Rise of the Lycans: Shadows And Secrets

Chapter 16 – Edinburgh

Maeve

Thankfully, the bus pulled to a stop at George Square without incident. A sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach told me I needed to move quickly, but I was seated in the back of the bus, which meant I was the lastto get off.

Fumbling around with my duffle bag, I tried to appear calm. The elder driving the bus may look like an old human man, but he was a shifter, and his senses were sharper than mine. He looked up from his cell phone with a frown and met my eyes.

"A'h remember whin ye wur a wee lass wit yer mam, Maeve," Old Mister McCarthy said. "Even back then a'h remember th’ Jameson boys niver treatin ye richt."

"Excuse me?"

"A dinnae know th’ story, but Jack is lookin fer ye."

I swallowed hard. "Did he mind link you?"

"Nae," he shook his head. "Mind link wull nae wirk this far away. He sent a text message sayin ye tried tae kill him.”

“What?”

“A’m sorry. Jack’s a bampot.”

“That he is,” I smiled. He had called Jack an idiot. "Did you tell him I was on the bus?"

"O’ course, nae, but he'll be huntin ye, lass.” He held up his phone. “Would ye like me tae call Alpha Hamish?”

"No… No, thank you," I gave him a weak smile. Something had attacked Jack, and I knew he would blame it on me. He’d use it to convince everyone I was cursed. "I'm going to visit a friend in London before I return home to the Moon Realm,” I told him. I didn’t want anyone to know I was going to Edinburgh, and if Alpha Hamish gave him the Alpha order, Mister McCarthy would have to tell him.

He looked at me for a moment and gave a nod. "Leavin th’ city is wise. Take a taxi tae Hamilton first. Then catch th’ train tae London. Jack has eyes at th’ local train stations in Glasgow, an ye dae nae want him knowin where ye're goin.”

“I will,” I gave him a grateful nod. “Thank you.”

“Lang may yer lum reek.”

I smiled, remembering the funny phrase about a chimney smoking that meant good luck or best wishes.

My feet moved quickly down George Street to Duke Street before I stopped at the Glasgow Necropolis. It was a popular tourist destination, so taxis were plentiful in this area. I did as the elder recommended. I slipped into a taxi and hired it to drive me twenty minutes outside the city to Hamilton. They didn't have direct trains into Edinburgh, so I took the next train with a connection in Livingston.

The train had a charging port for my phone, and I wondered if Jack could somehow track the phone if it were charged and putting out a signal. I debated tossing it out the window and buying a burner, but I also didn't want someone to report me missing to Nan and Grandad. The last thing I wanted was to worry them. With a reluctant sigh, I plugged the phone in and waited for it to charge enough to call Nan.

I considered calling Alpha Ares but quickly dismissed that idea when I remembered the pup. I looked down at my stomach, still shocked at the revelation… a baby.

How the hell did that even happen?

I had always heard it was difficult for unmated shifter couples to conceive. Then again… I wasn’t a shifter, and Rex was a lycan. Maybe lycans had super swimmers?

I knew the pup would be a lycan, but I didn’t know anything about lycan pregnancies because there had only been six adult lycans and ten born lycans—all who were born before me. Jack could already sense the pup was strong. He knew it was an Alpha, but had not said anything about the pup being a lycan.

“Fucking Jack!” I grumbled, hating the asshole. The idea that I could ever be mated to him was horseshit. Trying to force himself on me proved how crazy and dangerous he was.

Jack had accused me of trying to kill him. The dirty, rotten bastard had actually claimed I tried to kill him. I was just as stunned as he was when the trees started moving. I wasn’t aware of any elemental shifters at the Highlands Pack, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t one.

“Enchanted woods,” I mumbled to myself, recalling the book of myths I had picked up. Scottish lore was rich with enchanted woods and whatnot. Anything was possible, but what I really needed was a book about lycans and lycan pups.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’m making the right choice. My entire life had been turned upside down in a matter of weeks, and nothing made sense. I sat absentmindedly, watching the green hills of the countryside pass.

The phone powered up and had enough chargeto call someone. I needed to figure out what to say to who. Alpha Hamish would likely be looking for me as well. Spending time in the human world and studying in London felt like a solid plan. Fiona would be disappointed, but there was no way I could stay in a pack and hide a pup.

Reaching for the phone, I dialed Nan. The phone started ringing when I remembered the time difference.

“Hello,” Nan greeted me.

“You’re awake,” I smiled with relief.

“I’m at the pack house making breakfast with Dori. Is everything okay?” She asked.

That’s a loaded question.

“Everything is fine… except—”

“Hi, Maeve!” I heard Dori yell. “Has she found a hunky Scotsman yet?”

“No,” I couldn’t help but giggle. “Not yet.”

“Not yet,” Nan told her.

“We should pay her a visit,” Dori replied. “Give us a chance to see what those hunky Scots wear under their kilts.”

“Maeve,” Nan continued. “What happened?”

“It’s nothing. The house is beautiful, but it’s far from town, and I think I want to spend some time away from the shifter world.”

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to stay there. You should come home.”

“Nan, I left the pack this morning, and I’m thinking about spending some time in London. I don’t want anyone to know where I’m going.”

“Did something happen?” Nan always knew when something was wrong.

“What happened?” Dori asked, sounding alarmed. “Flaym can get us on the next flight.”

Anything was possible with Flaym’s Grandma Dori, but I didn’t want to drag anyone over here for nothing.

“Nothing happened. I don’t want anyone to worry, but the Jameson cousins were… well, less than welcoming. Jack is still spreading lies about me. Fiona is away at university, and most people aren’t interested in a boring human.”

“You’re not a boring human!” Nan said indignantly.

“It’s okay… really.”

“You should tell Alpha Hamish,” she insisted.

“Everything’s fine, Nan.” I let out a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I’ve had a great visit, but I just don’t feel at home amongst shifters anymore.” It was a shit thing to say, and I knew it would hurt her feelings.

“Sweetheart, we love you. This is your home.”

“I’m human,” I heard my voice crack. “I want to spend some time living in the human world. Get a job, go to school, and make human friends. I love you both, but I just need some time.”

“Of course,” she sounded defeated.

I changed the subject and inquired about Grandad, who was already out attending to pack duties. He was planning to take Nan to Barbados for their anniversary next month. We spoke for a few more moments before we ended the phone call.

No matter how much I wanted to tell her, I couldn’t. If the Alpha King found out, he could take my pup from me. Or force me back to the pack to raise the pup while Rex had legitimate heirs with his destined mate. I’d have to watch as he loved someone who wasn’t me. My stomach turned at the thought.

I considered calling Alpha Louise and telling her everything, but she was loyal to the Alpha King and would probably report me.

My chest burned when I thought about Rex. He was the Lycan Prince and had obligations and expectations to fulfill. I knew he’d eventually find his mate while I lived on the run trying to hide our child from him. In my heart, I knew it was wrong not to tell him, but he was not at liberty to take a chosen mate. Even if he wanted to, it was an insult to the Moon Goddess. One the Lycan Prince couldn’t afford to make.

My phone buzzed, and I looked to see Fiona calling me. My heart skipped a beat. There was a good chanceJack was with her or had asked her to call. Reluctantly, I answered it.

“Hello?”

“Maeve! Where are ye?” Her voice sounded stiff.

“I’m on my way to London,” I told her, and I heard a low growl in the background. Jack was with her. My mind whirled with all the possibilities. “I’m going to visit a friend before Flaym and Persephone join me for my return trip home.”

Great, now I needed to corroborate my lie with Flaym and Persephone.

“Ye’re leavin Scotland?”

“Aye,” I replied, not sure what I should tell her. Had Jack told her that I tried to kill him? Or maybe that I tried to seduce him? Did she know about my pup?

“What shall a’h tell mah parents whin thay ask fer ye?”

“Tell them I was homesick and will return for another stay soon.” Maybe she didn’t know. “I need to go. I’ll call you soon.”

“A’h see,” she said softly. “Be careful, Maeve.”

I didn’t think Jack was desperate enough to call Flaym or anyone at the Moon Realm, and I doubt he had anyone’s contact information. Still, Flaym was my friend, and I trusted him enough to tell him that Jack was giving me the creeps. I’d call him later and explain my sudden desire to spend time in the human world.

Now that I had a half-baked idea of what I was doing, I decided to hold off on calling Brianna. She knew me well enough to ask all the right questions, and I didn’t trust her not to go running to Rex. She’d be so outragedthatshe would demand Rex find me and marry me.

The train compartment was empty and quiet, and I was grateful to have the time to gather my thoughts. In true Scottish fashion, the sky turned dark, and a sprinkle of rain dotted the window. I rummaged around in my bag for a hair tieand pulled my long, tangled hair into a ponytail, preparing for the weather outside. It was nearly noon when the train arrived at Edinburgh’s Waverley station.

I remember being here a time or two when I was a childandknew we were close to Edinburgh Castle. The doors slid open, and I stepped out onto platform fourteen. I looked up at the clear glass panels that covered theentire train station and noticed the drizzle of rain had turned into a downpour.

“Welcome to Edinburgh, Maeve,” I tell myself and look for the blue signs pointing me in the direction I need to go.

Waverley Station is one of the largest and busiest train hubs in Scotland. There was no way Jack would be able tofind me now. I could easily be on another train to Paris from here. My stomach growled, reminding me I was hungry, and I quickly made my way to the food court. Thanks to Jack, I didn’t have time for breakfast.

A delicious scent wafted from a little stand selling hand pies, or bridies, as the Scots called them. I ordered two traditional horseshoe-shaped meat pies and a water bottle. Looking up through the glass ceiling again and out to the dark clouds hanging overhead, I decided to sit down and eat my food before I ventured out into the wet city.

The pie was still warm, and my mouth watered when it met the flakey crust. Flocks of people rushed past my bench to catch a train, many dragging suitcases behind them. I took another big bite and turned my attention to the gift shop beside me. It had a rack full of cheap umbrellas for tourists that probably wouldn’t stand up to the gusts of wind Scotland was famous for. However, the umbrellas were printed in plaid, so tourists were drawn to the ugly things.

I blew out a sigh and started on the second pie.

I needed to find a joband rent a flat with a monthly rate. I knew Edinburgh was more expensive to live in than Glasgow, but with all the shifters in Glasgow, I was safer in Edinburgh. Reaching into my pocket, I retrieved the card Remington had given me and typed the address into my phone. Princes Street led right down to Shandwick Place, and the pub seemed to be on a corner.

With any luck, Remington would need some help.

The escalator carried me to street level, and I walked toward Princes Street. From here, I could see the Gothic Scott Monument, dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. The closer I got, the bigger it seemed. It was the largest monument to a writer in the world and was just as magnificent as I remembered it.

“The structure is made of sandstone, but the statue of Scott is Carrara marble from Italy,” an American teacher told a group of high school-looking students.“This is the same marble Michelangelo used for his masterpieces, including The David,” she continued as I walked past.

I noticed all the different colors and sizes of the buses: blue, green, white, red, orange, yellow… you name it. Some were double-deckers, some single-deckers. There were bus stops every few yards. The tram in the middle of the busy street glided along, moving residents and tourists to their destinations.

It was well-organized chaos, and I could easily hide here.

The rain had done nothing to detour the people except perhaps drive them into pubs for a dram of whisky. A clock on the corner above Johnnie Walkers started chiming at seven past one, and five little kilted Highlander figures moved around the clock. I wasn’t sure if the clock was off by seven minutes or if there was a story behind the delayed chiming.

I strolled down Shandwick Place and stopped in front of a coffee shop. The Black Sheep. It was an interesting name for a coffee shop but not as interesting as the pub across the street. The pub was painted black with greenish-gold letters that read Dead Man’s Pint . An image of a skeletal hand wrapped around a beer mug was the only indication of what was inside. The double doors on the corner of the building were also painted the same color as the lettering.

I hesitated for a moment. Wondering if Remington was just being polite. What were the odds I’d leave Glasgow and come find him in Edinburgh?

I prepared to cross the street and looked left. I nearly stepped off the curve when the sound of a horn from my right side rang out. Leaping back, I remembered I needed to look right first. Unlike in America, cars are driven on the other side of the road.

Someone stepped out of the pub across the street, but it wasn’t through the big double doors. It was a separate exit that nearly blended into the side of the building. The gentleman looked familiar, and I had a strange feeling I had seen him before. He wore a long raincoat and had a regal air about him. He turned his head slightly, and I recognized the pale skin. My heart stuttered.

I knew it wasn’t possible… It couldn’t be.

I watched him move to the black cab waiting at the corner and open the door. A female pushed the same door open, and I got a good look at her face. It was Chiara—the Vampire King's mate.

The man holding the cab door for her was Ambrose, the Vampire King.