Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

“Lucien and my father bought acres of the woods,” Jaeden added. “So we have privacy.”

“About that …” Caia leaned toward them, looking from one to the other. “How come you don’t get caught?”

“We haven’t had any trespassers.” Jaeden looked at Sebastian for confirmation.

He nodded and continued, “Yeah, even in the past, when there have been the occasional sightings, nothing ever came of it. We guessed they just couldn’t believe what they were seeing. There have been teenagers who saw us and told but … everyone just thinks it’s the retelling of the werewolf myth over and over again.”

Jaeden snorted. “We’re safe due to the modern age of cynicism. Thank the gods superstition is out, right?”

Caia didn’t laugh; she had a far more pressing question on her mind. “What about the war?”

Both Jaeden and Sebastian visibly tensed.

“Uh, what about it?” Sebastian asked.

Caia shook her head, her expression pleading. “You never talk about the war—”

“The war doesn’t touch us. There’s no need to talk about it.” Lucien’s voice brought their heads up. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, expression implacable.

What was with him doing that? Caia huffed inwardly.

Sebastian jumped from the bed at Lucien’s tone. The Alpha’s eyes glinted dangerously as they flickered over Jaeden and Sebastian.

“It’s not their fault. I asked.”

“Well, stop asking.” His voice was like ice.

She flinched as if he’d struck her. Why was he was being such a jerk when he had been so kind and friendly all week? Now, he had them acting like they’d been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. They hadn’t done anything wrong, and neither had she for asking.

“I have a right to know.” She heard the steel in her own voice, watched her friends react in shock at her challenging tone, but she didn’t care. “I withheld from asking Irini because it seemed to upset her, but I have a right to ask now.”

“No, you don’t,” Lucien countered, stepping toward her. “We do not speak of the war in this pack. We are peaceful wolves and the pack does not need those kinds of memories dredged up at the moment.”

She took a step toward him, refusing to be intimidated. She was tired of the secrets. Of not knowing her own history. “The Hunter was part of the war. He took my parents from me before I had the chance to know them. I deserve to know the whys and the hows.”

“I told you all there was to know a week ago, so drop it.”

She glared at him, the heat of her anger pouring from her body. She was flushed white hot at the feel of Lucien’s anger melding with hers. It thickened the air around them until it was hard to breathe. Realizing Jaeden and Sebastian were visibly bristling with discomfort, effected by her unintended challenge against Lucien, Caia backed down.

She forced a placid expression on her face and willed her heart rate to slow.

But her anger and confusion hadn’t gone anywhere. She’d just forced them into a cave for a while.

Lucien exhaled heavily as he studied her. “Jae, Seb … give Caia and me a moment, please.”

They couldn’t have scrambled out of the room any faster.

“Caia, I’m sorry,” Lucien surprised her with the apology as he closed the door for privacy.

“You don’t have to treat me like a child, you know. Or worse… like the enemy.”

He winced and then lowered himself onto the bed across from her. His eyes were kind, his anger gone. “I know. I am sorry.”

“So, what? I’m not allowed to talk about the past? I have questions.”

“I get that. I do. But …” He shook his head. “I don’t know how to say this without hurting your feelings.”

“You think treating me like an outsider by keeping things from me doesn’t hurt my feelings?”

He nodded. “Fair enough. The truth is I don’t want you mentioning the past, or the war, or the Hunter, because I want my pack to accept you. Reminding them of all that will just make things harder on you. No one else.”

“I thought no one blamed me.” Had everyone been faking it? Even Jaeden and Sebastian?

“They don’t. But they’ve also moved past what happened. Refreshing their memories isn’t going to do anyone any good. It will only upset them and I’m afraid some may focus those feelings in the wrong direction.”

“At me?”

He nodded.

She guessed she understood and was even grateful Lucien was only trying to look out for her. But Caia wasn’t giving up. She’d give the pack time to get used to her, and when enough time had passed, she would search for answers. “Fine.”

He looked relieved. “Good.” He slapped his knees and stood. “Still friends?” he smiled at her.

Caia felt a flutter in her stomach in response. “Still friends.”

“Wow,” Jaeden whispered when she reentered the room with Sebastian once Lucien had departed. Her friends were both grinning like small children. “I’ve never seen anyone stand up to him like that, except for the Elders.”