Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

Vanne cleared his throat and straightened. “I agree with Marita, Marion. The girl should be brought here.”

“The girl,” Marion replied between clenched teeth, “is as much a lykan as she is a magik.”

“So.” Her sister shrugged. “We have plenty of lykans at the Center. And vampyres and faeries. Caia should become acquainted with her allies if she is to lead us to victory.”

Although Marion could understand her sister’s logic, it grated that Marita was happy to forget that the girl in question was exactly that—a being with thoughts and feelings, not merely a weapon at their disposal. If Marion’s suspicions of Caia’s magik were realized, her sister and husband better hope to Hades that Caia came down on their side of the war. Not that she’d sensed any darkness in Caia.

The opposite, in fact, which was comforting.

However, this was not her argument against her sister’s proposition. “I think you’ve forgotten the part where Caia is mated to Pack Errante’s Alpha. I doubt he would be happy to have his mate carted across the sea, out of his reach.”

She smirked at their silence.

“I see you had forgotten.”

If Marion thought that was going to stop her sister, she was wrong.

“It doesn’t matter.” Marita responded. “It will be up to the girl. Explain to Caia our wishes and explain the benefits of her coming to us, to the Center. We won’t force her—”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Marion drew a breath. “That would be idiotic.”

Her sister snapped back as if she’d been slapped. “You forget yourself.”

“I do not. You may be the Head of the Coven, but I am still your blood. I refuse to bend to you when you spew nonsense.”

She barely listened to her sister rail at her about insubordination. Vanne yawned. As sisters, with only a year between them, they’d been arguing from the crib.

“Marita,” Marion cut her off mid rant. “Calm yourself and remember how delicate this situation with Caia is. I will return to the pack and to Caia’s training, and I will offer her the Center as an option. But if she refuses and wishes to stay with the pack, and with Lucien, then that is her will. With her tracing magik, she can fight a war against the Midnights from any location.”

Marita glared at her, looked to her husband to see his expression, and then turned back with a regal nod. “Fine.”

Marion smiled softly and was about to reach for another sip of coffee when her sister’s tone grew hard with command, “But weave your words with persuasion, little sister. I want that girl here so I can see better her capabilities for myself.”

Caia groaned as soon as she entered the kitchen and was appraised by Ella and Irini. Their wide eyes traveled over her body, and she flinched inwardly. She’d forgotten that when two lykans mated, the other’s scent clung newly to their skin. The claiming scent.

She reeked of Lucien.

“Morning,” she mumbled, her cheeks two bright red flags as she slid into a seat at the table.

Ella cleared her throat. “I take it you know, then.”

Caia nodded and reached for the orange juice without looking at either woman.

“Lucien told us,” Irini explained.

“As if he would’ve had to.”

“He said you’re angry,” Ella prodded.

Caia nodded but refused to say more. She almost smiled at the tendrils of frustration that whispered out of mother and daughter.

“He’s already called the rest of the pack and explained the situation.”

Orange juice flew everywhere.

“He what?”

Irini tsk-ed. “He had to. You wouldn’t believe the grumblings. They don’t like being left out of the loop.”

“What?” Caia actually laughed as she jumped to her feet. “They don’t like being left out of the loop?” She shook her head at the audacity of it and strode out of the kitchen without another word. Hearing Irini chase after her, Caia flicked her hand behind her shoulder, enjoying the sound of the kitchen door slamming closed in Irini’s face.

“Ugh!” Irini shrieked. “Damn her magik!”

Caia smirked, grabbed her backpack and dashed out of the house. As she drove to school, she managed to tame the anger that fought to rise. There was no time for anger. This morning she had awoken with one purpose, and that was to concentrate her all into saving Jaeden. Lucien needed to be tucked to the back of her brain and this whole mating fiasco thrown out the window.

She may have been able to trust Lucien when it came to pack politics, and maybe even this business with the war, but she didn’t think she could hand over her heart into his safekeeping. The truth was, after she’d fallen asleep last night, she returned to her connection with Ethan. She could feel the house he was in, Jaeden in the basement below. She could feel his frustration and anxiety over something, and the more he paced toward the doorway of the home, the closer the fingers of her trace reached for his location.