Chapter 30
THIRTY
NATALIE
“Courtney!” I scream. My pleas are met with silence, and when I open my eyes, I’m not in the same forest backdrop of my nightmares.
No, I’m on a bed in the Duval property, wiping away the sweat staining my forehead.
The wolf got closer this time, deadly nails inches from me before I woke to a migraine and my stomach knotted like a balloon animal.
Is the wolf stalking me in my dreams some kind of omen?
A vision of what might be coming for me during the red moon?
It isn’t Nik when he’s shifted, and certainly not big enough to be Viktor.
It’s different. Small but agile. Eyes a striking shade of brown.
The thing that stands out the most is the way it attacks, and for some reason, the monster only does when I reach for Courtney.
I sit up, fighting the nausea sloshing bile to the back of my tongue.
It’s tough to swallow, but the water on the nightstand seems to help, at least for now.
Silver. A whole room of fucking silver. What in the hell is wrong with this family?
It’s bad enough Jade has it out for me, and as it turns out, she’s just a chip off the old sociopathic block.
“Morning, princess,” Alexey says from a chair against the wall, polishing parts of a dismantled rifle. He blows off dust from the chamber and brings an eye to it. “Fucking animals get hair everywhere.”
“Where—where’s Nik?” I pull the blanket to my chin.
He raises a brow and motions the rifle part behind him. “Training in silver room. Put me on babysitting duty.”
My mouth drops open, and I let the blanket fall back down to my waist. Babysitting duty? Is he fucking serious? “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Of course, not,” he scoffs without looking up from the rag in his hand. “After alpha poison you two, Nikolai thought it best to have guard. Voila. Uncle Alexey here to protect.”
I stand from the bed, anger scorching through my veins.
“Well, you can tell Nikolai—” I pause, sniffing the air.
Gunmetal and oil hits my nostrils first. The soldier a few feet away and in dire need of a shower is next.
That’s not what has me frozen in place, though.
The scent isn’t coming from this room, at least, not anymore.
I follow the trail to the door, letting each whiff get stronger.
“Whoa, princess. Where are you going?” Alexey jumps up from the seat, dropping pieces of the rifle to clatter against the floors.
I turn my head and pin him with a glare. I’ve had it being locked in cage, whether it’s at the Vostik compound or in this fucking room. My nails haven’t changed, at least, I don’t think they have, but if I need to give Alexey one more reason to stay the hell out of my way, then so be it.
His eyes widen as he lets out a sharp whistle. “I’ll let you and Vostik sort this out.” He sits back down without another word and reaches for the weapon parts at his feet.
“Smart choice.” I pull open the door and follow the aroma down the string of hallways leading out of the west wing to a larger part of the castle.
The maze isn’t difficult to navigate this time, not when the sweet scent gets stronger with an unnatural pull to it.
The closer I get, the more familiar these halls seem.
Training in silver room, Alexey had said, and it’s when I reach the sealed door at the end of the labyrinth that I recognize where I am.
It’s where Clément brought us before, only I can’t hear a single thing inside.
Bringing my hand to the door, I take note of the thick steel matching the threshold.
The hatch is heavy and cold to the touch.
Vibrations shudder through my fingertips but even with my keen hearing, nothing on the other end becomes clear.
Soundproofed. They used the room to shift during full moons.
Maybe he didn’t want the roars of chained wolves to be heard on the property, and judging by the impenetrable appearance of this door, he didn’t want his pack getting out, either.
The scent isn’t just strong anymore, it’s heavy in the air and brings a salivating taste to my tongue with each breath in.
I crack the seal, pushing open the hatch as a dozen heartbeats crash through my head at once.
If it weren’t for the smell taking over my senses, I might feel the need to cup my ears and block out the sound.
“The wolf is a part of you,” Nik announces at the front, glancing from one pack elder to the next.
They’re all sitting, legs crossed, and hands resting over their knees as if meditating.
Clément and Jade are at the front, and the others scatter behind them.
“You must treat it as an extension of yourself, not some beast that appears when the moon is full.”
There are too many smells in this chamber to count, but there’s only one that stands out. His. The usual cedar of Nikolai Vostik is there, but faint. Something far sweeter emanates from him now, and it has me strangling down air by the mouthful.
He peers over their heads, eyes landing on mine. “Natalia. Right on time.” Nik gestures to the spot next to Clément, grin spreading around polished white teeth. “Fall in.”
Fall in? I can barely stand under the spell of what his scent is doing to me, let alone walk.
Sure, I might be able to float to the fucking spot he’s waving at.
But walk? I’m not convinced. It’s when Jade rears her head that I regain my composure.
She doesn’t even try to hide the scoff leaving her lips, catlike eyes narrowed.
Welp. So much for not being able to move. I strut to the front of the chamber and take the place next to Clément, sitting in the same posture as the rest.
“Glad to see you up and about, Nat,” he says, accent heaviest on my name. “Forgive me for the silver. Point had to be made.”
I look past him to his daughter. To her credit, she’s smart enough to face forward. “Thank you, Clément. Your apology is appreciated.” At least someone in their family isn’t ridiculous enough to hold some meaningless grudge.
“Close your eyes,” Nik instructs, bringing the room to attention once more. “Breathe.”
Collective breaths expel from each wolf in unison.
I do the same, but all I can smell, all I can taste, is him.
One hit isn’t enough. No, I fight the urge to heave the fragrance in, knowing I might pass out again if I’m not careful.
If anyone else here senses the same thing I do, they are able to hide it a lot better than I am.
My thighs clench. Goose bumps start at my shoulders and form down each arm.
It takes every ounce of resolve I have not to grab him by his ankles and drag his body to me.
“You might hear whispers inside your head. See an image of a wolf buried deep inside of you. Listen to the whispers. Embrace the visions. This is your other half fighting to be heard. To be seen.” Nik pauses a few feet from me, unraveling my guards one thread at a time.
God, I’m supposed to be channeling my inner wolf.
But, no. I am on fucking edge, and this man standing too close only makes the threat of unraveling a damn promise.
“Nik?” Jade asks, and I don’t know why, but I despise her even more for calling him that. “Perhaps your little pet should train with the pups. She seems to be having a hard time controlling simple things like her heartbeat.”
“Just like you have a hard time controlling your fucking mouth,” I fire back, letting my guards fall to the wayside completely.
A choked gasp escapes her, and I don’t even have to look over to know I won this round. No, I keep my eyes closed and can’t help the smirk from slithering across my face.
“Father? How can you just sit there and let her speak to me this way?”
Clément doesn’t move an inch. He draws a deep breath and stares forward. “You can’t back a dog into a corner and get upset when the dog bites, Jade. Have some class.”
She rips herself from the ground and takes a menacing posture, claws growing in dangerous length. Jade snarls. Long black hair parts down the center of her tilted face, revealing green eyes bright with vitriol. “I’ve had it catering to this mutt. If you won’t do anything about her, Father, I will.”
“Jade—” Clément starts, but it’s too late. I’m already on my feet, letting my own claws take shape.
“Natalia,” Nik warns, concern in his low voice.
I take one step forward, preparing myself for her challenge. Jade might’ve had this curse her whole life, but she’d never survive a day outside these castle walls. Live through the things I have. If she thinks I’m just going to roll over, this heiress has another thing coming.
A wide, sadistic grin emerges on Jade’s face. “Don’t worry, Nikolai.” She gives him a quick glance and returns her icy glare to me. “There’s plenty of places to bury her here.”
Indescribable anger surges through me, my tired limbs now exploding with pure wrath. I lunge toward her, letting my arms and legs endure the scorch and thrust my body forward.
“Natalia,” Nik says, stopping me with his palm to my chest.
I try and move around him, but he stands between us, keeping her blocked from view. “Get out of my way!”
“Enough!” he roars, grabbing me by the shoulders. The deafening sound splits through the air, shaking dust from the walls and ceiling. A flash of red takes over the gold in his eyes, dissipating as quickly as the hollow rage inside me.
Silence follows, not just from us, but from everyone in the chamber. Clément and Jade don’t say a word, neither does their council who now stand and peer at the man holding me in place.
“Out,” he says and points to the door, eyes fixed on mine. “Everyone out!”
The council elders are the first to move for the exit, followed closely by Clément. Jade crosses her arms, a reproachful expression emerging on her face. Nik rears his head, and when he does, she finally retreats behind her father, giving me one last smirk before she goes.
“Clément,” he shouts down the stretch of the chamber.
The alpha turns back at the threshold, waving everyone else out.
“The next threat to her is a threat against me. I don’t care who it’s from.”
Clément’s large brows draw together initially, and just when I think he’s going to counter, the alpha nods and leaves the chamber.
After the latch seals, Nik brings his gaze to me once more, the harsh lines of his face softening. “What are you doing?”
Me? Is he fucking kidding? “What am I doing? What about her? You heard what she said!” I try and push away from him, but he grabs me and draws me in close, that intoxicating scent all I can smell.
“Jade is baiting you, Natalia,” Nik says with a sigh. “She keeps challenging you. And you keep giving her what she wants.”
I shove him away this time, newfound anger masking his scent. “So, why did you stop me, huh? Why didn’t you let me give her what she wants?”
“Because you are not ready. Jade has been trained in hand-to-hand combat since she could walk.”
He can’t be serious. Is he asking me to keep my mouth shut and just deal with every horrible insult Jade hurls in my direction? This is like high school all over again. “What should I do, Nik? Let her keep walking all over me? Will that make things better?”
“No. Honestly, that would make things worse. The only way Jade will respect you is if you beat her at her own game.”
Beat her at her own game? He just said she walked out of a werewolf womb primed and ready for a fight. What in the hell is he talking about?
Nik smirks when I don’t respond, as if he can see the invisible wheels turning in my head. “She has training, sure. But she didn’t grow up with a father who couldn’t stomach weakness. I’m going to train you, and when you are ready, my violent little wolf, you are going to challenge her.”