“Agreed,” Alston said and then flashed. There was no point staying any longer. Though he hated to admit it, Ludcarab was right. Alston needed to get things done, and quickly. “First things first,” he muttered as he reappeared in a remote mountain range in Wyoming. Alston had been doing research on a location and decided, instead of a city, it might be wise to “get off the grid,” as the humans called it. He'd found that the Black Hills mountain range appealed to him, as it was very isolated. He’d also decided it would be better to utilize the mountains themselves as shelters instead of erecting human buildings. It would make it harder for them to be detected. His own magic would be magnified by the nature around him. With Peri gone, Alston should be able to create a spell that would hide them from anyone who got near them, supernatural and human alike.
He stood at the base of a large mountain and closed his eyes. Alston held out his hands and began to speak in his native language, pushing his power into the earth and toward the towering structure. He pictured in his mind what he wanted his magic to do, and when he heard the rocks groan and creak, he opened his eyes. His lips turned up in a small smile as the face of the mountain began to shift and move. “You thought you could snuff us out, Perizada,” he said as he continued to shape the rock into the form of an entrance into the mountain. “All you succeeded in doing was removing yourself from my path. Burn me down, and I will rise from the ashes.”
* * *
“I’m not leavinguntil you talk to me.” Lucian didn’t acknowledge Heather’s words. She’d been visiting him every day for the past week, and it was becoming harder and harder to ignore her.
“I know you’re beating yourself up over what happened, Lucian,” Heather continued. “It was an accident. You’re just like every male in these packs. You would never purposely hurt a female. And I’m fine. No harm, no foul.” Lucian was surprised Kale had even let her come. Lucian wouldn’t want his mate near a male who’d attacked his female, and he was shocked that Kale hadn’t physically restrained Heather to keep her away from his cell. But Lucian was learning the blind healer was stubborn. So, here she sat on the floor in a futile effort to get him to forgive himself. And her large Irish wolf stood behind her, silent, his eyes boring a hole through Lucian.
Kale snorted derisively.
Lucian heard a grunt and imagined that the little female had retaliated at her mate’s interruption. Lucian didn’t blame Kale. Her mate was right. Heatherwasn’tfine. She’d been attacked and injured by someone who should be one of her protectors. It was the job of all the males to keep the females safe, especially the healers because they didn’t have the strength of aCanis lupusfemale. Though some of the healers were far from defenseless, as they had their own dark magic now that they could use to cause serious damage. Still, they shouldn’t have to worry about being attacked by one of their own pack members. Lucian had done that. He’d attacked her, marred her with his claws, and he would never forgive himself for it.
“Well, if you won’t talk, I will,” she said. It was the same every day. She asked him to talk. He didn’t respond. Then she proceeded to tell him all about what was happening on the floors above his cell. “The warlock queen is here with Myanin, the djinn who was originally loyal to the Order after she killed one of her elders. They’re having a meeting with all the alphas and leaders of the other races.”
Lucian heard her shift, but he kept his eyes closed.
“Lilly, Myanin, and Wadim are trying to discover more about the cold fire.” Heather sighed. “Sometimes, I just don’t understand how there can be all these ancient archives of knowledge that don't have the information we need.” Exasperation laced her voice, and he heard a pebble hit the ground. She often picked up rocks and tossed them at the wall. Lucian was surprised she hadn’t thrown any at him. He wished she would. He would welcome the sting caused by a flying rock.
“So much depends upon the survival of those at the compound,” she said. “Though I don't see how anyone could have lived through that destruction." She paused for a moment. "I have heard all of the stories of those in the Romanian pack who have died and then been brought back to life. I think everyone up there is secretly hoping that will happen again.
“I know it’s got to be painful to hear, but Peri is the key to all of this. I don’t see how she could be dead and you still be sane.”
Lucian bit his tongue to keep from growling. The blind healer had no idea what was going on inside of his head. She didn’t know that half of the time he wasn’t lucid. He was back in the Dark Forest, and he welcomed the delusion. He’d stay there forever if he could. But for some reason, he kept periodically returning to his right mind. Every time it happened, he wished there was a way he could end it all. What did he have left to live for? His mate was gone, and he couldn’t trust himself not to lose control. His wolf was standing precariously on the edge of going feral. Perhaps he should release the rein he held on his beast and let the wolf do what it will. That would force one of the other males to put him down, and his misery would be over. But Lucian knew the responsibility would fall to Fane, and that stayed his hand. Lucian couldn't force his own nephew to have to kill his uncle, the brother of his father who he’d only recently lost. Lucian might be on the verge of going feral, but he wasn’t so far gone that he would put his own nephew through something so cruel.
Lucian suddenly felt sprinkles of dirt hit him, and his wolf forced his eyes open. He knew they were glowing because his beast was too close to the surface.
“Dammit,” Heather practically growled. She threw a second handful of dirt and rocks at him. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Heather,” Kale said from behind his mate. He reached down and attempted to pull her up, but she slapped his hands away. Lucian watched as she crawled forward, her hands feeling carefully out in front of her. She tilted her head, and he realized she was listening. She continued along, periodically raising her hand to feel for the bars. When she finally reached them, she clasped both hands around them and leaned forward until her forehead was pressed against the metal.
Lucian’s eyes rose to look at the angry male that stood over his mate. Kale looked ready to kill. Lucian’s wolf perked up slightly and narrowed his eyes on the male. His beast didn’t like the challenge that the Irish beta was throwing down. Though neither of them ever wanted to hurt a female, Lucian’s wolf was dominant enough that he wouldn’t be able to help but respond to a challenge issued by another male.
“I can feel the testosterone level rising in here,” Heather said. “Which means, Lucian, you must actually be paying attention to our presence, finally. Kale, whatever you’re doing, stop, please.”
“Then back away from the cell,” he told her.
“Not happening,” she bit out. “He’s not going to hurt me.”
“Two weeks ago, I would have believed you.” Kale's teeth snapped together as he continued to glare at Lucian.
“Ugh,” the blind healer groaned. “At some point, you’re going to have to let it go.”
“No, I’m not,” her mate said coolly. “I can hold onto it for as long as I like.”
“Fine.” She waved flippantly at him. “Be a bitter, fur butt who can’t forgive. But remember there will come a day when you want someone’s forgiveness becauseyou’vemade a mistake in the heat of the moment. I want you to think about this moment when that day comes.”
Kale’s eyes dropped to look down at his mate who resolutely stared straight at Lucian, despite the fact that she couldn’t see him. Her ability to hone in on where people were in a room was uncanny. Lucian felt his wolf’s admiration for the healer. Some might think she was helpless because of her lack of sight, but she obviously did not see herself that way. Good for her.
“All right, now that I apparently have your attention”—she leaned her body closer to the bars—“just listen. You don’t have to talk. Well, one day you will. I’m not one to give up so easily. But that’s for another day. For now, just listen.” She paused, perhaps to see if he would actually respond. He didn’t. “Your mate’s not dead, Lucian. I don’t care what anyone says. She’s not dead. If she was, you would have already gone feral and let Fane kill you. And yes, I’m intelligent enough to know that it would be your nephew who would be the one to deal with you. But the fact that you’re able to keep yourself from losing it because you don’t want your brother’s son to have to kill you speaks volumes. And the loudest thing it says is that your mate bond, no matter what it feels like, is still intact.” Her breathing had increased with every word she spoke. “Only the influence of your mate’s light could keep you in that kind of control.”
The passion and belief in her voice were so intense that Lucian wanted to believe her. He wanted to hope. But hope couldn't change reality. It didn’t make something true that wasn't.
He stared at Heather a moment longer before closing his eyes again. The hope that had started to build inside of him made him want to retreat. He looked for the familiar path in his mind that would take him to the memories of his time in the Dark Forest, and then he was there. He knew it wasn’t real, but he didn’t care. It felt real. He could smell the musky earth, feel the despair that permeated the air, and feel the ground beneath his feet. When he’d been trapped there, it had been a massive prison, but now it was an escape.
He found a path that was worn from all the walking he’d done and began to follow it. He knew it didn’t lead anywhere. Eventually, he would end up back at the place he started. That was one of the many enchantments of the forest, roaming in circles, walking and walking, and yet never getting anywhere. When he’d been here before, he’d been desperate to get out. Now, he wished he couldn’t.
The ground was cold beneath his bare feet, and dead leaves crackled as he walked. He took a deep breath. A scent on the wind caused him to stumble. Then he froze and held his breath, afraid to take any more of the surrounding air into his nose. It was …herscent. The smell filled him. But it wasn’t possible. Peri wasn’t here. Even if she was alive, why would Peri be in the Dark Forest? His head swung around as he searched through the trees. There was nothing, just dead trees, darkness, and emptiness. Slowly, he let out his breath and then hesitantly took another one. The scent was gone, as he knew it would be. It had only been a ghost memory of his former mate. Part of him mourned the fact that this time when he sniffed there was only the smell of the surrounding forest. But the other part was relieved. He didn't want Peri's scent in his nostrils. The smell would only drive him over the edge even faster.
