The vessel was a beautiful blackmarble urn. She ran her fingers along the engraved name—Victor. Hereyes stung with tears as emotion welled within her.
Creek’s and Jet’s eyes dropped to theurn. While Creek looked confused, Jet’s brows winged up. “Is thatwho I think it is?”
She nodded, blinking away the tearsand taking in a steadying breath. “This urn contains the ashes ofmy father, Victor. When I created the cavern for Mytan’s lair, Iwanted him to have an important job, so I made him the guardian ofthe lair, which holds the ashes of the first wolf.”
“Your father is the firstwolf? But how is that possible? Wolves have been around forcenturies,” Creek said.
She shrugged. “Isolde said there weresome things I created that became truth in this world; Mytan—andthe legend of the first alpha—are two of those. Magic, I guess, isthe best answer to how I was able to create a legend that isactually the truth, for something that happened way, way before mydad was even born.”
“What happened to him?”Creek asked.
“He was a truck driver.There was a particularly brutal winter that year, and he was doinga long-haul delivery. When he climbed out of his truck, he slippedon the icy step and hit his head. He fell into a coma, never evenwoke up.” She knew they didn’t understand what a truck was, so sheexplained that he made deliveries in a vehicle that resembled awagon.
“I’m sorry you lost yourfather,” Creek said. “What about your mother?”
“She died a few years ago.She got the flu and then pneumonia, and it just overwhelmed hersystem.”
“Is there no one else inyour family alive?” Creek asked. “Are you leaving anyone behindwhen you stay here in our world?”
“It’s just me now. Myparents didn’t have any siblings, and my grandparents passed awaywhen I was younger. I’m an only child. I’ve always wished I hadsiblings, especially when my dad died, and it was just me andMom.”
“I’m thankful for River,”Creek said. “Being with him made things a little easier to handle.Even if he can be an ass sometimes.”
Trinity smiled. She looked at the urn.“Thank you for bringing me here.” Turning, she replaced the urn onthe shelf.
“Thanks for sharing it withus,” Jet said.
“I guess we should getback,” she said as she turned around.
“Probably,” Creek said. Heput the lantern on the shelf and lifted the glass so Creek couldrelight the candle with the flame. Then Creek extinguished thelantern. The flickering light from the candle was quite dimcompared to the lantern, and it took a moment for Trinity’s eyes toadjust to it.
She patted Mytan’s side. “Ready to go,pup?”
He rose slowly to his feet with a lowgrowl that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Hefaced the entrance to the cavern and lowered his head, his hacklesraised. Creek and Jet looked at the entrance.
“Something’s wrong,”Trinity whispered.
“I feel it, too,” Creeksaid, swallowing hard. “Jet?”
“Stay behind me,” heordered, moving to block Trinity and Creek from whatever wascoming.
She suddenly wished they hadn’tstopped at the cavern, or that they’d posted someone at the tunnelentrance to keep a look out. She’d trusted they’d be safe becauseno one went into the Mytan’s lair.
She felt like a fool.
Something glittered in the air, andshe realized as it fell toward the stone floor that it was made ofglass. It shattered and smoke rose up swiftly, choking them. Jetshoved her to the floor where the smoke wasn’t as thick.
“Follow me!” he said with arough voice. Mytan howled and fell to the floor with a thud.Trinity took in a breath as she lowered herself to the floor, hervision blurry and her ears ringing. Her lungs burned, the smokeinfiltrating everything.
As she slipped into unconsciousness,the last thing she saw was a lantern being held above her by a malewith sharp fangs and glowing, amber eyes.
* * *
Wrath straightened mid-swing of theax, an intense fear washing over him. He dropped the ax and pressedhis hand to his heart. He wasn’t afraid, but he could taste fear onthe back of his tongue. His wolf howled in his mind, and suddenlyhe knew where the fear was coming from.
Trinity!
He could feel her emotions throughtheir connection as mates, and her fear was so strong it washitting him dead in the chest like an arrow.
“Trinity’s in trouble,” hesaid. “We need to find her.”
Cael looked at him in surprise. “Howdo you know?”
“I can feel it. Where arethe damn fruits and vegetables they were harvesting?”
“I know where they are,”River said.
“Let’s go,” Wrath said.“Hurry.”
The males fell in with Wrath as theirpack raced through the woods. River stopped at the berry patch,which had clearly been picked over. He muttered the word “yams” andtook off again. Wrath was on his heels. Trinity’s fear waslessening, and Wrath didn’t know if that was a good sign or not.His connection to her was starting to get soft, more muted, and itscared the hell out of him.
They reached a place where the groundhad been dug up and put back; he noticed claw marks and assumedthat Mytan had helped them dig. The males looked atWrath.
“Did Creek mention anythingother than berries or yams?” Wrath asked.
Cael shook his head. “I only heardthose things.”
“Damn it.” Wrath’s headdropped as worry plagued him. Where the hell would she go? He’dtold her to be careful, told the males to watch her. He trusted Jetand Creek, knew they’d take her safety as seriously as their own,which meant they wouldn’t walk her into danger. Lifting his head,he touched his beast and opened his senses, looking for any sign ofhis mate.
He caught a faint trace of her scent.“This way.”
Following her scent, he realizedswiftly that they were headed toward the mountain.
“What’s at the mountainexcept rocks?” Rook asked.
Then Wrath knew. “Mytan’slair.”
“Why on earth would theywant to go there?” Brae asked.
“She created Mytan, whichmeans she created his lair. Maybe there’s something in the lairthat she wanted or needed.” Wrath scowled as he continued his faststride through the woods toward the mountains. He
