“Tell me, what did you pick up from Tiana?” Louis asked, breaking the silence that had settled in the dark SUV as we drove toward Peter and Louis’s pack. The scent of cherries and tobacco wafted from the front, where two guards sat in dark clothing. Kat was squeezed in beside Louis and Peter, and though the fit was awkward, I refused to let her take another vehicle. Having lost both a mate and a best friend, I wasn’t willing to risk it again, even if we were headed to safety. Kat didn’t seem to mind and actually liked Louis.
Reflecting on Louis’s question, I realized it was difficult to interpret someone based on a brief encounter. Emotions were multifaceted and complex. Anger and hatred could mix into a noxious blend that poisoned the soul, while joy and fondness could form lasting connections that nurtured love.
“She’s very confident, but not headstrong. More like she’s seen the worst of the world but refuses to let it harden her,” I said honestly. I hadn’t picked up much else and didn’t want to give false information, so I shifted the topic. “You care about her a lot; I can feel it. She’s family in your heart.”
“Yes, she is,” Louis smiled fondly, the sight lighting up Isaiah’s eyes. “She became part of my family when she agreed to be my Beta.”
“Your Beta?” I asked, surprised. My eyes flicked to Ethan and Kieran, who sat on either side of me, their hulking forms taking up most of the space in the back. “You two never told me I could have a Beta.”
“Truthfully, I never even thought of it,” Ethan admitted, smiling politely at Louis. “It’s not something traditional packs do.”
Kieran nodded, his voice gruff but kind. “If you want a Beta, you can have a Beta.”
“No, it isn’t something traditional packs do,” Louis scowled, but I could feel the pride behind her words. I sensed Peter’s amusement at his mate’s anger and wondered if she had ranted about this to him before. “Traditions keep us whole, but the ones that inhibit the she-wolves from moving forward ought to be abolished. Starting with keeping us from positions of power.”
For nearly an hour, we drove through caps of pine and cedar trees, the thick scent of sap mixing with crisp mountain air. Even with the guards up front, I tried to forget we were fugitives seeking shelter.
“So, you both know Carlos as well, then?” I asked, unable to contain my questions.
“Everyone knows Carlos. He was a large part of the High Table, even if his inactivity feigned uselessness. That was perhaps the only thing that kept Maverick from truly suspecting him,” Louis laughed, the sound both bitter and joyous. “Yes, Sophia. Carlos has helped us a time or two, and we have returned the favor.”
An odd thought crossed my mind, and I found myself speaking freely. “Did those favors include helping some white wolves find refuge?”
Surprise washed through Louis and Peter, though their faces remained impassive. I understood the need for secrecy, especially when Maverick held most of the power. One visit from him and you’d want to fortify your walls, protect your people.
“We all have our secrets, especially those of us against Maverick and the remaining table members,” Peter said wisely, despite his youth. He and Louis locked eyes, fading into their own world. They were having a silent conversation, a look I knew well. The SUV was silent for the next two minutes until they finished. Peter looked at me, worry creeping into his emotions. “You must forgive us, but we hold high stakes in this. Especially now that a war is brewing.”
“She will understand, Peter,” Louis said softly, her eyes never leaving mine. Peter was the caution to Louis’s fearlessness, the voice of reason that held her back. I could only imagine how he handled both Louis and Tiana. The thought made me like them more. “I’m positive her abilities make her a good judge of character.”
“You’d be correct. I can tell you’re both honest and very protective of whatever you’re hiding.” I nodded, glancing between them. It was an invasion of privacy, but one I couldn’t turn off. I could try to ignore the emotions around me, but they washed over me regardless. A smirk formed on Louis’s face as I continued, matched by my widening smile. “Actually, it was your general hatred for Maverick that piqued my interest in you both. I might never have noticed you if I couldn’t feel what you were feeling. It gave me hope that at least another pack saw him for what he was.”
“I told you this girl will change things,” Louis grinned wildly at Peter, who gave me an apologetic smile.
“I’m not an optimist,” he admitted reluctantly, sighing when Louis began to laugh. “Not like Louis is.”
“I’m not an optimist either. I’m a realist, darling,” Louis chided her mate with an intimate smile. She looked at me, keeping her gaze locked on mine. “Sooner or later, Maverick was going to crash and burn. After everything he has done, that much negative energy won’t just knock him down a peg. It’ll obliterate the ladder entirely.”
This was my first time in the mountains. Each steep incline and decline had my blood pumping, but the rocky slope of the cliff a few feet away had me breaking out in a cold sweat. Over the course of an hour, every car on the highway had exited. Just as I thought the forest and highway would never end, we took an exit toward Vail.
The exit led onto a narrow two-lane road that wound through the forest, drawing us deeper within. Both Kat and I gasped when we finally entered the town. Louis and Peter radiated pride, and it was clear why. The streets were cobblestone, smooth and untouched by wear. Sturdy streetlights lined the road, their presence inviting rather than imposing. The speed limit dropped significantly, allowing me to take in the surroundings. A few men and women strolled along the wide sidewalks, heading towards the quaint shops that lined the street. Behind those shops, mountainous walls rose, capped with snow. They towered over us, not trapping but protecting.
The only grocery store in town was small, but its large windows let in warm sunlight, and the clerk was one of the nicest people I’d met. There were two gas stations, a charming coffee shop with a large chalkboard sign, and even a small hair salon. As we continued, the shops and street lamps thinned out, replaced by forest once more. Houses emerged within clusters of trees, some large and near the forest’s edge, others smaller with winding driveways leading deeper into the woods.
Finally, we turned down one of these driveways. The guard driving maneuvered the SUV along a rocky path towards a modest two-story house just a hundred feet into the forest. The house had once been a light baby blue, but the current residents had a penchant for painting. Slashes and splatters adorned the exterior, porch, and even some windows. Vines of flowers, curls of flames, and waves of cobalt and sea green created a chaotic yet cohesive look. The front door, once white, was now various shades of red and gold. Beside the house was a large garden, boasting fully ripened tomato plants.
We exited the vehicle as it rolled to a stop in front of the wraparound porch. Louis led us up the stairs but paused at the front door.
“This place is incredible,” I told her, glancing around at the towering trees.
“We’ve been working on this for the last ten years,” Louis said proudly.
“You’ve been working on the house for ten years?” I asked, giving her a puzzled look.
“No, the town,” she chuckled, shaking her head.
“I thought the town was the capital of your pack?” I asked, looking between Louis and Peter.
“No. For all intents and purposes, this place does not exist. While you four are here, you do not exist either,” Louis said with a proud smile. Though her words were a bit ominous, it was exactly what we needed.
“I am trusting you with this, not only because I hope it can help us win this war but because I would very much like to be friends in the future, Sophia. And the same goes for you, Kat,” Louis said softly, a hint of nerves in her voice. Whatever she was protecting was very important.
“I didn’t tell you the entire truth when we first met. Maverick did take my sister when she was thirteen, but it was Carlos Caddel who helped get her back ten years later. It was a favor he owed me, one of my choosing. Rescuing Lara nearly got him caught.”
“He rescued your sister from Maverick ten years later?” I couldn’t keep the horror from my voice, feeling Louis’s heartache and guilt.
“She is not the same as she once was,” Louis said softly, clutching the doorknob and pushing it open. “A part of her has never come back from that place.”
The soft sound of singing drifted through the house, leading us to the living room where thick plastic sheets lined the floors. Across the room stood Lara, her golden hair in a bun. She was much thinner than Louis, her form wispier. Singing to herself, she made broad strokes with a paintbrush, blending pinks, blues, greens, and yellows in a language only she understood.
“Lara, I told you I was bringing guests,” Louis said softly. Lara still jumped at the sound. Louis hid her pain well, but I felt the stab of terror that gripped Lara. For a split second, she was back in Maverick clutches.
Lara turned to us, her cerulean eyes unnaturally bright and unfocused. “One Luna has twins, and the other Luna has the cursed son,” she said dreamily. I felt Kat tense, and just when I thought Lara might continue, she blinked with surprise. “Oh, would anyone care for some tea? It has butterfly pea flowers. They turn purple when you add lemon juice. How wonderful.”