“While in the end that might be true, pack life and expectations always will.”
“I cannot change what I am.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“Then what the hell are you asking?”
“Nothing.” Everything. I forced a smile and glanced around as Monty opened the door for Mia and she climbed into the back seat. “You okay?”
“I said I would be.” Her nostrils flared and her gaze narrowed. “I’m sensing a little tension in the air here.”
“That’s natural, given what we’re dealing with.” I switched my gaze to Monty as he climbed into the other side of the truck. “Ashworth has given the all clear for his place to be used as a refuge.”
“Ah,” Mia murmured. “That would no doubt explain the tension. Our alpha is displeased.”
“Over more than just this situation.” Aiden fired up the truck and reversed out. The headlights came on automatically, casting the evening shadows from the road. “But I meant what I said earlier, Mia.”
“Oh, on that I’m left with no doubt.” Her voice was dry. “Especially given your mother rescinded her invitation this morning. Courtesy and good manners appear to be seriously lacking amongst the O’Connor pack alphas.”
“Perhaps we just don’t enjoy being played.”
“I wasn’t the one playing games; not this time.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“And yet you’re still bitterly angry at me. Why is that, Aiden? Is my presence forcing you to confront the realities you’ve been side-stepping?”
I sucked in a breath. Mia wasn’t exactly holding back, but I could understand why, given the situation she’d found herself in. Granted, if she’d understood anything at all about Aiden she would have known he’d have never issued that invitation or rescinded his rejection of her, but I guess they’d both been a lot younger when they’d been together. How many of us really understood relationships in our early twenties? Hell, I didn’t understand them now.
“I’m not side-stepping anything.” His voice was only a fraction above a growl. “And I’ll kindly ask that you keep your opinions on situations you don’t understand to yourself.”
Mia snorted. “And there, in one sentence, is the alpha ostrich in full display.”
Never in a million years would I have thought the wolf who’d once held his heart would be fighting on the same side as me. Although in truth, she wasn’t so much supporting me as pushing him to face his responsibilities both to the pack and his parents.
Silence fell, though it was a far from comfortable one. Ashworth and Eli were in for a fun twenty-four hours if the current wash of emotions was anything to go by.
Aiden pulled up in front of Ashworth’s cute cottage but left the engine running. “I take it you and Monty aren’t coming in?”
I shook my head. “I need to go home and rest. We’ll do the reading on the bone in the morning.”
“Let me know how it goes.”
He opened the door and jumped out before I could answer and without a kiss goodbye. Part of me wondered if it’d simply slipped his mind, or if Mia’s presence—the fact that she was a wolf, even if not from his pack—was the problem. He’d never been one for overt public displays, and I’d always put that down to his nature and professionalism. But what if it was neither? What if it was, in fact, due more to my humanity? I wasn’t pack, so therefore public displays of affection were considered … unwarranted. You couldn’t publicly claim what you had no intention of keeping.
Mia climbed out of the truck and followed Aiden through the gate and onto the covered porch. Ashworth opened the door as they approached and then stepped to one side and bid them enter. He gave me a wave and a thumbs-up. Aiden was right about one thing—nothing untoward would be happening under Ashworth’s watchful eye. Not even an argument.
Monty reclaimed the driver seat and, after waiting for some traffic to pass, turned around and headed back to the café. “What time do you want us there for the reading in the morning?”
I hesitated. “Sevenish? That’ll still give us plenty of time to get the café ready if the reading turns out to be a bust.”
He nodded. “You’re not going after this thing alone—you do realize that, don’t you?”
I couldn’t help a chuckle. “I’ve already had that particular lecture from Ashworth. Besides, I’m not that stupid.”
“I know, but there’s nevertheless a reckless streak in you, and if something happened overnight, you’d be out investigating immediately rather than waiting for the rest of us.”
I raised my eyebrows. “What makes you think something will happen overnight?”
“Because something always does when you least expect it in this place.”
“Well, I’ll be praying to any god that’s listening that is not the case. I need my beauty sleep.” Devilment stirred, and a smile twitched my lips. “Not that you’d know much about that of late.”
“A truth I cannot deny,” he said. “And long may it continue.”
I snorted and unclipped the seat belt as he pulled up in front of the café. “You coming in?”
He shook his head. “Got a message as we were leaving the hospital—Belle’s cooking tea as we speak.”
“Then I’ll see you both in the morning. But please, do be careful with Aiden’s truck.”
“Have no fear—I shall treat it as gently as I treat the Mustang.”
I snorted, grabbed my gear, and climbed out. After waving goodbye, I pulled out my keys and opened the front door.
But as I stepped over the threshold, I felt it.
Darkness. Death.
And once again, it was behind me.
Chapter Twelve
I curled my fingers against the instinctive surge of energy and turned around. Neither she nor her magic could reach me in this place; it had withstood the assaults of two of the strongest witches in Canberra. No matter how powerful she was, she wouldn’t succeed where my father and Clayton had failed.
With the bright flow of the spell threads that were protecting the café standing between the spirit and me, I calmly scanned the shadow-infested street.
While I didn’t immediately see her, the caress of darkness seemed to be coming from the small lane on the other side of the road. I studied the old two-story building directly opposite; it was currently empty and up for sale, but there was no indication anyone or anything had breached its boundaries, either physically or magically. A quick check on the funeral director’s that lay on the other side of the small lane came up with the exact same result.
Which meant she was somewhere in the lane itself, out of immediate sight.
There was no way known I was going to step out and hunt her down, however. Monty might be right about that streak of recklessness, but the streak of self-preservation was definitely stronger right now.
“I know you’re out there.” I only raised my voice a fraction. The evening was quiet, and I had no doubt she’d hear me. “What do you want?”
For several seconds, there was no response. Then a cool whispery voice said, “Freedom.”