Elena POV
24 hours passed and not a single clue suggested anything but natural causes killed Dexter. Nate and Damien met me for brunch with the trio of families then we left with Ryker and Chris to say our final goodbyes to a life taken too soon.
It was a two hour trip to Ryker's pack house and the car fell in an awkward silence. I was too consumed with sadness and I needed to focus all my energy on not letting it run deep into every wolf's soul I was connected too.
I still didn't fully understand what soul magic really was, but I felt deep in my... well, soul. So many emotions ran through me I wasn't completely sure what were truly mine anymore.
I sat between Damien and Nate against Ryker's irrational demands for me to be up front. I felt it was a bit ridiculous to put three Alphas squashed in the back while Ryker drove and I sat in the front.
Chris filled with anger at his brother that he showed favoritism to me over his family. I had too much emotional baggage to deal with then to add Chris hating me to it.
Chris POV
Ryker's constant obsession with the princess was grating on my last nerve. He was my Alpha that I should obey, but we were raised to never blindly follow. His relationship with the princess was a mistake. I turned my head out the window to relax into the feeling the drugs coursing through my veins gave me.
I found a dealer from Tyler's pack that had a steady flow of the perfect little pills I needed so badly. Without them I would had surely crumbled from the guilt and pain of not only killing the boy, but cursing my mate and pack.
The more I thought about everything I did the more I blamed Ryker. If he had remained true to our goddess none of us would be in this mess. I refused to take any responsibility for my actions and the drugs only further convinced me how Ryker forced my hand into every bad decision I made.
I wanted to be with Damien, even tried making a plan for us to leave together. I had to remove Elena and Nate first. Damien was too loyal to the damn Queen of death and his brother of righteousness. If I could break that loyalty then I knew I could convince Damien to abandon this life for one with me.
I kept stealing glances at Damien through the passenger's side window. Ryker spent more time in Elena's eyes through the rear view mirror than on the road for him to even notice. I wanted to openly accept my fate, but Ryker wouldn't allow it. Despite being his brother I was sure he wouldn't be able to contain his wolf from ripping out my throat for what I've done.
Nate POV
I felt the tension in the car, especially the sexual tension between Elena and Ryker, but my main concern was seeing my mate again.
Even though it had only been a little over a day since I last saw her, it felt like years. I could feel the distance between us and I swore it made my longing for her worse.
I wasn't even marked by her yet, but I was completely intertwined in her soul. I could feel her emotions, and even sensed her location. Every mile we drove closer my body relaxed a bit, but filled more with anticipation. How I couldn't rip her clothes off the second I saw her made my claws dig into my thigh.
Elena POV
I giggled watching Nate squirm with frustration. I never seen him so uneasy in his life. 'We are close Nate. Hope will be in your arms soon. Try to relax before you sever your leg.' My hand laid over his as I spoke in his mind.
Nate growled, trying to release some tension and Damien gave him a knowing smile. He knew his brother was feigning for his mate like a heroin addict for a fix. 'Whatever El said I second big brother. Your dick will be buried in your mate's sweet pussy soon.'
I smack Damien's chest. 'You're disgusting!'
'Please, you love it and you know it. Every wolf in this car senses your need for Ryker. Did the big bad wolf not satisfy his woman last night?' Damien teased me amused at the blush creeping on my face. Goddess, he knew how to make me uncomfortable.
'My big bad, stronger than your sorry ass Alpha, does just fine pleasing me. Now shut up.' I lowered down in the seat feeling embarrassed my need for Ryker to ruthlessly take my body was so obvious.
We spent last night in bed only cuddling. Neither of us felt like a night of kinky passion was appropriate. Plus, we spent hours late into the night training my powers some more. Soul magic gave me an unimaginable strength when used properly, but it almost drained my life force when not focused. I was afraid of this new magic I held inside of me.
Ryker growled, staring daggers at the three of us and I rolled my eyes at his possessiveness. He knew we were communicating through our mind-link and he didn't like I was keeping secrets. I can't wait until I beat his head in that Nate and Hope are mates and that he will welcome their bond.
"Relax Ryker we are just teasing the little princess about her need for you to bend her over." Damien chuckled.
Rykers eyes turned golden as he swerved the car off the road. He reached between the seat and punch Damien hard in the chest.
"Fuck Ryker, chill out. Damien is an asshole, but can you not kill us all." Chris grabbed his brother's arms, trying to hold him back.
I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck. "You know, sometimes you are the sweetest, most overbearing jerk I ever met. Leave Damien be. He means no harm. He just likes to get under people's skin."
"Next time he talks so crudely about you I'll remove his jaw." Ryker threatened.
I kissed his cheek. "You won't dare hurt Damien or Nate for that matter. Remember lover, I may seem small compared to you, but I will lay your ass out."
Damien and Nate both chuckled at my threat back to him. It did appear that Ryker could easily overpower my slender body, but they all knew I was much more powerful than them all combined.
I leaned back and Ryker growled the whole ride to his territory. I knew he loved that I was his equal, I saw how much it got him going about it too, but his wolf was a stubborn ass. He was still a powerful Alpha and demanded submission, something he wasn't ever getting from me.
He could deal with me challenging him, but not going against him, let alone threaten to hurt him to protect another male. His wolf wanted both the boy's death and to mark me. He needed to figure himself out and quickly. He held an imbalance with his wolf and being as powerful as he is it wouldn't end well for any of us.
The car pulled into a long red brick path leading to a three story victorian home. The house had graceful white turrets and intricate front porch pillars that screamed ancient and regal. It didn't fit Ryker in the slightest way, but I loved every inch of the romance the air gave around it.
"This was Night Shade's original pack house restored from the early 1800's. It originally housed six families which made up the whole pack at that time." Chris gave us a short history lesson hoping to break some of the tension. He could sense we were all perplexed at the old style territory. "Our Alpha keeps a home just a mile down the road that is much more fitting to his rugged personality." He added with a smile to Ryker.
"You don't stay at the pack house?" I questioned, as it was unusual.
"No. Although this territory is beautiful and has a lot of history it's as Chris said, not quite my personality. I have a private house with a small lake in the back surround by the wilderness. I like the quiet and nature, not so much open space and people bustling about."
I thought about what Ryker was truly like at home. I really didn't know much about him and the idea he was more of a solitude type person surprised me. He was the Alpha of three packs, yet rather be alone.
We were greeted the second we walked in by every staff and member of his pack. Everyone wore black and were busy preparing the grounds out back. The pack house had a large deck outside and a huge open landscape with little stone buildings almost out of sight. The sun reflected off the stone structures as sparkles danced around the building which led to thick forest just beyond it. I heard about the burial grounds for the warriors of the goddess, but never seen one before.
