Chapter 22 – Edinburgh
Rex
“A’m sorry Alpha Rex. A’h had nae idea,” Hamish repeated for the fourth time as he unlocked the door to the cabin beside the lake.
“I’m sure Maeve can tell you all about his special brand of torment when we find her,” Brianna told him. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she left because of him.”
“Maeve told me about the nasty little cousins when she first arrived at our pack,” Flaym stated.
Jealousy poked at me. “She did? Why?”
“Because we’re part of the Secret Ginger Club,” he snickered.
“Where’s the other cousin?” I demanded. “I’d like to speak with him.”
“Yer th’ Lycan Prince, fer cryin oot loud. Ye cannae just brash th’ lads fer wee barin jokes,” Hamish told me as I resisted the urge to carve his heart out.
“They’re not wee barin’s anymore, Hamish. If I find out any one of them had anything to do with her leaving. I will collect more than a pound of flesh.”
“A’h ken, but she's human,” he replied.
“My mother is human,” I seethed.
“Ye misunderstand,” he took an involuntary step back. “She told her nan that she wanted tae live in th' human world. Alpha or nae, ah cannae stop her.”
“Did I hear that Cormac built this cabin by hand?” Dori interrupted, admiring the craftsmanship.
“Aye,” Hamish nodded. “He wis brilliant.”
“This place is adorable,” Brianna said, taking in the large stone fireplace.
I couldn’t help noticing the home's cozy, romantic charm, like something from one of her books. It was situated near the lake in the most picturesque part of this territoryandit belonged to her. The largest city in Scotland was about an hour away and had agreat university. So, why would she only stay two weeks?
“Wull ye be stayin? We hae guest rooms at th' pack hoose.”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Has someone been in here to clean since she left?” Flaym asked.
“Aye,” Hamish nodded. “Th’ pack Omegas.”
Standing in the middle of the living room, I could see there was a lofted space that had been turned into a bedroom. I stepped into the bathroom and noticed it had been cleaned. There was no hair or tooth brush. I moved to the bedroom and found a suitcase in the corner and clothing on the bed… it was her clothing. The closet was empty, and there was no sign of her purse, jacket, or Loch Ness doll.
When I returned to the living room, Flaym had his head in the refrigerator.
“Where did the food come from?” He asked.
“She picked up th’ messages when she wis last in town,” Hamish replied.
“Messages?” Grandma asked.
“Th’ groceries,” he grinned. “ Ye make a list o’ messages tae yerself o’ what ye need, an then ye buy th’ messages when yer oot shoppin.”
“I love Irn-Bru,” Flaym announced as he popped open the top and took a long drink.
“Some of her clothes are still here.”
Brianna came down the steps from the loft. “There’s nothing unusual up here, except for these Highlander romance novels,” she held them up. “They were published five years ago, so they probably came with Maeve.”
“I should hang on to those for her,” Grandma said. “Give them here. I’ll keep them safe in my purse.”
“Along with everything else,” Flaym chuckled.
“Looks like she left in a hurry,” I felt my annoyance resurface. Something was off. She may not have taken everything with her, but she had taken what was important. “Did she have access to a car?”
Hamish shook his head. “She took th' pack bus intae town.”
“And from there, she could have taken the train anywhere.”
“Ooh, I hear London has the underwater train that takes you to Europe,” Grandma said. “I’ve always wanted to try the underwater train.”
“It’s no different than a regular subway ride, except you need a passport,” Flaym told her.
“Will you show me the loch?” Brianna asked Hamish.
“It'll be mah honor,” he extended his arm to her. “Loch Lomond is th' largest loch in Scotland, though Loch Ness holds more water,” he told her as they stepped out of the cabin.
Flaym waited until the door closed, and we could see them out the window. They moved closer to the water, and his hand pointed in different directions as he continued talking to her.
“Something’s not right,” Flaym spoke first.
“It’s beautiful here, but if I was all alone and no one was being friendly, I might move on too,” Grandma added.
“I bet it was Jack and his brother… What’s the assholes name?”
“Anus,” Grandma said.
“I think you mean Angus,” Flaym told her.
“Tomato, tomahtoe,” she snickered.
“You think Hamish might know?” Flaym questioned.
“No. He would have been the first to tell us if he knew something more.” We’d known Hamish since we were pups. Pride and honor are not things he would compromise.
“Maybe we should try Glasgow?” Grandma suggested.
“Does Glasgow have a castle that sits atop a hill overlooking the city?”
“It has a big cathedral and a university,” Flaym told me. “Edinburgh is the one with the looming castle on a hill.”
“I think she might be there.”
“Wait just a minute,” Flaym looked at me curiously. “When you had me ask Maeve about the black mist… you had a vision about her?”
I nodded my head. “I saw the lake and the fog.”
“Lake?” He questioned.
Grandma threw her hands up with a huff. “Lake, loch, it’s the same damn thing. Rex, honey, what exactly did you see?”
“That was it. The loch, the black fog, people marching with fire torches, and the castle.”
“The fire torch procession happens during Hogmanay,” Grandma told us.
“Looks like we’re going to Edinburgh,” Flaym said as he finished off his Irn-Bru.
“See about making arrangements to get us to the train station in Glasgow,” I told Flaym.
I went up to the loft to see the space that was hers. The place that had been her home before she came to the Moon Realm. There was a small door at the top of the stairs, but the loft wasn’t closed off from view. It had an open wall on one side with an iron guardrail overlooking the living room. I dipped my head and entered the room, hoping to pick up her sweet caramel scent.
A full-sized mattress sat low to the floor on a simple wooden frame, allowing the perfect view of the loch from the window. The blue patchwork quilt and pink fluffy pillows gave the room a cozy feel. I moved to the small dresser beside the bed and found a photo of Maeve with her parents. It was taken in front of the fireplace below, and the happiness in their eyes was unmistakable.
Maeve was the center of their world, and it showed.
My eyes dropped to the necklace around her neck—one I recognized and conveniently had in my pocket. Somehow, I knew it was important to her and wondered where it came from. Reaching into my pocket, I retrieved the necklace and held it in my palm before I lowered myself onto the bed. It was a beautifully crafted piece of jewelry, and I considered leaving it here for her.
My thumb rubbed the oak tree as I sat looking out over the loch. It was a stunning view. The sun was high overhead, and the water practically danced as it glistened. In the distance, I could see a small island that appeared to be a floating oasis in the middle of the loch. There was something mystical about it, and I wondered if Maeve had ever visited it with her father.
“Are you going to take a nap up there?” Flaym called out from the living room below.
“Hold your horses!”
I returned to her family photo, where she smiled with her two front teeth missing. She couldn’t have been older than six years and was full of spirit already. Pain shot through my chest with a tight longing… one I had fought to bury. I hated the thought that I had hurt her every time I pushed her away. It felt wrong, but I didn’t want to fall into a Lukas and Selena trap. It was wrong to want her, and yet I couldn’t stop myself. Even my beast wanted her.
I shoved the necklace back into my pocket and decided to keep it safe until I saw Maeve again.
By mid-afternoon, the sun was low in the sky, getting ready for an early winter sunset. The train was nearing Edinburgh, and I could practically feel her presence here. Whether it was my longing to see her or some natural connection, I wasn’t sure… she wasn’t a shifter, so there wasn’t even a pack bond between us.
My mother is human, and my father always seemed to sense her whereabouts like a sixth sense. Of course, they were mated and marked, so the mate bond was strong with them. Maybe if I had marked her… The beast within let loose a low, frustrated growl, and several heads turned in my direction.
Grandma dug around in her purse, “Would you like some Tums?” She held up an orange and blue wrapped stick of antiacids. There was no way anyone would believe that it was a stomach growl.
“It was probably all the haggis we ate,” Flaym rubbed his belly. Alpha Hamish had returned to Glasgow with us and treated us to lunch at one of the local restaurants that made their haggis fresh daily.
“Did you find us rooms yet?” This was Scotland’s busiest holiday celebration, attracting people worldwide. Hotels were full to capacity, and Flaym was still tapping away on his phone screen.
“The Balmoral is the only hotel with one vacancy,” he said. “It’s a five-star luxury hotel with a family suite at nearly four thousand pounds a night.”
“Four thousand!” Brianna gasped.
“It’s Hogmanay, and that’s what we call supply and demand,” Grandma told her. “Here, use my black card,” she gave Flaym her card.
“You have a black card?” Flaym asked. “Won’t Ares figure out where we’re at if he sees the charge?”
“Honey, this card is linked to the bank I put all my casino, bingo, and lotto winnings in,” she smiled.
“That is one lucky rabbit's foot, alright!” He whistled. “Where did you get it?”
“It belonged to my great-grandaddy in Australia,” she said. “It’s been in the family for years. The rabbit's foot amulets vary in luck depending on when, where, and by who they were created,” she reached into her purse and held up the furry little paw. “This one was believed to have been created by Merlin himself.”
“Grandma, Merlin wasn’t real.”
She looked at me like I had grown three heads. “Of course he was. When I was in Egypt, Medusa confirmed not only was Merlin real, but he was a child of Hecate.”
“So many knick-knacks are sold claiming to be something magical when they’re not.”
“I have forty-four million dollars in an account that says this rabbit's foot is real,” she huffed.
“How much?” Flaym coughed.
“I wonder what kind of rabbit it was?” Brianna asked.
“I wonder where the other foot is!” Flaym said.
“I believe it comes from a mountain hare native in the Highlands,” Grandma said, stashing her lucky charm again.
“You mean that foot is actually from here?” Brianna’s mouth fell open with shock.
“Yep,” Grandma smiled. “Merlin lived in the enchanted forest not far from here. I’m sure I read you the stories when you were younger.”
“Stories, Grandma. I thought they were just children’s stories.”
“Oh honey, most stories are rooted from some twist of truth. Take King Arthur, for example… one of the biggest threats to his Kingdom was the rogue shifters. They say he went out early one morning as dawn was rising from the water and prayed to the Gods to help defeat the monsters attacking his kingdom. The Goddess Eos delivered him a great sword, plated in silver.”
“Excalibur?” Flaym asked.
“Eos?” Brianna questioned. “The Goddess of Dawn is the sister of the Moon Goddess, right?”
“Glad you paid attention in school,” Grandma smiled. “She is, and the Gods are very jealous beings.”
The train arrived at platform thirteen just as Flaym finished making the hotel reservations.
“Huh,” Flaym hummed, looking down at his phone. “The hotel is practically built on top of Waverley Station. I think there’s a lift from the hotel to the train station concourse.”
“Did you hear that?” Grandma whistled. “We don’t even need a cab to get to the hotel. Lucky rabbit's foot strikes again.”
We waited at the concierge desk while Grandma checked us in. The bellhop who collected our luggage was engrossed in a conversation with Flaym about the Hogmanay events taking place this evening.
“Will there be lit torches?” I asked.
“Th' torch parade wis last nicht. Thare wull be other celebrations tonight, fireworks, an concerts in th’ park gardens.”
“You saw the torches and the castle at the same time?” Flaym’s voice came through the mind link, and I quickly nodded.
“Did you see any fireworks?” He asked.
“Just above the castle,” I replied.
The gas fireplace was already turned on when we entered the family suite. Welcome desserts, fresh fruit, and tea were also set on the table. The suite had castle views, as well as Princes Garden views where the concerts for the evening were being set up.
“We missed the torch parade,” Brianna sighed. “You think she’ll be out tonight?”
“What if the torch parade you saw was next year?” Flaym asked. “Do you remember seeing anything that could give us a clue?”
“No,” I replied, feeling frustrated. The vision could have been next year or the year after because she was heavily pregnant. I knew it was wrong to try and change the course of destiny, but I wanted to find her and stop her from finding him… whoever he was.
“If she’s working at a pub, then we should start pub hopping,” Grandma suggested.
“They’re still having tea downstairs, so why don’t you take Grandma and Brianna? I’ll try to sleep for a few hours and see if a vision comes to me.”
“I love the little finger sandwiches,” Flaym said. “Come on, Grandma, let’s get our money’s worth.”
Fifteen minutes later, I stepped out of a steaming hot shower and stretched out on the bed with a towel wrapped around my hips. My closed fist held her necklace, and I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Come on, Maeve, show yourself to me,” I murmured, waiting for sleep to find me.
They say dreams can reveal a heart’s true desire, but I didn’t need a dream to tell me what I desired. I already knew it was her.
The tingles of her lips pressed against me stirred the beast within, and my eyes shot open. It was her. Maeve had come to me in a dream to kiss me.
Afraid she might just evaporate, I gripped the back of her head and kissed her deeper. That heavenly caramel taste was as delicious as ever.
“Maeve,” I touched my forehead to hers, breathing her in. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted to tell her. Her little claws had shredded my heart when she left.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too,” she spoke softly, then pressed another kiss to my mouth.
“My sweet little kitten,” I buried my face in her neck. I had never had such a vivid dream. “Where are you?”
“I’m right here with you.”
It wasn’t the answer I hoped for, so I tried again. I needed to know where she was. “Where have you been hiding?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “This is a dream, and I want to enjoy every moment with you.”
I wasn’t sure if this was her dream or mine. “And your dreams always have us naked?”
“Not always.”
“Tell me about your dreams, Maeve.” I ran my fingers through her hair, and it felt real.
“In my dreams, you never push me away,” she spoke softly, and it was a blade to my heart. “In my dreams… you’re my mate, and I’m a shifter. You love me and our pups.”
She dreamt of a life with me, of love and… a family. It was everything I wanted to give her.
“Maeve… I do…”
The mist started to close in around us. The dream started to fade, and I tried to reach for her. I needed more time with her. Something told me Maeve was trying to hide something from me. Something she was afraid to tell me.
“I don’t know if I should even ask,” I heard Flaym laugh.
Groaning, I squinted my eyes against the light in the bedroom he had turned on. “Ask what?”
“What you’re dreaming about because your sexcaliber is at half-mast,” he continued laughing.
The towel had come unraveled, and I was still sleeping on top of the bedding. “There you go with that cock envy again.”
“What kind of visions were you having?” He grinned.
I considered his question. The dream had taken me home to the soft patch of grass beside the river. It was a dream, not a vision.
“I didn’t see anything,” I reached for my suitcase. I needed to get dressed and find her. “What time is it?”
“Time for dinner. Pendragon’s is within walking distance, and we have reservations.”
“Didn’t you just have tea?”
“Those tiny sandwiches are like appetizers,” he scoffed. “Hurry up, it’s a busy night, and they won’t hold our reservation if we’re late. If you’re lucky, they might even have that Scottish cock-a-leekie soup on the menu for you.