Un.Wavering (Claimed Series Book 3) (15 page)

It would be a hard road for Cole. If what Nicolas had hinted at were true, Xavier might have known about the on goings at Logan’s office. It would be a heavy weight for Cole to bear on top of his unstable condition.

But with Nicolas and Hayden at his side, she knew Cole would overcome the worse.

* * * *

Early morning arrived quickly in the small town.

For being such a turbulent night, the sun was bright and cheerful, and even the birds seemed relieved to be rid of the heavy cloak of darkness. The only thing that disturbed the picture of a peaceful, ordinary morning was the heavy fog.

Hayden strolled past the smoldering building, and in turn, the group of gossiping and fearful spectators. She tried not to appear too disinterested, least she draw attention to herself, yet she didn’t want to stay and linger either.

From the looks of things, it appeared as if the firemen had tried their hardest to salvage the burning building. The thick smoke that smoldered from the crumbled building was hot and putrid. To humans, the scent of burning flesh might have been subtle, but to Hayden’s nose, it was overwhelming and entirely repulsive.

Before they left the office building last night, Nicolas set the bodies aflame individually. By the time the fire department reached the office, the bodies had most likely been unidentifiable.

She tried not to ponder too long about the massacre that took place last night. Her feelings on the matter were complex, but then again,
many
issues of late were perplexing.

Her eyes landed on the two Slayter brothers.

They walked in front of her, yet, judging from their defensive postures, she knew they were constantly aware of her whereabouts. Nicolas, in particular, seemed especially cognitive of Hayden. He rarely looked back, but he somehow slowed when she slowed and stopped when she paused to assess the burning office.

He possessed a deep attentiveness when it came to her, Hayden realized. It was not a life mate bond, clearly, but it was unusually strong. He claimed Cole acted as the conductor for their bond, but she didn’t know whether to believe him or not.

Her attention then landed on Cole, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach. Despite the sleep they received, and the abundance of meat, he still appeared extremely haggard. When she was close to him, she clearly heard the quickness and unevenness of his pulse. The drug remained strong in his blood.

He also kept a respectful distance with her. Through their mind bond, he seemed to withdraw and run further and further from her inquisitive reach.

She didn’t understand. Perhaps he was trying not to concern her with his weakening condition, but in doing so, he only worried her further.

Not to mention the brother’s sudden and strange comradeship.

The oddity must have happened while she slept, for when she woke up that morning, they’d seemed to form an unnatural amity. They were often seen talking to one another quietly, away from Hayden’s prying ears and eyes. There was still an obvious air of tension surrounding Cole whenever he was in Nicolas’ presence, yet the younger brother continued to seek out the eldest.

Hayden was not stupid. Cole was distracted. And he was uncertain about his condition. Why not keep company with the only other man who’d gone through the same thing and lived to tell his tale?

“Hayden.”

Slowly, she looked at Cole. He motioned her forward, in the spot between Nicolas and himself. She followed his direction, only because she didn’t want to start an argument.

As she fell into place at his side, he held up the photograph Nicolas had stolen from Logan’s office. The flimsy photograph flapped in the strong wind, barely staying still long enough for Hayden to get a good look.

She realized they came to an abrupt stop in front of the same house in the photograph. Only, like most things, time had taken its toll on the quaint, one-story home.

The majority of the garden was thorny and dead, with a few exceptions of overgrown shrubs. Paint began to peel on the exterior of the house, as well as the shutters. A rickety ladder leaned against the side of the garage, appearing as if someone had just recently pulled leaves from the gutters.

Much to her surprise, the fence was still in good condition. The faint aroma of paint coming from the posts was proof that someone cared, but fell behind in keeping up with the house’s maintenance.

The two brothers approached the charming front porch and she quickly followed.

“What if he no longer lives here?” she asked.

“Then we will simply find another lead.”

Hayden held her tongue despite the heavy cloud of doubt hovering over her head. So far, they hadn’t discovered anything concrete. For reasons unknowns to them, Logan Crow had an experimental chamber in the basement of his office, empty except for the haunting echoes left behind.

Cole rapped thrice on the front door. Sourly, Hayden stared down at the welcome mat. It was so ordinary here. So simple and uncomplicated. She wondered why she felt so uncomfortable in this atmosphere.

Soft footsteps approached the door, a slow and easy gait. Whomever occupied this property was human. They didn’t have to worry about werewolves; they only had to discern if this was an oblivious human or a dangerous Hunter.

As the door opened, Hayden blinked in surprise.

A gentle face, wrinkled with age, smiled out at them. It was a woman, perhaps around her mid-seventies. She blinked at both Cole and Nicolas, most likely taken aback at such tall, strapping men on her front step.

“Hello,” Cole greeted, clearly electing to be the voice of the group since Nicolas and Hayden remained obstinately silent. “Is your husband home?”

It was a good deduction.

Neither of them knew the name of Logan Crow’s human partner. However, they did know he’d be around this woman’s age.

Her face lit up with recognition. “You must be friends of John and Logan.” Looking cautiously past the trio, and out into the street, she lowered her voice. “
Werewolves
. I never thought I’d see another one after Julian and Logan!”

“My name is Cole Slayter, and this is my brother Nicolas—”

“Xavier’s boys.”

She already knew so much.

Hayden wondered whether to be relieved or vigilant.

The woman smiled widely and opened the door to allow them entrance. “I’ve heard much about you.” Her eyes then landed on Hayden, her expression twisting in concentration. “You must be of relation to Logan then?”

Hayden offered a grimace-like smile as Cole answered for her.

“No, this is Hayden. She is a member of my pack.”

The elder woman frowned, but perked up a moment later. “I have to leave for work this morning, but I have some time to make you tea. I just took out a fresh loaf of bread…”

She continued her long-winded tirade to Cole, appearing genuinely happy at their visit. Before entering the home, Hayden glanced at Nicolas, taken aback when she noticed his sharp stare. His long fingers pressed against the crown of his forehead, a gesture clearly meaning he was deep in thought.

Between his fingers, his eyes observed her thoughtfully.

“What
now
?” Hayden snapped, raising her hackles. “Contrary to what you think are appropriate manners, blatant staring is not one of them.”

His pupils dilated and he dropped his hand abruptly. He only offered her a simple smirk before slithering inside the house.

On edge, Hayden closed the front door and crossed onto the ornate floor rug. Just as she was about to enter the sitting room, which was equally ornate, the elderly woman hollered sweetly from the kitchen.

“I just ask that you wipe your shoes properly before entering the living room!”

Hayden shared a long look with her companions, doing as she was told. Cole and Nicolas, on the other hand, strode past her, hardly concerned over the dirt they trekked inside the woman’s house.

“I’m afraid your visit is overdue.” The woman glided into the living room, carrying a large tray with practiced bravado. “John passed away a year ago. Bless his soul.”

From the foyer, Hayden watched as the woman poured the tea, handing the dainty chinaware to Cole. The sight of him balancing the cup and saucer was highly amusing and Hayden only wished her pack members were here to witness it.

Nicolas politely declined the tea, opting to take a slice of buttered bread instead.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Hayden felt inclined to say, as both males weren’t inclined to say it themselves. “We never did catch your name.”

“Mavis.” The woman smiled warmly at Hayden, motioning her inside the room. “Have some tea, dear. You look as if you could use some warmth.”

Hayden didn’t know whether to read further into that comment, or just accept the tea without complaint. She chose the latter, sitting down in the corner chair, Nicolas a silent protector at her back.

“Did you know much about your husband’s work?” Trust Nicolas to steer the conversation to business. “We had questions about Logan and Celeste. We wondered if you could tell us what you know.”

Mavis nodded, happy to oblige. “John told me much about werewolves. He was fascinated, yet wary of such a strong creature.” She sat down, straightening her pastel sweater before grabbing her own saucer of tea. “But as he got to know Logan, and later Xavier, he grew more comfortable. More enthralled.”

Hayden’s eyes roamed the sitting room, taking in the ceramic bird statues to the dainty doilies decorating the tables and windows. The mantle above the fireplace was crammed every last inch with photographs and porcelain figurines. She recognized most of the people as Mavis, her husband, and her son.

Unfortunately, it didn’t appear as if she framed any snapshots of the infamous Logan and Celeste Crow.

“You saw Xavier often?” Cole pressed.

“No.” Mavis sipped at her tea, staining the brim with her rosebud lipstick. “I saw him only a couple of times for dinner. John was more involved with their business than I was. I just enjoyed listening to his stories when he got home.” She paused. “I am sorry for your loss. I’m aware both Logan and your parents passed away around the same time.”

The tension was so thick, Hayden could cut it with a knife. Clearly, Mavis hadn’t heard Nicolas was responsible for two of those three deaths.

“And you knew Celeste?” Hayden changed the subject, eager to know more about her enemy. “Did she work with Logan?”

She had to have. The basement in Logan’s office resembled a torture chamber where Celeste conducted her experiments. The situation already looked bleak for Cole’s father. If what Mavis said was true, Xavier was heavily involved with Logan’s schemes.

“Celeste,” Mavis repeated, a fond smile in place. “She was a wonderful woman, very graceful and ingenious. I believe she worked with Logan, yes.” A frown of concentration lined her eyes and forehead. “If I remember correctly, John expressed his concern over what Celeste and Xavier were doing with Logan. He never knew what they were up to, of course. His knowledge was strictly with numbers, you see. He had a marvelous talent, my John.”

Hayden stiffened, feeling her heart grow heavy for Cole. She glanced in his direction, noticing his pinched expression. A shadow crossed his features and his hands trembled. However, she wondered if they shook from the information given or from something else entirely.

He caught her eyes and he nodded once, to reassure her.

It did nothing of the sort.

“Did your husband leave behind any journals?” Cole inquired. “Anything would be helpful. We’d like to know exactly what went on in that shop.”

Mavis seemed conflicted. She glanced at the photographs lining the fireplace mantle. “I’m afraid what he left behind was taken by our son. Unlike his father, he did not hold a flame to werewolves.”

“He became a Hunter?” Hayden guessed.

“No, nothing too drastic.” She pressed her lips together. “Though he wasn’t shy in sharing his knowledge with the other men in town. They’ve formed a small covenant, determined to protect the town from werewolves.”

Silence turned heavy with uncomfortable strain.  Hayden rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding Mavis’ stare and the stares from the old photographs.

They could have, quite possibly, just killed her son last night. The elderly woman clearly hadn’t heard about the massacre at Logan’s shop yet. It was still early, and she hadn’t gone into town yet. When she did go, Hayden expected they’d be long gone by then.

“I hate seeing you all so despondent,” Mavis continued, clearly sensing their unease and mislabeling its source. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Have you tried reaching out to Julian? He was quite close to Celeste. He’d know more than I or John.”

“Julian?” Hayden asked dumbly, wondering if Cole or Nicolas knew the man in question. They certainly weren’t doing any favors by remaining silent.

Mavis appeared concerned and suspicious at once. “Julian,” she repeated, as if she hadn’t pronounced it correctly the first time. “He is the son of Celeste and Logan.”

Shock rendered her speechless. Out of the corner of her eye, Cole remained blasé. He veiled his surprise well, though Hayden knew he was just as taken aback as she was at the revelation.