Relentless (26 page)

“Why?”

“Vincent doesn’t have a mate; he’s the head of the council. He’s not supposed to have a child.”

“Umm, Aunt Louise, people have had illegitimate children throughout history. It’s not like it’s new.”

“But it’s different when it’s ordered by the council.” She looked at me then, her eyes dark with sadness. “You are not supposed to exist.”

“What difference does it make who my father is? It’s not like I’m a princess about to inherit a throne or anything.”

“That is exactly what it is. Just as Eric will take over power of the council of Fenryrians from his father one day, so you could take power of the Lycernian council. But you have to stay alive.”

“I don’t want power over the council.”

She frowned at me. “You can decide that when the time comes. For now, you must keep quiet. Why do you think we kept it a secret? Why was no one ever told?” She let go of my arm and banged a fist on the table. “How did Brodin find this out?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t tell me that part.”

“Now you have two promises to keep. They are both very important, not just to you but to many. Please try to do the right thing this time, Alexis. It’s important for you, your friends, and for Vincent.”

I nodded. “I will.”

“We shall see.”

I stood up from the table. “Yes, you will.”

In the back of the plane, Brynna had moved to sit beside Noah, who was eating a granola bar and drinking a bottle of water. I took the chair where Brynna had sat earlier.

“Feeding the patient?”

“It wasn’t much. All they have on this plane is water and granola bars. He needs some soup.”

Noah smiled at her. “I’ll be fine.”

“What were they doing to you?”

He turned his attention away from Brynna to look at me. “Experimenting.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m resistant.”

I rolled my eyes. “What does that mean?”

He leaned toward me slightly. “It means that I wasn’t born with the virus to infect people and turn them into werewolves.”

“A genetic anomaly.” I said.

He laughed softly. “Yeah, I guess you could call me that.”

“I didn’t think there were any more of you.”

“If there are others, I don’t know where they are, and neither does Brodin.”

I shook my head. “But why would your own pack experiment with you?”

“It’s not so uncommon for a werewolf in our pack to be born not carrying the virus. It does happen. They normally give the virus to the young werewolf when he starts his Becoming, and that infects him permenantly.”

A piece of hair swung near my eye, and I tucked it behind my ear. “What happened when they gave it to you?”

He swallowed a drink of water. “Nothing. It didn’t take. I’m resistant.”

“Totally?”

“Completely,” he agreed.

I tilted my head to study him. “How rare is that?”

He brushed his hair back from his forehead with a tattooed hand. “About five of us in the history of our pack.”

That made me pause.

“Is that why they experimented on you? They kept trying to give it to you?”

He nodded.

“That’s why Thea had to bring you with us? You’re one of the werewolves Robert was telling us about. He and Lana have been trying to discover a way to use the genetic material of werewolves like you to be able to make the virus die out.”

“I think they’d like to do that, but the Fenryrians are working just as hard to make the virus resistant to any attack. Another reason they experimented on me.”

“But why come with us? Won’t they experiment on you here?” On the other side of him, I noticed Brynna stiffen.

“They will, but I’ve gotten to know Thea in her time with us, and I believe in the Lycernians. Besides, I don’t hunt humans. I can’t infect them, and I don’t want to kill them. There’s no respect for werewolves like me with the Fenryrians. I imagine once they exhausted all their experimental ideas, they’d kill me.”

“But you’re Eric’s friend, or at least I’ve seen you with him. He wouldn’t have let that happen.”

“I was Eric’s guard or protector, at least that’s how his father saw it. But you’re right, Eric and I had become friends, and that’s why he helped make sure I got out.”

Brynna leaned forward. “You mean Eric knew about Thea’s plan to help you leave?”

“He helped arrange it. He’s not what you think.”

“He’s the son of the Fenryrian leader. What are we supposed to think?” Brynna said.

Noah smiled. “For now, I imagine you should think exactly what you do. That he’s being groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps.”

I shifted in my seat. “Well, isn’t he? He keeps telling me he can’t leave them, and we can’t be together because his father is head of the council and there are things he has to do.”

“Sometimes there are things we all have to do. It doesn’t mean that’s who we are. We do what we must because we have a goal to achieve. But we always keep our ultimate goal in mind, and that is what we strive for, plan for, live for.”

“So Eric has a plan to leave the Fenryrians.”

Noah turned to Bryanna. “Absolutely not. The Fenryrians are his people, and he wouldn’t leave them. But he will lead them one day.”

“His way,” I said softly.

“Yes, he’ll lead his way,” Noah agreed.

Brynna crossed her arms, shifting closer to Noah. “If his way isn’t what the council wants, they’ll kill him.”

“Of course they will, and now you see why he has work to do before he can take his father’s place.”

“Work that could get him killed,” I whispered.

“Maybe. But he’s smart, and he’ll do what he has to.”

“What’s his ultimate plan?” Brynna asked.

“A different future for our pack, for both packs, really. But I don’t know how he plans to make that happen. I’m not sure if he knows exactly how it will happen, either.” He pulled the blankets closer around him.

“Are you cold?” Brynna stood ready to get another blanket.

“No, I’ll rest now. I’m weaker than I thought.”

Brynna moved to stand over me. “Get up. I’m going to sit there so Noah can stretch out on the couch again.”

“What if I want to sit here?”

“Do you?”

I looked at her hard expression and smiled. “No, you can have it. Don’t have a spasm.”

“I’m not having a spasm,” she hissed.

“Hmm, looks like a spasm to me.”

I got up, and she flung herself in the chair as Noah fit himself on the small sofa as best he could. I took my seat across from Jared, noticing Myles was gone again. A few rows in front of us, I could see Lana and Robert, heads close together as they talked.

“Where’d Myles go?”

“Up front to talk to your aunt.” Jared answered.

“About what?”

He arched one brow. “Why would I know?”

“He could have told you.”

“Well, he didn’t. He hasn’t had a lot to say recently.”

I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “I know. I feel bad for him.”

Jared leaned toward me, his voice lower now. “I do, too. I mean, to have your girlfriend break up with you is one thing, but to have it happen like this, in front of all us, that has to be hard.”

I moved closer to him, keeping my voice low. “And to have to see that she cares about someone else makes it even harder. They’ve been together for a long time.”

“Yeah, but it looks like she’s wanted to be with someone else for a while. And you have to admit she and Robert have a lot in common. They spend most of their time together in the lab.”

“You’re right, but I still hate it for Myles.”

“He’ll be okay.”

I leaned back in my seat. “I guess he will, in time.”

“You tired?”

At that moment, I realized I was. Even though I’d slept for hours in the motor home, I was exhausted. “Yeah, I think I’ll try to sleep now. Sounds like when we get back we’ll be on the move again.”

“Wonder where we’ll go?”

“I don’t know.” I leaned my seat back and closed my eyes, letting the hum of the jet’s engine lull me to sleep.

With one final shove, I put the last piece of clothing I’d brought to Florida into my suitcase. We’d landed in Key West three hours ago, left the plane behind, and got on a boat that’d brought us back to Dromen. The same boat waited for us at the dock. We were to pack our things and meet back there. I had about thirty minutes left to get finished. It wasn’t difficult since I’d never gotten all my stuff out of the plastic containers I’d used to bring them over to the cottage. I didn’t know who’d been responsible for getting my suitcases out of dorm storage, but I was glad they’d done it.  They’d saved me a trip to the dorm. I tried not to wonder where we’d end up. I knew we’d find out soon enough. Aunt Louise had said it would be somewhere safer. A place that was easier to protect.

I snapped the lock on my suitcase and wheeled it and the other one out of the bedroom toward the front door. That’s when I noticed the package wrapped in brown paper on the living room coffee table. Had it been there when I’d come in? I didn’t remember seeing it. I could have missed it, I guess. I leaned my suitcases against the wall near the door and went to stand over the package. My name was written in thick black marker across the front. I grabbed it, ripping the paper off with a few easy pulls. The black coat shot through with silver threads lay on top, and I spread the pieces out on the low table. I ran my fingers over the protective vidar, feeling the silky fabric in between the heavy leather strips. Knees weak, I dropped to the sofa. Tugging the elastic band off my wrist, I swiped my hair back into a ponytail. That was it, then. My savalin was ready. I would wear it, be Lycernian, be strong in my pack…follow the black wolf. Water filled my eyes as I pulled my hair tighter. I prayed Eric wasn’t lost to me forever. He didn’t think so. He seemed to think there was a future for us. But when would it start? And would what lay between now and then become a wedge that would keep us apart forever? I wouldn’t even be able to contact him. Pressing my fingers over my eyes, I willed myself not to cry. If I cried now, it would be like I’d given up, and I couldn’t give up, not yet.

I stood, gathering the pieces of clothing, placing the vidar on top. I opened one of the suitcases and placed all the articles that made up my savalin inside. I went outside without looking back. In the driveway, Brynna waited behind the wheel of a golf cart. Her bags overflowed from the back, threatening to spill out.

“That’s a lot of stuff,” I said, trying to make room for my two cases.

“I need it. Who knows where we’ll end up? What if I can’t find the right shampoo for my hair or lotion for my face?”

I rolled my eyes. “Really, Brynna, they’re not sending us to a third world country.”

“You don’t know that.”

“What werewolf stronghold is in a third world country?”

“You’d be surprised.” She grunted as she tried to help me shove her things over.

I finally gave up and carried my bags to the front seat of the cart. “I can hold them.”

She lifted her thick red hair from her neck, looking pleased that she didn’t have to push her things together. I crammed my bags into the seat with me.

“I think everyone else is down at the dock.”

I nodded as she climbed behind the wheel of the golf cart, and we set off down the trail.

She’d been right. Noah and Jared were standing at the boat’s railing, and as we drove up, Lana and Robert went inside the cabin. Myles waited on the dock, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. A few feet past him, Beowulf stood with his head out, looking at the water as if mesmerized by something. I sighed. This was going to be a long trip. Myles came over once Brynna stopped the cart, Beowulf trotting behind him. He grabbed several bags, carrying them to the boat. Tossing his first load to Jared, he came back for a second. Brynna boarded the boat behind her last bag, and I followed Myles with my two. We handed them across, and I reached down to scoop up Beowulf.

“I’ll never feel the same when I hold him after what I saw him do.”

Myles was staring across the water, his back to the boat. He turned to me.

“Don’t tell anyone about that. Let’s just keep it between us until I can find out more about it. I don’t want him to end up like Noah. One big experiment.”

I didn’t answer because he knew if he asked, I wouldn’t. It was that simple.

“Are Brynna and I the last ones?”

He nodded.

“I guess we better get on the boat, then. They’ll want to leave. Your stuff already on?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not going with you.”

My arms tightened on Beowulf until he squirmed. “What do you mean, you’re not going?”

Shaking his head, he walked away from the boat. “Just what I said.”

I hurried behind him. “But you have to go. I mean, well… Why wouldn’t you come with us?”

Stopping abruptly, he spun around. “Do you really have to ask? Do you really think I want to see Lana with Robert every day, be around them while they’re together?”

“I guess not.”

“You guess not? You know not.”

“Why can’t they go somewhere else?”

He reached out to put a hand on Beowulf’s head. “I’ve been invited to join the Einherjar.”

“When?”

“They came to me some time ago.”

My eyes widened at him. “You never mentioned it. You even acted like it bothered you when they’d talked to me.”

“It didn’t bother me. Other things were bothering me then. I wasn’t sure I was going to join.”

“Brynna said you really wanted to.”

He shrugged. “I really wanted to stay with Lana. The Einherjar would have taken me away from her.”

“And now you’re going to do it?”

“I am. It’s the right thing for me.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“You can’t be a part of the Einherjar where we’re going?”

“I don’t know where you’re going, but I probably could. I’m still not going.”

I shifted Beowulf in my arms. “It’s not fair.”

His mouth turned up in a half smile. “You say that a lot.”

“It’s true a lot. What if Brynna and I go where you are?”

“You can’t. I can’t tell you where I’m going, but it’s a specialized training facility for Einherjar. That means only guys.”

I grabbed a handful of his shirt. “Damn it, Myles. Don’t do this.”

He put his hand over mine and squeezed. “I have to. It’ll be the best thing. I’ll get training, and I’ll be able to focus. Plus I’ll be around all new people. It’s what I need.”

“You aren’t going to tell Brynna?” I let go of his shirt, wrapping both arms around the dog.

“I told her earlier.”

“She didn’t say a word.” My voice cracked over the words.

“She wasn’t supposed to. I told her I wanted to tell you myself. I was going to come to the cottage to tell you, but Louise had me down here loading stuff. I’ll be going on that boat.” He inclined his head toward a boat on the other side of the dock. “I’ll catch a plane in Miami.”

I bent and pressed my lips to Beowulf’s head.

“About him…”

I looked up quickly.

“I need you to take him.”

“Take who?”

“I need you to take Beowulf. My dad has to do some traveling, and I can’t take him where I’m going. Louise made that clear. You have to take care of Beowulf for me.”

A band tightened around my chest, making it hard to breathe, to speak. “I can’t. What will you do without him?”

He swiped a hand over his face. “Just do it, okay?”

I nodded. In one quick step, he was next to me and wrapping his arms around me and Beowulf. “Take care of him and yourself.”

“I will. We’ll all be back together soon.” I tried to sound more confident than I felt.

“Soon,” he said softly against the top of my hair.

The first tear rolled down my cheek as he stepped back.

“Don’t do that or I might start.”

“Alexis! Let’s go!”

I twisted my head to see Louise calling to me.

He gave me a push. “Go now.”

“Be careful, Myles.

“You, too, Alexis.”

I smiled weakly, and then he was gone, striding across the beach toward the golf cart we’d left.  Beowulf wiggled in my arms to look over my shoulder toward Myles as I went back to the boat.

Louise held out her arms. “Give him to me while you get on.”

I handed her Beowulf, who was watching Myles disappear down the trail. I climbed onto the boat deck and dragged the back of my hand across my face. Louise held out Beowulf, and I snuggled him close. He buried his head in my neck. No one else was on this part of the boat.

“It’s for the best,” Louise said.

“If you say so.”

“Myles knows what he needs to do, and now he’ll do it.”

Giving up on the back of my hand, I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and brought it up to wipe my face. “What does he need to do?”

“Train to be a leader. Something you need to be thinking about.”

“I’m no leader.”

The boat vibrated as the engine started, and Louise raised her voice over the noise. “Well, you got this bunch to follow you across the country.”

“That wasn’t all my idea.”

“But you led them.”

“Not really. I just knew where to go because of the dream thing.”

She shook her head. “Call it what you will.”

“I don’t want to be a leader.” I sounded a little desperate though I hadn’t intended to.

Louise caught my arm, turning me to face her. “Sometimes the choice is made for us.”

“I’ll decline.”

She let go of me, hand reaching up to smooth the hair I had tightly slicked back. “I hope when the time comes for you to make that decision, you’ll think long and hard about what’s good for more people than just yourself.”

I didn’t answer. I moved to one of the cushioned seats on the back of the boat, still holding Beowulf close. The beach was empty now. Myles had gone back to the dorm, probably for his own clothes. Behind me, the cabin door clicked. I glanced back to see Louise was gone, and I was alone.

“We’ll be okay, little man,” I whispered next to Beowulf’s ear.

He gave my chin a lick. At the edge of the trees, something moved. I went to the railing to get a better look. In the shadows, I saw the black wolf. He seemed to shimmer in the afternoon heat. Beowulf made a low woof. Then there was nothing but shadows. It was gone, if it had even been there at all. We would be okay, and one day soon, we’d all be back together again. Maybe even with Eric. I’d do everything in my power to make it happen. We’d never be the same, though. We’d all be different. But I guess that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, either.