42. Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two

Kade

K ade’s heart swelled and soared with Evelyn at his side. He refused to let her go, his hand intertwined with hers as they entered the cottage, safe and sound.

For now.

The Gray Fenris were waiting with Eldrick as Tovi slipped up from the cottage’s hatch last, joining Lou. They discussed something in hushed voices. Before Evelyn’s boot hit the cottage floor, Yennifer pulled her out of Kade’s grasp and into a tight hug. A pulse of power echoed in his core, but he fought the irrational protectiveness. It was Yen, one of his oldest friends. He knew this, and yet, an animalistic, primal urge to pull Evelyn back into his arms and keep her there safe overcame him.

A strong hand clasped his shoulders, and Kade blinked away the haze of his inner wolf.

“You mentioned she was brave and courageous, but you failed to mention how beautiful she is.” Bétar wiggled his bushy red brows.

A growl rumbled in Kade’s chest. Heat flushed through his tense body. Yet, his warning only made Bétar’s face split into a wide devilish grin.

“Territorial already? This shall be fun.”

Bétar, the bastard, took Evelyn’s hand and laid a delicate kiss on it. Kade saw red, perhaps the future of Bétar’s blood on whitewashed walls except—

No.

This was Bétar. His second. His friend. He tried to focus on Evelyn and remind himself as the Gray Fenris introduced themselves, that they weren’t a threat. Yet, the pounding in his ears, the ringing, his vision tunneling in and out of focus, the power in his chest thumping along with his heart… Growing, it manifested into an energy he couldn’t control.

“Kade.”

A soft hand rested over his heart while another cupped his bearded cheek. Kade blinked, his eyes focusing on Evelyn’s stare. That blue he’d dreamed about for weeks marred with concern, and her left brow, as always, pinched as she thought deeply to herself.

“It feels silly to ask this,” she said, “because I know you’re not okay. I know I’m not entirely okay. But…”

Kade understood, and he pulled her in close, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I’m fine, just not ready to let you go yet.”

Evelyn sighed, lowering her hands to grasp his and running her thumbs over his knuckles. Her touch, her stare, her entire disregard for the blood that painted his face, hands, and chest as she soothed him—all of it reminded him she needed his touch as much as he needed hers. They belonged to each other.

“I’m not going anywhere, and if it makes you feel any better, right now I need you close, too.” She squeezed his hands, dropping one and intertwining her fingers with another. A shudder went through him. Kade didn’t know what she’d gone through inside the castle.

She was paler, cheeks less rosy, and she’d lost a bit of weight. He detected iron in the air. Her blood. He peered down at her feet. Crimson smeared the stone beneath them. He growled, the earlier haze threatening to return .

Evelyn shifted, squeezing his hand. “It’s alright—I did it to myself running to meet you. I…” She shook her head, blinking away tears.

Kade used his forefinger to tilt her chin up. “Talk to me.”

“I really hope this is real,” she said.

He lowered his lips to her ear. “Later, I’ll show you how very real this is.”

Evelyn peered up at him over her lashes, sucking in her breath. He felt her heart skip a beat and the slightest pink warmed her cheeks.

“You better not dare tease me, huntsman,” she whispered.

Kade smiled, his old nickname spreading a welcome warmth and familiarity he’d missed.

The small cottage brimmed with a giddy edge. The steps Kade and his team had taken these last few weeks had led them to this moment. The distressed brick walls of the main floor weren’t strong enough to contain Kade’s euphoric, disoriented self. Out the window over the kitchenette’s sink, the glow of the moon passed through the blanket of clouds and painted the rapids silver. The sight of his God’s power slowed his heart and rallied his breath, allowing him to size up his team. Across the way, the hatch leading to the tunnels jolted, and a mass of fiery fur sprang free.

“Maxie!” Evelyn’s voice cracked as she cried her familiar’s name.

A resounding meow greeted her as the cat launched into Evelyn’s arms. Kade’s heart squeezed when a shuddering sob released from his mate. She buried her face into Maxie’s thick coat. Her familiar’s purr was like a gentle hum, and her tail swooshed side to side, the first time he’d seen her so lively in weeks.

He ran a hand down Maxie’s forehead. “She’s been with me ever since…” Kade didn’t dare mention the specifics of what happened that day, not when a tiny voice in his mind threatened to say he lost her.

Evelyn wiped away her tears. “Has she been alright without me?”

“Maxie’s one of us now,” Linx said from across the room. “She fit right in.”

“Really?” Evelyn asked. “I thought werewolves didn’t like cats. ”

“They don’t,” Kade said. “And don’t be fooled, it took a few days for the team to warm up to her. But for the most part, Maxie fared well. We think it’s because of the bond.”

Evelyn’s brow furrowed, and her silvery gaze jumped between him and Maxie. “Oh, our bond?”

Kade nodded. “It was suggested since both your souls are connected, and ours are too, Maxie and I might share a slight bond.”

Evelyn smiled, big and wide. “ That would explain a lot of what happened in Callum.”

Kade agreed, but the town name dried the words on his tongue. That’s where he’d lost her. But they were here , at the safe house. They’d made it. He didn’t want to waste time thinking about that wretched day. Not with Evelyn at his side, Maxie in her arms, and everyone back in one piece.

Everyone including someone new. A witch he’d never seen before stood with Yennifer. The witch’s energy was at least calm and bright, but Kade’s restless wolf didn’t trust her.

“Who is that?” he asked.

“That’s Belle,” Evelyn said.

“Why is she here?” Kade didn’t hold back the gruffness in his tone.

“Kade, be nice. She was kind to me in the castle. Her sister is rather cruel—”

“Did she hurt you?” Kade’s wolf paced beneath his skin.

Evelyn shut her eyes, rallying a deep breath. “Not in the way that you think. Ingrid’s the one who gave me the necklace that blocked my magic.”

Kade caught the glint of the red stone pendant around Evelyn’s neck for the first time.

She laid a hand on his cheek, making him look at her instead. “Stop worrying. Belle broke the dark magic, and I have my powers back. It’s useless now.”

Kade tried to search her face, to find some relief, but they’d spent weeks away from one another. Not knowing what she went through made his skin tingle, palms sweaty .

“The other werewolves in the fighting,” she said, breaking him out of his trance. “Were they set free?”

“Yes,” Bétar said. “Thanks to Tovi, who slipped me a key, I was able to get each of them out. There at Lou’s bakery now, readying to travel with Captain Flynn’s crew. We were able to save twenty werewolves.”

Twenty-five if they counted the ones they’d set free on their way here. Kade nodded at both Bétar and Tovi. A solemness seeped into the air, though. Forty-one had been taken from the Vadon Mountains. None of them would forget the lives they weren’t able to save—the ones lost to the cruelty of their enemy.

The thought had Kade peering down at Evelyn, his worry resurfacing. “How did you know there were other werewolves?”

Evelyn pulled out of his hold and approached an empty worktable. She released Maxie on top of it. With free hands, she rummaged under her dress and retrieved something. She set a pile of folded parchments onto the table. “I may have been Riven’s prisoner, but I did a bit of exploring while I was in the castle.”

A glint shined in her eyes—one Kade had never seen before. It unnerved him. As did her lack of self-preservation. But did he expect anything less? Of course, Evelyn would search for answers. He didn’t want to argue or allow his frustration with her rather courageous efforts to dampen their reunion. Not when he wasn’t really sure how to voice his worry without sounding like an absolute overbearing, controlling ass. Kade had no intention of being that kind of man in their relationship, but how did he control his need to protect her?

One foot in front of the other.

The others moved closer to join Evelyn at the table, and the realization clicked again—their plan had worked. They would need to come to terms with their time apart, but they needed to move forward, too. Whatever items Evelyn had brought from the castle would help with that, would ground them in what came next.

Kade joined her side. “What did you find, love? ”

Pink returned to Evelyn’s cheeks, but she focused on unfurling her parchment from a weathered journal. Notes, letters, and etches of random words. The stack brought Kade back to Callum, late nights around Evelyn’s kitchenette table, investigating the murders. Moons , he loved this woman’s mind and drive.

“It’s all a bit of nothing and something.” She turned to Tovi. “I assume everyone is aware of Riven’s plans?”

Everyone nodded.

Evelyn leaned over the table, arms outstretching over her findings. “Well, for starters, Riven does in fact have allies. After searching his study—”

“You did what?” Kade’s hands turned clammy.

Evelyn waved him off, far too excited to notice his reaction. “Specifics don’t really matter. I read some of his letters. He has contacts, one in Nūa who used a flower symbol but never a name. The other was positioned in the Vadon Mountains and went by a code name—the Lone Wolf.”

Eldrick cursed, and the others bristled.

Evelyn looked up from the table, left brow pinching. “Does that name mean anything?”

Kade joined her side, relishing being in her orbit. “We don’t know who it is,” Kade said. “But we’ve confirmed they’re a werewolf and responsible for supplying the werewolves for the fighting rings.”

Evelyn crossed her arms, nibbling her lip as she thought. “His letter said something about a plan that involved phases. He mentioned the missing werewolves caused unease and predicted loss of faith would follow.”

The cottage fell deadly silent—so much so, one heard the ting of snow against the window’s glass. He and his brother shared a glance.

“This doesn’t look like a werewolf trying to make a profit anymore,” Eldrick said.

Tovi shook her head. “No, it sounds like someone trying to create a rift amongst the werewolf packs. ”

“It makes sense,” Yennifer said. “The werewolf packs have been at peace for centuries and are a formidable force when they band together. If Riven succeeded in allowing vampyrs to walk in the sunlight, he’d want to weaken the biggest army he faced. We’ve been patrolling and containing the Void for decades. Divide their forces and Riven and his allies have an unguarded crossing into Sorin.”

“Any idea who this werewolf might be?” Evelyn asked.

Everyone shifted on their feet, bitterness and frustration leaping into the air.

“No,” Kade said.

“We’ll need to let Claus and Father know,” Eldrick said. “If the Lone Wolf is amongst us, they should be warned.”

“And we can still learn more while we’re here,” Tovi said.

“We’re staying in Drystan?” Evelyn asked, rearing back from the table.

Kade moved closer to her, placing his hand on her lower back. “Only for a little longer while we wait out the unrest.”

“Riven is most likely scrambling to put his castle back in order,” Tovi said, “as well as hunting you down, Evelyn. He’ll expect us to be on the run instead of hiding nearby.”

“Alright.” Evelyn swallowed, hesitant as she met Tovi’s stare. “Are you able to get a letter to Nūa?”

Tovi regarded her. “Yes, I can try my best. Why?”

Evelyn assessed the group. “The other contact is in the city of witches. Now, I’m not certain they’re a witch, but they supplied my sister Blair’s address. Riven and Ingrid threatened her life if I stepped out of line.”

Kade’s fist tightened at his side, knuckles popping from the force.

Tovi hurried a nod. “I’ll get a letter out to her and Mirella.”

“Thank you.”

A silence seeped into the air, a static buzzing between the old friends. Kade witnessed the unease in Evelyn’s stare, blue scarred with hurt. He’d seen it before—betrayal. Tovi had been like a sister to Evelyn, but moons, he hoped she’d see what Tovi had done to get her back.

“What else did you find?” he asked.

Evelyn splayed out handwritten notes. One had lines sectioned together and in blocks. One was a list of words, random at best. The others were words etched from the lead of a pencil, outlining the indention of a what appeared to be a scribble. Something familiar grabbed Kade’s attention, and he reached out his hand, hovering over words he’d heard since boyhood. They tickled the back of his mind—words that had influenced the man he was today.

“That’s our prophecy,” he whispered.

The team gathered closer, reading the words to themselves.

“I know, but, Kade, it wasn’t alone.” Evelyn pushed the parchment with the lines towards him. “It was a stanza among others. Some words I was able to make out. Most don’t make any sense, except for this, land…in red . Riven communicated with”—she paused, glancing up at Tovi—“a deity I believe—”

“ What? ” Kade’s tone came out far harsher than he intended. His fear had leaked through, the pressure in his chest pulsing. He didn’t know which to process first, Evelyn spying on Riven, or a goddess or god having been present.

To her credit, Evelyn didn’t balk, but continued on. “Belle and I found Riven at an altar. She, the goddess I think, spoke with him about something called the Blood Moon. She also whispered these same words but more, land cast in red .” Evelyn pursed her lips, as if she had more to say, but didn’t.

Tovi shook her head. “I’ve never heard of the Blood Moon before.”

Eldrick crossed his arms. “But the land cast in red suggests an eclipse.”

Kade nodded. “He’s right. There’s one a year. Scholars claim the land comes between the sun and the moon. Werewolves usually celebrate that night, the symbol of transition into the winter months.”

“Winter?” Evelyn asked. “Any idea when this season’s will be?”

Bétar shrugged. “I think a week or so.”

Evelyn’s brows furrowed, and Kade’s instinct screamed to reach out and touch her, to take her away from this discussion and let all the unknowns be problems for tomorrow.

“I think,” Evelyn said, “that’s the night of the spell, when Ingrid or whoever planned to follow through with the White Lady’s plans. If the Blood Moon and this eclipse are the same, the night would be a rather powerful time to conjure magic.” Her eyes grew distant, thoughtful. “I’m also curious if the land blocking the sun from the moon has anything to do with it, as if the Sun Goddess would be her weakest separated from the Moon God.”

Tovi crossed her arms, lips pursing. “It makes sense. Lou can ask around, learn more about if and when this eclipse occurs. I think for now, we proceed believing the Blood Moon and the spell is a week away.”

“We’ll need to leave Drystan before then,” Eldrick said. “The more distance between us, Riven, and his witch the better.”

“That should be plenty of time for us to recoup and start our journey,” Tovi said. “We should reconvene here tomorrow and discuss preparations.”

A timeline for the spell. They hadn’t one since embarking on this mission, and having one gave Kade solid ground. His restlessness settled, as if the timing and date gave him even ground to navigate.

“Until then, we lay low,” Kade said. “Evelyn and I will stay here in the cottage, as planned. I know the signal if we need to head south.”

The team said their goodbyes. Tovi and Evelyn regarded each other, but in the end, neither said a word as Tovi undid the hatch and jumped below, Eldrick following close behind. Evelyn whispered encouraging words into Belle’s ear, who offered a sweet smile. She handed Maxie to her. Evelyn’s familiar willingly curled into the witches arms, eyes shutting as she fell asleep. Kade didn’t miss Todd standing close to the witch, but he didn’t say a word as Linx ushered her along.

It felt like hours, and it felt like mere minutes—Kade and Evelyn were finally alone .

When she averted her attention back to him, he sucked in a breath. The brick of the cottage melted away and the crackling corner fire tuned out. Kade’s heart beat like a steady crescendo drum. He couldn’t stand it, the distance. After all this time, being in the same room feet apart was too far away.

He charged towards her, one, two, three steps, and grabbed her face in his hands. Evelyn groaned as their lips clashed. He kissed her with a fever. Her touch was scorching. It traveled to ever bit of his taut, ravenous being. Smoke and sweetness. She tasted like burnt vanilla on his tongue.

When they parted, Evelyn gasped, blinking against the haze.

And Kade said the three words he’d hadn’t said out loud, the words he’d felt and meant more than anything in his entire life.

“I love you.”