Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

“What’s going on?” he managed as he reached the young male, looking beyond him and into his car. He could see a lump under a blanket in the back seat. “What the …”

Sebastian raked his hands through his hair and Lucien noted how they trembled. “I caught her in the hallway. She was so scared, Lucien … and she was changing.”

Lucien flinched at the thought. She must have been terrified. Growling, he brushed past Seb and pulled open the car door with enough force to unhinge it. He ignored Sebastian’s squeak of protest and slid the blanket away, revealing Caia underneath, lying facing him in her lykan form. Her snout was nestled between her forepaws; her large green eyes stared up at him, blazing with fear.

“Caia,” he whispered, reaching for her. At the sound of his voice, she leapt out of the car, loping past him and into the house.

Sebastian shrugged at Lucien nervously and then followed Caia inside.

Lucien took a gulp of air, feeling his own hands shake. Guilt pounded in time with each step as he followed the two inside, trying to focus enough to form an explanation for her. Inside he found Sebastian in the sitting room, his neck craned as he stared at the ceiling. Lucien frowned and then understood as he heard Caia’s movements from above. She was obviously trying to change.

He waited tensely in the sitting room, his jaw clenched in self-directed anger, his brain refusing to formulate the explanation he knew Caia deserved.

“Do you think this is it?” Sebastian asked in hushed tones.

Lucien threw him a look that clearly said, “You think?” He threw himself into his armchair. “We need to ask her what triggered it.”

“Should we call anyone else?”

Lucien nodded. “Call Magnus. My mother will be with him. And Dimitri.”

Sebastian nodded distractedly and wandered into the kitchen to use the phone. Lucien shook. If it was happening, he’d left Caia scared and unprepared. Magnus was right; they should’ve told her as soon as she’d arrived. How would she ever trust him now?

His eyes shot back to the ceiling at the sound of a thud and he was out of his chair within seconds, pounding up the stairs to her bedroom. At the sight of her crumpled on the floor, he drew in his breath and rushed to her. He pressed his fingers against her neck and exhaled in relief at the healthy pulse he felt there. She’d changed back and had obviously been in the middle of getting dressed when she passed out. No doubt from shock.

She’d thrown on a long T-shirt and had been in the middle of pulling on her jeans. Lucien, trying to be as gentlemanly as possible, removed the jeans and quickly picked her up with the intention of sliding her into bed. But once in his arms, she snuggled her head into his chest, making mewling sounds that sent affected his pulse. He held her like that for a while, knowing this might be the last time she accepted his touch.

He pulled her tighter into his chest. When had she become so vital to him?

Watching her sleep, he finally forced himself to let her go and laid her in the bed. Pulling her duvet over her, Lucien pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Shit.

She had no idea what was coming.

The guilt he felt for not telling her sooner burned in the back of his throat. He’d done what he thought was best for the pack. Dimitri, his voice of reason, told him that no one knew what hidden darkness could do to a person. How it might change the best of people.

But now Lucien was sure of Caia. Sure she was good, that she didn’t present a danger to the pack.

“Is she okay?”

Lucien found Sebastian standing in the doorway, gazing at Caia, worry tormenting his young face. An image of a drunk Sebastian leaning in toward Caia on Saturday flitted across his mind, and he realized he wasn’t the only one who was worried they wouldn’t be forgiven for their deceit when she woke up and learned the truth. He didn’t want to think about that; on the one hand, he could empathize, but on the other, he didn’t want this stupid kid anywhere near her in that respect.

He was beginning to understand the possessiveness of the mated wolves in his pack. “I need you to call Ryder,” he ordered gruffly as he brushed Caia’s hair from her face. “He’s on a job for Marion.”

He looked back at Seb whose eyes were round as he watched Lucien’s touch her with tenderness. Disappointed darkened his eyes as if he understood. “Are you—?”

“Call Ryder,” Lucien demanded, making it clear his private business was exactly that. “And tell him to bring Marion back with him. Tell him … tell him it’s time.”