Since her arrival at the brownstone in Brooklyn, Cassie had taken a keen interest in the spells. For one, she was in seclusion. Evelyn refused to allow her to so much as leave the house without her company. That was the reason Vivienne was upstate and she was in the city: to throw off the evil witch who was trying to capture them. So, when she wasn’t watching television, which she hardly did anyway since television had long since gone to the idiots, she was learning spells. She had a quick memory, and the spells were interesting. She’d read some ridiculous ones, some wicked ones, some funny ones, and now this.
Was this even a spell book? With her finger securing the place, she closed the book, searching for a title. The dark brown cover was clear of inscription, and she flipped open to the first page. What she found there was a name, written in a flowing hand. Alexander. It was either a coincidence or the book resting on her bed belonged to the Alexander of her dreams. Cassie wasn’t one to believe in coincidences.
Getting into a comfortable position, with one arm by the book and the other propped at the side of her head, she flipped back to the page where her finger rested, and began to read.
***
Vivienne’s breath came in shallow, energetic spurts as she sprinted through the cluster of tall trees, moving with the ease and grace of a person familiar with the path. She passed a shallow pond, a fountain with a howling, lone wolf statue atop, and a few pack members lying around. She didn’t stop, just continued on, legs pumping, heart racing as she felt the earth moving beneath her feet. A silver and gray wolf was at her heels, his panting on level with hers as four legs raced two.
Days after her arrival at Cedar Creek almost a week ago, she and Eli had developed the ritual of a morning race. When she’d first arrived, she’d been grateful to see his smiling face among the skeptical and outright angry stares, and from the moment he’d offered to give her a tour when Conall left for a meeting with the Elders, he and Vivienne had been fast friends.
She came to the black iron gates separating the estate from the wilderness behind it just as Eli did. Vivienne prepared to put all her speed into the race back, determined to beat him this time, when an unfamiliar scent made her halt. She felt her bones rattle as they collided with muscle, skin, tendons, and fat. A groan escaped her lips. The trick was to gradually slow down. She would have to remember that when running at the perpetual speed of a bullet. Eli, obviously more trained than she, carefully slowed, before running back to her.
Despite his form, that of a medium sized silver-gray wolf with twinkling blue eyes, she still recognized him. His smile was the same, and most times she could tell what he meant by the gestures he made. From the way he cocked his side to the side and blinked at her, she could tell he was curious to know why she’d stopped.
She opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut when the scent grew closer. It smelled malevolent. Angry.
Eli began to growl. His ears moved back, lying flat against his head, as teeth pulled away from his lips. Gone was playful Eli. She prepared herself, mentally throwing up shields even as her heart began to pound. What was it?
Conall had gone into the city for a business meeting. He’d refused to leave during her first days at Cedar Creek but when no trackers had shown up, he’d grown less restrictive. She could actually leave the house without having him follow her, or run with Eli without sensing the black wolf trailing at the edges of the trees.
The more time she spent with the alpha, the more Vivienne liked him. She’d never known anyone quite like him. He was fiercely protective, and it was obvious his pack respected him. It was no wonder he was their leader. When he’d first introduced her to them, he’d introduced her as his mate, had glared steadily, and bitten off the sentences, as if daring someone to squeak a word of protest. Although he was a brusque and downright scary alpha, the man was caring and thoughtful, and at nights when he took her, she felt his control, knew he held back for fear of hurting her, and wanted him even more.
Eli’s teeth snapped together as he pivoted to face ahead and growled once more.
“What is it?” she half-whispered, fearing that Cronin had found her. Of all days, he’d picked the one where Conall was not there. Convenient for him, downright terrifying for her.
What’s wrong, alainn? Conall’s voice was urgent, but her eyes were busy scanning the area. She felt him in her mind, and knew he would understand.
Eli rushed forward, halting before a thatch of shrubs. He barked, retreating a few steps, only to rush forward again and snarl. To Vivienne’s surprise, a large, red wolf leaped from behind them, growling at Eli, even as he snapped back at it. Three more wolves emerged, forming a semi-circle behind the red wolf.