Un.Bridled (Claimed Series #2) (26 page)

Hayden acknowledged the underlying message in his words. He meant what he said earlier, about courting her, seducing her. He’d just wanted to clarify his reasons and make his intentions known.

She could have argued against it. She had every right to reject their bond. Instead, she found herself tightlipped. An odd flutter made itself known in her stomach at the prospect of Cole confidently accepting their bond and pursuing it, pursuing
her.

After giving Hayden one last sweeping assessment, Cole motioned for her to follow him on their trek to the cabin. She followed mutely, daring to match his stride instead of following at a distance. She didn’t want things to be awkward between them. If anything, this conversation should have cleared the air.

It did, on many levels. But despite Hayden’s anticipation over Cole’s boldness, she still felt wary about expressing her own feelings about him and about their bond. Maybe, with time, she’d learn to look at the bond similar to how Cole viewed it. After all, those many times he’d pulled away from her, he’d been in the same position she was at now, excited at the prospect of having someone but wary of cementing it in stone.

“If it still bothers you, I can confront him about it.”

Hayden looked at Cole in question.

“About Blake going through your things.”

Relief washed through Hayden and she flashed Cole a cheeky grin. He had a way of eliminating the tension, and she was grateful for that.

“You know, I refuse to be your scapegoat. I only looked through your drawers once or twice, and that was only when I was desperate for the cash stashed underneath your underwear.”

Blake’s figure suddenly emerged from the surrounding trees. Unlike Hayden, Cole didn’t seem surprised to see his beta, yet she doubted he would ever reveal when he was truly taken aback.

“Where did you come from?” Hayden demanded, both relieved to see him and suspicious of how much he overheard.

“It’s good to see you too.” Blake sauntered over to Hayden, a silly grin plastered widely across his face. “We figured you two would arrive tonight. Fergus kept
insisting
we wait for you outside. I finally caved in and told him I’d scout the area. The cabin is just over yonder.”

Hayden slumped into Blake’s awaiting arms, overwhelmed with the extent of her happiness. “I didn’t know how much I’d miss you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Blake tightened his arms around her. Playfully, he gave her a head-butt before nuzzling his cheek against the top of her head. “It’s good to see you and Cole back safely.”

She noticed the way Blake’s gaze swept their immediate proximity. When she grasped the reasons for his actions, she experienced a pang of guilt. “Blake… Rachel, she—”

Blake closed his eyes, his face grim, and his hands tightening marginally around Hayden’s waist. “As I said before, I’m fortunate you and Cole made it back safely. The rest of the pack was worried.” Blinking open his eyes, he smiled down at her. “You know, I’m all for feeling female protrusions when they hug me, but somehow, I don’t think knives figure into that equation.”

To emphasis his point, his finger poked Hayden’s chest directly above her knife holster. She had to smile at the clever innuendo, though she knew Blake was desperately trying to appear unruffled at the news of Rachel’s death.

Before she could offer a lame attempt at a condolence, a figure trampled noisily through the woods. As each foot fell, the snow crunched and dead branches snapped. When Hayden distinguished the tall and lanky body of Fergus, her worries instantly vanished.

“Fergus!”

“Hayden!”

The pack omega, still clad in his reindeer sweater, swooped past Blake and gathered Hayden in a bear hug. Though she knew it was impossible, every shadow that stained her soul over the past few days seemed to have vanished suddenly in his arms. She clung to him, burying her face into his shoulder as he whirled her around.

When he pulled back and set her back on her feet, he pressed a wet kiss against her forehead. “I’m so happy you made it back to us.” He then set his sights on Cole and tried to lure him into a hug.

Cole somehow managed to ward off Fergus’ overzealous hug and turn it into a one-handed pat on the back. Hayden smiled at the pair, watching as Fergus persisted to get closer. 

“It’s good to see you again, Hayden.” Addie suddenly appeared with a sullen Nathan at her shoulder. Similar to Fergus, she showed no hesitation with her embrace. “I am glad you and Cole made it back safely.”

Hayden hugged her back, glancing at Nathan from over her shoulder. The other twin stared at her impassively, his expression blank of any relief or any hostility. Unexpectedly, he gave a tense nod, but revealed nothing else.

Clearly, he was still upset over the conflict with Tobias.

“Before we head back to the cabin, there is something you need to know.” Blake’s voice brought order to the pack. Obviously, he had no trouble replacing Cole as Alpha the past few days. “We aren’t the only ones who took refuge in the cabin.”

Hayden perked up, wondering if any of the other Alphas had taken residence. Only, with one look at the pack members’ drawn expressions, Hayden figured it wasn’t a welcomed guest.

Blake addressed Cole exclusively. “It’s Celeste.” He then looked pointedly at Hayden, as if this foreign name should somehow pertain to her.

Cole also looked at Hayden, his mouth settled into a thin line, evidently a sign of his disapproval. She stared back, feeling something alien stir in her stomach at the possibilities. Celeste was a female name. Cole knew her. Blake knew her. Was Celeste an old lover of Cole’s?

Cole exhaled quietly and turned back to Blake. “How long has she been here?”

“A few days before we arrived,” Nathan supplied before Blake had a chance. With a superior lift of his chin, he addressed Cole. “She brought her pack. Her town was attacked around the same time ours was. I imagine she felt the cabin was still a sanctuary, even if Logan is no longer alive to claim ownership over it.”

Hayden twitched. “Her pack?” she repeated. “She’s an Alpha?”

Nathan gave her a cool stare. “She’s
the
Alpha.”

Cole’s muscular arms banded across his expansive chest.
With a dark stare, he regarded Hayden, his fingertips tapping rhythmically against his biceps. “Celeste heads an all-female pack.”

She didn’t understand his reservations. If anything, she was impressed. An all-female pack and a female Alpha was something Hayden
wanted
to see for her own eyes. Rachel commented that most female werewolves were submissive to the men and Hayden had seen proof of that in Albertville. She’d like to see the contrary.

While Hayden believed she was a true female Alpha, she never had anyone to compare herself to, until now. The idea both intrigued her and frightened her.

“Are we going to stay or find somewhere else to take residence?” Blake ventured.

“Why is there such an aversion towards her?” Hayden interrupted, easily sensing her pack’s unease. “Is she an enemy?”

Addie was quick to pacify her. With a gentle hand to her arm, the other woman squeezed reassuringly. “Not at all. Celeste is a very kind woman.” She gazed at the men, frowning at their continued silence on the subject. “We just think you’d like her a little
too
much.”

Before Hayden could fully comprehend the implications behind Addie’s confession, Cole spoke up and diverted her attention.

“The cabin once belonged to Logan and my father, and by default, Celeste and I both own it. Hayden and I need to rest, and until we recoup and consider our other options, we’ll stay.”

Without so much as an invitation to follow, Cole began retracing the path Fergus had previously traveled. Hayden and the others trailed behind while Fergus noisily tried to strike up a conversation amongst the pack.

As enticing as his efforts were, Hayden found herself pondering over Addie’s peculiar statement. What had she meant by Hayden liking Celeste
too
much? Odd theories sprang to the forefront of her mind, all of which Hayden quickly rejected, certain Addie would never mean to imply something like that.

The sprawling log cabin was enough to break Hayden from her musings. In her awe, she stopped abruptly and admired the handsome structure. Compared to a typical cabin, it was a lot larger, sprawling stately amongst a blanket of trees. A warm glow emitted from behind the windows, giving the cabin an enthralling presence.

A fresh layer of snow claimed precedence over the roof and the chimney rose proudly above the shingles, spewing out tendrils of smoke. Though it was nightfall, the surrounding evergreens still possessed vivid hues of emerald, their needles peppered with the contrasting paleness of snow.

“It’s beautiful.”

“My father and a few of his friends built it several decades ago.” Cole spoke ahead of her, his own gaze riveted on the cabin as he continued to lead the pack. “This is one structure I have very fond memories of.”

As Hayden followed him down the hill, she caught the scent of food wafting from inside the cabin. Her stomach growled and she clapped a hand over her abdomen, hoping to muffle the sound. When they had been in the wilderness, Cole made it his priority to feed and hydrate her, but nothing beat Addie’s home-cooked meals.

As they ventured up the long, seemingly endless staircase, the hairs on Hayden’s neck suddenly stood. Because she brought up the rear, her back instantly felt exposed and vulnerable. Her hand plunged between the lapels of her coat, curling over the hilt of one of her knives.

As the sensation grew stronger, Hayden whirled around, looking wildly into the woods. With her night vision, she peeled back the nearby shadows, inspecting her surroundings as if it were broad daylight. But there was nothing lurking in the immediate vicinity. However, that didn’t mean there wasn’t something lurking deeper in the shadows where her sharp vision could not reach. 

“See something?”

Hayden glanced over her shoulder, noticing the pack had halted on the staircase, watching her with various degrees of concern and suspicion. It was Nathan who had
inquired, his position next to her allowing him to notice her actions before the others.

“No.” She caught Cole’s eyes and removed her hand from inside her jacket. “I guess I’m still a bit jumpy.”

His mouth thinned and he searched the surrounding woods with intentional slowness. When he showed no signs of finding anything out of the ordinary, he turned his shoulder and proceeded up the stairs.

Hayden tried to settle her nerves, wondering if it really was
a direct result of her time spent dodging rogues, or if there really was
something that caused her senses to perk up. She found it hard to believe she would sense something when Cole could not. Whatever it was, she would feel more comfortable when they entered the security of the cabin.

A figure suddenly ducked away from the window and the door opened as soon as Cole stepped onto the front porch.

“Cole Slayter… it’s been a long while.”

“Celeste,” Cole greeted roughly.

Hayden tried to peek over the bodies in front of her, wanting to put a face with the name and voice. The female had a smooth voice, a sort of cultured tenor that spoke of wisdom and elegance.

Fortunately, Celeste’s greeting to Cole had been just as strained as his had been. If there had been anything else in her tone, Hayden might have acted on her territorial instincts. With another prospective female in proximity, Hayden finally understood why Cole grew so possessive when other males were near her.

As the pack finally filed into the warm cabin, Hayden got an eyeful of the various organic material used for the cabin’s interior. Stone, brick, and wood made up the majority of the walls and floors, even some of the furniture. It was very rustic, but it was just as tasteful.

There was a large sitting area near the entryway. Many women were gathered on the sofas and on the benches. Hayden counted over a dozen, surprised at seeing so many female werewolves in one place. Their expressions were all open and curious as they watched the newcomers enter the cabin. Even their outfits were relatively similar. The earthy tones of their garments and boots appeared to be designed exclusively for traveling in the woods.

A woman stepped in front of Hayden, blocking her view from the unusual sight.

“I’m afraid we haven’t been formally introduced, though I’ve heard much about you.” A pale hand offered itself to Hayden. “I am Celeste.”

Hayden appraised the woman in front of her, debating whether her image fit the cultured tenor of her voice. Celeste was taller than Hayden by at least few inches. She had broad shoulders but a long, arching neck. Her stature was neither stocky nor thin, but her face seemed to possess many angles.

The female Alpha had a curtain of shocking red hair, a deep, strawberry color. But the most noticeable feature about the female
were her eyes. They were a shade of vivid green that both unnerved and captivated Hayden.

“Hayden,” she greeted back, shaking the offered hand. She wanted to keep eye contact to establish equal dominance, but she had a feeling she only succeeded because it was hard to look away from those eyes. “It’s nice to meet you.”