Jaeden was trembling again, but distractedly he admired the way she stood her ground and met his eyes. “Reuben told Caia he wouldn’t give us safe haven and mask our trace unless she killed the Septum, and Alexa and I didn’t stop him. In face we encouraged him.”

Oh gods. He dropped back into his chair and groaned into his hands. He felt his mother’s hand on his shoulder, trying to offer comfort. But no one could give him that. He had kicked his mate out of his pack when all she had been trying to do was protect them… protect them when he should have been!

“AARGGGH!” He let go all of a sudden, seeing only red as he stood and threw his chair across the room. It shattered into bits against the wall. “Where is she?” He demanded, spinning back on Jae who had paled considerably now.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Lucien, I am so sorry. I feel terrible. Caia promised me not to tell you the truth and I was just so angry, I wanted revenge and I just couldn’t see past i-”

“Enough,” he ordered. He didn’t want to hear her excuses. Her or Alexa. Gaia, he could barely look at the two of them. “You had weeks to tell me this-”

Ryder stepped forward, looking wary but determined. “She’s telling you now. Caia was the one who didn’t tell you, man.”

“Because she knew I would stop her, and the pack would be without protection!”

“I’m just saying-”

“Save it! I don’t want your excuses for your mate’s behavior. Alexa and Jaeden are now under house arrest. No runs, no dining with the pack. They’ll be locked in their rooms and their meals will be brought to them.”

Jaeden merely nodded but Ryder scowled. “For how long?”

“For as long as I need them out of my sight,” Lucien spat. He cursed and ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying to think. Having no idea where she could be wasn’t giving him much to act on. But he wanted her back with the pack even if it meant they didn’t have Reuben’s protection. She was his pack and he should have been protecting her all along. He ripped his cell phone out of his pocket and searched through his contacts for Reuben. His whole body trembled as he pressed the call button.

“I’m sorry, this number has not been recognized.”

Lucien paled instantly. The son-of-a-bitch had disconnected his phone! The pack looked around at one another with grim looks, having heard the misdial message with their lykan hearing.

“Lucien.” Magnus stood up quietly, as all the pack stared at their Alpha apprehensively, waiting for the next explosion. “You couldn’t have known.”

That wasn’t an excuse. There just wasn’t an excuse. He had acted like a faithless fool.

He curled his lip in self-directed derision. “I should have. I should have trusted that Caia doesn’t have the soul to kill seven innocent people unless under extreme duress. Like a true Alpha she did it to protect her pack… while I let that slimy bastard walk out of here with her without a fight.”

“Lucien-” Rose spoke up but he shook her off with a glare. He didn’t want anyone’s reassurances. He didn’t deserve them.

For a while Lucien just stood there, numb now, shock taking over his system. Finally, when it felt like the entire room might crack under the extreme tension, he glanced over at Vil who was watching him carefully. “Can you find her?”

Vil shook his head sadly. “I’ve been trying these last few minutes. Something’s blocking me. I can only try places she might be.”

Jaeden coughed. “Can I make a suggestion?”

He shot her the filthiest look in his repertoire. “What?” he snapped and she flinched at his temper.

“Well,” she managed with a shaky breath, “It’s been weeks. I reckon Caia’s dealt with the Septum and is now at the Center, since she has nowhere else left to-” she broke off abruptly, awkwardly.

“Nowhere left to go, right?” he hissed at her, approaching her slowly. She backed up into Ryder. “Whose fault is that?”

“Hey!” Ryder pushed Jae behind him and held up a cautioning hand to ward off Lucien. “Back off, man. She said she was sorry. You’ve dealt out your punishment… now back. Off.”

He wanted to kick Ryder’s ass. He wanted to punch him and throw him and crash him against something. The feeling was overwhelming, until Ryder’s familiar eyes locked with his and he remembered who it was in front of him; his best friend, his brother. Lucien shuddered, trying to gain some control.

“Shall I go to the Center?” Vil enquired tentatively.

Lucien exhaled deeply and turned back to the magik. “Yes, please, Vil. Tell her what has happened. Tell her… just bring her back to me. Please.”

“Of course.” The magik pressed a soft kiss to Laila’s lips and then disappeared at the table.

“Lucien, are you going to be OK, man?” Ryder asked quietly.

“No.”

There was a possibility that Caia would never forgive him for this. That she would never trust him, just as he hadn’t shown her enough trust.

He glared over at Alexa who was still spitting mad at Jaeden. “You,” he growled. “The pack are going to love you and Jaeden. House arrest means work for everybody.” His gaze slid to Magnus. “You have first shift, Magnus. You will escort Alexa to her room and guard her door. Aidan.” He turned to his brother-in-law. “You will have the unfortunate task of guarding outside her window.”

“Lucien, is this really necessary?” His mother suddenly piped up. His only reply was a withering look that made her clamp her mouth shut.

“Mom, you will relieve Magnus of his duty in eight hours. Ryder, you will relieve your brother of his in eight hours. As for Jaeden.” He glared at her again. “Since both Alexa’s and your own room are next to one another I suppose the one guard outside will do.”

“I know you hate me right now, but can I ask a favor?” Jaeden asked softly.

The only reply she got was a long drawn out snarl.

“I know. I just. I would really like to have some time with my mom.”

Lucien groaned inwardly. How could he say no to that? Julia was grieving for her mate and at a loss on how to deal with her daughter. Now Jaeden actually wanted to speak to her mom… he would be an ogre if he said no. He gave a quick nod and ignored the grateful smile she threw him before her and her mother ambled out of the room together. Magnus trailed at the back of them, his hand cuffed tightly around Alexa’s upper arm. As always Mal and Finlay weren’t far behind their big sister.

As the pack slowly filtered out leaving him alone in the dining hall with his best friend, a wave of anxious nausea rushed over him. For a guy who hadn’t been afraid of anything before, he was suddenly terrified of a tiny blonde who had the power to hurt him more than anybody else on this planet.

“She’ll forgive you,” Ryder assured him softly, as per usual reading his mind.

“I don’t even forgive myself, Ryder. How can I expect her to?”

22 – Expect the Unexpected

Once more Caia glanced down at the palm of her right hand where it was temporarily scarred by a faint silver annulet. The scar was a symbol of a reminder of her blood oath to the Council, every inch representative of that vow and the consequences that would follow should she break it. It was her hand that was scarred, for the hand was often a symbol utilized to represent a pledge of sincerity and justice. The annulet was the symbol of fidelity, and the scar itself shone silver when the light hit it, for silver was the color that represented peace and sincerity. If Caia made good on her oath then the scar would disappear immediately; if not, all her powers would transfer to the Council, leaving her with the annulet as a reminder of her deception. Not that she had any intention of keeping the trace.

A loud grunt shook her from her thoughts and she looked up to see one of Michael Brown’s unit members pulling a magik up off the mat where he had just floored her.

Caia sighed, watching the team that had been put together to hunt down Marita train in their private gymnasium. First she had to find and kill Marita before she could even contemplate performing the rite that would ask the gods to give her Daylight trace.

“Caia.” Lyla came hurrying over to her, a bead of sweat glistening on her forehead suggesting she had been working out for way longer than she should have been. “Come take over from Phoebe.” She gestured to the lykan who was standing scowling at one of the vampyre’s and shaking her head at whatever he was suggesting. “She’s killing me. I could use some light relief.” She winked so Caia knew she was only teasing her. Caia snorted. Lyla was only teasing her but what she said was true. Compared to these people she was light relief when it came to sparring. They trounced her good. She was covered in bruises. Caia inwardly groaned at the thought of fighting Lyla, who was only marginally less aggressive than Phoebe.

“I uh-”

“She can’t,” a familiar voice interrupted and Caia smiled at the sound. Saffron. The faerie had come to save her. Thank you, Hemera. Lyla raised an eyebrow – the kind of eyebrow raise that suggested interest – as she gazed over Caia’s shoulder. Ah… so Reuben was with Saffron. Caia turned and rolled her eyes. She was right. Jeez, the females at the Center were really wound up about Reuben. Desi and Ophelia had been blah blah blahing about him for the last few days. What was so darned special about him? Hah, she wondered if they would be so into him if they knew how old he was.

“Hi guys.” She gave them a ‘thank you for rescuing me’ wide-eyed look that Lyla couldn’t see.

“Hey, Reuben.” Lyla ran her tongue along the bottom of her upper row of teeth. “How’s it going?”

“Better for seeing you, Lyla, better for seeing you.” He smirked.

Ugh, gag me.

“Oh, please,” Saffron grunted, apparently not as polite enough as Caia to keep the thought to herself.

Reuben ignored her and threw Lyla another flirtatious grin. “If you don’t mind, we need to steal the little one away for a while.”