“Shoes. Ya’ said ya’ needed shoes. I think Farren has a couple of extra pairs. Wolves lose their clothes more than ya’ can imagine.” Caitlin rummaged in a suitcase and came up with a pair of black running shoes. “Try these on.”
Sameen sank down onto a bench at the foot of the bed. It felt so strange to wear clothes again. Shoving her feet into a pair of shoes? The motion was both familiar and completely foreign at the same time.
“How do they fit?” The air elemental sat next to her, a calm, comforting presence amid the chaos.
“They’re fine.” In truth, she didn’t know. How were shoes supposed to feel? She couldn’t remember.
“Ya’ don’t sound sure.”
Sameen rested her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands. “I’m not sure of anything. I don’t even know if I tied them correctly. I haven’t worn clothes or shoes in so long...”
And then Caitlin’s arms were around her, and Sameen started to cry. “It’s all right, luv. Ye’re free now, and ye’re part of this family. We won’t let anythin’ happen to ya’.”
“You don’t know the Thirteen.”
“Yes. I do.” Caitlin’s voice faltered, and she swallowed hard. “I met them. Once. They were angry with Fergus. He’d failed three or four times to bind a third element. They summoned him, and he threw me in the boot of his car to drive us...somewhere. It took almost a day.” She shuddered. “Air elementals? We can’t survive trapped underground or without fresh air. By the time we arrived, I could barely breathe. Fergus dragged me inside this tall, stone castle, and into a ritual space. The Thirteen were there. All of them, and a handful of others wearing black cloaks.”
“Victims,” Sameen whispered. “Others they bound with their sigil. Like Eli’s father. They do whatever the Thirteen command.”
Silence stretched between the two women until Sameen shifted so she could take Caitlin’s hand. “You don’t have to tell me.”
Caitlin nodded. “I do. Because ya’ need to understand why every one of us will fight for ya’.” She carded fingers through her reddish brown curls and stared up at the ceiling. “One of the practitioners—a woman—she used the sigil on Fergus. He knelt at her feet, and when she started chantin’, the pain...it was like nothin’ I’d ever felt before. They toyed with us for a bit, then threw us in a small, dark cell for what felt like days. I didn’t think I’d ever see the sun again.”
“How did you get free?” Sameen asked.
“They let us go after Fergus told them he could bring them another dozen elementals.” Caitlin braced her hands behind her and leaned back to stretch her legs. “I know those few days were nothin’ compared to what ya’ went through, Sameen. I’ve no idea how ya’ stayed sane.”
“This isn’t sanity.” She almost laughed, and wasn’t that the strangest feeling? “I’m terrified. Twenty-four hours ago, I was blind, I didn’t have the strength to stand, and I knew the Thirteen were going to use the sigil to find me any minute. Being able to see? Even if everything’s still pretty blurry? It’s too much. Too bright. Too many colors. Too much input. It’s loud here. All the people. Creaking wood. The wind.” Sameen took a deep, shuddering breath. “And then there’s Peter. I shouldn’t trust him. Or anyone. I don’t even know why I’m talking to you. Except you just gave me shoes, and you’ve been so patient explaining everything to me.”
“Matin’ is a special kind of magic,” Caitlin said quietly. “And our wolves? They feel it in ways we’ll never understand. Liam was so overbearin’, I told him to feck off a dozen times. And still he risked his life for me. The man should have died. Fergus tortured him. Carved that blasted sigil into his chest. And Liam took a rock and hacked away at his own skin for hours just so he could escape and get to me. Then…there’s Peter. He’s had a hard time of it.”
Caitlin went on to explain all about the fire that led to his and Livie’s burns, about how Cade spent months trapped as his wolf because of Mara’s sister, and how they’d all found one another again. “There’s more. But explainin’ how I gave up my life as Caitlin eleven years ago to become someone else...that needs whiskey.”
Thatwas what required whiskey?
“Are all families like this?” Sameen asked. “This...much?”
Caitlin chuckled. “I suppose we are a bit over the top now. Ya’ get this many wolves together in one house, there’s bound to be fights from time to time. Hot tempered, the lot of them. But also the most loyal, loving and protective family ya’d ever want.”
“I don’t even know who I am. How am I supposed to know what I want?” The question had been playing on repeat in the back of her mind ever since Peter had admitted his wolf had already claimed her.
“When ya’ know, ya’ know. That’s all I can tell ya’. I resisted Liam for a long time until I couldn’t stand to ignore the matin’ call. I threw myself off the Cliffs of Moher when I realized the truth. Idied. In a way. Because if I’d stayed with him all those years ago, Fergus would have killed him, and that would have been the end to me as well.”
Chapter Twelve
Peter
His mate walked back into the room under her own power, Caitlin following closely behind. A determination glowed in her pale brown eyes that he hadn’t seen before.
This was the real Sameen. Or at least more of her. The beginnings of the woman she would have become had the Thirteen not stolen her from her life and stripped her of all she once was, all she was meant to be.
“Are we ready?” Caitlin asked.
Eli closed the book and passed it to Farren. “As ready as I think we can be for not knowing a bloody thing about Diedre’s intentions when she penned these pages.”
“Sameen?” Peter approached her slowly, respect in his tone. “Can I have five minutes with you? I won’t try to change your mind.”
At her nod, Eli jerked his head towards the door. “We’ll get set up outside. You two can join us when you’re ready.”
