Chapter 23 - Eddie

I never should have left her alone, Eddie thought as they headed down the hall towards the dining room where the party had already begun.

The sound of music filled the air, the smell of food wafting towards them making him hungry. The hum of voices and merriment was odd to hear. Though the manor was always bustling with people, it wasn't often they entertained in such a large way.

And yet, oddly, it made Eddie feel content, to have worked so hard on the place, to finally have a reason to show it off, and to have the biggest reason of all walking right by his side. He felt as if he had somehow won the lottery.

At the door, he paused, gripping Winter’s wrist to pull her back around to face him.

“Eddie, what are you—”

Before she could finish, Eddie planted a firm kiss upon her lips, holding her face in both his hands as he rested his forehead against hers. “How the hell did I ever get so damn lucky?”

He nuzzled his nose against hers, brushing her cheeks with the balls of his fingers.

“You really are beautiful, do you know that?”

Winter pulled back, blushing. “In case you'd forgotten, we have a job to do.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, gripping her by the hips to pull her back in close.

“Karena isn't going anywhere.”

“No, but the longer we wait to get this potion into her, the more we risk her figuring something out.”

Again, Eddie rolled his eyes. “All work and no play.”

“There will be plenty of time for playing later,” Winter assured him, pecking him on the cheek. “For now, let's get this over with, and then we can enjoy the rest of the evening.”

She slipped from his arms, causing them to feel empty, and he had to fight the urge to pull her back in again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to keep his hands off her.

“How exactly do you plan to get it into her drink, anyway?” Eddie asked as Winter slipped up to the open door, glancing around the dining room as if searching for her target.

“You might be ex-black ops, but your mate knows a thing or two about being sneaky when she needs to be,” Winter assured him.

Eddie was about to warn her to be careful when a voice inside the room called, “Well, there they are! It’s about damn time!”

Eddie gritted his teeth. Now that their alpha had announced their presence, there was no way of turning back.

Winter looked over her shoulder, smiled and held out her hand. “Are you ready?”

Eddie looked her up and down. With her in that revealing gown, the emerald silk bringing out the color of her eyes and the slit down the skirt showing off her curvaceous thighs, all he was ready for was taking her right upstairs to bed.

In fact, for a second, he considered doing just that. In bed, beneath him, she was safe. She would be the safest she ever could be now.

But only his loyalty to the pack stopped him from doing so.

With a deep sigh, he took hold of Winter's hand and said, “As ready as I'll ever be.”

He was surprised when Winter squeezed his fingers reassuringly. “Don't worry. It'll all be over in the blink of an eye.”

Her confidence caused Eddie to smile, and yet somehow, it also worried him.

Things had been going well, finally going his way. He couldn't help but feel that sometime soon his luck was going to run out. And what then?

“If it isn't the newlyweds!” Jack said as they entered, appearing from the side to grab them both by the shoulders and shove them into the center of the room. “Can I get a round of applause for the little love birds?”

In an instant, the room was filled with applause, with the clinking of champagne glasses and cries of appreciation for both of them.

For a second, Eddie was stunned. Then, he became concerned. Werewolves weren't ones to celebrate without a good howling.

It was odd not to hear those wolf voices being raised in celebration of the union they had made. In a way, it made his heart ache. And yet, the absence of that sound also gave him relief.

Maybe their plan actually would work.

Before he knew it, he was being dragged away from Winter into the sea of people, all desperate to congratulate him, all making a show for the one person in the room who really mattered.

And as Eddie was forced to go through the charade of thanking his packmates, he peeped over their shoulders, searching out his mate.

She moved with purpose, with a sleekness to her stride that left Eddie wondering if she was actually more wolf than even she realized.

And as he watched her go, he couldn't help but admire her; that dress, her tanned skin, the confidence with which she moved through a room bursting with werewolves young and old.

She was an absolute marvel to behold. And Eddie's heart swelled as he realized, she's mine.

He had known it for a while now, and yet it was in this moment he felt the proudest. Perhaps it was all the words of congratulations in his ear, or maybe it was the knowledge that after this party was said and done, he and Winter would be in each other's arms once more as if nothing had ever happened.

At the end of the day, every day, from now on he would go home to her, wherever that might be.

Wherever she was, that was home.

“Hey man, are you alright?”

Will’s voice almost made Eddie jump right out of his skin.

Clutching his chest, he gasped for breath. “Jeez. Don't startle me like that.”

“Startle? You?” Will exclaimed, looking quite stunned. “I remember a time when nobody could sneak up on you from more than two hundred meters. What's the matter?”

Eddie shook his head and again returned to looking for Winter. She had moved well in the few seconds he had interacted with Will, and he found her on the far side of the room, practically right on top of Karena and Kane. He watched her make eye contact with Kane and the two passed a discreet nod in a way that told him their plan was about to be underway.

He gulped hard.

“Damn, man. She really does have you wound up, doesn't she?” Will asked, clapping Eddie on the shoulder as he followed his gaze through the room. “You know, she might not be a werewolf, but she's not a fragile little human, either.”

Eddie shrugged off his comrade's hand, shaking his head. “I know. I just worry about her.”

“I might not know our new sister very well, but something tells me she wouldn't appreciate you being so damn protective. Witches like their freedom. They like the grass between their toes and the wind in their hair. Remember that.”

Will jabbed Eddie playfully in the ribs with his elbow.

Eddie grumbled low in his throat. “I will remember that. Still, I'm going to do whatever I've got to do to protect her. You'll understand when you find your mate.”

Will laughed then, throwing back his head. “I'd have to actually be looking for her to find her. Don't you think?”

Eddie was stunned then. He looked around at Will, distracted for a moment by his words. “It's an innate instinct in us all, isn't it? To be without your fated mate is a curse.”

Will shrugged. “We live a long life. I'd like to have some fun first.”

Eddie scowled. “Don't you think you've had plenty over the years? I'm pretty sure your conquest count was larger than the rest of ours combined.”

“Sowing those wild oats and all that,” Will shrugged. “And besides, one of us has got to keep up the fun for everyone else now you're all tied down.”

“Just don't blame the rest of us when it comes back to bite you in the ass one day,” Eddie said, shoving his friend back playfully. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see if Winter needs any help.”

“Sure thing. Just don't go letting her turn you into some lovesick puppy like the rest of them,” Will insisted, inclining his head to the left where Zander and Layla were standing close together, whispering in each other's ears as if there weren't anyone else in the room. At their feet sat their young son, playing with a wooden wolf that Zander had hand-crafted for him.

That'll be us one day, Eddie thought happily as he assured Will again, “You'll understand when you find her.”

Will scoffed again and shoved Eddie forward. “Go and check on your girl before you make me sick.”

Eddie crossed the room, still laughing a little at Will's comment, accepting congratulations as he went.

And by the time he got over to Winter, he couldn't help but wonder whether she had already managed to accomplish her mission.

The answer came in the form of her slipping the vial from her pocket the second Kane drew his sister's attention away, pointing out several people in the crowd as if trying to help her get to know the people of the pack.

“That’s Hanson and Elena,” Kane said, and Eddie watched with quiet fascination as Winter swiftly removed the cork from the vial and upended it into the glass of champagne Karena was holding.

The poor human was utterly oblivious, nodding at everything her brother was saying.

“I had no idea you had so many friends, Kane,” Karena said, and Eddie watched as she raised her glass to her lips.

His stomach twisted with anxiety. Was she going to smell that something was off?

Of course not. If she had been a werewolf, she would have, but then again, if she had been there would have been no need to dose her.

Eddie moved in close and placed a hand on Winter's back. Whispering in her ear, he said, “You made that look effortless.”

There seemed to be no end to his mate's talents.

“I told you I could be sneaky when I needed to be,” Winter whispered back, wrapping her arms around Eddie's back. Louder, she added, “How are you doing?”

“I'll be better once all this attention dies down,” Eddie admitted, offering a smile to another congratulating packmate as they passed by.

Winter held him tighter and wiggled her nose in that cute little way that she did. “Don't be so grumpy.”

Eddie shrugged. “It's a werewolf trait. I can't help it.”

Both he and Winter glanced at Karena then. Had he said that too loud?

It appeared that her attention was still entirely on Kane. She looked quite fascinated by the amount of people in the room, maybe even a little overwhelmed.

“I never imagined you living in a place like this,” Karena admitted, taking another sip of her drink.

Eddie's stomach twisted all over again. How long was it going to take for the potion to work? Would it be instant, or did it take some time to get into her system and rewire things?

Eddie was about to whisper the question in Winter's ear when a commotion at the door drew everyone's attention.

“What is going on?” Winter asked, and Eddie felt her fingers grip the back of his jacket as if she was concerned.

“I don't know,” Eddie admitted, already on high alert. Something about the voice that came rushing down the hall had him on edge.

“What the fuck?” Kane cursed, and Eddie glanced at his packmate. The tattooed werewolf was all squared up as if prepared for a fight.

And that's when the news hit them along with the realization that everything was going to shit.

Eddie had been right. Their luck was running out.

“Christopher is gone!”

“Who…who is Christopher?” Karena asked, and Eddie's spine shivered.

Those were the kinds of questions they had been hoping to avoid from her.

All over the room, Eddie's packmates were breaking into action.

“Everyone out!” Jack yelled, though nobody really needed the instruction. “Find him before he gets over the border!”

“Kane? What's going on?” Karena asked, her voice sounding small, like a child’s.

When Eddie looked at her, he saw that she had gone awfully pale.

“Karena, are you alright?” Winter asked, leaving Eddie's side.

“I…I don't feel so good,” Karena confessed as all hell broke loose around them. All Eddie could pray was that Winter's potion would take effect quickly enough for her not to remember any of this.

“Maybe you should sit—”

Winter never got to finish her suggestion as Karena suddenly dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Kane barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground, laying her down gently and swiftly removing her empty glass from her hand.

“Is she going to be alright?” Kane asked, looking up at Winter with deep concern.

Eddie gulped. Was this supposed to happen?

Winter dropped down into a crouch before the siblings and nodded. “It's just the potion taking effect. Once it's done its work, she'll wake.”

Kane looked relieved at that, though if Eddie was honest, he didn't look entirely convinced.

“Was this the right thing to do?” Kane asked.

It was only then that Eddie realized Kane had addressed the question to him.

Feeling a heavy weight in his gut, Eddie shrugged. “It's for her own good. It's to protect her. If it were Elena, I'd have done the same thing.”

Whether or not it was the right thing was of no consequence now. What was done was done.

“You should get her upstairs and make her comfortable, come up with some excuse for when she wakes just in case she does remember anything,” Winter suggested to the werewolf.

“I'll help you,” Miley said, the redheaded beauty appearing to lay a hand on her mate's shoulder.

“I should be helping the pack,” Kane protested.

“There are enough wolves here to take care of that,” Miley assured him, already hitching Karena up onto her shoulder as if she weighed little more than a feather.

“I'll join them as soon as I've taken Winter home,” Eddie assured his packmate.

“Like hell you will!” Winter protested, rising to her feet with such a fighting look on her face that it actually frightened Eddie.

“What do you mean?”

“I'm not going home. I'm coming with you.”

Eddie blinked in surprise. “It's not safe. Christopher is dangerous.”

“Are you forgetting that I'm the one who helped you take him down the first time?” Winter grumbled at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “Besides, I'm not letting you face him alone. We're in this together, remember?”

“I won't be alone,” Eddie pointed out, gesturing at all the werewolves already rushing from the room.

“None of them will watch your back like I will,” Winter countered, scowling deeply. “Besides, I'm not the kind to sit at home like a good little girl and wait for my mate to come back. You'll only be wasting time taking me home, because the second you're gone, I'll follow.”

Eddie sighed deeply again. This woman was bound to get on the end of his very last nerve, but by hell, he loved her for it.