Chapter 27

ANNA

“You look so much like Katherine.”

The quiet observation broke the tense silence, making Anna flinch. She carefully avoided eye contact with Caius, looking everywhere but directly at him.

Dominic was standing across the clearing, leaning against a tree with his arms folded against his chest. He was staring fixedly at Caius, his expression dark and lips twisted into a grim scowl.

Anna wondered at that. Shouldn’t he be thrilled at being reunited with the brother he had believed dead?

Zach stood next to Anna, a quiet show of support in front of the two immortals. He had organized for this meeting to take place outside, near the training grounds.

It was dusk, the air frigid, and Anna could see her breath misting out in front of her with every exhale.

It wouldn’t be much longer before snow began blanketing the ground, and Anna couldn’t wait.

The city was close enough to the mountains that it would snow there, but it couldn’t even begin to compare to watching the snow fall softly on the tree giants, creating a sprawling white cover across the ground.

Anna wondered if it would be cold enough for the lake to freeze over.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the warmth of Zach’s hand firmly clasping her nape. He squeezed softly, his thumb smoothly stroking the column of her neck.

He had subtly stepped closer without drawing attention to the move, so he was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

It was a gentle reminder that no matter what was said there, or at any other time, Anna had a family now.

It might not look like the one she had dreamed of as a child, and it wasn’t yet wholly functional, but Zach was always at her side, supporting her in whatever she decided to do.

It was a feeling she wasn’t accustomed to but one she was beginning to deeply appreciate.

Feeling more grounded and ready to face Caius, Anna sent affection along the psychic link that connected her to Zach.

Looking at Caius, she cleared her throat before finally responding, “I wouldn’t know. I never saw pictures of her. I always believed Angela was my mother and was never told she even had a sister.”

“Dominic has given some details”—Caius tilted his head in the direction of his brother—“about your life and what you’ve already faced.”

Anna’s gaze flickered between the two males, trying to see the similarities between them. The only thing they seemed to share was the color of their hair and, perhaps, the oval shape of their eyes.

Even their eye color was different: Dominic’s were a dark brown that almost appeared black, whereas Caius’s were a light green-blue.

Anna could see nothing that reminded her of herself, although she acknowledged that she might have been in denial that these two immortals could be her blood relations.

“My story is a long one without a happy ending,” Caius began, ignoring Dominic’s grim stare that still had not shifted from him.

“An immortal is at constant risk of the darkness, of falling into an emotionless abyss that turns them into one of the soulless.

“There is a belief that the fate of the soulless comes about because of the length of an immortal’s lifespan. We are hard to kill, and few die of natural causes, so this is nature’s way of culling our numbers.

“When an immortal begins to succumb, the world drains of all color and emotion. They no longer feel connected to family or friends and have no sentimentality about their past life. The only thing that seems to remain is rage.”

“Sounds very similar to when a shifter goes feral,” Zach mused, his fingers still stroking Anna’s skin, “although I don’t believe they lose color or all emotion.”

“I’ve looked into the similarities between our races, and yes, there are some similarities but one glaring difference. When a shifter turns feral, they lose all logic and reason.”

Caius waited for Zach’s nod of agreement before continuing, “When an immortal turns soulless, they lose their emotions, but they do not lose their rationality.

“Instead, it is as if every part of their brain is dedicated to a strategic battle of annihilation.

“Most of the time, it is directed at those they had been connected to as immortals, which is why these...battles have not been discovered by humans and shifters yet. This does not mean this will always be the case, however.”

“I’m guessing there is a way to stop the descent into becoming soulless?” Zach surmised.

“The keeper of our souls.” Caius sighed, glancing away from the group into the shadows of the trees as if seeing something through the trunks that no one could see.

“Our bonded. A shifter would call this person a mate. There is only one for each immortal, one being who could stop them from succumbing to darkness.

“It was believed for a long time that bonded pairs could only occur within the immortal race, but it is a well-kept secret that this is not the truth.”

Caius paused at Dominic’s sharply indrawn breath and glanced over at him to see Dominic gaping.

“Yes, it was discovered by chance many years ago that immortals could find their bonded within both human and shifter races, but there are those that believe these pairings would dilute the bloodlines.

“Katherine… She was my bonded. It was a discovery I made the first time I entered her prison.”

Caius swallowed hard, his face lined with grief. Anna pushed down any sympathy she felt, undecided about how much trust she should give him.

“How could that be?” Dominic finally spoke, the disbelief rough in his voice. “You are not soulless and you still live even though she does not.”

Caius acknowledged that point with a nod.

“It has been a struggle, but I was determined, for lack of a stronger word, to avenge her death. I knew the child we created survived and that the Circle was intent on using them or killing them.

“I couldn’t allow that to happen. I had already failed Katherine… I couldn’t fail you too, Anna.”

Anna looked away from him, leaning into Zach as she scoffed. “So it was better for me to be raised by abusive parents, unaware of my true origins? The Circle still got to me anyway.”

Caius shook his head in frustration as he turned and started pacing the length of the clearing. He didn’t look at anyone, staring only at the path where he walked.

After a moment, he finally ground out, “My sources assured me of your well-being, but now, I see that they should be suspects themselves.”

“Why Silver River?” Zach’s question was quiet. Anna looked up at him, seeing his solemn expression while his eyes focused wholly on Caius.

His fingers had paused their movement on her neck, though he hadn’t let her go.

“As I said, there is only one bonded for each immortal. It is possible for us to develop relationships outside of this, as shifters have chosen mates, but they do not stop an immortal from being soulless.

“These relationships typically do not last because once an immortal turns, their previous companions inevitably become the first targets of their rage.”

Caius paused his pacing to meet Zach’s gaze.

“Three years ago, a member of the Circle stumbled across the fact that his bonded was a member of Silver River. Apparently, he would have willingly left the Circle and his beliefs behind for her, for the chance of remaining as he was; however, she had chosen her mate among the pack.

“The immortal approached her and tried to seduce her away, but the bonded chose to remain with her mate.”

“Did this immortal turn soulless?” Anna asked quietly, wrapping her arms around herself, the wheels in her head turning.

Zach was tense beside her, having already made similar connections within Caius’s story.

“Yes. His mind immediately began planning her destruction as well as Silver River’s. He was able to manipulate the Circle, aiming them directly at the pack like a missile.”

“You’re certain this was three years ago?” Zach’s voice was husky and rough, his wolf obviously fighting for dominance.

“Yes. I can see you both have already begun piecing the puzzle together.” Caius shoved his hands into the front pockets of his slacks.

Anna felt, more than saw, Zach glance down at her, but she kept her focus on Caius. “This immortal discovered that his bonded was the chosen mate of Silver River’s previous alpha, Phillip.”

Zach let out a rough exhale and dragged his free hand through his wild hair.

“I knew they weren’t true mates; we all did. But they were solid as if they were. They never had children, typical of chosen mates, but Marie made up for that with her role in the nursery.”

Zach paused before looking up at Caius. “The attack from Phillip’s second?”

Caius gave a short nod. “All orchestrated by the Circle. They managed to infiltrate the second’s mind and corrupt his thoughts. He was ordered to cultivate unrest within the pack before he was commanded to kill Phillip.

“The immortal responsible believed that once the alpha was, uh, removed, his bonded would seek him out in her grief—”

“Except Phillip and Marie had been together as mates for well over twenty-five years, a connection that rivaled some true mates. Once he died, she was unable to live without him. She died three days after he did.”

Zach finished the story, his eyes almost absent as if lost in the past.

“Immortals have not spent a lot of time studying shifters and their relationships, so I doubt any would have guessed this outcome, although, knowing that the immortal was already soulless, I very much doubt anything could have happened differently.

“He was determined that if he could not have his bonded, then the whole pack should be destroyed for his loss.”

“What of you?” Dominic suddenly demanded.

“Why did you not go to the elders after Katherine’s abduction? You did not tell anyone what was happening, and everyone knew that you were joining the Circle. Now, you stand here alive, claiming innocence.”

Caius turned to face his brother. His posture remained casual even though Dominic had tensed up and was radiating menace.

“I never belonged to the Circle, although I acted the part once I discovered Katherine. They were in the process of trying to sway me to their cause.

“Instead, I tried to escape with her, but we didn’t get far before we were caught. She was too weak and I too rash. It will be my lifelong regret that I was unable to get her out.”

“You are avoiding part of the question,” Dominic growled. “Why did you not go to the elders? Why did you not inform them of these plots?! Something could have been done about them a long time—”

Caius was already shaking his head, a hand slashing down between the two of them.

“Because being an elder does not automatically mean that you are not a part of the Circle. I knew who I could speak to safely to receive help in hiding the fact I continue to live, but if I had gone formally before the council, my life would have been forfeit.”

Dominic stared at Caius, his throat moving with a hard swallow.

If Anna could guess, she would say that he had already connected the dots to what Caius was saying, although she had no idea what was going on.

“Who?” Dominic’s voice was quiet, strained.

Anna’s eyes kept flicking between the two of them, confused.

“Our father.”

Dominic swore. Straightening himself, he spun on his heel and slammed a fist directly into the tree trunk. As he pulled his fist away, Zach whistled at the large dent that had been left in the tree.

“If either one of you ever wants to let out some of that aggression, I think I’d finally find a fair fight taking you on.”

Dominic threw him a droll look. “Bring it, wolf.” He shook his fist out, flexing his fingers before focusing back on Caius.

“I knew that he was set on purity in the bloodlines, always has been, but I didn’t think he’d taken it this far. How long has he been a part of it?”

“Much longer than I’d care to admit.” Caius drew his brows down, casting a shadow over his eyes, but even from the other side of the clearing, Anna could see a flicker of red flames.

“He was responsible for Katherine’s death. He ordered that she be dumped back at Gray Wing, knowing she could not possibly survive the coming birth, not in her condition. Not after what they had done to her. He then ordered my own execution.”

Dominic stared at Caius uncomprehendingly. “Our father ordered your execution?”

Caius nodded grimly, his eyes never leaving Dominic.

“He believed that if the fates had bonded me to Katherine, then I was somehow unworthy, damaged. According to him, it would be better for everyone if I was dead. His entire focus was on ensuring that the truth never came out.”

Anna shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as if to ward off a chill. Zach slung an arm around her neck, pulling her in close to his body, but even he couldn’t make this go away.

“Seems like no matter what I do, my blood relatives are out to hate me and what I am.”

Both the immortals turned to look at Anna at her words. Dominic straightened and took a step closer.

“Not us, Anna,” he murmured, giving her a soft smile. “It is our pleasure to know and claim you as family.”

“It is the one thing that kept me going all these years instead of giving into the dark hole Katherine’s death left,” Caius added.

“Knowing that my child, you, were out there somewhere, unaware of any danger since the Circle does their best work in the shadows.”

Anna could feel Zach’s whole body stiffen as something in Caius’s words penetrated him. She turned to look at him, the question already on her tongue, but Zach’s focus was on Caius.

“How long will they be a threat to Anna? To my pack?”

Caius took a deep breath, looking down at his shoes briefly before meeting Zach’s eyes.

“They will never stop being a threat until they’re destroyed. Every last one of them. Castor was only a minor player; he had no real position in this fight.

“He was a soldier they sacrificed to test your strength. Now, they know that you are an opponent that deserves more of their attention, and I guarantee that they’ll know about Anna and what she can do.”

“How could they?” Anna asked, bewildered. “Castor is dead, and everyone said that no one else was in the woods that day.”

“It’s common practice for immortals to psychically link during battle so that they are aware of each other’s positions and can know immediately if something occurs or if one perishes.”

Dominic nodded in agreement, adding, “We have to assume that while Castor came in alone, he was not, in fact, working alone.”

***

Zach and Anna left the clearing not long after, leaving the brothers to hash out the past before attempting to come up with a new plan to deal with the Circle.

As they walked away, Zach snagged Anna’s hand in his, entwining their fingers.

They walked in silence for several minutes, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence as both were deep in their own thoughts about all they had learned.

Finally, Anna spoke, “I thought Castor’s death meant it would be over. I guess that was naive.”

“I wouldn’t call it naive,” Zach replied, “just hopeful for the future. Look at the positives; we now know what we’re facing. The enemy is not some faceless threat, ready to strike out of nowhere.

“With Caius and Dominic on our side, we can start planning our defenses accordingly as well as a counterattack.”

Anna stuck her free hand out, running it along the rough surface of a tree as she considered Zach’s words.

It felt like it was easier to breathe when they were out there, easier to think through the weight that had settled on her chest.

She knew that it wasn’t her fault, but she couldn’t help but feel that she had brought this darkness to Silver River’s doorstep.

If she’d just escaped her family years ago and gotten away on her own, the Circle would have never been able to use her…

“Whatever you’re thinking, stop.” Zach’s voice was a deep growl, and when she glanced at him, he saw her scowling at her, his brows furrowed. He stopped walking, forcing Anna to come to a halt too.

Before she could ask him what he was talking about, he forcibly backed her into a tree trunk until her back was hard against it and her body was imprisoned by his own.

He stared down at her, his icy blue eyes unblinking. It felt as if he left a trail of blazing heat wherever his eyes touched her skin, leaving her feeling breathless.

“We have a moment of peace,” he stated. “We have a moment to get to know each other properly and time for you to get to know the pack and your new role in it.”

“My…new role?” Anna asked, shocked at the husky sound of her voice.

“As my mate, you’re much more than just a pack member, Anna. No one expects you to know everything straight away, but they will look at you differently now.”

Zach bent down, rubbing his cheek against hers before nuzzling her neck.

“If you’re trying to terrify me into running, you’re doing a great job,” Anna muttered back, sliding her arms around his body tightly despite her words.

“Hmm, I don’t think you’re going anywhere, little wolf.”

Anna could hear the smile in his voice. She rolled her eyes at his confidence even as a smile tilted up her own lips.

“I think you’ll stay here with me and fight.”

“Fight for what, exactly?”

“Our pack, our family…” Zach lifted his head and speared his hands through Anna’s loose hair, holding her head still as his own lowered toward her.

Just before his lips could touch hers, he continued, “…me.”

He slammed his lips against hers, nothing like the gentle start to their previous kiss. No, this time, he dominated her until there was nothing she could see or think about but Zach.

His teeth grazed her lower lip, nibbling gently before he swept his tongue into her mouth and it dueled with her own.

Without breaking the kiss, Zach hooked his hands under her thighs, effortlessly lifting Anna before encouraging her to wrap her legs around his hips.

As soon as she did, he ground his pelvis against her, and Anna gasped into his mouth, feeling the proof of arousal against her core.

She pressed back against him, digging her fingers into his shoulders as pleasure coursed through her, feeling as if she were about to catch fire.

It was like nothing she had ever felt before, feeling the physical pleasure of his touch, his kiss, and also what ~he~ was feeling.

It was pouring through their bond, almost as if they were sharing a mind. It was overwhelming.

Feeling brave, Anna pulled away from Zach slightly and, feeling his hands tugging roughly at her hair, she bit down on his lower lip.

The response was immediate: a dark growl vibrating out of his chest that made Anna’s insides turn to absolute jelly, her core throbbing with need.

After a long, breathless moment, Zach pulled away from her, his breath coming hard and fast. His cheeks were red, lips swollen, and eyes overly bright; Anna imagined that her face didn’t look much different.

His hips were still firmly pressed to hers, unmoving, but she wasn’t going to be the one to ask him to move, unwilling to break their contact even as she became aware of their surroundings.

Anna felt like the teenager she had never been allowed to be, canoodling in the forest where anyone could chance upon them.

Zach’s breathing began to slow. He looked down at her as his tongue touched his swollen lower lip. He looked as if he was thinking of kissing her again.

“The more time we spend together, the less control I have.” His tone was apologetic, but Anna thought he looked anything but sorry.

“I imagine it is only going to get worse until we complete the mating.”

“Complete the…? It’s not completed?” Anna asked, bewildered.

“Oh no.” Zach gave her a wicked smile. A shiver ran down Anna’s spine at his smile, which she thought was decidedly wolfish.

“Not yet. Don’t worry; you won’t be in any doubt when it is, although maybe not out against a tree.”

Anna blushed, ducking her head as much as she could against his hold so that she wouldn’t have to meet his gaze anymore.