Aric didn’t say anything, although I waited. And then finally I couldn’t wait anymore. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and curled into my body.
Aric seized me against him. In his arms, against his thrumming heart, I choked on the honesty of my revelation. He murmured to me in French and soft wolfish sounds similar to those that Miguel had used to help Sandra through her torment. There was one major difference between them and us. Miguel and Sandra were forever, whereas I held on to Aric by my bleeding fingertips.
• • •
Lights flashed. Again, and again, like an obnoxious strobe light against my tired lids. I sat up abruptly in bed in time to hear something fall off the roof and see Aric’s gray wolf form leap through the screen. I scrambled out the window and landed in a crouch on the front lawn.
A midnight wolf soared from Taran’s window, followed by a brown one racing from behind the house. They charged through the wooded path where Aric had disappeared. I tore after them, blocking out Koda’s deep shout. “Celia, wait!”
The soles of my feet padded through the cold forest floor. I paid no mind to the sharp rocks, bits of bark, or the cold wind biting through my scrubs. The trail led to the main road and also served as a shortcut to the beach. I’d almost reached the end when I encountered Liam, the brown wolf, clenching a camera by the torn strap with his fangs. “Liam, where’s Aric?”
He ignored me and then blocked my body with his when I tried to advance. “Fine. We’ll do it your way.”
I shifted, and surfaced behind him, only to have Koda grasp my arm. He wore only jeans. He must have shoved them on before chasing me. I was surprised he also didn’t go wolf, but I supposed he didn’t want to garner more attention than necessary.
Koda held tight when I tried to shrug him off. I glared at his hand, then at him. The day sucked. And the night hadn’t taken a turn for the better. I’d fallen asleep in Aric’s arms, exhausted and miserable. I didn’t want to fight with Koda, but I needed to ensure Aric’s safety. “Koda, let go of me.”
Koda shook his head. “Aric wants you to stay put. Don’t worry, he’s not alone. Gemini’s other half is with him.”
I jerked my arm free. “Paul wasn’t alone, either.”
“They’re hunting a were,” Koda said in response. He lifted the camera from Liam’s maw and hit a few of the buttons.
I glanced toward where Aric’s scent quickly faded in the wind . . . along with the smell of the wereweasal. Oh, crap. My head whipped toward the camera. Shit. Shit. Shit. The sneaky bastard had photographed us again. My feet dug into the earth, ready to lurch forward and ditch the wolves.
Koda kept me in place through reason I know longer believed I possessed. “Try to understand, Celia. Aric’s had a rough day and needs to regain some control.” His growl ended the conversation as his tumultuous brown eyes fixed on the camera’s digital screen. I stood on my toes and peered over the crook of his arm.
My lids peeled back. Each flick of the button revealed images of me and Aric together—dining at restaurants, standing on the porch the first night we’d made love, walking through Incline Village, jogging along the beach . . . and lying in bed. I stumbled back, shock, humiliation, and anger forcing my fangs to protrude. The number in the corner of the screen stated the camera held sixty-five images. Were they all of me and Aric?
Koda continued to scan through the images. My body shut down. My fangs changed back to my human teeth and my arms drooped to my sides. The wind increased in intensity, mussing my hair and flapping the sides of my loose-fitting top. I ignored it and Koda’s audible protests over the photos. What the hell could this idiot hope to gain? I’d dismissed him as just another supernatural critter interested as to what my sisters and I were, but now I wasn’t so sure.
Koda flipped open the tiny compartment housing the memory card and snapped the chip to shards between his large fingers. I stared blankly into the darkness where the last of Aric’s aroma dissipated. The were hadn’t just pushed his way into our lives; he’d violated our privacy. I wanted to scream. But I refused to give the little prick even that. He wouldn’t break me. And I’d be damned if I let him dirty the moments Aric and I had shared.
Soft fur found its way beneath my hand. Liam whined and rubbed his side against my ribs. I patted his head. “I’m okay, Liam. Thanks.”
He wagged his tail and gave me a wolfish grin, but the arrival of Aric’s beast made him immediately back away. Aric’s lips peeled back from a mouthful of not-so-inviting sunshine. Koda spoke into his shoulder, carefully avoiding his Alpha’s glare. “He’s been photographing you and Celia for a while. The images date back to as early as March when you met. Some are of you alone. Others show you sharing more . . . intimate moments. I destroyed the memory card after going through them. No one will see them now.”