lying in wait

Caius Winter

“There are things about our mate I think you should know.”

I could feel the rain soaking into my coat as I stood under the sculpture of a weeping Angel, watching my friends leave the infirmary.

My hands had grown numb around the thick stem of the roses I held in one hand, ruling the longing that made my chest feel like a gaping black hole.

Dante’s chiseled face was encased in shadow, his thick black hair curling around his angular cheeks before he turned to glance at Ronan.

“You little shit.” I growled, my eyes narrowing on the hand that Ronan had clamped around my best friend’s shoulder. 

If I didn't know better, I would have sworn he wasn't just trying to take my place in the pack but in Dante’s bloody heart as well.

Their movements seemed urgent…frenzied almost, and I traced my tongue over one Fang, piercing it and feeling the sweet tingling of pain distract me from the way my hands had tightened around the rose stem.

We were all on edge lately…ever since our shadow mate first arrived at the fortress gates.

Ever since I’d argued for her to be let in.

A new, attractive woman to distract us from the lull of running the fortress had seemed like a good idea at the time.

I wasn't so sure about that now.

My talk with Ronan the other night was still playing on repeat in my head.

Heck, I could even smell the grainy scent of the coffee maker the white wolf stalked over to after I’d turned to face him.

Things about our mate I should know. 

The cryptic way he spoke made me want to march over and slap the words right out of his bloody mouth.

I watched his broad back and tree-trunk thighs as he poured himself a mug, the steam making his hazel eyes glow when he held it up to his lips.

The sound of a woman’s happy shriek and soldier’s hollering outside seemed out of place with the tension brewing between us.

I could see one of the maid’s flying into a guard’s arm from my high window overlooking the south area of the square.

The sheer mirth in their faces would have made the old me impose a curfew for a fortnight.

I hated couples cavorting like that, even though I liked to wear the odd happy mask myself.

I had learned to ever since I was a pup.

“Smile if you're happy, smile when you're smile, smile because I bloody well want you to, because i’m such a shitty dad.”

It was a nursery rhymes i’d made up in my head whenever my father was in one of his blood-thirsty moods to remind me to stay well out of his way.

I exhaled a tired sigh, trying to ignore the weariness slowly plucking at my consciousness.

My eyes flickered over to the small neon red icon on the radio i’d had screwed to the wall.

The commander again, I was sure of it.

Blast it all to Hades!

“Things like what, Ronan? Or am I going to have a fucking coronary before you tell me,” I’d snapped, watching Ronan’s lips curve in a rare show of amusement before he swallowed, replacing the mug on the brownwood toaster.

“You always have been the impatient one among us all, Caius. Even more than that animal Laziel,” He tutted fondly, and for a moment, I felt the soreness in my chest soften.

“Do you remember, when we used to play by the dead tree? How eager you were to reach the top before us all that you almost always ended up breaking all of your bones?” 

The memory of our merry little band of four dancing around a gnarly birch tree made the corners of my lips twitch with a reluctant smile.

I rolled my eyes, releasing my arms from their prison on my chest and taking a reluctant step toward him.

My heart was still hammering in my chest and alarm whirred in the back of my mind but I played along, stopping just shy of him and marvelling at how much bigger than me he was.

“Okay, it was one fall, Ironside, watch yourself,” I smarted, and he shook his head, glancing down at his lap and brushing his claws through the sideburns of his white hair.

I could remember that night only because Dante’s father made sure I was left out in the cold until slowly, my wolf recovered through the broken spine and ribs.

I stayed awake as long as I could, fighting the unconsciousness and frostbite nibbling away at my limbs and watching the orange flicker of the campfires where they surrounded me.

Any other wolf would have thought it to be the ultimate sign of betrayal and neglect. But other wolves hadn't lived my fucking life.

Even with the white-searing pain eating into my temples and body, I couldn't deny the flood of love I felt that they hadn't abandoned me.

The old Milburn had watched me from the green door flap of his tent, patting me gently on the head when I finally managed to rearrange my bones.

“Well done, son,” He’d breathed, brushing his large fingers through my hair after I staggered to meet up with them.

It was the first time anyone had called me son. My own father had become dead to me in that moment.

I never climbed trees again.

“How did things get so fucked up, between us, Ro?” I sighed, pushing my way into the dirt path in front of the orangery where i’d been hiding hen a carriage suddenly wheezed past, damned near taking out my legs.

“Holy crap! A-Apologies, Your Grace!” the carriage master shrieked before turning back in his seat to wave his apologies at me with a fearful frown fixed in his face.

Any other one of the four would have taken his livelihood from him, but I didn't have time to play freaking traffic officer.

Clear silver droplets from the rain on my coat dotted the white tiles of the infirmary as I made my way inside, breaking off on the first fork in the ubiquitous tiled paths.

“Miss Eldwood? Are you there?” Only the slow, steady beeping of a heart monitor urged me to open the door and my throat closed up with guilt.

“Goddess, i’m so freaking sorry, Eldwood…I-Uh, I brought these for you…peace offering if you would like,” I muttered, holding up the purple lilacs and stuffing the slim stems into one of the gold flower pots by the corner, already overflowing with gifts from the other Alphas.

It felt silly, talking to a woman who couldn't even hear me, but it was the only way I could do my penance without feeling like a giant asshole.

Yes, the cowards way out. I am my father’s son after all.

The faint vanilla scent wafting around her slender frame made a wave of desire rise in the back of my mind.

I could not…would not touch her. 

Not when I knew I was the last person she would want to wake up and see right now.

My knuckles turned white on the metal guard rail as I recalled the horrified look on her face when I charged her.

“Fucking dimwit, Caius, that’s what you are,” I sighed, working at the veins throbbing painfully in my temples when the doors crashed open to reveal the haggard-looking doctor.

His balmy brown eyes widened when they met mine before he hastily lowered his long body into a bow.

“Y-Your Grace! I didn't think anyone would still be here—” He coughed, scrambling over his notes and the metal tray he dragged along with him.

A blond maid hurried into the room and my brows rose when I noted her basic uniform.

Were they just letting anyone in the wards now? What the hell was she doing here?

“And you are?” 

“Amenie, M’lord. The Alpha appointed her handmaiden and protector over the royal guest while she is indisposed,” The doctor rushed to add, and I gave the maid another sidelong glare when she bowed her greetings, rushing to stand behind the doctor.

I didn't like the panicked way they scrambled with the herbs the doctor was mashing into a large gold bowl, the acrid scent of it burning my nose.

Their frenzy alarmed me, and I staggered back a step, struggling to follow their movements when the doctor tore open a bag of blood and hooked it to the IV line.

“What’s happening? How many of those has she had tonight?” 

The doctor’s face was drawn and grave, “ about ten? Maybe twenty? Its not going to hold her much longer, I’m afraid. The taste is not enough to break her out of the nightmare—” he rambled on and it felt like a bucket of cold water had been splashed on my face.

His words froze me to my bones.

“My blood then. That should cover for something shouldn't it?” I hissed, snatching up one of the razor-sharp knifes in the rolling tray and slicing it above my wrists.

Straus’ bug eyes bulged at the thick red liquid spurting freely before I held it over the woman’s lips to let it dribble down.

“I-I would hate to impose, Your Grace, but we don't even know who—” He started, before I held up a hand to stop him, watching as he trailed off.

“Is this enough?” I murmured, licking off the thin strip and watching the flesh nettle back together almost faster than I could get my tongue away.

“Of course,”

He breathed, shifting his weight reluctantly from foot to foot.

“Just a moment, M’Lord, I'll be right back," the doctor heaved, motioning for the woman to follow him through the plain white door.

Exhaustion weighed down my shoulders like a large rock when I leaned over the side of her bed, watching her thick dark red lashes flutter dramatically.

A dream. Like the one the Confessor had out her under when she examined her memories.

I hadn't wanted to admit it then…in the fortress court, but my heart felt like it had been ripped right through my body when I saw her torture.

My fingers looked big and ugly next to hers when I traced them over her hands, inhaling a sharp breath and the current of electricity that zapped between us.

My blood must have worked well enough, because the color had started returning to her cheeks.

“Come on, Caius. You’ve done enough for one night, its time to go,” I cautioned inwardly, knowing the other three would be well in their ways here after the short siren blast.

“I will get your forgiveness, Mara, even if I have to repent my whole life for your torture,” My desperate vow strained between us before I squeezed her hand, horrified when the heart monitor began to beat loudly…more frantically.

My feet forced me to stand at the same time the door crashed open to reveal Ronan’s strained face.

“You fucking pig! Your blood?” He roared, the envy in his tone so green it was undeniable.

I hardly had the time to step back or say anything when he cut me off, and I imagined big puffs of steam animated leaving his ears.

“What the hell did you do?” His angry growl sounded like a thunderclap in my ears and my body went flying back into the big gray-tinted windows when he charged at me.

Too slow…I’d been too slow.

“Fuck!” I wheezed, keeping over and watching dark red blood dribble from my mouth as pain exploded in the back of my head and I braced myself with the raised edge of the sill behind me.

“I told you not to do anything stupid, didn't I? What fucking right do you think you’ve got claiming her before the rest of us?” He boomed, and I thought my head would split wide open from the thunderous way his wolf’s voice ricocheted in my mind.