Page 5

–Callum–

NO MATTER WHERE it led me and the heartache it caused, my mind was made up when I left my castle with Mave, following Tréan’s orders to intercept Tadc’s men. Despite being determined to protect Ceara and the pups, I would fail because my wolf would not heed Tréan’s request to return after defeating those we would soon fight. I would not return with information about Tadc’s plans but send it back with one of my warriors.

Instead, my wolf and I would defy our alpha.

I knew it like I knew how to breathe and battle. Like I knew I would forever love my pack, the Wolves of Ossary. The primal need to protect my fated mate was as deeply ingrained as those certainties. Part of me, just like she was. Entrenched in my soul so thoroughly that despite swearing I would heed my brother’s demands, I would not.

Could not.

As I raced into the woodland beside Mave and our warriors to face off with men sent as nothing more than a distraction so Tadc could have Storm, my entire world dwindled down to her in a way it never had before. My intentions had been noble up to this point, and I’d meant to honor them with every fiber of my being, but when the moment came, I was no nobler than the lowliest swine.

Especially not when Mave and I had no time to debate how we wanted to engage Tadc’s incoming warriors before we were in the thick of it, ambushed as if our enemy knew where we would engage them in the woodland.

In fact, as my blade crashed into my opponent’s, I realized Tadc had known. When the strangest feeling overcame me, and I felt Storm close in a way she had never been before, it occurred to me that the three of us were more connected than I could have ever anticipated. Four of us, technically, but I refused to think about the Scot right now.

Not when Storm was so very close.

Too close.

I frowned, trying to understand how our thoughts could be so in sync when the truth slammed into me, and I fought harder. As hard as I could.

She was here. In my era, at last.

And she was on the run.

Worse yet, I was a distraction so Tadc could pursue her. I had thought it would have been in the twenty-first century, and it might have been, but now it was here on my territory right under my nose.

And nothing infuriated me more.

So, the moment we crashed together with the enemy’s warriors because it was just that, crashed, as we were racing in their direction one moment and meeting blade to blade seconds later, I fought with more vigor than usual. In truth, I battled with so much passion and desperation to get to my fated mate that it took me several moments to realize I no longer fought alone.

“Storm,”

I whispered, running my blade through the midsection of an incoming warrior. There was no need to look around for her or defend her because we were one in a way that made no sense and perfect sense all at once.

And it was both startling and arousing.

Mesmerizing and untouchable.

Everything she made me feel hit me so hard, I paused, trying to pull her even closer despite how close she already was, and it cost me when I felt the sting of a dagger pierce my shoulder.

Having been wounded more than my fair share in battle, I pulled it free and meant to whip it into another, only for it to snag my attention. Better still, compel me because I found myself staring down at it and growing incredibly enraged. The more furious I felt, the more I realized Storm fueled it, and she was mighty indeed.

So mighty the blade, coated in my blood, transformed into an impressive Viking sword born of fire and dragons. Born of whatever lived inside the two of us, fueled by immense energy, allowing me to cut down warrior after warrior, oblivious of my wound.

I fought like a berserker, desperate to get what I needed from the last enemy standing. Seconds later, the point of my blade was against his neck, and I hardly remembered how it got there. All I knew as I stared down at him, desperate to understand Tadc’s every intention, was somehow, some way, my nemesis grinned back at me through his eyes. Crouching, I held the sharp edge of the sword to his neck and narrowed my eyes.

“Did you think I would make it that easy, Callum?”

the warrior ground out in Tadc’s voice. His grin only grew despite his precarious position. “How foolish when we both know Storm belongs to me. Always has and—”

Even though I was supposed to get information from him, the moment he uttered those words, the very second he said my fated mate belonged to a monster like him, I ran my blade through the man’s neck. There was no rationale in doing it when I needed to gather information, just a cold-blooded desire to kill anyone who dared harm her.

No, that was wrong.

Anyone who dared take her from me.

Barely recognizing myself or my actions, my gaze rose only to lock on Mave, who crouched before me. I had been angry at my sister for so long it was hard to understand the relief I found in her compassionate gaze. Hard to understand what I felt when her eyes held mine for a long moment before she vowed to take care of Storm and left.

I blinked after her as she and her pack shifted into wolves and fled into the ever-darkening woodland. It should be me going, not her. Me protecting Storm. Just like I knew it would be when I left my castle, my alpha’s orders had been long since left behind. Hanging my head, I tried to gather good sense, but my wolf’s emotions were far too powerful. My need to protect my fated mate now she was in my era and on my land was more compelling than I ever could have imagined.

So, understanding what this would mean, the terrible truth I would face, and the heart-wrenching emotions, I stood, sheathed my Viking blade, and turned to my warriors, who stood not as men now but wolves. Meeting each of them in the eye, I said the hardest words I’d ever uttered, but I had no choice. All these years, I thought I had a choice, but I didn’t.

Not from the moment I first dreamt of Storm.

“I will be defying our alpha’s request to return to our castle and pack,”

I said. “You will not, however. As your king and alpha, I order you to return and protect our kingdom and the pups. They are more important than anything. They are your future.”

Sensing my wound would heal quicker than most due to the blade that had caused it, I ignored the slight sting in my shoulder and shifted to my wolf because they deserved that for years of devotion. For always standing by my side. I looked from wolf to wolf and said damning words. “Go home and protect our pack, for soon I will no longer be your king.”

“Callum,”

Tréan warned into my mind, fully aware of my intentions. “Do not do this. Come back and—”

“No,”

I replied firmly, unwavering as I flew through the woodland, tracking Storm’s scent. “You cannot ask it of me, Alpha. Nor should you, given you understand what it means to have a fated mate. The unstoppable pull we experience. The need to protect them at all costs. Especially if they put themselves in harm's way to protect us.”

Storm intended to. I was certain of it.

But I was just as certain she had not yet.

“I will tell you one more time,”

Tréan replied, seemingly unaffected by my argument, disappointing me once again. “Come home, or you will be exiled.”

While difficult to say, again, I had no choice, and Tréan damn well knew it. “Then exile me.”

My mind went silent for several moments, giving me hope Tréan would be merciful and understanding, but sadly, he wasn’t because his damning words came through not just to me but our entire pack.

“Brother Callum,”

he said, his internal voice hoarse with emotion. “For the crime of defying your alpha, you are hereby exiled from the Wolves of Ossary and your kingdom. You are henceforth without a pack.”

Although I was hit with a wave of crippling heartache, I didn't slow despite the terrible pain my inner beast felt at hearing Tréan’s words. Not just that, but the horrible sensation of feeling the Wolves of Ossary pull away from me because they had no other choice. Even worse was feeling my kingdom pulling away. While I was close to the entire pack, those who called my territory their own were even closer, and I felt their heartache over losing me.

More crippling still? I understood each and every one of them had no choice but to shun me, and I knew it felt like losing a family member. A parent. Their protector. Like turning away someone they loved beyond all others. I was betraying them, and they had trouble believing it. Accepting it. Trouble understanding how I could do this. I didn’t blame them either because I’d always been fiercely loyal. Even though part of me wanted to turn back and beg for forgiveness, a larger part, one I could no longer ignore, had to go to Storm.

Somehow, she had become everything to me, and I had to protect her at all costs, no matter the sacrifice. And it was enormous. But worth it if it meant keeping her out of Tadc’s hands, even if I had no choice but to spend my remaining days alone and risk turning dark. It would be worth it if it kept her safe and back with her cousins and her pack.

More importantly, I knew she would protect the pups because she was stronger than most. She would put them, as well as Naya and Bain’s pups, first.

Until then, I had to find her, which proved difficult, if not impossible, because I found no tracks, nor did I pick up a scent. Yet I knew she’d been here because I felt her in a way I suspected Tadc had, too. We were far too connected for my taste.

So connected, I suspected he knew I had been exiled.

My anxiety grew as I slowed and kept sniffing, perking my ears to the wind, but caught nothing. Where was she? I knew she was with the Scotsman and Gráinne but caught little else outside of that. Even worse, I didn’t know where Gráinne might take her. Where she called home these days.

Surprisingly, almost the moment I thought it, Mave’s cedar-tinted sable wolf appeared ahead, right there when she shouldn't be because she should be tracking Storm and keeping her safe. Moreover, she should be shunning me along with the rest of our pack now that I was exiled.

Those were the rules, and breaking them could cost her dearly.

Yet there she was, gazing back at me through the woodland as if trying to send me a message without speaking before she bolted in the opposite direction. Though I was tempted to ignore her because of the role she played in Ceara’s kidnapping, my inner beast seemed to know better because I raced after her, wondering where she would lead me. As far as I could tell, there were no tracks or scents to follow.

At first, I thought I had lost Mave until I caught a flicker of her tail ahead. Then she vanished, but not before I realized where I had ended up and where Gráinne might have taken Storm.

While not particularly popular for wolves because we preferred the wilds of the forest and the plentiful bounty it offered, the cliff caves were the perfect place to hide one’s scent. It was also a place the average wolf avoided because it was so cut off from everything and everyone. It would only appeal to wolves who preferred to distance themselves like Gráinne.

Despite not seeing Mave again, I had a general idea of where I was going now, grateful when I saw and smelled no sign of Tadc. Even so, I stopped and waited to ensure I wasn’t being tracked before moving on. Could Tadc be tracking me telepathically? Quite possibly, but doubtful, and I wasn’t sure why other than I didn’t sense him nearby.

Even better, I did not sense him in this era.

Satisfied that neither he nor his pack were following me, I cut through a bush into a cave and down a narrow tunnel before I caught Storm’s scent again, and it hit me ten times harder than before. So strongly, I had to stop and draw her in, only to realize she had been here when we fought together. When the Viking blade made its way to me, us, mid-battle.

Pausing was impossible when I knew how close she was now, so I sprinted ahead, only shifting long enough to climb the vines skyward up through a tight hole, then crawled down yet another cloying tunnel toward one of many seaside caves. Knowing other wolves who preferred their own space would be about, I shifted back because I was more intimidating in this form and kept moving, once again having trouble tracking Storm but not Gráinne.

Rather, I flew through the caves, then slowed when I felt Gráinne’s anguish and realized it was for me. She knew I had been exiled, and it broke her heart. Having always been close to me and my brothers, it made sense.

It was also a stark reminder that her duty as a Wolf of Ossary pack member was to shun me now or be exiled herself. So I forced my beast to slow, praying it obeyed because she didn’t deserve to be put in that position.

I would track her discreetly and keep an eye on Storm from a distance.

It seemed Gráinne had other plans because when I slowed down, she appeared in human form at the cave entrance ahead and stared at me for what felt like an eternity before she finally spoke.

“I could no more shun you than I could your brothers, whatever your status in the pack may be,”

she said softly with rare emotion in her eyes. She gestured for me to follow her. “Come, Callum. Understanding what it might mean, we welcome you to join us, but it must be in human form for now.”

I was both touched and grateful because she could have said no and kept me at arm’s length, which would have kept Storm at arm’s length. While my wolf felt uneasy shifting because I was stronger in this form, I did what she asked. Then I kept to the shadows, more and more eager with every step I took until I arrived at the entrance of what I sensed was Gráinne’s den and stopped short when I took in who was inside.

Better put, I froze when my gaze locked on Storm.

Though I was aware of the sizeable men standing on either side of her by the small fire, eyeing me with wariness, everything soon fell away, and I could only see her. First, as though I stared through waters at the eyes of a frightened child reaching out to me, then through sky-high flames, encircling her in protection and with good reason, given her intensely kind nature and incredible beauty.

She wasn’t as tall and lithe as her cousins but smaller with curves that made everything inside me come to attention. If that were not tempting enough, her face was stunning in a way that might not be considered as classically beautiful as Kaia’s and Naya’s, but gorgeous, nonetheless. More eye-drawing, in my opinion, with its delicate structure, softly rounded cheeks, and big, thickly lashed, striking emerald-green eyes. Hers was the sort of face that grew more captivating the longer one looked at it.

If one wasn’t drawn to her thick, auburn hair first.

It might be pulled back right now, but its fiery streaks bespoke blazing glory eager to be set free to flow around her shoulders. Eager to frame her sparkling green eyes and the plush pink lips that fell open ever-so-slightly when her breath caught upon our gazes locking.

Just like that, I was thrust back into a nightmare that had haunted me for longer than I could remember. Haunted me because I could never get to her beneath the fiery water. Never save her. I always ran into leathery wings and was kept away.

And I always awoke in a fury born of fire.

Woke with clenched fists in a rage so thorough as I struggled to get to her through the thick, cloying darkness, fiery waves, and deep underwater silence that I didn’t realize I moved until it was too late. More so, I didn’t realize I moved until I gazed into that fire again and fought those flames for all I was worth, even if it cost me everything.