Destined (War of the Covens 2)

She stumbled away from him, feeling nauseated as they landed back in Ryder’s living room.

Strong, warm arms encircled her, and she found herself snuggled against Lucien’s chest, his familiar scent soothing her rattled nerves.

“You’re okay,” he whispered hoarsely.

She wouldn’t go that far. They had a long wait ahead of them. If the Council failed, Marita would probably pin them as traitors and have the entire pack imprisoned indefinitely.

24

Pack Woes

The following days changed over as if it were the passing of a season rather than a week. Arrangements continued for Jaeden and Ryder’s ceremony, a commotion that rotated around Caia in a blur as she waited anxiously for the Council to come to their decision. Marion did not appear to question why Caia had yet to arrive at the Center, leading her to believe that the Council had yet to make their discoveries or at least had not made Marita aware of them. The thought of losing Marion’s friendship was a sharp ache—another sacrifice she knew would not be the last on this journey.

It was difficult to remember when her life had been anything but this one of power and conflict. Caia wondered if she would ever feel normal again, if life would ever be normal again.

And the pack was just one more struggle to manage. The announcement at the pack run on Sunday had been met with shock and anger. Most felt it should’ve been something they discussed before Caia had gone and spoken to the Council. Lucien faced their resentment like a shield, taking the bullets Caia knew were for her. Trying to explain to them the feelings she’d felt through her trace about the Midnights was met with a mix of confusion and disbelief. The news of Marita’s experiments was met with betrayal and a fearful unwillingness to believe it.

Ella and Dimitri in particular were furious they’d kept the information from them, and although fond of Caia, they could not believe she could think Midnights, beings who had tried to destroy their pack, could be anything other than villains. Magnus, as always, was quiet and watchful, his only words a reinforcement in his faith in Caia and his promise to Rafe that he would be there for her, no matter what.

The other older members of Pack Errante were as incredulous as Ella and Dimitri. Jaeden’s brother Christian, as well as Alexa and Malek’s father, Morgan, and his wife, Dana and Daniel’s mother and father—all were hugely against backing Caia in her coup. Their eyes followed her warily, unspoken words thickening the tension between them. We trusted your father, and look what he brought upon us. Only Sebastian’s parents, Isaac and Imogen, seemed unsure, speaking of their son and his love for Caia, how he would’ve wanted them to be loyal to her.

And, as both she and Lucien had been expecting, the younger generation—Aidan and the twins, Malek and Finlay, even Lucia and Cera—were willing to consider that Caia could be right. The biggest surprise was Alexa. Having never hidden her dislike of Caia, even more so since she and Lucien were officially mates, she actually stood up for Caia.

“I believe her.” She had shrugged, bored. “I mean, come on! These people can’t be so stupid that they still see us as a threat to humans when we are so obviously not. Hey, and if Caia does become, like, the Head of Daylights, then the pack becomes royalty. Uh, hello.”

So it hadn’t been the most eloquent rationale, but it was support, and Caia would take it no matter the source.

In the end, Lucien had come to a fair but disheartening agreement with the pack. If Caia was wrong and the Council didn’t find the proof against Marita, Lucien would make sure it was clear those pack members who didn’t support Caia’s claims were not punished. He told them they could walk away now, but that had only served to anger the pack more. What they really wanted was for him to disown Caia—it was easy to read on their faces as they glared resentfully at her. And no matter how selfish she knew it was, she was thankful he loved her too much to walk away.

That night, Caia was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sink into bed with Lucien and close her eyes to their problems. Their household was now strained with the tension of Ella’s anger, not only at her son and daughter-in-law but at Magnus because of his refusal to agree with her.

As they said good night to Ryder and Jaeden, the last to leave, they were stopped at the foot of the stairs by an unexpected visitor.

“Saffron!” Caia yelped in surprise as the faerie appeared inches before her. The faerie, though somber, managed a wave of hello.

“Good evening, Caia. Lucien.” She twisted her mouth as she said his name. Caia wondered what that was about.