Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

He ran his hand through his thick, dark hair. “Caia, I am very sorry. I made an error in judgment. But can’t you understand? After everything this pack has been through, I was trying to protect them.”

She did understand. It didn’t change that he’d hurt her. “I do understand that, Lucien.”

His body seemed to relax, the tension easing from his muscles. “So, we’re going to be okay?”

“You and me?”

He moved toward her, taking her by surprise as he cupped her cheek gently with his large, calloused hand. “Yes. You and me. We can get through this together.”

A silence stretched thinly between them as their eyes locked, and for that moment, Caia forgot her fury and could only remember the feel of his lips on hers at the party. As the moment stretched, Lucien growled low in his throat and lowered his head toward her, his silver eyes focused on her mouth. She trembled with the desire to give in to him, her heart beating erratically at his overwhelming proximity. But as his lips neared hers, his warm breath tickling her mouth causing a sexual shiver down her spine, an alarm bell rang inside her head.

Caia jerked away from him.

Lucien frowned, trying to urge her closer, only for her to push his hand off her waist.

She retreated into the safety of her bedroom. “There is no you and me, Lucien.” She gripped the door and began to close it in his face. “Just Pack Leader and prophecy girl.”

The door slammed shut between them.

Caia braced her back against her closed door, listening as Lucien’s footsteps slowly faded away. The feelings emanating from him were so raw; her rejection genuinely wounded him. Maybe Jaeden was right. Maybe Alexa had lied to her, and just maybe, Lucien wasn’t trying to butter her up.

It didn’t matter if his feelings for her were real. They had no future together now that she was some freak of nature who could bring total destruction to the pack and to him. No. She would train with Marion and then take on her uncle to ensure the pack’s safety.

Once that was done, she would leave.

Her heart thundered in her chest at the thought, and she felt nauseated, a sensation likened to grief wrapping around her body. Hearing the water in her bathroom rush on, Caia cursed. “Let’s just work on controlling the freakish powers first, huh, Cy?” she muttered, and hurried to turn off the bathroom taps.

“We have a slight problem.”

When did they not? Ethan thought in agitation as he zapped the mutt in its cage, its shriek of pain easing his headache. “Spit it out, then.”

“They’re training her,” his spy murmured.

His muscles tensed, a warm heat of angry power flushing across his skin from his feet up. A bolt of white heat flew out of him, and an even louder, agonized howl deafened him.

“Damn.” He crouched to peer into the cage. He hoped he hadn’t killed the thing; it was important leverage.

“My lord?”

“Shut up.” Ethan turned his ear to the cage and breathed a sigh of relief when a whimper escaped the creature. “Oh, thank Gaia.”

“My lord?”

“Stop ‘my lording’ me. We’ll need to take her sooner than we thought, that’s all.”

“There’s more.”

Ethan wanted to reach down the end of the receiver and choke the living daylights out of her. Unfortunately, he needed her for the time being as she was one of only three people within the coven who knew about Caia: himself, her, and Lars. Of course, he’d have to kill them both when this was over.

“What else?” he asked between clenched teeth, half afraid of the answer.

“It appears Lucien and Caia’s relationship is now been put asunder due to the jealousy of a female pack member.”

That was the last thing he wanted to hear. Another wave of heat flew from his body, but he made sure it wasn’t directed at the mutt in the cage.

“My lord?” she asked again, worried.

He waited a few seconds so that he didn’t accidentally kill her down the phone line. When he was sure he was under control, he said in restrained breaths, “You will need to go in as quickly as you can and reunite our lovely couple.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I don’t have to remind you that Caia’s relationship with her animal friends is pivotal to weakening the pack. Particularly her relationship with Lucien.”

“I’ll go in as soon as I’m allowed. They have her under lock and key at the moment.”

“Then break the damn lock!” Jeez, you just can’t get reliable help these days. “You can’t wait any longer than a few days or her powers and control will develop. Get in there and get those two lovebirds together, or I will personally eviscerate you.”

He took enjoyment in the catch he heard in her throat. “Of course, my lord.”

“And Xylena?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Once your mission is complete, I want your first kill to be the bitch lykan female who put the kinks in Caia’s relationship with the Pack Leader and in our plans.”