckles again.
And I remember Dani helping me with my panic attack, with my triggers. Yeah, everything makes sense now, including each piece of the puzzle she revealed before, and why she hasn’t said everything since. But it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.
I didn’t lie when I said I’ve seen witches be selfish. In my travels, my team had tried enlisting some to help us out. But in the end, they only served their own self interests. The thought she’s like that, and it’s all been a play...
The wall becomes my focus, the target of my punches. I don’t even feel it when my knuckles crack and start bleeding.
Dom finally pulls me back, placing himself between me and the wall. I’m panting hard then, struggling to see past the rage.
Lucas’ voice is what finally grounds me. “Tristan, enough!”
I lower my arms, and finally face my alpha. His eyes are narrowed on my bleeding hands, and I shrug. “They’ll heal. So?”
“So, what?”
“Did Dom fill you in?”
He nods, and I notice the speculation in his eyes. “And this doesn’t make you second guess her request for protection?”
“Daniela deserves consideration, still,” he emphasizes her name like I don’t know it.
It’s my turn to glare. “Not when she lied her way into your good graces.”
Lucas shakes his head, looking to Dom for help. “Talk some sense into him. We don’t have time for his bruised ego when we need to move on to more important things. Like Cade pulling a stunt like this, in our territory, on our pack.”
“Dani is not our pack!”
Dom throws me a look. “No, but Luz is. And the Reapers had no business going after her. The only reason she’s still alive is thanks to your girl.”
“She’s not mine,” I scowl at them in turn. “You’re bewitched, all of you.”
Lucas snorts. “Hardly. From tonight, we need to run constant patrols, ready for protection. And tomorrow, I need two of you to head into Reaper territory and see if you pick up any waves. I’ll make a formal meet request to Jared to talk about this.”
He looks at us, then his gaze drops on me. “You’re with me for the meet. Finn, you and Dom can scout the Reapers’ territory.”
My eyes narrow on him. “I’m not the most diplomatic wolf you got, Lucas. Finn’s your guy for this.”
“Watch yourself, amico. That almost sounded like you’re contesting your alpha.”
The hardness in his eyes makes my wolf respond, and I take a step back. “Not the intent.”
Finn pulls up next to him, defusing the situation. “So, a witch werewolf, eh?” His eyes are glinting with humor, but I see nothing to laugh about. “Seems about right, especially for a lobisomem.”
“What the hell are you going on about?”
Finn shrugs, waving his hand in the air. “Never mind. How do you plan on fixing this, mate?”
That’s a good question if I ever heard one.
Lucas, surprisingly, provides the answer. “With a lot of booze. And then, we can talk about next steps.”
∞ ♦ ∞
They’ve plied me with alcohol. But nothing takes away the sting of betrayal. How could I have slept by her, believed in her, and missed the mark so bad?
“You didn’t.”
I glare at Finn. He’s relaxed at the end of the booth, his too-knowing eyes on me. “Get out of my head.”
“Then stop projecting.” He drinks his single malt, then throws a look at Lucas. He’s by the bar, chatting up a pretty brunette. “He will offer her protection, you know.”
“Lucas wouldn’t,” I scowl. “Dani’s done nothing but lie since she got here.”
“And is that really what upsets you the most?” Finn leans forward. “Or is it the zmeu’s scent on her? Bringing back memories?”
I move without wanting to. One hand grips his throat, the other’s up in a fist, ready to make contact.
Basta.
I shudder against the command, but listen to my alpha. Then Dom’s there, prying me off Finn. “Let’s take you home.”
Shrugging out of his reach, I stomp outside. Dom’s relentless, following me. “You need to get yourself under control.”
“Like hell I do.”
Without a word, I climb in his pickup. Once he drops me at my apartment, I head for the liquor cabinet. There’s no way I can go near the bedroom – not with her scent all over the place.
Daniela
I turn from the window when the door opens and Dom walks in. His eyes take in my bedraggled appearance and he smiles, albeit sadly. “Sorry I missed the party.” He looks around. “Luz okay?”
I nod. “She’s sleeping. I got her hydrated. Thank you... for allowing me to spend the night. I realize it puts you in an odd spot with Tristan.”
Rather than go to his mate, Dom shrugs out of his coat and heads towards me. “It’s the least I can do, considering everything you risked to save her life.” He frowns then. “Why did you?”
I shrug. “Luz is special. I’ve never had a friend like her, so accepting and...warm. I see what you two have, and I couldn’t have lived with myself if anything happened to her, not while I could stop it.”
Dom reaches for my shoulder. “Tristan will come around.”
“I doubt that.” My whisper carries to the moon, and I can’t help asking, “How is he?”
Dom shrugs. “Drunk. Probably about to get drunk-er.”
With one last squeeze, he heads to his mate. And I need fresh air, so I step into the backyard for a minute.
Moments later, the fence creaks as it opens and I feel a presence. The voice behind me is ice cold. “I will offer this once, and once only, cara.”
My eyes stay fixed on the moon, even as Lucas walks around me. His presence is intimating, but I’ve seen his kind before – fought them, too.
A side-glance to him confirms that while he’s tense, Lucas is not here for a fight.
“Offer what?” It’s barely a whisper in the quiet night, but he tilts his head to the sky as if listening for an answer.
Then his dark eyes settle on me, and he nods. “My protection, if you still wish it.”
I think back to Tristan, to the betrayal in his eyes. Is that why Lucas is finally coming around? And am I ready to submit to an alpha like him? The power lying dormant in him is something else.
When I look up in his eyes, trying to see the man behind the leader, I find no malice. Only understanding and regret.
“Yes,” I say before I can change my mind. “I still need it.”
Lucas inclines his head then, and blows out a breath. “But is it something you wish?”
I think back to my freedom – and can’t lie. “No. But it’s what I need.”
He nods then. “I’ll let the guys and Lucrezia know in the morning.”
Tristan
I groan against the sunlight. Glancing at the kitchen clock, I notice it’s past ten in the morning. Shit. I doubt Lucas will be lenient considering last night, but fuck it. Something tells me it’s already going to be a shit day.
Can’t be worse than last night.
Despite the bottle I consumed, I still didn’t get much sleep. Whenever I closed my eyes, it was Dani I smelled, felt under my hands, heard moaning in my ears. It was the worst kind of torture, so I forced myself to stay awake through the night. Obviously, that didn’t work.
Grunting, I get off the couch and drag myself to shower. An hour later, I finally make my way in the auto shop, and stop dead in my tracks. Dani’s scent is all over the place – fresh.
I look through the translucent doors to the garage and notice her chatting with Finn and Dom. Luz is leaning against her boyfriend, and Lucas is in a corner, watching over them.
Tell me he fucking didn’t.
Before I can take a breath to calm down, I burst through, pointing an accusing finger towards Dani. “What the hell is she doing here?”
Dani flinches under my angry gaze and I feel the pack’s protective stance shift towards her. Luz moves first, glaring at me and stepping next to Dani. Finn arches an eyebrow, and Dom looks at the ceiling for help.
Thanks for the help, guys. Looks like I’m on my own.
Dead silence lingers in the air, until Lucas speaks. “I’ve awarded Daniela protection.”
I seethe. “Seriously? Do you know she’s in league with the zmeu?”
“I’m not —” Dani stops, shaking her head and curling her shoulders inward, as if realizing it’s useless to fight my accusations.
Lucas narrows his eyes on me. “I know everything there is to know, amico. Believe me, she is not in the wrong.”
I look at all of them, and it’s too much. The one place I thought I could escape this, escape her, and now I can’t even do that. “Fuck this.”
Shaking my head, I turn on my heels and walk out, ignoring their calls to me. I step on the gas and take the main road – out of town.
∞ ♦ ∞
Land passes by, but I'm not even focused on it. I just drive, and drive some more. Dani’s stricken expression keeps running through my mind and guilt swirls in my gut. It gets worse, to the point of physical pain, until I have to pull over and hurl my breakfast all over the side of the highway.
I try to write it off to the alcohol I consumed, but I know it’s not that. And as I stand up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains and nothing else, I admit the truth to myself.
I’ve been a dick. And whether she lied or not, Dani is still the woman I’ve fallen in love with. The one I swore to protect, even if she’s unaware of it. And because of that, and how much she’s done for me, I need to try to mend things.
Apologies will be in order, but not yet. Before I do anything else, there’s someplace else I need to visit. I get back in my truck and step on the gas, hoping to get there before nightfall. After all, if I'm going to be there for Dani, I need to deal with my demons first – and one of them is Izabella.
And while I’m there, another promise needs to be kept. Not that long ago, I swore to Dani I would hunt down her brother and make him pay for branding her. Alone or not, now’s as good a time as any to do it.
Hours later, as the sun paints the sky blood red, I pass the beaten down sign welcoming me to Bow’s Arrow. Rather than take the main route into town, I turn right at the first intersection and head to a deserted-looking hill.
Tires crunch on gravel – the snow’s melted here. Odd. After I get out of the truck, my feet take me up, following the names on the tombstones. They’re in order of death years, and it doesn’t take me long to end up in front of her grave.
I kneel next to it, then lift a hand and touch the headstone. Her laugh, her scent... The wind picks up and it's as if she's right there, next to me.
“Izzy...”