BROOKE
I wasn't aware a person could vomit so much, but I couldn't seem to stop. My throat burned, ribs ached, and my skull throbbed. It may as well have been me Mother smashed over the head with a rock.
"There, there." Mother held my hair back and caressed my spine. "It's alright. He was just a driver."
Just a driver. As if it were spilled milk staining the front of her dress—no use crying over a little blood. I'd known she was capable of horrible things. I'd witnessed them firsthand my whole life: the lies, the rumors, the destruction of people's lives with no remorse at all. But murder?
"I've sheltered you too much," Mother murmured. "But you are soon to be luna. Your first son will be an alpha, and from the moment he is born, people will want him dead. We must be ready to do anything to keep our children safe."
I'd heard all this before. I'd breathed it in on the day of my birth, and I'd carried it every day since. I didn't need to be reminded, especially not with a dead body mere feet away, and my wolf's whimpers echoing through my subconscious. What I needed was for her to stop talking. So I swallowed my bile, nodded, and stood, going into a mode I knew well.
"Yes, Mother." I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
"That's my girl," Mother said.
My reward was a silent walk up the mountain. I told myself not to think. And I tried. I really did. But my wolf wouldn't quiet, and I kept scanning the trees, hoping to find dark eyes looking back at me.
When the sun set, shadows took shape. My heart skipped each time I thought I saw him, sank each time it wasn't, then broke as we reached the high town. No valley wolf in their right mind would ever come this far north. He was gone forever.
The shops were closed, but dim lights illuminated the covered, wooden walkways that connected the storefronts. Mother and I kept to the middle of the road, our trajectory set toward the tall, iron gates in the distance. The castle stood high on the hill beyond them, lit up by a rising moon.
From what I could tell, there were no sentinels scouring the area. Perhaps they were all out searching. But, if that were true, wouldn't they have found us already? We'd never left the main road. "Why didn't we have guards?"
"They thought it would be safer if we didn't. A huge entourage would have been like waving a sign announcing valuables." She chewed her lip, her gaze fixed ahead, seeming to reach much farther than the castle gates. "It's so strange for the valley wolves to target the castle road so far up. I was under the impression they stayed below mid-town."
I swallowed. The truth was, I didn't know much about it. Valley wolves were rarely mentioned in polite society. People whispered about them like swear words, and I avoided the topic altogether. Now, I wished I'd paid attention to the gossip.
The road narrowed, reduced to tire marks as we reached the clearing. My calves ached at the thought of another incline, and the urge to turn back was nearly impossible to ignore. I'd been nervous about this day before it fell into chaos. Now, I could barely breathe.
"Stop!" a deep male voice echoed from ahead. "Who goes there?"
My heart leaped into my throat, and I stumbled.
"Brooke Fenrisúlfr, your future luna," Mother answered. "Alert the alpha at once. No doubt he is beside himself with worry."
There was a lengthy pause before the gates gave a mechanical groan and slowly swung open. Two sentinels dressed in black combat gear marched through them, rifles ready in hand. They directed us without words, and I couldn't help but feel like a prisoner.
Dirt gave way to stone as we made the final stretch. We were halfway when the heavy front doors burst open, and Alpha Titan stormed out. "Stand down!"
The sentinels lowered their weapons and stood back.
Titan rushed forward, taking my hands in his. "Brooke, I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow. What happened?"
I blinked, and my mouth opened, but no sound emerged. I wasn't sure what to say. He acted as if we knew each other well when we'd only met a couple of times, both of which as children. And what did he mean tomorrow? I looked at Mother.
She frowned. "My apologies, Your Grace. We were under the impression we were meant to arrive today."
He didn't acknowledge her. His eyes flicked from my face to the empty path behind us. "Where are your things?"
"Stolen," Mother said, her tone taking on its usual flare for the dramatics. "Valley wolves set upon us, taking everything. They killed our driver. It's a miracle we made it out alive."
Titan shared a look with the sentinels, and whatever silent conversation they had made the two men race off toward the castle. "Let's get you inside," he said, gently leading me forward. "Are you alright? Were you hurt?"
I shook my head.
His jaw twitched, and he nodded. "Good." We were greeted at the door by the castle's senior housemaid. "Rose, call for the doctor, and have Lily prepare clothes and hot baths for the luna and her mother."
She rushed to do his bidding, and he led us through the foyer and into the main sitting area.
"Here—" He helped me sit on one of the five couches available, positioning a cushion behind my back. "—I know you must be shaken, but if I could ask you some questions, it will help me locate the individuals involved."
I nodded. "Of course."
He pulled up a chair and sat in front of me, and Mother took a seat on the opposite end of the couch, folding her hands in her lap.
I swallowed. It was up to me to handle this, and for the first time, I wished Mother would do the talking.
"Tell me everything that happened."
I took a slow breath, but my pulse wouldn't stop racing, and my wolf kept fighting to pull away from his touch. I told him about the tree, the valley wolves, the dress, spitting it out as if it tasted bad.
"They just let you go?" he asked. "And they knew who you were?"
"Yes." Why was he asking like that? Was that odd? I held my breath, sensing by Mother's stiff back that I'd said the wrong thing.
"I believe they knew hurting the luna would be too atrocious a crime to hide from, Your Grace," Mother finally chimed in.
I nodded again, more emphatically this time. "They argued about it." Lie. Lie. Lie. The word repeated in my head, strangely in Mother's voice. "But their leader decided—"
"Leader?" Titan's eyes flashed. "You mean, you saw him?"
My lips closed, my wolf stilled, and awareness prickled the back of my neck. Danger, not to us, but to our mate.
"He wore a cloak, Your Grace," Mother said.
I looked at her. "Yes." My gaze returned to Titan. "He wore a cloak, but I could tell he was my height," I said. "A little frail," I added. "And, once, when he got close to me, I got a glimpse of his hair. It was nearly white."
If Mother had an opinion on my terrible description, she didn't let it show. She nodded. "I was a little surprised he was the leader, Your Grace. A very small man indeed."
Titan pinched his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger, his gaze going distant, as if he were conjuring the image of every wolf he'd ever met to find a match. "The least likely suspect," he said, sounding more like he was talking to himself than us.
"Your Grace?" Rose said from the doorway, two towels draped over her right arm. "The doctor will be here soon, and the baths are ready."
"Of course." Titan stood and helped me from my seat. "You've been very helpful. I'd planned for us to spend time together tomorrow, but I'm afraid this puts a bit of a strain on that. I'll have the beta give you a proper tour in the morning, and I'll see you at dinner tomorrow night?"
I nodded. "Sounds wonderful."
He released me, and we followed Rose toward the sprawling staircase.
"Oh, and Brooke?"
I turned to look back at him. He hadn't left his spot, and the way he was watching us made all the little hairs on my arms stand on end.
"If you remember anything else, anything at all, I'd like to know immediately."
There was plenty more I remembered. Things I would never forget. His dark eyes, his full lips, his sharp angles, his smell. If Titan wanted to know what my thief looked like, I could paint a masterpiece more vivid than any artist could ever create. But as Mother said, we must be willing to do anything to protect what's ours.
And he was mine, even if I could never have him.
"You have my word."
* * *
He haunted my dreams. A shadow with a lover's touch: fingers trailing down my spine, deep voice in my ear. "I want my mate."
I woke with a longing unlike any I'd ever experienced. My skin was tight, sensitive, and even the slightest brush of my thighs touching made me ache. It took a long, cold shower to feel somewhat normal, but even awake, I could sense his presence in the room. A ghost with unfinished business.
Lily brought me half a dozen dresses in various sizes. None of them fit like a glove, but a couple were suitable, given the circumstances. More than good enough for an unwanted tour with Beta Blaze. I had no real explanation for why I disliked him so much. In truth, he wasn't much worse than anyone else. There was just something about his eyes whenever he looked at me, as if something was horribly wrong with my face, and he was too polite to point it out.
Mother said it was jealousy. "Everyone wants power, dear. The more you have, the more they will hate you for it."
"Our sleeping beauty awakens!" Blaze called when I arrived to meet him. "It is my honor to serve you, Luna. Shall we?"
"Yes, please. Thank you." I took his arm and allowed him to guide me.
Blaze droned on as he showed me the kitchen, the servants' quarters, the east wing, the west wing. There was a theater, a bowling alley, an indoor swimming pool, and a library. Every entertainment imaginable was ready on a whim, but the rooms were mostly empty.
Blaze opened a door, revealing a set of stone steps sinking into the abyss. The dungeons. A chill raced down my spine. There was nothing opulent about the smell emanating from below: urine, vomit, and mildew. It grew stronger as we descended.
A dull glow appeared as we reached the bottom, illuminating the dank space below. The floor was dirt, the walls cement. Two sentinels stood beside a set of tall, iron gates. Blaze nodded to them as we came to a stop outside the bars.
The room seemed better suited for livestock. Prisoners sat on a layer of straw, their hands shackled above their heads. Some slumped, some slept, and some stared directly at me with an intensity that made my lungs shrink.
"Pitiful, aren't they?"
I swallowed and nodded, wishing he'd move on to the next stop. But a luna with a weak stomach wasn't a luna at all. I kept looking, schooling my features to hide my disgust. It would be my job to protect the pack, no matter how ugly it was.
"It's a wonder your father never ended up here."
My gaze snapped to his face, but he wasn't looking at me. He sighed, then shrugged. "Let's go to the garden, shall we? This place is so very depressing."
I bit my tongue and followed his lead.
The garden was a welcome sight, and I took my first real breath since the tour started.
The flowers were in full bloom, and the creek flowed like liquid glass over smooth stones. A small wooden bridge offered safe passage across it, where mighty oaks provided shade to the patio below. Mother sat in one of the many cushioned, wicker chairs, a tray of fruits and cheeses on the table in front of her.
"There you are, dear." She smiled and stood. "Did you enjoy your tour?"
"Yes, it was lovely," I said, offering Blaze an appropriate smile.
His smile back seemed to mock me. "The pleasure was all mine. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I will leave you to your brunch and tend to other things. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to send for me."
I kept my smile in place until he was out of sight, then I dropped it like a hot iron. "You won't believe what he said to me in the dungeon."
Mother's expression darkened. "He took you to the dungeon?"
I hesitated, envisioning Blaze's bloody skull laying next to the driver's. But, as usual, Mother's insistence won, and I told her everything,
"We mustn't let him think he can disrespect you so directly. Give me a while to think. You just focus all your energy on the alpha."
A chill raced down my spine, and I nodded, knowing full well the power Mother had to punish anyone who slighted her.
We ate slowly, and I told her all the things I'd seen. By the time we were done, it was nearing lunch.
Mother stood. "If the alpha isn't joining us until dinner, I think I'll take a nap." She hesitated. "Unless you'd prefer I stayed."
"No need," I said. "I think I'll enjoy the garden a while longer. You go ahead. I'll see you at dinner."
Mother left, and I eased back into my chair, seeking peace in birdsong and solitude. But, alone, my thoughts wandered. Images of my mate standing there, his dark, insistent eyes begging me to come closer.
A scent drifted in the air, and my wolf stirred.
I startled upright, scanning the area, finding no one. I shook my head. It couldn't be. I was losing it. But then the wind blew, and it filled my nose like ambrosia.
My mouth watered. No way could I imagine anything that vividly.
He was here.
I stood on shaking legs and ventured, following the smell. A little voice urged me to turn back. This was wrong. I wasn't supposed to.
But my wolf was too strong, and I wanted to see.
A glint of gold caught my attention. Something was hanging from a bush at the very far edge of the garden. I slowed. The scent was strongest here, and my stomach twisted in anticipation. Was this a trap? I hated that I hoped it was. What was wrong with me?
I stepped closer, getting a better look, and when I did, all the air left me in a whoosh.
A locket. My locket. The same locket Grandmother had given me when I was six years old.
The locket that'd been packed away with my things.
The things he'd stolen.
With it was a folded square of paper with the word Luna written across it in big, messy letters. My heart skipped a beat. Was he watching me now? I snatched them both up and spun in a circle. "Show yourself!"
Silence. Nothing. Already, the smell was growing faint, until it was like he'd never been. Perhaps he never had.
No valley wolf would ever dare travel to the castle grounds.
But, perhaps, a ghost would.