Page 5 of The Wolf and the Chimera (The Witch and the Cowboy #3)

Ryder

Rage tunneled my vision, and I snarled at my father. He stared me down with the ferocity only an Alpha could muster.

“You called her,” I spat.

Dad nodded. “Your mother won’t let harm come to you or Elle. She has the forces and the political power to protect both of you from the High Witch.

Dad’s eyes—the eyes I had inherited from him—turning pleading. “I don’t, son. I wish I did, but I don’t.”

Part of me recognized the logic of his decision, but the kid inside me who’d been abandoned by his mother didn’t see it quite so clearly. Betrayal and worry and bitterness soured my stomach.

Beside me, Elle was frighteningly quiet, whereas my packmates were a flurry of chaos. They snarled and twitched at the incessant howling.

Wolves didn’t appreciate other wolves entering their territories.

“If they come in peace,” Landon, a thirty-something-year-old who spent more time on four legs than two called out, “why’d they bring so many of them?”

He wasn’t wrong. Several howls sang outside.

“Why is the Sovereign himself here?” Lauren, a blonde wolf with a crooked nose demanded. She stared out the dining hall’s tall windows with a scowl.

“Because the chimera is too important of cargo to let someone else fumble again,” Elle answered so quietly, human ears wouldn’t have caught it.

At the resignation in her eyes, I wondered just how accustomed to betrayal Elle was. I gritted my teeth.

“We can’t let him take the successor’s mate!” Maren, my childhood babysitter with perpetually smudged eyeliner cried out.

“Calm yourselves,” Dad commanded. “I would never put my son or his mate in harm’s way.”

Dad’s Alpha order paired with his gentle reassurance settled the tension in the others, but his power bounced off my skin like it was nothing and so did his pretty words. It didn’t matter anyway.

Knock. Knock.

They were here.

As Dad turned to greet them in the foyer, I took Elle’s hand and stared into her dark, honey-flecked eyes. Though her fear scented the air, her face was a mask of calm.

“We can run,” I promised. “There’s a million exits in this place.”

“Which I’m sure they’ve already surrounded,” she argued. She glanced around at my nervous packmates. “And I’m not sure we should run.”

“Ellie,” I whispered, “they got your parents killed—”

“And if we stay with your pack,” she interrupted, “we will get them killed.”

A chill raced down my spine.

“Your father is right,” Elle continued. “The only wolf Cordelia will hesitate to attack is a fellow Leader. To attack one of her peers would get her impeached as the Leader of Witches. She won’t risk it. Not even for me.”

“I don’t trust my mother,” I growled, “and I trust the Sovereign even less.”

“Good.” She smiled softly. “We’re on the same page for once.”

The front door opened, and the Sovereign’s voice boomed in a sickeningly cordial greeting. Judging by his boisterous laughter, one would’ve thought he was stopping by to chat with old friends, not here to wreak havoc on the family he’d broken apart years ago.

“I don’t want to go anywhere with that man,” I said, “for your or my sake.”

Elle squeezed my hand. “Do you have a better plan?”

As my frustration boiled over, my skin itched with the urge to shift. I focused on Elle’s delicate hand in mine and forced down the instinct.

“We’ll go with them,” I decided, “but we give them no information—not about Cordelia, your magic, or the sorceress. I don’t think my mother would intentionally hurt me.”

She’s never cared enough to do that.

I silenced the pitiful thought and continued. “But we need to have our guards up, and we only stay with them until we figure out our next move.”

Elle nodded, and a warm hand clasped my shoulder in a gentle grip. With a face lined by determination, Maren stood over me and tucked her long, graying hair behind her ear.

“You’re not alone, pup,” she promised. “Your father is doing what Alphas do and making the best decisions for the pack, but he forgets it is our choice to risk our lives for you and the one you love, not his.”

Others nodded solemnly and gathered closer to us. Their devotion stunned me. I couldn’t speak past the weight in my chest.

“Your loyalty is inspiring,” Elle said with a teary smile. “I hope to one day be deserving of it, but I will not risk such wonderful people so I may hide a while longer.”

I looked over each and every familiar face. Some of them were cousins, but all of us were family. These people had raised me and loved me, even when my own mother failed to do the same. I couldn’t put them at the High Witch’s mercy.

Though I hated it, Dad was right.

The dining room door swung open, and there she was .

My mother.

Standing in the doorway, her brownish-red hair was swept into a messy ponytail.

As her gaze immediately found mine, a smile lit her pale face, and she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

She wore oversized Levi’s jeans and a Pink Floyd t-shirt, both of which were stained by paint.

I guessed losing contact with her oldest son hadn’t killed her artistic streak.

The only thing about her that had changed in the four years since our last interaction were the laugh lines around her green eyes.

I guessed she spent a lot of time laughing with her second family.

“Ryder,” she greeted.

The wolves between us gathered closer, and Maren placed herself in front of me.

“Come on, you guys,” I forced myself to say. “Let’s give the Sovereign’s mate a proper greeting.”

For a moment, I feared they wouldn’t listen. Tension hung in the air, and nobody moved. My heartrate sped. If they failed to show my mother the appropriate respect, I feared the Sovereign would punish them.

Maren bowed her head. “Welcome, Lady Kalli.”

After a beat of hesitation, the other murmured similar greetings and filed into the foyer to meet the Sovereign. As they left, my mother nodded and offered her own greetings, but her gaze hung on Elle.

“Elle, right?” my mother said. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Kalli.”

She stepped closer, and I moved in front of Elle.

Kalli stumbled to a stop and swallowed.

“I would never hurt you,” she promised. I fought back a bitter laugh. “Neither of you. We’re here to help.”

“Where is your delightful other half?” I asked. “He doesn’t want to see us?”

Kalli crossed her arms. “I asked Lyall to let us talk first.”

Elle moved to my side, and her fingers brushed against mine. Kalli studied her, and her jaw slackened. Elle shifted her weight.

“Want to take a picture?” I snapped. “Or are you just going to stare at her all day?”

Kalli swallowed. “I’m sorry. She’s just so…beautiful.”

She wasn’t wrong. From Elle’s big eyes to the gentle slope of her neck to her kind smile, she was breathtaking.

Looking at Elle was like looking at the sun.

I moved in front of her again. My mother didn’t deserve the view.

Elle chuckled and once again moved to my side. She glared at me before softening her gaze and looking at Kalli. A smile pulled at the corners of her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Were you expecting a hideous monster?” she teased.

Kalli stiffened. “No, no, I just wasn’t sure what to expect—”

“Why do you want to help us?” I asked.

Kalli flinched. “Because you’re my son.”

I scoffed, but before I could provide a list of all the times she had failed to treat me like a son, Elle spoke.

“Why does the Sovereign want to help us?” she asked.

“Because I want him to.” Kalli shifted her weight and crossed her arms. “And because he doesn’t want you in the High Witch’s possession, not until he learns more about your power.”

I growled.

There it is, I thought. Another Leader who wants to use Elle for their own gain.

“How does he plan on learning about my power?” Elle asked.

Kalli sighed. “Just by being around you, Elle. No one is going to capture or experiment on you.”

Kalli took a cautious step closer and wrung her hands.

“Neither of you have much reason to trust me,” she said, “but I hope in time you will. We have no ill intentions, I promise. Only…”

“What?” I barked.

Kalli swallowed, and her gaze dipped to the ground.

“It’ll be nice to have you home,” she murmured.

When she lifted her eyes, they were glassy. My heart lurched, but I quickly cut off the rising flood of emotions. My mate’s life was on the line—I couldn’t be distracted by weak attempts at manipulation.

“You’re right about one thing,” I said. “Your promises mean jack shit to me.”

Elle grabbed my hand and squeezed. The fear and frustration tensing my muscles eased. I didn’t understand her composure. It was her life on the line, but she was as serene as ever. The only person I’d ever seen fracture that self-control was me.

That’s because I’m the only person she really can’t stand.

The door swung open, and the Sovereign entered.

He wore immaculate slacks and a dress shirt. His blond hair was carefully quaffed, and when he blinded us with a smile, his blue eyes crinkled at their corners. His dominance—stronger than any other wolf’s—stifled me. Sweat broke out on the back of my neck, and I fought the urge to lower my head.

When his predatory gaze zeroed in on Elle, all thoughts of supplication vanished. I stepped in front of her. She didn’t move.

“There they are,” the Sovereign greeted. His smile was a poorly disguised baring of teeth. “My guests of honor.”

“Sovereign,” I said flatly.

“Please,” he urged, “call me Lyall. We’re family after all.”

Gods, I hate him.

I hated his politician’s voice and his fancy clothes and the arm he draped over my mother’s narrow shoulders. As he recognized my agitation, I hated the smugness in his smile.

Behind him, Dad entered the room. When his gaze clashed with mine, he shook his head.

Though wolves could send each other telepathic messages in wolf form, they lacked that ability in their human bodies.

I didn’t need that method of communication.

His message was clear, and it wasn’t the first time I’d heard it.

He’s not worth it.

Before I could stop her, Elle walked around me and stuck out her hand, which Lyall eagerly shook.

“I’m Elle Riley,” she introduced herself.

I realized it was the first time I’d heard her full name.

I hated how little I knew her and how most the time we’d spent together had been with our lives at risk, though a sick and selfish part of me was grateful for the excuse to be near her.

We both knew if Elle didn’t need my protection, she would’ve kicked my ass to the curb already.

I had a much better chance of proving my devotion with teeth and claws than I did with heartfelt declarations.

I hated that the Sovereign was touching her. He didn’t deserve any part of her, not even the softness of her palm. As he inhaled, his nostrils flared, and my thoughts went wild.

Unclaimed, unclaimed, unclaimed.

My wolf’s hackles rose, and I barely suppressed his dominance. The urge to claim Elle—to sink my teeth into her neck and mark her as mine—was so overwhelming, I locked every muscle in my body to keep from lunging for her like an animal.

Claiming and being claimed was a choice for both parties. It was an act more intimate than sex and more binding than any human ceremony. Claiming solidified the gaps between two mates’ souls. It was so sacred, it wasn’t discussed lightly—I had never even told Freya about it.

It wasn’t something to throw in another wolf’s face by scenting their mate.

As the Sovereign’s glacial blue eyes tracked my reaction, his lips twitched upward. The urge to rip out his godsdamned throat rivaled the urge to claim my mate.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Elle continued.

Her words stole the Sovereign’s attention, and I took a deep, calming breath. Lovely wasn’t the word I would use, but the Sovereign— Lyall— preened at her politeness.

“Indeed,” he said. He surveyed her form like someone would examine an expensive artifact, and I barely contained a growl. “You’ll make a wonderful addition to the estate.”

“A temporary addition,” I amended.

“Of course,” Lyall agreed. He glanced behind him at the door. “Shall we?”

Everything felt like it was happening too fast. I had come to my father for a sense of safety only to find myself on the precipice of trusting two people I couldn’t stand with the other half of my soul.

Elle and I didn’t get along, but the thought of losing her again—before we even got the chance to know each other—sent chills down my spine.

I couldn’t face that panic again. My skin tightened and itched with the urge to shift, as if my wolf form could protect her from the threats mounting on all sides.

“I understand the fear driving you mad,” Lyall said gently. “The urge to protect a mate can be overwhelming, but you can’t let it control you. It would only do Elle more harm.”

Though his logic was sound, I ignored the Sovereign and looked at my father.

“This is the best option?” I asked.

He sighed, and the defeated look on his face made me want to damn everything and stay with him.

“It’s the best one I can think of,” Dad said. He ran a hand through his hair. “Trust me, I’ve thought about it a lot.”

The last thing Dad wanted was for us to leave, but he understood it was the safest option for all of us. Though I didn’t trust Kalli or Lyall, I trusted Dad. With that in mind, I grabbed Elle’s hand, gestured toward the door, and tried to ignore my churning stomach.

“Let’s go.”