Shattered Emotions (3 page)

Maybe later she could even relish his touch and imagine the scents of wolf and forest washing over her.

Later.

Right now, all she wanted to do was hide in a corner so the others would stop staring at her. Or, she could raise her chin at them all and show them they couldn’t hurt her. Her wolf whimpered at the thought, not knowing if that were possible. She didn’t know if she was broken or strong anymore.

She’d been hurt far more than they could ever imagine. They had
no
idea what she could endure. Oh, they’d all guessed and given her their pitying looks, but they didn’t
know
.

They couldn’t know.

So instead of hiding like she so desperately wanted to do, she gripped Maddox’s hand harder, needing his strength, and raised her chin to the onlookers. The Jamensons looked at her with a mix of confusion and anger—though she didn’t know if the anger was aimed directly at her or the situation itself.

The others though…

She swallowed hard, and Maddox squeezed her hand.

Oh, thank the goddess he’s here.

No, she couldn’t think it that way.

He wasn’t really here, not with her. He’d made that perfectly clear when he’d walked away from her and what they could be.

A growl sounded behind her, bringing her out of the thoughts of what could have been, forcing her to stand on edge.

The others, the ones who hadn’t readily accepted her because of the blood in her veins, had already condemned her. She’d always known she’d been living on borrowed time, but she hadn’t thought it would end like this.

She was a wolf for hell’s sake. She couldn’t just back down and show her belly in weakness. The others would kill her in an instant if they thought they could. Only the good graces of the Jamensons…and her connection to Maddox kept her alive. She knew that and wouldn’t have broken that trust no matter what.

Her scent wrapped around two dead bodies—two bodies of people Kade and Mel, the Heir mated pair, cared about, and that didn’t help matters.

Ellie hadn’t killed them, but someone had wanted to make sure it looked like she had.

Mel, shaking with sobs, had lain her body on top of Larissa’s. Grief slid through Ellie like an old friend. She knew that feeling—had almost drowned in that feeling. Yet, it wasn’t grief over what she was about to lose—what she’d already lost.

She had nothing left of herself. Her brother, Corbin, had taken almost everything from her, and Maddox’s rejection had stripped the last of it.

She’s been an empty shell for so long it barely seemed important to her anymore that the evidence condemned her. What mattered was that two people were dead, a lovely witch who took no attitude from anyone and a wolf who cared about everyone in his path.

Two parents who’d left two little children in this world as they left to commune with the goddess.

They’d been taken from this world, and their bodies now lay prone in a grotesque fashion.

And the others blamed her.

For a moment, just a moment, she thought about lying and saying she’d done it. If she did, maybe the pain would go away, that never-ending ache from a wound that would never heal. The scars on her back and legs proved that some things could heal, but didn’t ensure recovery. The scars on her heart still bled with each breathe, each day that she tried to act normal.

Maybe it wasn’t worth it anymore.

Her wolf dug its claws into her from the inside, and she squeezed Maddox’s hand for strength, for that anchor.

Her wolf, despite being beaten beyond hope, didn’t want to die today.

Nor did Ellie.

Kade, the Heir to the Redwood Pack, the one who would one day take his father’s place as Alpha, could feel the souls of the Pack through this connection. He had sworn his life to his Pack’s protection, and he now knelt and picked up his mate, cradling her to his chest.

The act was so gentle, yet so heartbreaking, that Ellie wanted to scream. It wasn’t fair that Mel had to feel this, just as it wasn’t fair that Ellie would never have that mate to hold her and tell her it was all right.

Because it would never be all right.

People were dying all around her, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it.

She was just the Central’s princess—the only one left.

Kade walked past them all, Mel sobbing into his shoulder. They didn’t have to act strong in front of the others right now, not when their grief was so tactile, so new. The others knew that there would be vengeance, of that everyone was sure.

“We’re just going to let this one live?” one of the wolves, Patrick if she remembered correctly, asked, a growl escaping his lips.

Jasper, the Beta of the Pack, the one who took care of their needs even when they didn’t know they had them, growled back, his eyes glowing gold.

These Jamensons were so different from the hierarchy of the Centrals. Where the Centrals ruled by fear and torture, the Jamensons ruled with power and strength, but not threats—not unless needed.

Patrick snarled but bared his neck in submission. Patrick might have been a hothead, but there was no comparison to the type of power the Jamensons held. Everyone knew who held the powers of the alpha, the hierarchy of strength, and this Patrick was nowhere close.

“Calm yourself, Patrick,” Jasper ordered. “We don’t know what happened yet.”

“You can smell her on them,” another wolf, Donald, said, his voice not as firm as Patrick’s but his words equally as condemning.

Maddox pulled her behind him, his hand still firmly tangled with hers. Her heart leapt in her throat at the action, but she couldn’t let him get hurt for her.

No, that would hurt more than her own heartbreak.

She tried to move around him, and he pulled her back, a soft growl escaping his lips. Apparently, his wolf was riding him hard, and she didn’t want to force him to break his concentration or his control, not when there might be a fight for dominance soon.

Later she’d tell him not to bother protecting her, not when she wasn’t his responsibility.

She wasn’t his mate by bond.

“You need to back off, Donald,” Maddox said, his voice low but still deadly, as if he’d growled with all his power.

“Oh, really?” Patrick asked, contempt in his gaze. “You’re going to defend this Central bitch even though you wouldn’t mate her? She’s not good enough for you, but she’s special enough for you to keep around after she kills our people?”

Before Ellie could blink, Maddox had the other man on the ground, his hand wrapped around Patrick’s throat.

“Did you just call a member of our Pack a bitch?” Maddox growled low, dangerous.

Ellie’s wolf rose to the surface, the need to protect her mate—even a mate who didn’t want her—all but bringing her to her knees.

North came to her side, blocking her from any sneak attack, and she wanted to curse. As much as she loved North as the man who’d taken care of her when she’d needed it, she wasn’t his mate—despite what others seemed to believe. She didn’t want him by her side when her wolf so badly wanted to kneel by Maddox, fighting for herself and rejoicing in the fact he was doing the same.

North in her path and the fact that she had no idea
why
Maddox was acting the way he was stopped her. The last thing she needed was to stand in the way and cause harm to someone she cared about.

Patrick tried to answer, but Maddox didn’t let him. He merely pressed down on the other wolf’s neck harder.

“No, don’t answer, I don’t want to hear it. If I hear you calling any of our women that name again, I’ll make you regret everything you’ve ever done. Do you understand me? And, remember, I don’t need to physically touch you to hurt you. I’m the fucking Omega. All I need to do is give you a fraction of what I feel, and you’ll be writhing on the floor.”

His brothers turned and narrowed their eyes at his threat, but didn’t say anything.

A slight pain slid through her like a small burn. He’d only protected her because he’d protect any woman in his Pack. It wasn’t because she was special. It was because he was the Omega, and it was his duty to care for the ones in his hold.

It wasn’t because she was his Ellie.

She’d never be
his
Ellie.

“Maddox,” Adam whispered behind his brother.

“What?” Maddox asked, disgust in his tone. “You know that’s my strength. The only reason I don’t do it is because I don’t think people deserve the pain, anguish, and death I feel on a daily basis. I’ll gladly share it with you, though, dear Patrick.”

Ellie stood still, her knees locked. This wasn’t the Maddox she was used to. He didn’t growl at others; he didn’t yell or threaten.

Yet she didn’t fault him for his words. She didn’t envy his burden, though she would gladly take it off his shoulders…or at least share it if they could have been mates. As a mate of any other position in the pack, they would share power. It had to be the same for an Omega hopefully.

It wasn’t easy being the Omega—an understatement if there ever was one.

Maddox growled once more then stood up, leaving Patrick on the ground, his chin raised to bear his throat in submission.

“We’ve brought Ellie into our Pack because she’s innocent,” Jasper said, his voice calm, soothing where anger would have worked just as well.

“How do we know this?” Patrick spat, and Ellie wanted to slap the bastard. The wolf was walking a fine line, even though he had a right to speak his mind.

Maddox stalked toward him again and leaned down. “Are you questioning your Alpha?”

“Son, he has a right to question, as I’m not a sadistic ruler, but Patrick, watch your strengths,” Edward warned as he walked toward them. “We will discuss this later. Right now, though, you will show the proper respect and take care of our Pack mates behind you who have lost their lives. Their bodies are cold in shadow, yet you all stand here and accuse one another. I’m ashamed of you all.”

 Ellie lowered her eyes and bared her throat. Her eyes itched as tears threatened. She hadn’t forgotten Neil and Larissa, but she’d let her own worries overshadow thoughts of them.

She didn’t deserve to call these wolves her Pack.

She didn’t deserve anything but their ridicule and distrust.

After all, she was the Central’s princess, the sister and daughter of the enemy. She was the one who was accused of killing their Pack mates.

She was the one who deserved it all.

No matter that, there wasn’t much left of her to fight back.

Not after the torture, the beatings, the loss of her twin, her cousin, and so much more.

Jasper nodded, everyone following suit. Edward faced her, and she ducked her head.

This was it.

She’d either be killed, forced to face the circle, or outcast altogether with no protection from Corbin or the demon by his side, Caym.

“Go to my home, Maddox. Take Ellie with you,” her Alpha said, his voice so soft it broke her heart. “We’ll talk there.”

Maddox took her hand again, and she closed her eyes, needing to feel him just for a moment before everything was taken away.

She hated this version of herself. She used to be strong, self-reliant. Now, she was just a broken wolf who didn’t want to be here anymore.

When she’d lost all hope, she’d discovered she didn’t really know who she was anymore.

If she didn’t know that now, if she’d lost everything she ever was, how strong could she have been before?

“Come on,” North said by her side. “We’ll talk about it all when we get there.”

Maddox glared at his twin, and Ellie wanted to scream. She hadn’t meant to get in between the brothers. Maddox might have misconstrued her relationship with North, but she didn’t think he’d believe her, no matter what she said. This wasn’t the time to get into it anyway.

She followed Maddox to Edward and Pat’s house, North following them. Jasper and Adam had stayed behind to deal with Larissa’s and Neil’s bodies. She bit her lip to control the sob that threatened to escape. She hadn’t known them well, but they’d been nice to her when they hadn’t had to. They’d welcomed her to the Pack because they were nice people and friends with the Jamensons.

Now, they were gone, leaving behind two children who would never again hear their voices, see their smiles, or feel their touch.

It wasn’t fair.

Nothing was in life—a lesson Ellie had learned long ago. She just wished Gina and Mark hadn’t had to learn it so soon.

They walked into the house, and Ellie clenched her fists at the sight before her. Mel held Gina and Mark in her arms while Kade wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Gina had found her parents’ bodies, so there was no hiding the deaths—not that they would anyway.

At their entrance, Mel looked up, her eyes bloodshot, but her mouth in a thin line.

“Did they find anything?” Mel asked, her voice surprisingly strong.

Maddox pulled Ellie into the room as North answered. “No, just what you saw. We will find out though.” He knelt before the children as they sniffed at him, their little bodies shaking with their cries. He did a quick check up as everyone else spoke to be sure they were okay.

“Take a seat. I know Dad said he’d be here soon,” Kade said, looking directly at her.

She had no idea what was about to happen, but she’d take the time she could to compose herself. She didn’t like being this fragile, poor excuse for a wolf.

There had to be something she could do.

Maddox sat down on the other couch and pulled her to his side while North sat on her other. Kade looked at them, his brow raised.

Great, just what she needed, a weird dominance battle between twins while she was confused beyond measure. She didn’t have time to worry about who wanted to mate her and what others thought about it.

The kids grieving for their parents were more important than her.

The door opened, and the rest of the family filed in. Reed and his two mates, Hannah and Josh, walked in, each man carrying one of their two-month-old twins. They were the triad of the Redwood Pack and had been the ones to rescue her when she’d done her best to save Josh from the demon.

She owed them her life, even if others thought it hadn’t been worth it.