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“Memory...is the diary that we all carry about with us.”
-Oscar Wilde-
Daniela
Hours have gone by since Tristan took off. I haven’t been hiding, exactly, but I sought refuge in Lucas’ office. So it’s no surprise when he walks in with a demanding air about him.
“It’s time I teach you a bit about our little town. Free my seat, cara.”
I roll my eyes and stand, moving to the small sofa on the side. “Is there a reason you keep calling me darling in Italian?”
He chuckles. “Only for my own amusement.” Then his expression grows serious. “Dom told me it was Cade who attacked you. But I need to hear it from your pretty lips. Everything. From the beginning.”
With a sigh, I slouch into the chair and start going through the story. I tell him how we were at the bar, the Reapers noticed us, and Cade chased after us.
“And none of this was provoked? You didn’t do anything with your magic?”
I scowl at him. “No, I didn’t.”
“It wasn’t meant as offense, cara. I’m going to bat with Jared in an hour, so it’s imperative I’m informed of all the details.”
His explanation and tone get to me, and I settle. I’m too on edge. Using that magic is like a drug, and now I’m even more aware of it at the tip of my fingers.
“What do you think?”
I snap out of my thoughts, aware I’ve missed the last of Lucas’ words. “Sorry, what?”
He smirks. “Since Tristan took off, and he was meant to come with me, you’ll take his place. But no matter what happens, I’ll need you to keep your mouth shut. Understood?”
Part of me wants to refuse. Yet with the protection he’s awarded me, I feel indebted, especially considering Tristan is gone because of me. So I nod, and stand to follow Lucas out the door. I can only hope there’ll be no ravens around this time.
∞ ♦ ∞
Turns out the meeting is taking place at The Cave. I expected a forest and us in wolf form, but I guess things are done differently in Rockland Creek. So I join Lucas in a secluded booth, leaving the opposite bench free for Jared and whoever he brings along.
My wolf is settled, having not seen any ravens about, so it makes it easier to focus on what’s about to happen.
We don’t have to wait long. A few minutes after we sit, the door opens. Lucas straightens from his slouch, and hisses, “Remember, keep quiet.”
Then Jared shows up, flanked by a guy I’ve never met. He has bleached, cropped hair and blank eyes. A perfect follower, by the looks of it.
Jared sits opposite Lucas, and folds his hands behind his head like he’s at the beach. “So, what gives?”
My nostrils flare, catching their scent. They’ve just hunted. And judging by the odor, it wasn’t an animal.
Lucas doesn’t move, but something tells me he smells it as well. “For starters, why did one of your men attack two of my females?”
Jared snorts. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” But his eyes flicker betrayingly to me, and it’s the proof Lucas needs.
He leans forward, elbows on the table and body tense. “We’ve co-existed well, you and I, for a reason. Should that reason become...obsolete...then you would find the full strength of our attack aimed towards you. And we both know how that ended last time, if you recall.”
Jared’s eyes flash, and he stands, practically kicking the other guy out of the booth. “I’ve heard enough.”
As he stalks off, Lucas doesn’t drop it. He doesn’t turn, doesn’t go after him, doesn’t yell. Yet his voice still carries in the empty enclosure. “Watch your back, Jared.”
After they’re gone, I turn to him. “Now what?”
“This little meet should have given Dom and Finn enough time to gather some intel. We’ll regroup tomorrow.”
∞ ♦ ∞
Morning finds me on Dom’s couch. I stretch, then sniff the air. The smell of bacon and eggs assails my senses, enough to jostle me up. With the open-concept kitchen, I can see Luz cook food in there.
Dom is waiting patiently at the table, his eyes glued to his mate, tracking her every movement. He must hear noise on my end, as he spares me a glance and a smile. “Awake yet?”
“Mmm. That smells delicious!”
Luz grins over her shoulder. “Thought you’d need some after last night’s party. Dom offered to cook, but I was already in the mood.”
It’s then I notice Dom’s sharpened look on me. “What?”
He hesitates a beat, then admits, “We haven’t heard anything from Tristan.”
I look away, trying to pretend – and failing – that it’s not affecting me. Even though my stomach clenches in pain, and my chest feels as if it’s being ripped apart. The fact he left town the moment he heard I was in his pack is telling enough about our relationship, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to recover. If he’ll be able to forgive me.
“Do you know where he could have gone?” Dom pushes.
I run a hand through my hair, wincing at the tangled mess. “No. But I’ll think on it. Can I use your shower?”
He nods, and I walk away with my backpack. Just before I go in the bathroom, I turn to them. “Did you find anything, last night? When you went with Finn.”
Dom shakes his head. “Not much. There’s trouble in the Reapers pack, that’s a given. Could be Cade is causing it, but whatever it is, feels like there are two separate factions of the Reapers now.”
“Shit.”
He gives me a look that echoes the sentiment, and I go inside the bathroom. As the water cascades down my back, I think about his question, about Tristan – really think about it. There’s only place he’d go in anger.
Where it all started.
My eyes snap open at the realization, and my stomach plummets. I get out of the bathroom and dress in a rush, piling my hair atop my head in a messy bun. Then I practically run through the hallway and emerge in the kitchen.
“I know where he went!”
Only, no one reacts. Their attention is already occupied by the dark-haired man standing in the living room. He turns at the sound of my voice, and his stormy grey eyes twinkle. “Hello, little wolf.”
Tristan
My breath hitches, eyes filling with tears. The hand touching Izzy’s headstone trembles and a shudder runs through me. “How did it all get so fucked up?”
Then other memories assail me – her with my best friend, legs tangled, moaning at his touch... I shake my head to push it away. “You always knew how to push my buttons. But Dani... Fuck, Izzy. How can I love two women so much?”
I don’t know what brought me here, of all places. What kind of closure do I expect from a grave, when I didn’t get it of Izzy’s living? Worse still, what did I leave behind, in my stubbornness?
My gut clenches, and I bend over, trying to gulp air. Breathing becomes harder, like the air is being ripped from my lungs. Next thing I know, I pass out.
∞ ♦ ∞
“You’re a fool, Tristan Cayne.”
I stand from the grave, looking around. My jaw drops when it lands on Izzy. She’s got the same blue streaks in her hair I’d last seen her in. Only, she’s wearing a quasi-virginal white dress that comes up to her knees.
Noticing my surprise, she smirks in a very Izzy way. “I know, it’s not really me. How about this?” She moves her hand in front of her body, and now she’s clad in a form-fitting, red dress.
“Better, yeah?”
I stand without answering her. Instead, I look around. My truck is a few feet away, parked on the road. And I’m definitely still in cemetery. But I know it can’t be real.
“Depends on your definition of real, I suppose.”
My eyes settle on Izzy. “You can hear my thoughts?”
She shrugs. “We were pretty close, remember? It doesn’t go away just because I’m dead.”
“If you’re dead, then what...What is this?”
A delicate shoulder lifts in another shrug, and she steps closer to me. She’s barefoot, which is also new, since the Izzy I knew was always in heels.
She rolls her eyes at my thoughts. “You can’t have it all, Tristan.”
I shake my head, then pin her with my stare. “What the hell is this?”
“Not sure, to be honest. I’m well and truly dead, don’t worry. But...” Her gaze roams the land, wistful and nostalgic. “I guess I needed to see you for a minute.”
I cross my arms at that. “And why?”
Izzy notices my stance and laughs. “A minute ago, you were ready to cry over my grave.” She shakes her head. “You’re a complicated man, Tristan. Makes sense only Dani could get through to you.”
Rather than jealousy, it’s amusement I notice in her expression. “You... You’re okay with that?”
“As okay as I can be,” she whispers, stepping closer. “I’m sorry, Tristan. For the hurt I caused you, for not waiting for you. You deserved better than that, and I failed when it mattered.”
The past lingers between us, a constant reminder of our history. Yet in that moment, looking into her eyes, it hurts less. Her betrayal, the memories, the abandonment she gifted me with when I left for the army. Those wounds have healed, and though the realization is new, I know exactly who’s to credit for this.
That’s a topic for another time. In that moment, I’m finally able to give my former lover what I wasn’t able to before. “I forgive you, Izzy. You shouldn’t be losing eternal sleep over this.”
She chuckles. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”
“Why did you...” I clear my throat, trying again. “What made you choose to end it like that?”
“It wasn’t conscious, you know. I was mad at them – Dad, Thiago. I left the house in a rush, drove while angry in bad weather, and lost control of the car.” Another shrug. “It must’ve been fate, because I died on impact.”
“Earlier, you said I was a fool. What gives?”
Her gaze sharpens on me then. “Dani loves you, and you love her. There’s no loving two women, silly. It’s been her for you, all along. I don’t doubt you loved me at some point, but not anymore. So whatever guilt you’re convinced you feel, let it go. Be happy.” She reaches for my chest. “Go back to her.”
Another glance around. “Leave this place, before all it is taints you too.”
Then she rises on her tiptoes and kisses me softly.
∞ ♦ ∞
I blink, and I’m back on the ground, facing her grave. A dream, a hallucination... It could have been either. Doesn’t make it any less true.
Izabella is gone for good, as is the burden of our relationship I’ve been carrying around. Those last cobwebs of the past evaporate with the rising light. And somehow, having seen her at peace makes me realize I can’t fix everything. Maybe if I’d been here when Thiago went crazy, I could have made things better. Or maybe not. We’ll never know.
What I’m certain of, however, is that I can affect things now. Dani makes me the best version of me I can be, and the promise I made to her is crystal-clear in my head. With the sun rising, I have my closure, and the only thing it enhanced is the certitude I want to go back home – back to Dani.
On firm legs this time, I stand and move to my truck. My exhilaration overtakes my senses, making me blind to the surroundings. Or maybe it’s more than that, some type of magic. Either way, I’m completely taken unawares when a shadow moves behind me and hits me over the head.
The ground draws closer, and all I see is darkness.
Daniela
“I know you,” I frown. “But...I don’t.”
Dom glances between us, and I notice he’s positioned himself half in front of Luz, as if protecting her.
The stranger throws them a glance, then steps towards me. “Let’s talk, you and I.”
More out of a desire to get him out of the house than anything else, I nod and head to the backyard. He follows me out, then closes the French patio doors behind us. I see Luz and Dom talking, but my attention is drawn again to him.
“Who are you?”
He sighs and lifts a hand in front of my face. With his index finger, he writes something in the air. It sizzles, smoke escaping it, then a thin ribbon escapes the icon he’s drawn and wraps around my head. I try to shake it off, but it’s already in me.
There’s a sharp flash of pain, enough to make me yelp. My temples throb, and a flow of images hits me. I shake my head, then look at him again. “You’re the dragon from the forest.”
He grins. “My name is Tytus.”
Dom steps through at that point, having heard my yelp. “I only agreed to let you in because you helped Luz once upon a time. Doesn’t give you the right to harm one of my pack.”
Tytus looks at me. “Did I harm you?”
“I...” My eyes dart between him and Dom, and I sigh. Curiosity wins over anything else. “No, he didn’t harm me. I’m okay.”
After a hesitation, Dom moves back inside. Luz smiles at Tytus, and I notice for the first time his expression softens. Then the doors close, and it’s just him and me, and the bitter cold.
Tytus tilts his head to the side. Rather than charming, the gesture seems more predatory. “Your magic left traces everywhere.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “And?”
“You used it,” he says matter-of-factly. “What changed your mind?”
I scowl, recalling what he’d erased from my mind. “I didn’t really have a choice. Luz was in danger, and I wasn’t about to let the Reapers harm her.”
“Hmm,” Tytus moves away, paces for a bit, then faces me once more. “And your wolf couldn’t have handled that?”
“No.”
His eyes flash. “You know what I think?”
“I have a feeling you’ll tell me anyway.”
Tytus laughs a booming bark, then meets my gaze. “You’re lying, little wolf. The magic has wanted to be unleashed for a while, and you finally gave in. And relished it. Because you used it again and again.”
Denial is on the tip of my tongue, but the tingle in my fingers says otherwise. As if reading my mind, Tytus’ smirk grows and he looks down at my clenched fists. “Having a hard time not using it again, aren’t you?”
I cross my arms over my chest, refusing to give in. “So what if I do?”
Something akin to satisfaction spreads on his features. “Then it’s time I teach you a few things. The Reapers are not the only ones you need to fear, now that you accept your true nature.”
Tristan
I blink against the unnatural brightness. My head throbs, painfully so, and the damn light isn’t helping things. All I see past it are lines indicating I’m in some type of building.
By the time I take in my surroundings, shadows at the back move closer. One speaks first, his words tainted with a Portuguese accent. “He wakes.”
My eyes fall on the intruder. Blonde hair to mid-shoulder, dressed in a business suit, eyes the color of amber – but colder than Dani’s. “Thiago.”
It comes out as a croak and I clear my throat. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Getting some answers, meu amigo.” He crouches in front of me. “Where is my sister?”
“Dead, didn’t you hear?”
Thiago scowls and takes another step closer. “You really want to play foolish games?”
I stare back, refusing to give an inch. Then his hand shoots out, grabbing my neck. Little by little, he squeezes. “You know which sister I mean. Where is Daniela?”
Rather than answer, I tilt my chin, giving him better access. “Go on, then. Do it. See how much you get out of a dead body.”
I glare, knowing full well he’s not going to kill me. My brain is going haywire, assessing, preparing to escape. I’ve been trained in these situations. There has to be a way out – there always is.
And if I was the soldier I’d been when I first went to war, that would be enough to reassure me. But I’m not. And being tied, the scents around here, anything could trigger me. If that happens, I’m fucked. Thiago needs only one trace of weakness to bite down. And I can’t give that to him.
So long as I can keep my damn panic attacks at bay, I’ll be good. Guys? The call goes unanswered in my head. I must be out of range, or Thiago’s magic blocks me. And if that’s the case, he must be way more versed in it than Dani. Shit.
Seeing he’s not getting anywhere, Thiago drops my throat and moves back. “You will speak, eventually. Even if I have to pull you apart fingernail by fingernail.”
A cough escapes me, and I pull more air into my lungs. “Be my guest.” I attempt a shrug, but the bindings make it hard. My vision is getting better though, and despite the light I can see past him. He has three wolves in here with us, but are there many more on the outside?
I need to gain time. “What do you want with Dani?”
Thiago smirks. “Family business. One you have no stake in, Tristan. You left long ago, and I had to clean up your mess.”
“Huh?” I rack my brain trying to see what he’s getting at, and come up empty. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Fury flashes in his eyes, then his expression grows calm. “Your leaving is what caused my mother’s death, perro. Once the opposite packs out here found out there was no marriage, no surviving legacy, they threatened to attack. My mother went out to stop them – and never came back.”
“You’re overreaching, idiota. What happened to your family is no fault of mine. And losing your mother is definitely no excuse to treat your sisters as you did – branding them like cattle.”
“You’ve seen the mark, then?” He laughs, as if it’s the funniest – not most fucked up – thing he’s ever done. “Too bad you weren’t here for the auction.”
My breath rushes out in a gust of air. “The...what?”
Thiago laughs, shaking his head at my befuddled expression. “Come now, how do you think the eligible men of the pack would have otherwise found the females? We had to brand them, yes, but also make sure they could find their scents. See which one spoke best to the males.”
Blood rushes to my temples, and it’s all I hear. Fury rises like a tidal wave within me. “You put your own sisters for auction, you fucking bastard?” I jump in my seat, making it rattle.
Thiago steps back, but keeps grinning. “I also won them.”
His admission makes everything stop. There’s only one thing I know, and I have no problem voicing it out loud. “When I get out of here – and I will – I will rip you apart, piece by miserable piece. You deserve nothing less for treating them like that.”
Thiago sneers in my face, then turns to the men behind him. “Our friend is being very uncooperative. Bring the ravens.”
In front of my stunned eyes, they bring two cages filled with black ravens. Thiago opens them, and waves one hand. Like good little soldiers, the birds fly out and land around me. Then two move forward, followed by another two.
When their beaks dig into my thighs and my hands, I grit my teeth against the pain. And Thiago, crazy sonofabitch that he is, watches on.