Wolf Love: Wolf Series Prequel Read online

  I reached out to Hela, needing a bit of comfort, wishing he and my husband were there with me. Instantly, I could feel Hela’s presence and knew he was there with me, even if I couldn’t see him.

  “That’s part of what I’m talking about.” Amiya turned slightly and looked at the wall opposite the room. “No need to hide yourself. I know you are here.”

  “But how?” I nipped at my bottom lip, worried I may have upset the seer. What would I do then? Hela’s shape glimmered in and out of sight, not completely ready to show himself fully.

  Amiya snapped her attention back to me. “I have already seen the future. I know more than you want me to admit I know. I know that you are afraid of learning what your future has in store for you, but it isn’t all bad.”

  “Why me?”

  “You are the only witch bonded to a guardian. You are the alpha guardian’s mate. Being a witch, you are already hunted for your powers, but Torres, his power is undefined, untamed, and underestimated. Together you have an undefeatable power. That, my dear, is dangerous because the other side will want you like no other. They already do.” She picked up her drink and took a sip before continuing. “To be honest, even more than you, they will want your daughter, for she will have both of your powers. All that magic in one person would be highly coveted.”

  My body weakened at the thought of the Le Coterie having my daughter. Even one I hadn’t had yet. “But you said we were undefeatable. Why should I worry? And if my future daughter is so strong, then why is everyone so concerned with her safety?”

  Hela’s confidence slipped into me, rolling over me like a blanket of comfort. I had almost forgotten he was there with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you, or her.

  Amiya grinned wickedly, the pupils in her eyes widened making them almost completely black before returning to normal, showing her golden irises once more. “I said together you are undefeatable, but not separated.” She turned toward Hela “And you need to figure out how to mix your powers.” She shifted back to face me. “As for Esmerelda, excuse me, your daughter, she will be untrained. And if she is found before we can get to her, then all Nicholas will need is her blood.”

  My brows furrowed together. “I don’t understand. Her blood?”

  Amiya stilled, her gaze went blank as she stared into a far away place. “I have seen a future unlike the present we live in. Already Nicholas is making an army like you’ve never seen. Not even the BOMB is prepared for this. And your daughter’s blood will seal his spell, giving him the power needed to keep these creatures alive.”

  “Creatures?” Nothing about this war was as I had thought. Were these creatures what Torres had been keeping from me ever since yesterday’s meeting?

  Hela came closer, fully materializing next to me. He always seemed to know when I needed his presence for comfort. I placed a hand on the back of his head.

  He set a paw gently on my leg. Torres needs me, but I will return should you call to me.

  I let my hand fall from his head as he vanished from sight and the room, leaving me there alone with the seer. What could Torres need right now that he would require Hela’s presence? Anxiety curled up, making itself at home in my chest. I hoped everything was okay.

  I glanced at Amiya, she had gone quiet and her eyes were empty as she stared without blinking. “What are the creatures you spoke of?” I asked again.

  Amiya blinked, her soft demeanor returned. “Crossbreeds. Nicholas is capturing witches and warlocks and using them to turn them.”

  “Turn them? Amiya, please, being cryptic isn’t going to help me understand.”

  “Sometimes, the future is cryptic, my child. From what I can see, he is turning witches and warlocks into vampires. He is using vampire blood. But it is toxic to a witch, so he is having trouble keeping them alive for long. That is where your daughter comes in. Her blood is the key to mixing theirs with the vampires to create a true Crossbreed. Can you imagine? The power of a witch with the speed of a vampire? The Le Coterie are playing with dark magic. Very dark.”

  I covered my mouth with the back of my hand and stood up, unable to sit still any longer. “And there is nothing we can do to stop this?”

  “That is why I am here. I have had this vision for many years. I knew the path I had to follow to ensure a safe future, but now it is up to you.” She stared at me, challenging me to decline. “You know there are always two futures, so you can choose either, but I warn you, one future you and mankind will die.”

  “Obviously I don’t want that one.”

  Amiya rose and calmly walked to me, placing her hands over mine. “The other you have to sacrifice raising your daughter. I promise I will do all I can to put everyone in the place needed to keep this future intact.”

  I nodded Tears threatened to surface, but I denied them. Crying wouldn’t help me now. “What if they choose a different path? What will happen to her?”

  Amiya closed her eyes and bowed her head, still grasping my hands. “I can’t see her future any other way.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Torres

  I stared at the two wide-eyed little boys who stood in front of me, next to their grandfather. They had knocked on the door of William’s home looking for me, after being told by an agent of the BOMB that I might be there.

  Adonia was with the seer in the room down the hall. I had been waiting for her, pacing the long foyer when they had shown up.

  The wolf in me demanded I protect them. As an alpha guardian, it was my job to protect. It was weaved into my DNA by the spirits, and going against that would be like setting every nerve in my body on fire. It would be impossible to deny protection to anyone in my pack. And even though these two children weren’t in my pack, they were innocent, and therefore deserved protection regardless.

  But, they were requesting to be part of my pack, opening up a whole new set of question for me. I knew there were other packs besides my own, but I had never had the privilege of meeting them. And now, here they were, standing in front of me, seeking me out.

  Hela was by my side, although no one could see him. But he and I were a part of each other, we could feel each other. We haven’t met this other pack. It could be a trap.

  I let out a slow quiet growl as I contemplated what to do with them.

  The old man fidgeted with his dingy hat. Folding over the brim and rubbing the felt. His bright blue eyes still held a sort of magic as he looked down at the two youngsters, though the wrinkles along his face shown a lifetime of hardships. “I can’t care for them much longer. I need to know they will be cared for.” His voice was raspy and thick with a very identifiable Spanish accent. It was like listening to memories of the past.

  I addressed the man without looking at the boys. “Where is this other pack you speak of? Why not go to them and trust them? If these boys have been born to a pack, it could bring problems for my own wolves.”

  The old man shook his head. “No, sir. They won’t be a problem. The pack is in Spain. They know I am here and agree this is the best place for the niños.”

  “Spain?” That was where I had become a guardian. I wondered if my own pack were a distant relative of this one the man spoke of. Were they formed right after I had become an alpha?

  “Sí. My familia came from there.” The man must have had many years to perfect his English, with only the rough starts to his sentences and slight pauses.

  “So why not trust them? They know the boys. The boys know them.”

  The oldest boy held his head higher and tightened his mouth, but his eyes glossed over. It was apparent this was a hard thing to the young boy, but he showed such restraint with his emotions.

  The man leaned forward, as if to tell a secret. But if the boys were guardians, or would be guardians, then they would hear that close. And I highly doubted they didn’t know what was going on. But, I obliged and leaned forward as well.

  “I am all the familia they have left. Their mother died giving birth to the youngest, and their father left after that because he didn’t want to be reminded of my daughter. I, too, am getting ready to leave this world as my mate has passed. Every day I can feel her pull from the other side. We were not meant to survive without each other.” He stood up straighter. “They are good boys. The oldest is Ian and he has already bonded with his wolf. Jarak is the youngest and he is ready to bond. They will be good for your pack.”

  I took in a heavy breath before glancing back at the boys. “How old are you, son?” I asked the oldest one with the mop of black disheveled hair. His blue eyes rivaled his grandfather’s.

  “Six.” His small voice held a slight tremble to it, but he was loud and clear. “My brother is four.”

  Dang. Six and four? What would I do with two young pups?

  I squatted down to be eye level with them. The younger one looked scared and held onto his brother’s hand as if his life depended on it, so I spoke softly. “I am Torres. Who are you?”

  The small mouse of a boy went wide-eyed, showing off his darker blue eyes, like that of an ocean. His dirty brown hair was shorter than his brother’s, but still just as messy. He looked up at Ian. Ian nodded an approval for him to answer.

  “I’m Jarak.” His tiny voice still had a toddler lisp to it.

  “And do you both want to stay here and join my pack?”

  Hela grumbled slightly in my mind. Torres, I can speak with the boy’s wolf. His name is Dregan. The old man hasn’t been truthful. The other pack is taking sides in the war.

  I looked up at the grandfather. “If I am to take these boys on, then I want the truth. Why not keep them with their pack?”

  The man shuffled his feet and hung his head. “They are under the protection of Le Coterie.” He looked up with a determination I hadn’t yet seen since our meeti
ng. “I do not want my grandchildren to be a part of that. The pack knows where I stand, but seeing as how I am dying, they aren’t worried about me.”

  “Do they honestly know about you bringing the boys here?”

  The man stood silent. There was no need to answer now. I knew the other pack had no idea they were about to lose two precious members.

  What do you think? I asked Hela mentally.

  After talking to Dregan I think we should let them stay. It seems we have other enemies out there besides warlocks. If other packs are joining that side, we could be faced with having to fight guardians. We might need all the help we can get.

  I stood and squared my shoulders. Yes. But they are only children. They can’t do fight yet. And Jarak isn’t even bonded with his wolf yet. Who knows if he even will.

  Hela pushed against my mind. They won’t always be boys. Soon they will be men.

  My resolve wasn’t hard to break. I had wanted to protect them since they arrived, feeling as though I was already their alpha. “Alright. They can stay.”

  The old man’s eyes lit up briefly before dulling back to the near lifeless spark. “Thank you.” He bent down and wrapped the boys in his arms. Ian returned the hug, but it was Jarak who let out a small whimper. He was too young to understand the situation. Everyone he knew was either gone or leaving. It was complicated for his small heart to grasp.

  How do we go about joining a new member to our pack? I’m not sure how this works. I asked Hela through our thoughts.

  I think just accepting them. I have already talked with the new wolf and he understands who is alpha. There shouldn’t be a problem.

  I could only imagine how Hela talked with Dregan. He was, if nothing, very confident in his role as alpha.

  The old man stood and reached his hand out for me to shake. “Thank you.”

  I gripped his hand but didn’t let go. “In all this, you have yet to tell me your name.”

  “Emilio Fernandez.”

  “And the boys, what are their full names?”

  Emilio saddened as he thought about it. “Ian Lane Thorne and Jarak Chase Thorne.”

  “Thorne?”

  Emilio grinned at the boys before answering. “Their father was not from Spain. He was from here, in America.”

  “Ah, I see. And have you heard from him? Does he know where they are? Should I be expecting him anytime soon?” The last thing I needed was an angry father accusing me of kidnapping his children.

  The man shook his head. “No. He is gone. Dead.”

  Pausing for a moment, I shook his hand and let it go, exhaling a long steady breath at the same time. Those boys sure have had a long life already. I could only imagine how Adonia would spoil them if she knew. That thought made me smile. Seeing her with children was a dream of mine. And now, with the fear of losing our future daughter, this might help.

  “I go now. My soulmate calls and I can’t deny her much longer.” Emilio turned to Ian. “Ian, you are my grandson, and I am proud of you. You will be a fine man one day. Always fight for the good. Take care of your brother. He will need you.”

  Ian, with his wide eyes, nodded vigorously. “I will, Papa. I will be the best guardian and make you proud.”

  Emilio ruffled his hair. “I know you will.” He gave them one last hug and pulled away. Tears filled his weathered eyes as he walked from the room and opened the door. He hesitated before leaving, shutting the door softly behind him.

  Once the latch clicked, I knew the boys would forever be my responsibility. But with the war just rearing its head between magical beings, I knew it would not be an easy task.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Adonia

  In a moment’s time, my life changed forever. The choice I would make now would affect not only me, but my future daughter. I stared at Amiya. The woman’s calm expression did not convey the magnitude of our conversation.

  “What do you mean, you can’t see her future?” If I made this choice but the others choose not to follow this path of their future, then what would happen to my daughter? Would it all be for nothing? “And you are certain there is no other way?”

  Amiya led me back to the davenport, sitting next to me, but keeping my hands clasped between hers. “I have slaved over the visions, refraining from sleep, fasting for days, but it is as I said. There is no other future I can see.”

  I was unable to look at the seer straight on. I was no longer afraid of the woman, but hated to see the pain in her eyes. Seeing what she has seen, knowing what she knows… The weight of the world must be heavy on such frail shoulders.

  She gave my hands a pat. “Not all about your future is sad. In fact, I think you’ll find that a little bit of happiness just showed up at the door.”

  Curious, I glanced at the door with brows raised. “I don’t understand.”

  “Not yet, my child. But you will in time. Let me show you.” With graceful hands, she let go of mine to wave hers in the air in front of us. Swirls of silver and green mixed like dust, forming a wall around us, capturing both of us in the magic.

  “What is this?” I had never experienced this type of magic before. There was so much I had to learn. I watched in awe as the particles took shape.

  It was like watching a moving picture of Torres and me. We were running from the Le Coterie through the Cantabrian Mountains in Spain.

  Then, I was thrust into the moving picture taking the place of my magical version in the swirling wall. “Amiya!” I looked up into the darkening sky and screamed, afraid of what was happening. Amiya was nowhere to be seen. I was outside on a mountain, that was all I knew. It was cold and I couldn’t help but shiver.

  What just happened? Where was I?

  “Hush, child. To see the future, one must be in the future.” Amiya’s voice echoed around me.

  “That is not comforting!” I yelled again.

  The future? There was no way that was possible. Was it? Surely Amiya didn’t send me to see my future.

  “Adonia, we must keep moving.” It was Torres who spoke to me now.

  “You can see me?” I reached out to him, feeling his warmth under my fingertips. He was real.

  He stopped for a brief second. “Are you well? Is the baby okay?”

  “Baby?” I looked down to see an enormous rounded belly and felt a slight kick inside my abdomen.

  My daughter.

  This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. But… what if?

  I ran a hand over my swollen stomach and smiled. “Yes, we are fine.”

  “I’m sorry, my love, but we must keep going. Nicholas isn’t far behind.” He took my hand and started pulling me up the mountainside. Where they were, I didn’t know.

  Snow began to fall in heavy flakes, leaving a powdery trail down the mountain. My teeth began to chatter against my will and I saw Torres wince.

  “I’m sorry you are out here. You should be in a house, warm and safe. I have failed as your protector.”

  I yanked on his arm, stopping us both. I wasn’t sure what had transpired up to this point, but knowing we were both there together, and I was carrying our child, told me that he had definitely done his job at protecting me. “How dare you say such things to me. You are the reason we are here together.”

  He touched the side of my face and placed his other hand on my stomach. “I hope that I can continue to protect you. Just know, I will always find you.”

  I thought that was a strange thing to say, but didn’t have time to process its meaning before a branch broke and the sound echoed around us. It was too late for all that. We’d been found.

  “Run Adonia!” Torres cried out to me.

  I took heed and ran as fast as I could, not knowing where I was headed, I turned and hurried from the grove. Although the extra weight I carried was not something I was used to and exertion was quickly catching up to me.

  “Amiya, where are you?” I cried out into the open sky. “This isn’t funny anymore.” I was quickly running out of breath. Being pregnant, especially becoming nine months pregnant in minutes, really took its toll on me.

  Where was my seer? I thought they were supposed to warn their witches of the future, not thrust them into it.