Lorelei (6 page)

Lorelei felt the words as if they were a physical blow to her gut. “You’re sure? I mean, that they… and me and Paisley are…”

“I have no doubt. They sent…” Rebecca trembled. “Some of the Wardens are better at certain things than others. A set was dispatched to speak with our family last night.” Her sister nodded. “It— The fire was set on purpose. They put something on my skin to ensure that part of me was nearly destroyed.”

Lorelei was tugged back to the past, to Rebecca’s soaked bandages and tears and the pain that filled a three-year-old girl. Then on to the way she’d always hung back, how she lived a half-life because the scarring made her so self-conscious. And the way Grandma always glared at Rebecca. Glared at her little sister as if she’d gladly see her dead.

Lorelei wasn’t one to hold onto hate, but right then, right there, it was nothing but hate pumping and throbbing through her veins. It demanded she hunt that old woman down and tear her into tiny pieces. What kind of person did that?

“Whoa, let’s slow that roll there…” Whitney drew her attention and the woman’s gaze met Lorelei’s before lowering to her arms. Lorelei’s glowing and pulsating arms. “We need to be real easy. You’re exhausted from being brought here, hiding and then finding the guys. Raging homicidal desires won’t help anything.”

Lorelei fought for calm as Whitney asked, searching within herself and hunting for a soothing thought. One image sprung to mind, the two men standing side by side in that hotel room. Zeke and Dylan. Sexy as all get out and complete opposites. She kinda liked that about them.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, Lor. I have Aidan and Carson and…” Rebecca gave Lorelei a gentle squeeze. “And we found you. Now we just need to find Paisley and it’ll be perfect.”

“Paisley… You’re sure she’s here?” Lorelei didn’t want to think about how frightened their middle sister might be.

Rebecca nodded. “Yeah, two of the Wardens are good at finding people and they… They knew you were here and so is Paisley. Since we know you’re Warden Born and Paisley doesn’t have a Mark, we’re assuming she’s Warden Born, too.”

God, this was so much to take in. “Let’s assume I believe you. What’s next? I mean… I can’t go walking around like a glow stick.”

Rebecca tore her attention from Lorelei and focused on Whitney. “I’m gonna let you handle that one.”

Whitney grumbled, “Fine, give me the hard stuff.” The woman huffed. “Remember how Warden Born don’t get glowy until they find their mates? And what should have happened was that you would meet with a pair of Wardens who would give your power a nudge to confirm you’re really Warden Born. Then you would have been given some time to settle a little before meeting Warden Pairs. Basically a jump start and then letting you rest in an idle before revving your engines.” Whitney raised the corner of her mouth up in a small grin. “Instead, you went straight to engines revving and with everything that happened, you were knocked out when your mates touched you.”

Mates.

Touched.

Her.

“I have mates?” She ignored the way her voice trembled.

“Yeah,” Rebecca’s single word was followed by a slow nod.

“Two of them? I’m Warden Born and you’re telling me I found my mates?”

Twin nods from Whitney and Rebecca.

Lorelei’s mind raced, spinning from one corner to another as she replayed the last day and a half. She’d only come into contact with two particular wolves.

“And they are…?” She let the question dangle, holding her breath as she waited for the answer.

“You know who they are, Lorelei.” Whitney’s words were soft.

Yeah, she had a good idea, she just didn’t want to accept it.

“I don’t…” She licked her suddenly dry lips, fighting for words that wouldn’t come. She squeezed Rebecca’s hand, tightening her hold and searching for calm. She watched the glow increase, a grid of color rising above her skin. “I’m not ready.”

So very, very not ready.

Werewolves.

Magic.

Her family.

When her issues were placed side by side, Lorelei had to admit that she had more trouble with her family’s actions than the existence of werewolves and magic. Maybe there was something inside her that had always called for them. Something that knew they were real and was just waiting for her to get a clue.

“You don’t have to be ready right this second.” Rebecca stroked Lorelei’s hand with her thumb. “But I will warn you that you’ll be very drawn to them. You’ll want to,
you know
, immediately. It’s part of who they are and who you are. You can fight, but your body is going to urge you to get busy.”

Get busy. Right. She’d already felt some of that, hadn’t she?

Whitney picked up where Rebecca left off. “It’ll be worse because your power is calling to theirs. It’s another dimension to your mating that Rebecca didn’t experience. Keep in mind that what’s driving you toward them is also pushing them to you. And,” Whitney paused a moment as if gathering her thoughts. “And it’s gonna start out biological. Your bodies will do the talking for you. But once you get past that part, once you three take the edge off, you’ll realize it’s not just your magic tying you together. You’ll see they were made for you, Lorelei. Just like you were made for them.” Whitney’s glowing gaze met hers. “They’re yours and you can make it beautiful if you let it.”

Beautiful.

Three.

Lorelei let her eyes drift closed and thought of Zeke’s long hair and sparkling eyes. Thought of Dylan’s crisp appearance and the strength that lived in every carved muscle.

“It’s Zeke and Dylan, isn’t it? Those are the only two…”

“They seem to think so.” Whitney spoke, her voice still low.

“No, they’re right. I’m just…” Scared. She was just scared. “Are they still here? Should I… Do they want to… I can’t…”

Rebecca leaned over her, giving Lorelei a tight hug. “You can do anything. You’re stronger than all three of us put together. And I know they want to see you. Whitney’s mates have kept them back, but they want to check on you. I think Emmett finally did something to Zeke so he couldn’t talk.”

Something inside Lorelei flexed and then the glow flared, slicing through the air and encompassing her and her sister in the pulsing ball. The power was pissed. No, beyond pissed that someone would do something to a male that belonged to them. He was theirs.
Theirs.

Just like Dylan.

A single world popped to her lips and she fought to keep it back.

But it wouldn’t be denied.

“
Mine
.”

*

Zeke listened to the Ruling Alpha Pair—Keller and Madden—with half an ear. The remainder of his attention was on the double doors firmly shut against him and Dylan. She was there, their mate was on the other side of those two wooden panels and the men sitting before them wouldn’t let them near her.

“Zeke,” Madden snarled at him and he forced himself to focus on the large alpha.

The man was enormous and an air of menace and power clung to him like a second skin. But at the moment, Zeke didn’t give a damn. He’d use every ounce of his magic fighting the male if it meant getting to Lorelei.

“I’m listening,” he grumbled.

He still only half paid attention. Lorelei was in that room and they were in the living room. How could they protect her from so far away?

“If you’re listening, then you won’t mind speaking and telling us why the hell my mate’s cousin is unconscious in the other room,” Keller snarled.

The sound was definitely a threat, but if there weren’t things he feared more than the alpha, he definitely would have cowered. As it was, he was more scared of losing Lorelei. Everything else paled in comparison.

Zeke turned his head and truly looked at the alpha. “She’s not.”

The soft rustle of cloth, the change in her breathing, told Zeke she was conscious. The soft sounds were nearly inaudible, but he caught them. Grabbed them and held them close. She was awake. She was alive. That was all that mattered.

“Excuse me?” Another hint of menace filled Keller’s tone.

“Our mate is in there, but she’s not unconscious.”

Dylan gripped Zeke’s knee, nails transforming to a wolf’s sharpened tips and digging into his jeans. Damn man was gonna ruin another pair. “Z?”

“She’s awake, D. I haven’t heard her speak yet, but she’s up.”

Dylan released the breath he’d been holding in a great whoosh.

Keller tilted his head to the side, probably listening and trying to catch what Zeke heard. Silence surrounded them for a moment before the alpha finally nodded his head in agreement.

“Okay, she at least made it past that round.” It was Keller’s turn to release a relieved sigh. “Now we can worry about the rest.”

“The rest?” Dylan’s hold eased and he withdrew his hand.

Zeke glanced at his leg and noted the red stain that marred his pants. “Fucker, these were my favorite pair.”

“Why, because they haven’t been washed in a week?” Dylan drawled, the same annoying, teasing tone he’d been using for years.

Maybe things would work out.

“Dick. I’ve had these for years,” he snarled back, falling into their old pattern.

The low click of a lock unlatching interrupted and the Ruling Wardens entered the space. The air around them crackled and snapped with power. The two men—Emmett and Levy—had their magic hovering near them the moment Lorelei went into their care. The Wardens lowered onto the loveseat beside the couch where the Alphas rested. Four powerful men against them. Four wolves who wanted to keep them away from Lorelei.

Zeke didn’t think they could make it past the males, but they’d go down fighting.

“Miles and Holden are restarting their search and going floor by floor,” Emmett murmured, and Zeke knew the Warden spoke about the hunt for Paisley. “It’s hard because…”

Because the males were used to hunting for people on an even plane. At most, they’d travel up one or two floors when they hunted. Nearly twenty stories were hard on the wolves. Now, after confirming that Lorelei was Warden Born, they were anxious to find Paisley before she came into contact with her mates. No one wanted a repeat of Lorelei’s reaction to Zeke and Dylan. He couldn’t blame them for their anxiety. He wouldn’t wish this worry on anyone.

“Thank them and if they need more help, if they need anything, tell them to send word.” Madden was quick to break in.

Levy shot him and Dylan an unreadable look before turning back to the Ruling Alphas. “They could use blood. That hasn’t changed.”

Zeke frowned. “I’m not aware of any spells that require blood other than the darker magics. Like…”

He didn’t need to finish his statement. They all knew blood magic was what once hid Warden Born from the Wardens and erased all knowledge of the women.

“That is still the case,” Levy nodded. “But the nature of their abilities typically requires touch and a little concentration. At minimum, a hint of the person’s scent.”

“But?” Dylan voiced Zeke’s thought.

“But with the conditions, all the wolves, the various floors, the people coming in and out of every room… If they had some blood, they’d be able to find her quicker.” Levy’s tone was grim and it took a moment for the Warden’s words to make sense in his mind.

“No.” Zeke barked out the word and he wasn’t surprised to find it echoed by Dylan.

“No one is touching Lorelei. Take Rebecca’s if you have to have their blood. Or even one of the Wickham sisters. Not Lorelei.” Dylan’s tone was as flat and unbending as Zeke felt.

“Rebecca’s mates won’t allow Miles and Holden near her.” Emmett sighed. “And I doubt she knows that she could hold the key to finding Paisley.” The wolf leveled a fierce glare at them both. “Do you want to be the one to tell them that their sister vanished because you couldn’t push past your own possessiveness?”

“And what about Rebecca’s mates?” Zeke growled back. “They can’t push past theirs?”

“Rebecca’s mates have an excuse. She was almost taken yesterday and their wolves still haven’t calmed enough to leave her unprotected. Even now, one lurks at the entrance from the Ruling Warden suite to the Ruling Alpha suite,” Keller gestured toward the opposite hallway where a set of spiral stairs led to the floor below, “while the other guards the main door. I can understand their reluctance to see even the smallest cut on her skin. But what’s your excuse? Lorelei is injured through your own arrogance and inability to follow simple directions. Yes, she was unconscious, but it wasn’t as if you’d lose her forever. It just meant she’d be out a little longer.”

Dylan snorted and then released a mocking laugh. “Almost taken? No excuse?” His partner shook his head. “Oh, we have an excuse. Zeke just doesn’t know it yet.” The wolf drew in a deep breath and released it in a slow sigh. “It’s a good thing we touched her, you know. If we hadn’t,” Dylan focused on the Ruling Wardens and Zeke noticed the flare of power coming from his partner.

Zeke took a moment to survey their surroundings. There was no danger lurking in the corners. Hell, at this point, no one would dare come near them. With so many alphas and Wardens in the small area… it’d be suicide.

“If we hadn’t, both women would be gone. Or, at minimum, Lorelei.” Dylan rested his hands on his knees, palms up. “If I hadn’t touched her, she’d be gone and we’d have never found her. Just like Paisley, she’d be a ghost in the wind.”

He frowned. “D, what the hell are you talking about?”

Yellow eyes met Zeke’s and he knew that look, knew that his partner was about to reveal something that’d shake him to his bones.

“I’m saying that—” Dylan narrowed his eyes. “How long did you wait for us to appear?” His friend turned to the Ruling Wardens. “How many seconds?”

Levy frowned. “Ten maybe? No more than fifteen. I assumed Whitney had a hard time getting the journey started. She’s strong enough to carry a half-dozen wolves, but it can take her a little while to begin. I figured it was worth waiting a few seconds to get Lorelei here rather than fight you two so we could transport her ourselves.”

Dylan flashed a rueful grin and Zeke wondered what he was missing. “No, she had no problem starting. She did have an issue mid-transport.”