Page 12 of Cursed Magic (Rejected Fate Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER TWELVE

S eeing Bruce without Ryker beside me felt unbearably wrong. However, I understood why a shifter wouldn’t be comfortable with Ryker present, given the stories that had circulated about him and his pack. That was the only reason I’d stood my ground about him not being here, but maybe I’d made a mistake.

Still, I had made the decision, and I needed to see it through. I could change my mind at any time and link with Briar.

Bruce stepped into the room, and when the lights hit his face, I could see the pronounced dark circles under his eyes. They were evidence that he’d had a long night after the attack. His shirt was wrinkled, and his jeans were smudged like he’d been working in the dirt. He shook his head, and bits of soil fell from his salt-and-pepper hair.

“Ember,” he sighed as he shut the door. “I’m relieved you agreed to meet with me, especially without the Grimstones.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure it was the right call to exclude Ryker, especially after you held my sister captive .” My voice trembled with rage, but I took a deep breath, trying to keep my demeanor calm. Losing it wouldn’t accomplish anything. I needed to pay attention to every detail, to notice whether he began playing with his words to prevent me from knowing he was lying.

He hung his head. “Despite what you think, I was holding your sister for her and our safety. These times have made trust hard, so I understand your position.” His gaze briefly shifted to Raven, who sat calmly beside me, a silent, steady presence. “And when the vampires came to protect us because of you, I realized you leaned toward trusting the vampire queen’s right-hand woman, perhaps because you’ve had to be cautious. Shifters did kill your pack, after all.”

I clenched my fists beneath the table. “I find it hard to believe that you held my sister against her will for her and your safety, especially since she knew I was alive.”

Bruce settled in the spot directly across from me. He folded his hands on the table and rubbed his eyes. “That’s why I’m here—to clear the air and to be transparent with both you and the vampires.”

What’s going on? Briar linked. Ryker is about to burst through the door.

A part of me wanted him to, but I feared that Bruce might stop talking if he did, and I was about to get at least an explanation. Tell him not yet, please. I do plan to ask him to join us soon, but I need time to get one answer. At that moment, I realized that I had to bring Ryker in. We’d agreed to be allies, and he’d proven himself to me. If I didn’t invite him in, my words wouldn’t match my actions. I’d be pissed too, if the situation was reversed.

“We’d love to hear what you have to say.” Raven tilted her head and smiled, though the warmth didn’t reach her eyes.

He dropped his hands into his lap. “I had nothing to do with any of the attacks. I know suspicion runs deep because you were attacked on my land and I had restrained your sister, but I swear I’m just as much a victim as you.” He paused, and the room filled with awkward silence.

A sour taste coated my mouth. “If you don’t elaborate on that, then there’s no reason for me to stay.” I wouldn’t be appeased by general statements that could have been constructed to hide the truth and make me believe what I thought I’d heard because the scent of a lie never appeared.

He rolled his shoulders back. “Your pack was slaughtered the very next night after Reid publicly rejected and shamed you.”

I snorted so hard the back of my throat ached. “You don’t have to remind me. I’m very well aware.”

“I’m sure you are, but this is part of my explanation.” He arched a brow and shook his head. “This is why young’uns don’t make the best leaders. They’re impatient and run their mouths.”

“In this instance, I must disagree with you.” Raven leaned back and crossed her legs. “I understand why Ember feels you’re evading the question. And I promise, Bruce …” She emphasized his first name to be clear that she wasn’t showing him proper respect. “I’m much older than you, so I believe my opinion carries more weight.”

He leaned his head back and glared at the white ceiling. “I’ve been mated for over thirty years; there’s no winning with one woman, let alone two.” He huffed and looked me in the eyes. “Even though I hated the way Reid rejected you, the Blackwoods have always been honest and forthright…or so I thought at the time. When he said something was wrong with you, it altered my view of your pack.”

My vision blurred, and my eyes burned as tears filled them. I blinked, holding them back. I wouldn’t cry in front of Raven, and I damn well refused to cry in front of Bruce. I wouldn’t allow anyone to know that Reid’s words had hurt me so extensively.

“So when the Blackwoods alerted us that your pack had been attacked, at first, I was relieved that someone had taken care of a potential problem.” He grimaced. “But when I got on-site and saw the way your pack was massacred… It was brutal. Something beyond hate, and I instantly felt awful for being grateful for those few minutes.”

Wow. He wasn’t holding back. There still was no scent of a lie, which informed me that he was being sincere and brutally honest. “Well, it’s nice to know that one of the alphas my father considered a friend didn’t celebrate his death for too long.”

“You wanted full transparency, so that’s what I’m giving you.” Bruce crossed his arms, which made him appear more tired than flustered or ornery. “I’m still ashamed that I felt relief, but at that moment, I wasn’t picturing your father… I didn’t imagine his face, or even yours, as one of the dead. When I saw who had been slaughtered, it truly sank in. And I will never forgive myself for those few weak moments.”

Sis, Ryker is about to lose his shit. Briar’s concern poured from her.

I need a few more minutes. He’s telling me why he kept you captive, and after that, I want Ryker to join us.

“That night, I tossed and turned, so ashamed that I’d let a friend down. That I hadn’t taken his side when his pack and his daughter were being humiliated. Maybe if I had stood beside you, the Blackwoods would’ve thought twice about attacking your home.” He rubbed a hand on his arm. “So I got up and went for a run. And that’s when I found Briar washed up on the embankment and barely breathing. In that second, I realized that even though I couldn’t undo what I’d done, I could at least try to make a bit of amends for abandoning you all.”

I wanted to lash out at him, but I’d made similar mistakes that had gotten me into that situation in the first place. Had I not fully trusted the Blackwoods, maybe I would’ve seen warning signs.

“And you held her against her will? That’s how you wanted to make amends?” Raven chuckled darkly.

“That wasn’t the intent.” He lifted both hands in surrender. “At first, we restrained her because we feared she might wake up when no one was near and run off. At that point, we hadn’t begun to suspect the Blackwoods, but we also didn’t know who we could trust anymore. I alpha-willed my entire pack to keep silent about her being with us.”

So he had a somewhat reasonable justification for doing it at first. “And why was she still handcuffed when we found her?”

“She was unconscious and recovering for almost a week. We’d begun getting worried about how long it was taking her to wake, but we suspected part of it was the loss of all her pack links. She’d only been awake a few days before you arrived, and when she regained consciousness, she was desperate to get away and wouldn’t listen to any reason. She refused to eat, drink, or anything unless she was freed to locate her sister. We couldn’t risk her escaping because it would not only bring danger to her but to our pack as well if she told people we’d restrained her. ”

My heart twisted. I hadn’t considered that Briar might have been frightened upon waking. She was more sensitive and warmer than me, and I hated that the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind, but now that he said it, it made sense. “She said I was alive, but you seemed surprised to see me at the alpha meeting.”

“Because I was.” He patted his chest. “I thought she was struggling with grief and her connection to you was one that she had to pretend to maintain. And then, not only did you walk in, but you entered with him . The very man who ran from an enemy to protect his own ass.”

Hot fury blazed through my veins as Bruce’s words hung between us, a challenge thinly veiled as a statement.

“If you speak of Ryker like that again, I’ll leave this room and never meet with you again.” I had to set boundaries and expectations so I was justified when I attacked him.

Raven adjusted the skirt of her black dress. “You won’t need to, Ember. I’ll have him removed from the premises because the vampires are allied with both your pack and the Grimstone pack.”

Nostrils flaring, Bruce pursed his lips as if he’d tasted something bad. “If anyone is part of these attacks—”

“He’s not . I can assure you.” My voice was steady but sharp as a blade. “He was on the brink of death after taking a knife in the side that had been intended for Briar. If anyone has earned my loyalty and trust, it’s him . And the vampires showed up tonight because of their relationship with Ryker, not me.”

I linked to Briar, It’s time.

Thank Fate. Ryker is literally pulling his hair right now.

Not even a second later, the door swung open, and Ryker entered .

Bruce looked over his shoulder and scowled. “I thought we were going to speak alone.”

“I gave you all the time I was willing to without Ryker by my side.” I held Bruce’s gaze. “From this point forward, Ryker and I are a package deal, with you and anyone else.”

Ryker’s eyes met mine, a flicker of something unspoken passing between us. He was a force of nature, his alpha energy commanding attention. He marched toward me and stopped once he stood on the opposite side of Raven.

“The only reason I didn’t demand to be in here at the beginning was due to my respect and trust in Ember.” Ryker wrinkled his nose as if looking at Bruce nauseated him. “The fact that you worked with the Blackwoods to attack us on your land was disgusting.”

Bruce’s expression became a mixture of anger and anguish, and he slammed his fist on the polished wood of the table. The sound echoed through the room, followed by his booming voice. “You think I’d willingly hand over half my pack to die to collaborate with the Blackwoods? What sort of alpha do you think I am?”

Not missing a beat, Ryker spat, “Apparently the same sort of leader you believe I am since you have no issue believing I left my pack, the royals, and my family to die.”

“Bruce, we understand your pain.” Raven’s expression softened as she leaned forward. “But if you can’t believe us, why should we believe you?”

“Because I’ve always tried to do what was right, and now that the enemy has attacked my pack, I want justice for them,” he snapped. “When I smelled the spilled blood of those I swore to protect and knew I’d failed them, I vowed to seek revenge, no matter the cost.”

After a shaky breath, Bruce stood. “I didn’t come here to play games or spin lies. I came because I want answers. If that means I have to align with Ryker, I will because I trust Ember.”

I still didn’t smell any sort of horrible rotten-egg stench. He had to be telling the truth. If he were cloaked, his scent would be greatly muted, but that wasn’t the case.

To end the awkward silence, I cleared my throat. “Did your pack or the vampires find any evidence?” I glanced from Bruce to Raven.

Raven shook her head. “Nothing. The guards updated me, and the only thing left behind was a faint scent of shifter that couldn’t be distinguished.”

“The exact same situation for all the other massacres, along with being unable to see the attackers… Well, for everyone but Ember.” Ryker’s jaw clenched. “I don’t understand how it’s possible.”

“Wait.” Bruce’s head jerked back. “Ember can see them?”

A lump formed in my throat. I didn’t understand why I could see them when no one else could. “Well, not them but a shadow-like outline.”

“That’s still better than being completely blind.” Bruce pursed his lips. “It has to be some sort of magical spell.”

“And we all know a witch lives on Blackwood pack territory,” I added, mentally pulling up the image of the witch who was supposed to conduct Reid’s and my mating ceremony.

Bruce rocked back in his seat. “True, but she doesn’t have the magical capabilities to perform magic like this.”

“How do you know that?” Raven steepled her hands together.

“Because the Blackwood alphas have always bragged about their little witch, and one night, they had a little too much wolfsbane and confided to some of us what her specialty is.”

My lungs stopped working. “Which is?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but then his eyes widened in surprise.