Wolf's Strength (8 page)

“Why won’t you come out?” Dawson Caedmon asked.

Elisa turned and pressed her back against the makeshift door in the cave. Somet
hing scraped on the ground on the outside of the cave. Dawson must have been digging the toe of his boots in the dirt. She hoped he wasn’t trying to dig his way in here. That would’ve been rather stupid and virtually impossible given the amount of mountain rock embedded in the earth.

“For the same reason why you can’t come in here,” she replied. “I’ve done everything wrong. I could have prevented this.”

“There was no way you could have prevented this.” Dawson’s voice was a bit muffled through the pile of stones blocking the entry. “Stalled it, yes, but our enemies won’t kill themselves.”

Elisa rolled her eyes. Leave it to Dawson to crack a joke under any circumstances. “I just wasn’t strong enough to piece my visions together. If I had just known about the Spirit strippings from our past…” When she’d come to learn how to wield her magic, she forgot that her visions were just as important to her Pack. As a Seer with the gift of hindsight, the Caedmon Pack relied on her for pieces of their history. She’d failed them.

“Listen, Elisa. Roman suppressed the information about his parentage to prevent the uprising of a Pack. That knowledge would have done more harm than good even if it really didn’t make a difference. Devin is our rightful leader.”

“And the Spirit strippings? Why did he suppress that?”

“You tell me. You’re the Seer.”

Elisa swallowed. “Seers are only allowed to execute a binding or stripping under the orders of an Alpha. That information was too dangerous to have floating around. And for obvious
reasons…but someone has leaked it.”

“We get that you’ve taken this whole thing hard. We all have. Roman acted as our father and we all trusted and loved him in that regard.”

Elisa slid down and sat with her legs crossed. “My mom came to take me away. Roman would have still been alive if I had been there for him.”

“Come on, Elisa, how could you have
known she would come that night?”

“I was supposed to be there the night he was attacked. I lost track of time swimming out at the lake.” When she smelled the smoke coming from the village, she knew something bad had happened. She raced from the lake to the scene to learn that i
t was Roman’s house that was on fire. By the time she could process it all, he was in grave danger.

Dawson
thumped on the stone. “Come on out, Elisa. We need you.”

“I have to try and make this right.” Elisa balled her hands into fists.

“You can’t do it alone. We have to do this together.”

An image raced through her mind.
The foresight visions Roman gifted her with seemed to come when she least expected them to and not when she wanted them to. But the visions were fairly clear…She sat on a throne. She was sad. Her mate was there too. He was angry. A male stood before them with a gun folded in a white cloth. Blood stained his hands. His lips moved. He was speaking to them, but this wasn’t reality now. It wasn’t the past. It had to have been the future.

What did it mean? Who was her mate? Why was she mated? Seers didn’t take mates.

“I can’t make sense of any of this.” She shook her head and pressed her wrists to her temples. “How can I help when these visions make me crazy?”

“What do you see?”

“I don’t want to see anymore,” she cried out.

“I’m sorry, Elisa. If you just concentrate and let us work as a team, we can help you clear your head and figure out what you’re seeing.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Dawson. There are some things I can share, but there are others that I must not reveal. There’s book knowledge and then there’s inherited knowledge. A Seer must never interfere with the natural course of things. And I can’t successfully convey my visions until I get a grip on things.”

Silence lingered for a while and Elisa wondered if Dawson had left.

“Elisa…”

“Dawson, please leave me alone for now. I have to figure out how to control these visions. I
can’t even think in the present right now.”

“Um…you are in the present
.”

“Dawson…” she warned.

Elisa listened to the sound of shuffling on the outside of the door. She just prayed they would leave her be for now. She would come out of here when she was ready.

“I’m leaving some food packs and water on the outside of the door,” Dawson said.

Elisa’s ears perked up. “And the chocolates?”

“I put enough candy in the bag to last you for one night.”

Elisa rolled her eyes. “I told you to bring the whole bag.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Elisa. When you come out, you can get the whole bag. Until then, I will indulge in one piece every hour on the hour.”

“Loser,” Elisa spat.

Dawson’s chuckle faded off through the forest. She waited a good while before she began removing the rocks to bring the food and water inside the cave.

***

“How’s Elisa feeling today?” Blake asked, studying Devin Caedmon with remorse.

The Alpha was devoid of any facial expressions yet he had been squeezing the shit out of an orange ever since he and Aiden arrived to try to console him. Blake expected the rind to split at any moment. The Alpha had done the same to the other fruits lying on the table next to the bowl a servant brought in.

“Elisa is in a cave near the foot of the mountains, and she won’t talk to anyone. It took us a whole day to find out where she was hiding. Dawson and a few good men are taking turns looking out for her. I’m doing my best to respect her wishes and not drag her out of there,” Devin said without looking up from the table. “I’m the adult. She’s the child. Tell me why she’s so stubborn.”

“You’ve got another sixteen or seventeen years of dealing with the same scenario,” Aiden replied. “Times three.”

The triplets, Ashton, Boyd and Channing, were Devin’s first set of offspring. They hadn’t been on this earth four full moons yet, and already they were the talk of the Caedmon community. In light of everything going on, the people had hoped daily for a sign the future would bring brighter days. The birth of not one, but three sons proved to be the encouragement they needed. But now they were faced with the death of a respected Elder.

“Well, Elisa’s been preparing me for fatherhood for quite some time, whether or not she knew it.”

Blake pushed aside the empty glass on the table and sat in his chair. “What happened that night had to have been most difficult for her. Everyone’s lips were sealed about the whereabouts of Elisa’s mother. Not even her aunt, who worked under you for a short time, your brother or your father have said a word.”

“Faydra and her sister were never on good terms,” Devin said. “And if I remember my father correctly, he would’ve forbidden anyone to talk about this. In the past, other people have been banished from the village for speculating.”

Considering the revelations about who Roman truly was, Blake understood why. One disclosure led to more. If Elisa’s aunt had delved further, Caedmon lineage would have been questioned long ago. Devin’s father would have been challenged for the position as Alpha with evidence that weighed far more heavily than his inability to find a true mate. What would have happened if my cousin, Darius, or even Darius’ father had stripped the title from Daniel? If Roman hadn’t remained tight-lipped about whom he was prior to Devin’s acceptance of the Alpha position, would things have changed?

“What was Faydra’s real motivation for coming?” Aiden asked.

Finally, Devin raised his gaze from the table. His eyes were a startling emerald, like his great-uncle’s. “I can only wonder if any of Faydra’s motivations were her own,” Devin replied.

“Even if someone sent her to do this, there had to have been something in it for her,” Blake offered.

Faydra disassociated from the Caedmon Pack six years ago. Why would she come back after so long?

“Roman was obviously her target. No one knew she was in the village. And if she came for Elisa, to do harm or otherwise, Faydra was smart enough to know in order to get to the child she’d have to deal with Roman first,” Blake said.

The room grew silent as they pondered this statement.

“A moment ago when you said other people have been banished, to whom were you referring?” Aiden asked.

Devin swallowed visibly. “Joining her true mate wasn’t the only reason my mother was banished from this village. It’s clear to me now that she knew who Roman was.”

“How do you know this?” Blake sat up in his chair, his elbows on the table. “How did she know?”

“Roman gifted Elisa with his memories before passing. Elisa has evidence that my mother asked him one day about his parentage because she saw the similarities between myself when I was a child, Roman, and my father. He confessed.”

“Then Roman and your mother knew you would be the Alpha one day,” Blake said.

“But was it meant to be, or was it set up this way?” Devin lifted an eyebrow. “I asked Roman in the past, and he declared over and over again this is what he foresaw. That I would be Alpha. But did he make it so it would happen?”

“Don’t question it,” Aiden said sternly. “You were meant to be where you are today. No one else could bring the weakened Pack together. Only you. The Caedmon Pack is united now more than ever before. Only those outside of it are causing a major upheaval.”

Devin brought his fist down hard on the table. “There is one other wolf whose blood is potent with the Caedmon Spirit, and you both know it.”

Blake leaned forward in his chair. “Before your reign, when the Caedmon Pack began to fall to pieces, Tristan waited on the sidelines. Aiden and I were joined with the Arnou then—the Pack of our birth parents. We knew if the Caedmon Pack fell, that Arnou would rise. Tristan wanted this. His most loyal followers wanted this. But how far could Tristan rise without the support and existence of Caedmon, who are far more copious in numbers and strength than the Arnou Pack ever was?” Blake waited for a reply from both Devin and Aiden, but none came. “Tristan is hardheaded but he must come to his senses.”

“I’m not waiting another year for him to put two and two together,” Devin said. “I can do this without him.”

Aiden nearly stood from his seat. “You told us Roman said—”

“I know what I told you. I know what Roman said. He told me not to fail. I won’t fail. I’ll do whatever is necessary to keep my promise.” Devin’s eyes were smoldering with anger and deep-emerald swirls mixed with hues of red. “My Council will remain intact. My Pack will be safe. My wife and sons won’t live in fear. I’ll keep these promises even if it means rewriting history myself.”

At this point, the Alpha’s word was final. Neither he nor Aiden could change that.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Devin growled, turning his attention to the entrance of the library.

The servant who’d brought the fruit and cheese earlier came inside and handed a letter to Devin. “A personal messenger brought this.”

Devin’s angry expression disappeared, and curiosity washed over his face. “Thank you.”

As the maid exited the room, Devin sat with the letter and opened it. His gaze skimmed the small note inside. After the Alpha was done, he handed the note to Blake and Aiden.

The message was short and to the point:

This meeting between us is long overdue. Supper is served in the east hall of the Arnou estate at seven o’ clock sharp. Care to join me?

P.S. My condolences on the passing of your mentor.

It was signed:
Arnou.

Devin cleared his throat. “I need the two of you to send word to the other Council members. I’m going to find out what Tristan knows, but our best bet may be to get out there and find out who’s behind the killing and who sent Faydra here.”

Blake and Aiden stood. “Yes, Alpha.”

Tepid winds rushed against Devin’s ears as he ran through thick forests, underbrush and elderberry bushes. He ran as wolf, free spirited and wild. Anticipation beat through his veins like the wrath of the gods. Heated determination wrapped around his skin like a furious burning wildfire. At least a dozen wolves were running with him were. Nick, his trusty second-in-command, flanked the side of the formation while he took the front like the esteemed leader he was. Fallen branches snapped under the weight of their paws and leaves whipped at their fur as they crossed into a territory not their own. They were minutes from their destination—Tristan Arnou’s main residence.

A couple miles up ahead, a wolf howled. The wolf Devin sent to test the area was reporting everything was safe.

Tristan Arnou had invited Devin for a discussion over dinner, and it wasn’t a trap. Yet.

He couldn’t put anything past the Alpha of the Arnou Pack. The guy had a reputation for bait-and-switch games. Devin wasn’t into playing games—at least not where the Caedmon Pack was concerned.

Devin and the other wolves slowed their pace, detecting the Arnou mansion was ahead. Amid the smell of rain-dampened grass and sweet sap from the trees, he detected the presence of another wolf group.

As they came into a clearing in the forest, he saw his suspicions were correct. There were six Arnou wolves waiting for them. They must have known Devin and his Pack weren’t far away because they were ready, standing steadfast and alert on all fours.

Devin’s wolf Pack fanned out on either side of him as they joined him by the edge of the clearing. Several yards divided the two Packs until they prowled near the center. Every wolf in the clearing was on edge, ready to strike at the slightest sign of threat.

The leader of the group stepped forward causing a chain of reaction from the wolves guarding Devin. There must have been a misunderstanding because two wolves from the opposing sides began sparring.

Aggravation battered Devin. He darted down the line and barged between the two wolves, growling furiously at both. This split up the fighting, but by the hungry glare in their eyes, he could tell they were aching to finish what they started. Arthur, the Caedmon wolf, bowed his head, his gaze dropping to the ground in shame. The Arnou wolf backed up several feet and positioned himself behind his Pack.

The gray wolf, whom Devin presumed to be the leader of the small group of wolves, shifted with minimal effort and took his human form. “Devin Caedmon?”

This man was half-clothed. Only a pair of jeans covered his body. No shoes or shirt were worn despite the fall breeze, only a pair of raggedy dark jeans. He was devoid of hair from the neck down. A tie held back his long gray hair. He appeared to be at least two decades older than Devin. He wore a thick leather Belt with badges taking up every inch in the front. The badge in the middle had the Arnou family crest engraved on it, signifying his loyalty to the Arnou family and Pack. The multitude of other badges indicated his high-ranking position within the Arnou Pack.

To return his greeting in kind, Devin contained his annoyed countenance, which resulted from the short scuffle between their Packs, and shifted to human from. “I am.”

“Dinsel.” He nodded once. “My Alpha sent us to ensure your safe passage to the estate.”

Devin almost laughed. Tristan the Alpha of a rival Pack wanted to ensure his safety. Was it a trap or slight change of heart?

“I have my own entourage.” Devin extended his hand toward the wolves before him. Nick fell in step beside him, and they exchanged cautionary glances. He wanted no trouble tonight.

“My Alpha gave me strict orders, sir.” Dinsel eyed him sternly. “You have his permission to cross deeper into our lands. No one else.”

“Ludicrous!” This outburst came from Nick. The other Caedmon wolves growled.

Devin placed his palm on his second-in-command’s shoulder to calm him. “Fine. Get me to your Alpha.”

“Devin…” Nick protested.

He’d expected this much. Nick didn’t trust Tristan, especially after all the sly tactics.

“I’ll meet you here. If I’m not back in six hours…”
Cross with caution.
Devin projected the last part of his orders.

Nick was his best friend and most-trusted Council advisor. They had a deep spiritual connection—a connection that allowed thought projection. This connection brought all six members of the Caedmon Council closer spiritually thanks to unlocking and consuming the powers of the relics that had been hidden for decades.

Not only did claiming these relics give them powers, but it also gained them the unwanted attention of their rivals. And now the Elder whom Devin had held as a father figure all his life was gone.

Be careful,
was the second-in-command’s reply.

Devin shifted
and led the way past the Arnou wolves. He didn’t need their guidance. His nose would have gotten him to Arnou’s doorstep. The letter had Tristan’s scent all over it, and Devin detected the same smell on the Arnou wolves that followed closely behind him.

This meeting is long overdue.

Tristan’s invite was vague. Did the other wolf want to murder him? He couldn’t have the relics. They belonged with the dominant Pack. The Caedmon Pack. How long had Tristan wanted to meet with him? Why did he stand by so long and do nothing but get in the way?

Curiosity rang through Devin. Maybe he was too anxious and had let his guard down way too much concerning Tristan Arnou. Yet, he’d do everything in his power to keep his promise to Roman, even if it meant fraternizing with a man who irritated him.

Suddenly aware there were six wolves behind him that were not from his Pack, he threw a glance over his shoulder and lifted his snout to the air. He scented no fear or danger. The wolves returned his questionable stare with one of their own. All doubts aside, they were probably just following orders. Devin was sure they had reservations, but they showed no signs of it. There wasn’t complete trust in these wolves either, but they were his ticket to getting to the Arnou residence.

Devin turned his attention forward and quickened his pace, and so did the others.

Time was of the essence. Plus, he had a reputation for being on time—not a minute late.

***

The home was it replicated a Mediterranean-style structure and was situated on a tract of land miles from civilization. He supposed that was intentional since the Arnou village flanked the Arnou estate and the community consisted of wolf-shifters for the most part. Come to think of it, this was exactly how the Caedmon village was fashioned. The Alpha’s main home was the center of it all, and those who wished to live in the shifter community could elect to build their homes or take up residence on the property. Of course, there were a great deal of shifters who worked and mingled in the human world and couldn’t be forced to live inside the village. From what he heard, Tristan ordered all Arnou shifters to follow a more stringent process when it came to associating with human society.

Devin was led through a sitting room just left of the entrance and foyer. He waited in the den which had a cylinder fireplace in the center of the room. The structure of the room was circular. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined most of the interior. Portraits and abstract paintings covered the rest of the walls.

Being the devout architect he was, Devin could spend all day studying and decoding the construction of this home. The style of the modern accents and décor indicated the interior had been remodeled sometime in the last few years. But the old-world Mediterranean structure and materials used on the exterior told him the home was built several decades earlier.

A portrait hanging on the wall nearest the seating area caught his attention as he waited for Tristan to make his appearance. The framing was old, man-made and worn, and the picture inside was dated. The man in the photo gave him pause. He thought he recognized this man, but he couldn’t put a name to the face.

“The portrait you are staring at is of Thibaud Jr.” A man spoke from behind Devin, catching him off guard. “I don’t think you had the privilege of meeting him.”

“Not in person,” Devin replied then he turned, identifying the scent from the new presence in the room as Tristan’s.

Their gazes met, and a foreboding feeling struck deep in Devin’s veins. He couldn’t explain it. Couldn’t understand if it was telling him to proceed with caution or embrace without doubt. His Wolf Spirit stirred beneath his skin, causing goose bumps to spread across his body.

Tristan studied him too, his dark-mahogany eyes roving over him. With several feet separating them, this gave them a good vantage point in which to size each other up.

This moment was the first time Devin had met Tristan Arnou.

Man to man. Alpha to Alpha.

Tristan dressed cleanly with a crisp white-collared shirt, black tie, and ironed black slacks. Everything was designer labels from head-to-toe, down to the gold watch and chain around his neck. He wore the Belt too, like the men in the forest. The Arnou family had been using this Belt for decades to keep in check those who pledged to protect the Arnou legacy and to give each one a sense of belonging and pride. Tristan’s Belt was made of the finest gold. The badge was twice as large, and the family crest was twice as notable. There was a dark ruby stone embedded below the crest.

“I’ve heard and read some things about Thibaud Jr. over the years,” Devin said, breaking the awkward silence.

Tristan caught his gaze and his lips twitched. “Some things?” He lifted a dark eyebrow in question.

If Tristan invited him here to be grilled, he had more than another thing coming. “Thank you for inviting me to a dinner.”

“I’d like to extend my thanks for coming on such short notice.” He moved in a little closer before stopping a couple feet short of the circular fireplace. “How was your trip over?”

“It was bearable.” Devin’s gaze shifted to the lamps hanging from the ceiling just as the bulbs turned two shades brighter than before. It must have been on a sensor and in tune with the time of day. “You have a commendable home. Sound structure, richly designed interior and, from what I’ve seen, a very dynamic floor plan.”

“The home is about thirty years old. It was built to suit Thibaud Jr.’s vision when I was barely a seed in my mother’s womb. The layout is fine but everything else became dated. I had the interior redesigned to more modern themes, and the exterior has been renovated.” Tristan cleared his throat. “I forgot you were into that stuff. You still design and construct buildings?”

Devin nodded. “Commercial and residential.”

“Hmm. We should talk about that more sometime.” Tristan extended his arm toward the adjacent side of the wall where there was another set of double doors. “Dinner is waiting. And the night isn’t getting any younger.”

Devin could agree with Tristan that they needed to finish their business. It was why he’d come. There was no written record, ever, of Alphas from two of the strongest Packs agreeing to meet under any circumstance. Both Packs were fighting for their dominance and continued existence and had at least one enemy in common. It was a good reason to meet and discuss their Pack needs and issues.

They strolled through the double doors into a smaller dining area. The room had four distinct walls and wasn’t shaped into a cylinder like the last one. The color palette was the same as the previous room. The muted tan theme carried throughout most of the first floor.

“My private dining quarters. I thought we’d be more comfortable here.”

“We?” Devin couldn’t help but ask as they both took a seat.

“We’re free to speak about what we want here.”

The servers filed into the room and began laying out piping hot serving trays, utensils, linen napkins, and wine glasses. The Arnou family crest marked each gold lid. Whatever Devin inspected, the same crest was there, indicating the Arnou family held their lineage and heritage in high regard.

“What about your Council?” Devin asked.

Tristan snorted. “I have an advisory board much like your chain of Elders, but the buck stops here. I have no Council. I like the freedom of making my own rules and decisions.”

“So your Pack’s future rests in the palm of one man’s hand?”

“Are you questioning my judgment and ability?”

Devin ground his teeth together lest he say something that would end the meeting immediately. If that happened he’d leave there with nothing and he would be in jeopardy of keeping his promise to Roman. “Since Caedmon’s creation, our Pack has had a Council. It restricts any one man from destructing the Pack, either intentionally or unintentionally.”

“Well then, I should ask if you’re speaking of yourself since you prefer your Council. Is your aim Pack destruction?”

As a sly smile spread across Tristan’s lips, Devin realized he was being taunted. “Don’t mock my loyalty to my Pack.”

Tristan picked up his napkin and unfolded it over his lap. “I was only asking. Sometimes you have to ask, you know, considering there have been traitors in the past.”

“In your Pack, you mean,” Devin said, his lips in a thin line.

“We’re talking about yours right now.” Tristan lifted the dome to reveal a thick T-bone steak sitting atop a bed of arugula lettuce. He pricked the center of the meat with his fork. “Truly Grade A prime cut. Suddenly, I’m hungry. You know, my executive chef used to own a steakhouse up the road. I convinced him to become my part-time chef
.
” He gestured with his fingers toward Devin’s tray. “Give this a try. It’s not every night I can indulge a special guest.”