Wicked: A Savage Alpha Shifters Romance, page 5
“I’m due for Aunt Flo today, so we’ll know soon enough,” Ivy whispers. They both give one another bright smiles that shows that not only are the two of them bursting with happiness, but that also shows their incredibly strong bond.
I don’t always get to see the effects of our work, but seeing this right now, I get a rare moment of warmth through my whole body. And I know I need to add a note about these two to the jar I’ve been saving to show Riley. If I get the chance. Though based on how he reacted to me last night – that may not happen.
“I heard that,” Cicely says, and squeals. “Yay. You’re pregnant!”
“I am,” Amelia announces. “Just found out last night.”
“Congratulations,” I say as Cicely squeals and runs out from behind her counter to hug Amelia.
All eyes move to me again.
“You okay?” Ivy asks, touching my shoulder.
“No,” I reply frankly.
“How can we help?” she asks, genuine concern on her face.
“Seventeen forty-five,” Cicely states loudly, going back behind the counter and seeming like she’s giving these women a message. A message that I’m the enemy. “Cash only. ATM there if you need it,” she tacks on, gesturing to the bank machine beside the bathroom door.
I fish a twenty out of my bag, thinking that she’s probably charging me double for what I’ve bought. I guess I’m lucky she served me at all.
“Is there a motel around here somewhere?” I ask as she hands me my change, dropping it in my palm without touching me.
“Drowsy Hollow is the closest town with a motel. Why?” Cicely kind of snaps.
“My camper van has what I need for eating and sleeping, but there’s no bathroom and I left in a hurry, forgetting to bring my camping toilet and outdoor shower. I could really use a hot shower, so I figured I’d see if there’s a motel or a bed and breakfast here.”
“Neither. Those are conducive to visitors, and we don’t appreciate those,” Cicely states. “There’s a truck stop the other side of The Hollow that rents showers to truckers.”
“You don’t mince words at all,” I observe.
“You can shower at our house,” Amelia offers.
“Or ours,” Ivy chimes in.
“Mine’s a little closer,” Amelia tells me.
“I don’t think it is,” Ivy counters. “You’re up that road.” She points toward the door. “And we’re up two blocks and then another road over, but you’re further down your road than we are ours, and-”
Cicely speaks up, eyes on me. “I suppose you can use my shower upstairs. Which will save you the hassle of Linc preventing you from going anywhere. But it’ll cost you.”
“As I said, I can’t tell you anything until I’ve talked to Riley.”
“Gimme something,” Cicely says. She slaps the counter and repeats herself, “Some. Thing.”
I’m about to reply when she adds, “I’ve watched Rye grieve for years. Do you have any idea what you’ve done to him? Do-”
“Yes!” I thrust my hands through my hair. “I do have some idea because I’ve been living it, too. I screwed up. I screwed up when I was turning twenty-one and broken-hearted and not knowing what’d happen with a little love potion I put together when I was under the influence of something powerful. Not knowing that the fall-out would affect not only my life but his, too. I’ve paid, believe me I’ve paid. I sat in a prison cell on my twenty-first birthday because of it, stood trial for it, and I’ve been extensively punished for it and couldn’t do a damn thing about it until now. So now I’m here. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere until I talk to Riley and do my best to explain what’s happened and how I’ve tried to- ” I shake my head. “I can’t say anymore. I’ve said too much. Was it enough to buy me a shower? Please? If not, can I take a hooker bath in that bathroom?”
“Yeah,” Cicely rasps out, her voice thick with emotion, like she feels my pain or something. Ivy and Amelia’s faces mirror hers. “Around the back and upstairs. It’s not locked.”
“Thank you,” I rasp as I gather up the things I’ve bought.
“I’ll give you a hand,” Ivy offers, grabbing a water jug.
“Me, too,” Amelia says taking the other one. “But once again, it’ll cost you something.”
I tilt my head to the side in question.
“After your shower, let us take you to breakfast at Roxy’s.”
“That’s probably not a good idea, Amelia,” I reply, hoping she reads the gratitude in my eyes.
“It’s probably a great idea,” Amelia corrects. “Seems like you could use some friends. And a big ole order of crepes or waffles or something.”
Ivy nods. “Definitely a carb moment.”
I bite my lip in contemplation.
“We’ll talk to Lincoln for you. And we’re not gonna push you to talk before you’re ready,” Amelia states, “But we have some stuff in common, I think. These Arcana Falls shifters, they…” She seems to go into a mini daze. A smile creeps across her face. I think she’s probably remembering when her journey with Mason started, which wasn’t long ago.
“They’re a lot,” Ivy puts in.
“Yeah,” Amelia nods. “To put it mildly. Mason and I met right outside this place. And he carried me away kicking and screaming.”
If only Riley did the same with me.
She goes on, “I maced him. But it didn’t deter him. I tried to be a raging bitch and he didn’t give up.”
My stomach twists.
She keeps going. “I was so determined to not let him get in. I was a walking disaster because of pain and trauma with relationships. I know it’s probably different for you, but when you’re going through something major, you need people to lean on. And you and your sisters helped me out big time. So did some of the women in this pack, and I’m a pay-it-forward type.”
I blow out a slow breath and nod. “Breakfast sounds… good.”
“You?” Ivy asks Cicely. “Can you get away for a bit? That’s why we came in – to invite you to breakfast.”
“Yeah,” Cicely says quietly.
The Brennan sisters are freshly mated, so they probably think I’m going to be part of the pack like they are. That I’m about to be initiated into the club they’ve recently joined.
But that’s not a given. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s not even possible.
I don’t need a welcoming committee right now; I need to talk to Riley. And once he tells me how unforgiveable what I’ve done is, how much he loathes me, I’ll tell him he can request a severing. Just the thought of that hurts. Though, I know it’s what’s coming after the way he looked at me last night.
When he severs our connection, he’ll be free of the pain of ending things with me. But I’ll never be free of the feelings I have. Not ever. I could magic my way out of it, but I’m saving that card for someone else. Someone who does deserve it.
My sisters can help with the severing, but they can’t help me through this, not in person anyway. They’re not allowed to use magic to interfere. All they can do is let me bend their ears, though that’s not my style. Never has been. As the baby of the family, as the one who was last to know everything, I’ve always been fiercely independent and tried to solve all my problems on my own, tried to prove I was just as capable as everybody else. And it was my pride, stubbornness, and carelessness that thrust me and Riley into this situation in the first place.
***
Cicely’s apartment above the store is adorable. And surprising. It’s more girlie girl than I’d have expected. It’s a bit reminiscent of the inside of the I Dream of Jeannie lamp; a big room done in pastels, a pale pink sectional couch filled with purple and champagne-colored pillows on one end, a rice paper divider and then a bedroom space with a double bed covered by plush bedding and dozens of pillows in a variety of shapes and sizes.
There’s a tiny kitchen space in one corner with cream cupboards, a purple countertop and 1950s style fridge and stove. I go into her spacious bathroom with a large lion-footed tub, pedestal sink, and a washer and dryer in the corner and set down my shower gear before I undress. After I’ve pulled the white shower curtain with the happy-looking dolphins all over it around the perimeter of the tub and am safely drowned out by running water, I can’t help myself; I burst into tears.
7
Cicely Oakes
It’s been a crazy half-hour since the village started waking up and word got around. Lots going on around here. In addition to Amie and Ivy coming in, plenty of others have popped in to look around and see what sort of gossip they can catch.
Because Tyson got shot yesterday. Thankfully with no lasting damage. This pack has waited years for his return, so it’s had everyone in an uproar. And while everyone smelled that Greyson mated, it’s not getting around that she’s not only the woman that shot Ty but also that she was the one poisoning our pack members.
And on top of all that, there’s a mysterious camping van parked in the far corner of my parking lot that had a tent popped up on top overnight, so of course people want to know who it is and why they’re here. Those who’ve come close enough can smell the stranger, and I’ve told them not to worry about her, that the council is aware of her presence and haven’t implemented any code alerts. A few of the alphas have made noise about the fact that she’s a witch. They can smell it. I smelled it, too, though didn’t know that was the nuance in her scent until Linc told me the background he knew about the situation.
We don’t deal with many outsiders here. People who stop here for gas, convenience items, or to use the bathroom are generally only here because they took a wrong turn. We’re north of Drowsy Hollow, but our village leads nowhere else; it’s all dead-end streets or circles that take you back to this intersection, the town’s four corners. We have surveillance equipment recording everyone who comes, and the council runs their plates to make sure there are no concerns. And if they don’t use cash to pay for their purchases and instead use our ATM machine, the council uses that transaction to trace them and run a deeper risk analysis check.
Anyone in our village for longer than the time it takes to pump gas or buy something in the store results in an alert going out to everyone to let them know there’s a stranger in town, to be on alert and cautious. No alert went out because of who this stranger is.
I’m sure it won’t take long for word to travel through the pack that this is the woman who fucked Riley Savage up royally.
Two strangers here. One she-wolf. One witch. Both are women who’ve hurt our council alphas.
I saw Riley’s exchange with Linc this morning. And while Linc was spitting nails, that was nothing compared to the look of murder on Riley’s face when he walked up and spoke to Linc, then shifted and took off like his ass was on fire. I’ve known Riley Savage my entire life and have never seen that look on his face.
Amie, Ivy, and me are in conversation, though it’s mostly the two of them talking about what happened with Grey last night, how that girl is now going to be part of our pack after trying to kill Tyson, after poisoning several of our pack members. I’m thinking about the fact that these first two additions to our pack have worked out well, but the following two council alpha matings aren’t looking so good for us.
Then it’ll be Jason Creed and I know Bailey’s hoping it’s her and dreading the notion it isn’t. She’s been mooning after him since we were kids. Before her first training bra. And then Linc before Joel. And Linc’s mating will gut me, because I’ve carried a torch for him for years and I somehow know, deep down, that it won’t be me he identifies as his, even though he’s had me more times than he can probably count. Though I’ve counted. Twenty-seven times. The last dozen times I’ve told myself it’ll be the last.
A lot has happened around here lately. And we’ve got three more matings to go.
We waited six years for Tyson to come back to us after finding out he was alive. We were overjoyed when he did. In fact, I wept uncontrollably with absolute joy the first time I saw the large black wolf and felt his connection to us. And I’m not a crier.
That’s how much it means to us to have him back. And Greyson’s mate tried to take him from us? Poisoned my dad, Cade, and Gus along with who knows who else?
Most probably wouldn’t be sure who they’re angrier at… Greyson’s new mate or the witch, Erica Young.
I think I’m angrier at Grey’s new mate after seeing the look of pain in Erica Young’s eyes.
I ponder this while quickly texting my father to ask if he can come man the store so I can go to breakfast with these guys when the witch comes back down, not because I want to go for breakfast with her, but instead because I need to be there to be eyes and ears for our council since the sisters are still so new to our pack, not shifter, and have no skills to deal with any sort of DEFCON situation, should one arise. Besides, I feel like I need more information about Erica.
But then my ears prick because I hear through the ceiling the sound of absolute anguish coming from my bathroom up there. The girls don’t hear it, don’t have the hearing a shifter does, but that girl upstairs is in absolute agony. And I’m betting that Linc can hear her from outside, too.
It’s a difficult thing to listen to when you want to despise someone, but can tell that they’re obviously in a whole lot of pain.
Since Linc filled me in on last night’s happenings, I haven’t been able to stop wondering what might possess some she-shifter from another pack to attempt to kill Tyson after poisoning some of our people.
I also can’t fathom why anyone would hide from everything that is Riley Savage, especially knowing the way a super-alpha shifter would grieve their lost mate. And witches would know that, wouldn’t they? Bailey believes so.
Yeah, some people move on after losing a mate, my father included. He mourned my mom for a long time. It hurt to see him feel that pain, but Dad eventually found it within him to move on. And now he’s freshly mated to Amie and Ivy’s mother, which he was worried would upset us, but it made me happy after watching him suffer with losing her.
My older sister Candy was another story, but she’ll eventually come around. My younger sister Colleen is away at school, but I know she’ll feel the same as I do when she meets Kathleen. It’s a great match.
Mom died after a battle with a long illness. Shifter illnesses are rare but when they happen they tend to be treacherous. The only thing that plagued her more than her chronic pain was the worrying she did about my father living the rest of his life grieving her. I know she’d be happy; she’d love Kathleen. She’d love Kathleen’s girls, too.
When I hear the water turn off upstairs, Erica is no longer audibly crying.
Why did she hide? Why did she disguise her scent, letting him believe she was dead? I do know that one look at her and it’s obvious – though not as obvious as it is now after the sounds I heard. That girl in my apartment is in tremendous emotional pain.
I’d better message Bailey to meet us for breakfast. If she finds out I went out with Amie, Ivy, and Riley’s mate and didn’t invite her, I’d never hear the end of it.
8
Riley
Showered and dressed, I head out the door with a rumbling stomach. Hunger, despite the fact I feasted all night as wolf.
I swing left to Roxy’s instead of right to leave the village, also giving me an extra couple minutes before I need to drive past her van, the notion of which makes me want to grind my teeth to dust. I’ll grab one of Roxy’s breakfast wraps to wolf down on the way to the job site, focusing on food instead of the magnetic force trying to pull me to that van and what’s inside.
Mine.
I growl at the intrusive thought and shove it away.
Though I was haunted by the aroma I thought was her when I left the clinic last night, I wasn’t convinced it was real until I saw the van. Suffice it to say my head has been fucked since all this started that day in the drycleaners. After catching her scent, I went half out of my mind because my nose couldn’t find her. Kept waking whenever I did get some actual sleep wondering if I caught her scent again. If it was on the wind, out of reach and evading me, demanding I shift and chase it down.
I even hired Jared, a lone wolf that lives on the other side of Drowsy Hollow, to help track her down when our usual channels brought us nothing. Even him with his skills didn’t help. She was not only hiding, she was disguising her scent again. And her family were no help.
My days and nights were haunted with the dregs of faint scent that was still in my nose. That’s why it took until I was steps away from the four corners last night, looking at that van, that I knew the spike of it hitting me in the face was real. My senses weren’t playing tricks on me.
Because I’ve had that scent in my lungs since then and the entire village smells like Grey right now, I’m again thrown when I catch the sight of her long, copper curls inside Roxy’s.
And now that her scent has hit me again with a strength that overpowers Grey’s, I know I shouldn’t question my nose again. But as this thought occurs, I realize I have no choice but to question everything after all I’ve been through.
Correction: after all she’s put me through.
And I’m feeling like inside me are two wolves. One wants to ring her neck. The other wants to spank, bite and knot her sixty-nine ways to Sunday.
It’s infuriating.
She’s at a table with Ivy Savage, Amelia Quinn, Bailey Blackwood, and Cicely Oakes. And the restaurant is full, as it would be with the hullabaloo of the last twelve hours. A newcomer in town that hasn’t resulted in a code color change. Tyson getting shot. Greyson taking a mate, his mate being the one that shot Tyson and poisoned several pack members.
As if sensing my presence, her head turns and our gazes lock.
And suddenly, I’m growling and all eyes in the joint are on me, though I’m focused on her.
Cade moves in my direction, concern in his gaze. My eyes snap his way for two seconds, then he submits, picking up on my energy, showing me his neck. My eyes scan the perimeter and every other male in the place is also showing his neck.
