Un.Wavering (Claimed Series Book 3) (12 page)

“What…”

“Civilization is just past those trees.” He motioned west, gradually regaining his detached poise. “The town holds the origins of Logan and Celeste Crow. Unfortunately, the majority of the residents are human. They would not take kindly to swords.”

“Hunters?” Hayden inquired, trying to shake off the earlier situation.

She wouldn’t address what happened.
He
wouldn’t address what happened… at least not yet. Unlike his brother, Hayden had a sinking suspicion that Nicolas would not let it rest forever. He would never deny his attraction. He would be relentless in his advances.

“A few,” he replied. “Not quite possessing the Donovan passion.”

She grimaced at the mention of Shane’s family. “And what are we going to do when we get there?” Hayden followed Nicolas as the man started towards civilization. “Celeste can’t possibly be here still.”

“Of course not. As I told you earlier, Xavier trusted Logan to a significant amount of his finances. I want to try to find the business he ran in town and any business partner he may have had.”

Nicolas’ eyes swept across the woods, as if sensing something Hayden could not.

“You already know his business,” she guessed. “You just need to show Cole.”

“All in due time.”

Nicolas moved through the line of trees and Hayden hesitated behind him. She breathed deeply, trying to stop her racing uncertainties. She hoped Cole wasn’t so near that he’d witnessed her scene with Nicolas.

Nothing had happened, though. Nicolas had simply asserted his dominance. There was nothing to feel guilty over. She’d done nothing wrong.

Had she?

“Hayden,” Nicolas voice was urgent, yet quiet. “Come.”

Crossing the barrier, Hayden welcomed the sight of ordinary civilization. It seemed like forever ago since she’d last encountered stores, houses, and oblivious humans. It was a small town, granted, but
normal
people, and normal day-to-day occurrences still transpired here.

It was almost like a culture shock to her.

And then she saw what had caught Nicolas’ attention.

There was a crowd of people congregated around the town center. It was growing dark outside, so Hayden assumed not many people were out and about. Yet, there were still a dozen or so humans lingering about, assessing the situation with an inquisitive air. Curiously enough, most of the members of the group were men, and most of them carried rifles.

The scent of silver poisoned the air.

“Hunters,” Hayden stated in despair.

“No. Just ordinary humans.”

At Nicolas’ admission, Hayden stepped closer and tried to get a better look. Most of the men were out of shape or fearfully clutching their rifles. Nicolas was right. They did not possess a Hunter’s confidence nor did they possess the professional poise.

But oddly enough, they did possess silver bullets.

There were some women and some children trying to catch glimpses into the center of the crowd, their fear prevalent. Whispers and excited murmurs were growing in volume, yet some were reserved with profound concern.

Hayden didn’t quite understand what she was witnessing.

“Their weakness is silver. Keep the rifles loaded with silver bullets.”

She froze.

There, in the center of the group, was a man chained up like an animal. Deep, bloody gashes lined his body and he shivered despite the comfortable temperature. He was a werewolf, Hayden realized, and they’d rendered him useless with silver weapons.

Her stomach twisted painfully and she wanted desperately to help him.

“How long?” she whispered. “How long have humans known about us?”

“It’s hard to say.” Nicolas stood solitarily by the woods, refusing to jump into action to save the other werewolf. “With Celeste turning as many humans as she can, it isn’t a surprise they found out so soon. The old ways are no longer prevalent. Everything has changed.”

Though he liked to hide it, Hayden detected a deep sadness coming from him.

While she hadn’t been a werewolf for long, she understood Nicolas’ melancholy. Humans would consider werewolves beasts, simple animals to be put down. They wouldn’t realize there were different shades of werewolves, just as there were different shades of humans.

They’d simply be ruled by their fear. And with Celeste’s puppets growing in numbers, even the humans didn’t stand a chance with their loaded rifles.

It was chaos. Total and complete chaos.

The only thing preventing an all-out werewolf massacre was that a werewolf was difficult to spot amongst a group of humans. To the untrained eye, he appeared like all the rest. However, on nights of the full moon, when werewolves were forced to morph into their canine forms, the world would turn into a hunting ground.

“Some say they have amber eyes.”

Hayden tensed at one of the human’s exclamations. Not only would she be a target for Celeste and the Hunters, but now the humans had a good reason to go after her.

A hand landed on her shoulder, tearing her from her thoughts.

“Let’s get some rest and resume tomorrow. It appears as if they have a town curfew.” He threw the crowd one last look of distaste. “I could destroy them all in mere minutes.”

Hayden turned rigid.

Statements like those reminded her how Cole and Nicolas differed. Cole would see it his duty to protect those beneath him and try not to harm anyone unnecessarily. Nicolas, on the other hand, saw it fair game to destroy anyone in his path to get what he wanted.

A year ago, she’d see Nicolas’ personality trait as a condemnation. Now, however, she wondered why she could not judge him as harshly. Maybe she’d seen the evils in this world and realized that Nicolas discovered a way to survive it all.

“You wouldn’t do that,” Hayden called his bluff. “Not unless they threatened you.”

Nicolas steered her into the woods and quietly replied, “Or you.”

The silence was overbearing.

She felt hollow after witnessing what transpired back in town. Despite the gravity of humans discovering the werewolf society, Hayden worried mostly over the wounded prisoner. He was a hostage, a mere toy meant for the amusement of the humans.

Perhaps they felt superior extracting pain from such a powerful creature. If they kept the werewolf in such a vulnerable and deathly state, maybe they believed it would ward other werewolves away from town.

She wanted to rescue him, yet she knew Nicolas would rebuke her desire.

Rubbing her clammy palms over her thighs, she glanced at her companion. Even though he was the source of many conflicting emotions, at least he was still company, a welcoming distraction from the silence, the desolation.

“You know what I miss?”

Observing the eldest Slayter these past few days, helped Hayden deduce that he was a creature of silence. He rarely spoke unless it pertained to their current situation. He was all business and entirely stern. She sensed a good nature in him, though, and knew he possessed a few strings of humor somewhere underneath his stingy aura.

Blue eyes slowly rose from the fire and leveled Hayden with an unimpressed stare. He wasn’t going to encourage her to carry on the conversation, but she knew she had his undivided attention.

“Addie’s homemade potpies.” Hayden reached toward the flames, unnecessarily warming her sweaty hands. “I miss her mashed potatoes too. Fergus always added a few sticks of butter when Addie wasn’t looking. But I figure she always knew.”

And then she remembered that Nicolas had murdered Addie’s son.

Hayden slumped her shoulders, turning silent once more.

“Don’t you miss New York? Your blood family?”

Nicolas’ question was unexpected. It was enough to lure Hayden from her melancholy. She pondered over the inquiry, trying to formulate an answer that truly reflected her feelings on the subject.

“I do.” She stared at the cooking deer, her stomach always an empty void eagerly awaiting to be filled. “But that seems like a different life. I’ve learned to love the members of my pack just as equally.”

Silence stretched between them, an unusual and heavy silence. She looked up at Nicolas, startled to find him gazing at her meaningfully.

“And that’s exactly it, isn’t it?” he asked softly. “Humans and werewolves alike… we are all animals. We adapt to our surroundings and change if the situation demands it. If we lose what’s important to us, we are forced to carry on and start anew.”

His words haunted her, and she felt a sense of forbiddance hanging in the air. “What are you trying to say? That I will never see the pack again?”

Nicolas smirked. “I am merely stating a fact, my dear. It is better not to dwell on the past, but look to the future. You never know what’s in front of you. If you close yourself off from the possibilities, they will slip right past you unaware.”

“There are some things you can’t move on from,” Hayden countered challengingly, glad to have a proper distraction. “The loss of someone dear can ruin someone forever.”

He made a disbelieving noise in his throat. “Are you speaking of Cole?” His eyes pinned her with a hard look. “Is he your weakness that would break your resilient spirit?” Nicolas cocked his head. “I find that doubtful. You are unbreakable.”

She stared, questioning how their conversation had gone from Addie’s potpies to Cole’s impending death. When Nicolas mentioned her past life in New York, and moving forward, had he been hoping to come around in a full circle just to address her relationship with Cole?

If that were the case, Hayden knew it must be at the forefront of his mind. It both flattered and worried her.

“Some people aren’t meant to have a life mate,” he continued, his bold words barely audible over the fire. “You, especially, were meant to have someone who challenged you. Someone who does not carry a liability—”

“Like yourself?” Hayden defied challengingly, not at all afraid to address his blatant suggestion. “And here I thought you took your brother’s safety seriously.”

Nicolas’ eyes flashed fervently as he held her gaze. He was silent for a moment, appearing almost deliberative as he chose his next words. “I am not opposed to taking what I want and keeping Cole alive simultaneously. It’s what I excel at.”  

She hesitated after hearing his confession, knowing his words rang true. Her bravado quickly plummeted when she realized she was stepping on thin ice with the Alpha male. The conversation could not go any further.

She cared deeply for Cole. They were life mates. Fated.

Yet… she couldn’t deny her feelings of attraction for Nicolas.

However, something told her that once Nicolas knew she had an inkling of interest for him, he wouldn’t play fair to obtain what he wanted. The last thing she needed was Cole and Nicolas at further odds with each other.

“How about we talk about something more pressing?” Hayden asked, changing the subject entirely. “I want to know how you were able to get Tracer to trust you. Celeste must have told her supporters that you were no longer an ally, but an enemy.”

“There is always a way.”

Pleased Nicolas agreed to change the subject, but frustrated at his vague answer, Hayden pressed further. “A way to
what
?”

At her frustration, a ghost of a smile crossed his features. “Tracer had a past vendetta against Henry Carter, the leader of the impromptu pack you allied yourself with. I just gave Tracer what he desperately wanted.” Nicolas’ face revealed nothing. “Every man and woman can be manipulated, Hayden. You just need to know what strings to pull. Some strings are more obvious than others.”

Chills ran down her back at the admission. Nicolas clearly felt no qualms sacrificing the entire pack in order to get what he desired. There was something unnerving about the man’s actions, yet somehow, it seemed so… real.  

Could she truly condemn him if he executed every mean possible to rescue his brother? Manipulation wasn’t the most unethical deed Nicolas had committed. It certainly wouldn’t be the last.

“And
that
is why you will never form a true attachment,” a voice murmured darkly from behind her. “You are entirely untrustworthy.”

Hayden’s heart skipped a beat.

Nicolas simply smirked, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hayden trusted me.”

Incredulously, Hayden whirled around and looked up at Cole’s looming figure. Standing hesitantly, she slowly approached her Alpha and contemplated him at a distance. She was upset with him for leaving, relieved to see him back safe, and guilty over her newly discovered feelings for Nicolas.

Pushing past the heavy reservations, she walked into his solid torso and embraced him. His arms quickly wrapped around her, holding her close. She inhaled his scent of raw earth and pressed her ear against his beating heart.

A lump of bittersweet joy caused her throat to tighten, making it difficult to swallow properly. As he nuzzled her cheek with his prickly face, all her ill feelings melted away. She was just happy he was back and in good health.

In the back of her mind, she acknowledged that Nicolas had been right all along. For being so deceitful, he had never once led her astray.

And never once has he let you down,
a voice taunted harshly in her head.
His actions, while cruel and callous, have always been in yours and Cole’s best interest.

“I’m sorry,” Cole murmured deeply into her ear. “I should have never left.”

“It was for the pack,” she argued softly, still feeling as if
she’d
been the one to let him down. “I understand. We’re together now, that’s all that matters.”

Her eyes closed as his lips caressed her cheekbone. She stiffened a moment later, reminded of the fact that Nicolas’ lips had been in near proximity not too long ago. Ashamed, Hayden buried her face into Cole’s chest, unable to face him.

As she looked down, she noticed his arms for the first time. They were still as pale as they had been earlier, and his bruises and veins were extremely prominent. Slowly, she looked up into his face, her stomach plummeting at the sight.

His face was gaunt, sickly, and there was still a noticeable ring of amber around his dilated pupils.

“Cole…”

He shook his head. “I am fine.”

As if it were second nature, Hayden looked to Nicolas for confirmation.

The Alpha’s face was eerily void of emotion as he stared at his brother. When his eyes landed on Hayden’s imploring gaze, he relented, albeit reluctantly.

“There is nothing we can do,” he explained deliberately. “Cole is experiencing withdrawals. He will have bouts of uncontrollable anger and setbacks. I have experienced it before. He will be just fine in a few days if he continues to sleep and eat.”

It was hard to take his word for it, but his eyes held hers firm and she sensed the absolute honesty they were channeling. For being a man constantly cloaked with absolute secrecy, Nicolas was generally open with Hayden.

A hand touched hers, taking hold of it reassuringly.

“I am fine,” Cole repeated more firmly.

She remembered, back at Cole’s cabin, when she’d first encountered Nicolas. The Alpha male’s appearance had been ragged and sickly. He never had anyone to look over him, or help him get better, but he’d clearly recovered from Celeste’s treatment.

At the reassurance, and the remembrance, Hayden relaxed. She allowed Cole to lead her back to her previous spot by the fire.

Cole sat next to her, his shoulders remaining tense as if he prepared himself for a confrontation. “I was able to get in contact with Blake. He and the others are safely with Adolf and the other packs. They are trying to negotiate with the Hunters.”

Relief flooded through Hayden at the news. Knowing the pack was safe, removed a significant amount of weight she hadn’t known she was carrying.

“And how is that going for them?” Nicolas drawled, his tone every bit sarcastic. “Smoothly, I imagine.”

Cole ignored his brother for the most part, yet he addressed the question. “There have been several obstacles. With Celeste wreaking havoc, many Hunters and werewolves aren’t sure where to stand. The humans are now aware of our existence. With their fear and confusion, they are creating even more unrest, more destruction.”

She was pleased to hear Cole had accepted the story about Celeste, or, at least he believed Blake when the beta explained it over the phone.

However, as Cole described the dire circumstances, sheer exhaustion laced his words. The whole situation put Hayden on edge. It was truly a mess.

Celeste was trying her best to create a world full of chaos and confusion. She aimed to turn Hunters against the traditional werewolves and pit humans against werewolves. Meanwhile, Celeste stood away from the annihilation, her strong, obedient soldiers granting her immunity.

She seemed untouchable.

“What’s going to happen now?” Hayden mused softly. “With the humans…”

“There are more of us than you think, Hayden.” Cole covered her knee with his palm and squeezed reassuringly. “Many traditional wolves are in positions of power. They will speak out in our favor.”

Nicolas interjected. “The world may be cast in confusion now, but they will eventually see that not all werewolves pose a threat.” His blue eyes brightened. “Pacifying humans, and generating a positive image, is a battle in itself, but it is not
our
battle.”

She grimaced, easily understanding Nicolas’ insinuation, though he did not say the words aloud. “Our battle is with Celeste and her…
puppets
. We need to stop her.”

He simply smiled in response. A true smile.

“And you think digging into her past will give us an idea of how to destroy her.” Cole finally looked at his brother, acknowledging his presence for the first time that night.

His stare conveyed many emotions, but appreciation wasn’t one of them.

Nicolas took no offense to Cole’s displayed hostility. If anything, he appeared amused. “Yes. I believe so.” He looked at Hayden, clearly dismissing the current line of conversation. “I think it’s time we eat. I am…
famished.
”

* * * *

She should have been elated.

Cole was back with her, the pack was safe, and they were all on the same page regarding the investigation of Celeste’s and Xavier Slayter’s past. Nicolas and Cole even reassured her, despite the bleakness, that the situation between werewolves and humans would eventually straighten itself out.

Yet, three hours later, she was wide-awake, listening to her sleeping companions.

There were many things weighing on her mind, most of them causing her to sink further into despair. She worried about Cole’s treatment at the hands of Celeste’s men, and then she stressed over what Nicolas had gone through… by himself.

No one cared for the man; they only feared him.

He’d made an enemy with the general population of werewolves, and in turn, isolated himself. He’d killed his mother and sacrificed his reputation just to get closer to Celeste and protect his brother.