Luke's Dream (23 page)

“I will do anything for you,” I said. “Even
wait.” I gently kissed her cheek.

“Get out,” she said as she pulled back
sharply, her face flushed. “Before I hurt myself trying to hit
you.”

“Bethi—”

“No. No more. Go.” She turned her head
away.

Her body shook with her anger. I straightened
and left the room, giving her some time to cool down.

In the hallway I listened as she moved around
in the room. When she left the living room, I hoped she might sleep
some more. Before enough time had passed for me to try to join her,
I heard her reenter the living area, her determined steps
approaching the door.

Moving down the hall, I closed myself into an
unoccupied room and waited. She left her room and started down the
hall toward the commons. I followed.

There were more males gathered in the commons
when we arrived. Most of them were Mated and helping their wives
and cubs prepare for the Charlene’s dinner feast. I found a quiet
seat in the corner by the door and watched Bethi. She didn’t notice
me as she prowled the room.

When Mary and Gregory’s cubs entered, Bethi
quickly approached them.

“I need help,” she said softly. “Would either
of you be willing to let me Claim you? Just for a little
while?”

My gut clenched. What was she thinking?
Claiming wasn’t just for a little while. It was permanent unless
severed by death. She was asking the cubs to die for her because I
wouldn’t give her up. Ever.

Henry was quick to excuse himself. Paul
wasn’t as smart. Bethi took his hand and led him to a set of
chairs. The hair on my arms stood up. The cub should know better
than to listen to her nonsense. Or touch her. When she sat with her
back to me, I grinned. The cub would be facing me.

Paul glanced around the room nervously and
caught my eye. I slowly shook my head. He swallowed hard and
focused on Bethi.

“He’ll kill me just to have you back.”

“It won’t come to that,” Bethi said.

Yes. It would. And I’d hate myself for
killing a cub, but I’d do it to keep her.

“Yes, it will,” Paul said echoing my
thoughts. “You don’t know our ways. He’ll challenge me to the
death. I really want to help you, but I won’t have a chance.”

“Please,” Bethi begged.

“If there wasn’t anyone else interested in
you, I would agree. But if he doesn’t kill me, my mom will.”

One of the other males in the room laughed
softly. His Mate elbowed him.

“Yeah, yeah,” Bethi said in response to Paul.
“If he were really interested, why am I still unClaimed?”

“I’m really sorry, Bethi.”

“Whatever,” she said, standing. When she
turned, her gaze locked with mine. Her eyes narrowed. I looked at
Paul and winked at the cub. He’d made the right choice.

Bethi staggered suddenly, and I quickly moved
to her side and held her arm to steady her.

“Are you all right?” I asked. She should have
stayed in our room and tried to sleep.

“Peachy,” she said, tugging her arm from my
grasp. She looked up at me, her expression tense. “I just need
something to drink.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

I quickly went to the kitchen and took a
clean glass from the shelves.

“Did she like the dessert?” Charlene asked
from the other side of the room.

Turning off the tap, I faced her. “She did.
Thank you.”

“Let me know if she’s hungry. The rest can
wait for the meal, but I don’t think she should. Running has taken
too much out of her already.”

I nodded.

“Keep an eye on her, Luke. She’ll need extra
care.”

That she knew my name shouldn’t have
surprised me. Whether pack bound or Forlorn, Charlene didn’t
discriminate. She treated everyone like one of her cubs. That was
probably why she was worried about Bethi, too.

Leaving the kitchen, I looked around the
commons. Bethi was gone. Damn it. I left the commons, following her
scent down the hall. After two turns, I found her on the floor
twitching, her mouth open wide in a silent, pain-filled scream.

I fell to my knees behind her.

“Bethi, wake up!”

She bolted upright, her arm swinging wide.
Her palm connected with my face in a stinging slap. I quickly
captured her hand and studied her eyes. The pupils slowly
constricted and tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She’d
had another dream. She’d only been gone from me for three
minutes.

“Get away from me,” she said, her voice
shaking.

“Bethi, I’m sorry—”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Try being something
else for a change. Like on time,” she said, getting to her
feet.

Hurt and guilt stabbed through me.

“Here’s the drink you asked for.” I held out
the glass of water she’d sent me for so she could run again.

She took the glass, and I turned away. I
didn’t know what to do to help her anymore. Lost in my thoughts I
wandered the halls. When I realized I’d walked the same hall
several times already, I headed for the front doors.

Gabby and Clay caught up to me just as I
stepped outside. She gave him a shy smile as he held the door for
her.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Not far. Just needed a minute.”

She glanced at Clay, waiting for him to step
out beside her. I envied the way they stayed so close together. How
did he keep her in such a good mood? As desperate as I was for any
hint on how to deal with Bethi, I’d choke before I asked the hairy
ape for female advice.

“Now isn’t the time for you to be wandering
off,” Gabby said. “Joshua is here, meeting with the other
Elders.”

She kept her voice light, but the scent of
her concern and fear drifted around us. Clay set his hand on the
small of her back, and she leaned into him. Clay didn’t understand
her reaction, yet, but I did. I wanted Joshua’s throat in my
hands.

“You’re right. I should go see if he—”

Luke, can you meet me in your
apartment
, Winifred sent me.

“Luke?” Gabby said, worried.

“Winifred wants me to go to the
apartment.”

“Should we come?”

“No.” I looked at Clay and lowered my voice.
“Don’t trust anyone. Keep her inside and close.”

He nodded slowly, and I went inside.

When I reached the room, it was empty. I
waited and heard Bethi’s dragging steps in the hallway a few
minutes later. I had the door open before they reached it.

Bethi glanced at me, several emotions
flitting over her features before she scowled.

“’Bout time you’re where you should be,” she
said.

Guilt laced her scent as she passed me. I
reached out to tuck back a loose strand of her hair and wondered
what she had to feel guilty about. Paul? I’d forgiven her attempt
to Claim another Mate as soon as she’d started.

“Now,” Nana said, sitting on the couch. “What
is the problem here?”

Problem? I watched Bethi as she sat in a
chair. Her guilt was suddenly worrying me. What was she up to now?
I closed the door and moved to stand beside her.

“Before we start is it possible for you not
to share this with the rest of the Elders? I know you have a
special connection with them and everything”—she glanced at me
quickly—“but I really don’t want anyone else knowing this. I mean,
you can tell if someone is close enough to hear, too, right?”

“Of course. For the moment, we have privacy.
And I won’t share the details of private conversations unless I ask
first.”

“Do you swear?”

“I do.”

“Fine. Nothing is shared from this point
forward unless you ask me.” Bethi leaned forward slightly. “I lied.
Oh, Luke really is annoying me with his whole Puritan attitude.”
She arched a brow at me. “I lied about something else. Rather, I
didn’t tell you everything. But for a very good reason. Now, I need
you to trust me.” Her mouth twisted in a bitter smile. “Funny
asking for trust after admitting to a lie.” She shrugged, took a
deep breath, and reached for Winifred’s hand. “Joshua is not one of
you. He’s an Urbat.” Winifred’s brow shot up. “I couldn’t say
anything before because I hadn’t figured out what to do about it,
but I have a plan now.”

“What’s an Urbat?”

“The Urbat are a cousin to the werewolf. Not
quite the same, but very close. There’s more, but we don’t have the
time or the privacy to get into it.”

Winfired sat quietly for a moment.

“What do you plan to do?” she asked
finally.

Bethi released her hand and sat back with a
slight smile. “That’s where I need your trust. I can’t tell you yet
because it depends on Joshua believing me and you. I’m a great liar
to your kind. I know the tricks. Scent. Heart rate. All that stuff.
If you can’t lie, I need you to stay here. If you can lie, I need
you to back me up.”

“I don’t understand,” Winifred said
slowly.

“We need to go back in that sound-proofed
room, tell them Luke won’t let me Claim him, which is the truth by
the way, and I’ll explain to the room why I need to Claim someone.
If...when Joshua offers a solution, I want us to go along with
it.”

“What do you think he’ll offer?” she
asked.

“Something that will lead me away from here
and to my other potential Mate.”

My heart gave a heavy, sickening beat as my
stomach soured. Another potential Mate? I growled.

“No one asked you,” she said, not looking at
me. “I won’t go, of course,” she said to Winifred.

“Will whatever you plan put you or the pack
in danger?”

Bethi gave a dry laugh. “I’ve been in danger
since I started having those dreams.”

Winifred didn’t look confused by the mention
of dreams. Somehow Bethi had already discussed them with her. Yet,
it didn’t sound like she’d shared everything.

“What I plan shouldn’t make it worse. As far
as the pack goes, that’s what I’m trying to protect.” Bethi stood,
cringing. “I swear I have the perfect plan, Nana. All I need is
your support and trust.”

“I would feel more comfortable if you shared
your plan first.”

“Me too,” I said. She was so obsessed with
Claiming right now. I didn’t trust her or her plan, especially when
she started talking about other Mates.

Bethi shook her head. “Sorry. If I do that,
you’ll both try talking me out of it because you don’t understand
everything. And I don’t have time to explain it all. We need to
start this quickly. Joshua is a huge threat that can’t be dealt
with through reasoning or a drawn-out fight.”

Winifred nodded and stood. “I’ll give you my
support.”

I moved to follow them, but Bethi lifted her
hand. “No, Luke.”

I glanced at Winifred, who studied Bethi for
a moment before returning my gaze

“I will keep her safe,” Winifred said.

The situation didn’t feel right. And, Bethi’s
guilt only made it worse.

“What are you planning?” I asked, stepping
close to her and tangling my fingers in her hair. I leaned in,
nuzzling her hair aside so my lips rested near her ear. She
shivered as I inhaled.

“You smell like sweet pears and cinnamon. The
last time you smelled like this you left me at the laundromat
waiting for a burger.”

She stiffened then her arms started to move.
I opened my mouth and tasted the shell of her ear. She stilled and
sighed, a clear sign of her attraction to me.

“Are you running again, Bethi?” I asked.

My heart ached as I waited for her
answer.

“I will come back here when I’m done.” The
breathlessness of her voice and the steady beat of her heart
reassured me. For now.

I stepped back, releasing her.

“Watch her closely, Winifred. She’s up to
something.”

“Of course I am,” Bethi said indignantly. “I
already said that.”

I grinned at her exasperation. It was the
real Bethi, the one I loved. She shook her head at me then left the
apartment, with Winifred following her.

It was because I loved Bethi that I waited
two minutes then made my way to the sound-proofed room. Winifred
and Bethi stepped inside just as I reached it. Worry ate at me.
Winfired had promised to protect her. Could I trust her?

Several long minutes later, the door opened
and Bethi strode out. Watching her feet, she didn’t see me and
almost ran into me. I caught her arms so she wouldn’t bump into me
and pull her stitches. Startled, her gaze flew to mine.

“I thought you were waiting in the room,” she
said.

“I didn’t actually think you’d come back.” I
didn’t add that I didn’t trust her with the Elders.

“I told you I would.”

She had. And she’d apparently been telling
the truth. I threaded my fingers through hers and started back
toward the apartment. My relief didn’t last long. The light scent
of guilt that had teased my nose before she’d left grew stronger
with each step.

Without a doubt, Bethi was up to something.
Something she didn’t like. But what?

When we reached the apartment, I opened the
door for her. She shuffled into the room and went straight to the
couch. The circles were back under her eyes. She was so tired and
needed rest. As soon as she sat, she closed her eyes. I sat next to
her and put an arm around her shoulders to hold her to my side.

“You look tired,” I said.

“I’m always tired.”

I was trying to figure out how I could
suggest moving to the bedroom without causing another fight about
Claiming when someone knocked on the door.

Bethi didn’t move when I went to answer it.
Sam stood in the hall.

“Luke, we would like to speak with you.”

I didn’t like the tone of his voice. I
glanced at Bethi, suspicious.

“I’ll be fine.” The scent of her guilt
flooded the room.

But would I be fine, I wondered. I left with
Sam.

“What’s going on?” I asked Sam when we were in the hall.

“It would be better if we waited until we
reached the meeting room.”