Chapter 3

Chapter

Three

C olt hadn’t missed the heated gaze burning into his backside. It had taken all his strength not to turn around and scold her. What was she thinking? Not that he had ever turned a female down before, but this one was danger, with emphasis on anger, because that was what her father would be if Colt soiled Marcus’s daughter. Not to mention the fact she was a baby in his eyes. An immortal still wet behind the ears, as humans liked to say.

“I’d like to speak to my father and ask him about the light I saw. Do you have any objections?” The female in question broke through his thoughts.

“Not if you think it will help. Of course, he’s welcome to come and check my man out for himself.” The heated glare she gave him was no longer one that spoke of admiring his assets. It screamed how she wanted to punch him in the face, or worse.

“You just can’t get over the fact I’m a female.”

“Your sex has nothing to do with this.”

A ripple of her power snapped in the air. “I am not a child.”

He parked the truck in front of the expansive log structure that was their main lodge, then turned to her. “I recall your birth. So to me, you are a child. I don’t doubt your powers, but you gotta remember, this is my pack. As their alpha, I am responsible for their care and safety.”

“Well, since you recall my birth, then you know damn well it wasn’t yesterday,” she snapped.

He couldn’t help but grin at her tenacity. “You’re right, it wasn’t. It was thirty-five years ago, but to someone like me who has been on this rock for a hundred long fucking years, I can’t help but see you as a kid.” He shrugged. “As an immortal, you really are still a kid.”

Her glare had turned from lethal to calm, which concerned him even more. He didn’t know what to expect other than when a female was pissed and put on a facade of calmness, it usually spelled bad things for those who had pissed her off.

“I get it, but there are more important things here than either of our ages.” She looked around as if searching for anyone nearby, then leaned closer. “That light I saw, it… It felt wrong. Cold and dark.”

“What are you saying?”

“I got a sense it was ancient, and it didn’t hold any signatures I am familiar with.” She chewed her lip, and his wolf stirred. “I don’t like what I encountered.”

If whatever she encountered made her uncomfortable, it made him restless as fuck, and his wolf wanted to pace. “That is why you want to call you father?”

“Yes. I want to know if he has ever seen anything like this.”

He knew he should clamp his jaw shut so he didn’t open his mouth to utter the words, but he had to. “Are you certain he shouldn’t come here himself?”

The scowl on her face before she jerked open the door and jumped out spoke volumes of her anger. He followed, scolding himself for opening his big fat mouth and not her door. This female, however, rattled him and he was never off his game. As alpha, he couldn’t afford to be. He knew he had to learn to trust her, but trust wasn’t easily earned with him. He’d trusted his uncle to lead this pack, and that had been a disaster.

Meeting her at the front of his pickup, he at least had enough sense left in him to grab the front door and hold it open for her.

“Thank you.” She stepped inside. The air frosted around him from the cold snap she had placed between them. It was just as well. He needed her to heal his man, then get out before she somehow got entangled in the web of death that seemed to have surrounded itself around his pack.

Closing the door behind him, he stepped around the female, who was quickly becoming a challenge to his sanity.

“This is our main lodge. As you can see here, this is our living area where everyone gathers around the large flat screen. Down the hall is a kitchen big enough to feed a third world country, and on the lower level is a game room and gym.” He took a breath. “Upstairs are small suites with bedrooms and private baths for those of us unmated.”

“I see, and where do the mated stay?”

“They have homes throughout the territory. This way.” He led her through the large living space, which was currently empty as most everyone was out doing chores. As they climbed the stairs to the upper floor, he spotted Talia.

“Hey, Colt.” She stopped in front of him, and he noticed the flare of her nostrils as she took in the female’s scent beside him.

“Talia, this is Ariana. She’s a guardian and healer here to work with Maya, so she will be our guest for a few days.” He looked at the female next to him who didn’t bat a beautiful long black lash at his lack of details. She smiled and extended her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Talia.”

“Welcome. Let me know if you need anything while you’re here.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

“I’ll be heading out now.” Then she scooted past them and down the stairs. Talia was as old as Colt and the best damn scout he could ever ask for. The female was quick and agile and could track down information that would take most people years to find. She was one of his most valuable pack members.

He led his guest to the only empty room they had on the second floor, which also was right next to his. Not that he wanted her in the room that connected to his own, but neither did he want to put her on the third floor. Keeping her close where he could watch her was the optimal choice. He pushed open the door and motioned her inside. This time, it was his turn to appreciate her fine ass.

Ariana stepped into the room, feeling like prey that was about to be pounced on at any second. His gaze followed her every move no matter how subtle, but this alpha didn’t intimidate her in the least. After all, she was best friends with a dragon shifter and had grown up around some very intimidating immortals. She did a quick sweep of the room with its queen bed, a dresser, flat screen, and a bathroom. She assumed one of the two closed doors was a closet but what was the other? Nothing fancy in the least but it met her needs. She faced him.

“Thank you. This is perfect.”

He jerked his head toward the door on the opposite wall. “That leads to my room. Sorry, but a connecting room is all I have at the moment. It’s dead bolted on your side.”

She raised a brow. “Do I look worried?”

“Not particularly, nor should you be. It’s more for your protection than anything else.”

“Did you have a memory lapse?”

His gaze narrowed. “What?”

“I assumed you had a memory lapse when you pointed out I needed protecting.” She shrugged. “I figured you must have forgotten I am a guardian. I protect, not the other way around.”

“When have you been in battle? Your parents spent years fighting demons and a demigod on steroids. Before that, I understand your father was in the demonic war. There has been peace for centuries.”

“Peace doesn’t mean I don’t know how to fight. I’ve been trained by the best, and I am not without my powers.” She wasn’t even certain why she was defending herself other than this alpha pushed her buttons. “Now, I already have a bag packed. I simply need to retrieve it.”

Colt’s nostrils flared. “Fine. However, before we go, I need to know one thing.”

“Shoot.”

“Your need for blood. Is it going to be a problem?”

Of course, he would bring that up. Aidyn had warned her the alpha was a little hesitant around their kind.

“Are you volunteering?” She hid her smile as she watched his pupils dilate.

“I have never, nor do I ever, intend to be on the receiving end of a vampire’s bite. So, no.”

“I was kidding anyway. If I find myself in need of a bite, I’ll go into town. Deal?”

“Fine. Let’s get your things then.”

Ariana held out her hand. “It’s necessary for us to be touching for you to accompany me.” At least he didn’t hesitate, but when he wrapped her smaller hand in his, the contact was electric and for a moment, their gazes met and held. Thankfully, she snapped out of it and concentrated on her cabin back in Vandeldor. In an instant, she was there, standing in familiar surroundings. The scent of lavender and pine wafted around her. She let go of Colt’s hand long enough to grab her duffel bag and notice him take in every inch of her small home.

“Nice place.”

“Thanks.” She grabbed his hand and quickly flashed them back out and in the blink of an eye, she had them back in the room he had assigned her.

“Impressive,” he muttered.

“Useful,” she corrected with a smirk, dropping the bag onto the bed. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with my father. I need to understand what I’m dealing with here.”

Colt’s shoulders tightened. “Do what you need to. I’ll leave you to it.” With a curt nod, he turned on his heel and left the room. His boots pounded loudly as he walked down the hall. Once alone, Ariana exhaled and unpacked her bag. She hadn’t packed a lot of stuff, so it only took her a few minutes to hang her clothes and place her lingerie in a drawer. Finally finished, she pulled out her phone and dialed her father.

“Hey, pumpkin,” Marcus’s warm voice answered after the first ring.

“Hi, Dad. I have a question.” She filled him in on the glowing wound and its resistance to healing, as well as the dark, ancient sensations that had prickled across her skin.

“That sounds like a form of ancient magic, perhaps infused during the forging of the blade itself. The glow… it isn’t an infection or poison; it’s a curse of some kind. Whoever used that knife knew precisely what they were doing.”

“I was thinking the same thing, but how do I break it?” The urgency in her voice couldn’t be masked. “I’ve seen nothing like it.”

“You’ll need to find the origin of the blade, or better yet, the blade itself. Often, people tie these curses to their creation. Sometimes returning it to its rightful place or crafting a counter- curse is necessary. Investigate its history if you can, and hopefully, you’ll find the key.”

“I’ll start with the pack. Maybe they have something in their archives.”

“Good idea. You know from our history how important it is to find this thing and snuff it out.”

She nodded, recalling the stories of the dagger of Embara. A blade that the phoenix god had crafted centuries before she was ever born that ended up killing the god himself. It had taken the guardians a long time to recover the immortal killing dagger and for the god to be reborn.

“Thanks, Dad. I’ll call you if I find anything more.” She hung up, the weight of the task at hand pressing down on her.

A rap at the door broke her concentration. “Come in,” she called.

Dylan poked his head in. “Vilkas’s fever is spiking, but we are keeping him cool. I don’t see an immediate threat. However, I think whatever you did is helping him fight the infection at least.”

“That’s some good news. I think we’re dealing with an ancient curse. The glowing wound… it’s not just resisting healing; it’s actively fighting against it. We need to understand the origin of the blade used to fully heal him, I’m afraid.”

Dylan’s brow furrowed. “A curse? That complicates things.”

“Definitely.” She crossed her arms and began pacing the room. “I need to know more about the blade that caused this wound. Can you provide any records or information on the fight that caused Vilkas’s wound? What about Mikel?”

Dylan nodded. “We’ve kept detailed accounts of both incidents. I’ll see about digging up the records.”

“Thanks. It might prove helpful.” She paused, hesitating before she continued. “And do you know if anything unusual has happened in the pack’s territory, or if there have been any strange visitors recently?” Arching a brow. “Enemies?”

Dylan’s face darkened. “Who doesn’t have enemies? There have been whispers of shadowy figures at the edge of our territory. Unfamiliar scents that disappear before we can investigate further. We’ve also had encounters with a rogue pack, but that was long ago. We’ve not seen them since.”

She nodded. “What about Mikel? Why do you suppose he died and Vilkas still fights?”

His shoulders sank. “Mikel worked at the same bar in town where Vilkas was attacked. Mikel was closing up when someone shoved a knife in his chest. It penetrated his lung, and he was dead in a matter of seconds.”

She stopped pacing. “So, he could not heal. At least we can assume that after seeing Vilkas’s wound. The difference is, Mikel had a punctured lung, whereas Vilkas was stabbed in the chest, but the attacker missed all vital organs. I hate to assume, but it’s possible whatever we are dealing with, if it enters a vital organ, immediate death occurs.”

“That sounds like a logical theory. It’s all we have at the moment.”

Ariana nodded. “Anything else you can think of?”

He shook his head. “If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Great, thanks.” She offered him a smile, which he returned before slipping out of the room.

With a sigh, Ariana settled onto the bed, pulled out her laptop and accessed the enormous database the guardians had, ready to search for any historical records of cursed blades or similar incidents.

Hours passed in a blur of scrolling through ancient texts and piecing together fragmented stories about curses and enchanted weapons. Nothing vaguely familiar to what she was dealing with, but lots of stuff regarding the dagger of Embara. Even though the immortal killing blade had been part of her studies, she reread everything again, hoping to gain anything that might help her.

A knock on the door startled her from her research. “Come in,” she called out.

Colt stepped in, his presence dominating the room. “Dylan mentioned the word ‘curse.’ What did you find out?” His voice was gruff, and all business, as expected from an alpha.

“Best guess is it’s an ancient curse, likely from the blade itself,” she explained, meeting his gaze. “We need to find out where that blade came from to have any chance of fully healing Vilkas, I’m afraid.”

His jaw clenched. “And what do you need from me?”

“Access to any information or leads you have on unusual activities or visitors. Any records of past incidents, items of power connected to the pack’s history… anything that might give us a clue.”

He nodded. “I’ll have Talia help you. She’s our best scout and has a knack for uncovering hidden truths.”

“Thank you.”