Chapter 1
Present…
“Ten more minutes. You don’t want to be too early,” Bran muttered to himself.
One last look in the mirror. He straightened his bow tie because Evangeline once murmured something about how hot bow ties were with the right suit to his dead wife.
His hand landed on his dresser, and a crushing pain went through his chest. Margaret wanted him to be happy. She wouldn’t begrudge him mating another woman.
Bran rubbed at his chest. Would the pain ever fade?
She’d died five years ago, three years before he became a werewolf. And seeing how Evangeline had drawn his attention from the moment he laid eyes on her, he wasn’t sure Margaret was meant to be his mate, though he loved her more than the world.
He still remembered the sweet smile on her pain riddled face. “Don’t hold onto me forever. I’ll always be in your heart. I know that. But there’s room for another. Live, love, be happy.” Cancer took her a few hours later.
His sweet Margaret was right. There was room for a new love. And what he felt for Evangeline was powerful, but he hadn’t acted on the magnetism for more than a year after Margaret’s death.
There were still moments of guilt when he thought about the attraction to another woman that started the moment he met Evangeline.
And even then, Evangeline had turned him down repeatedly. It helped that she only spent a few months at a time in Silvertail Ridge. That changed two years ago when she finally moved into a home in town.
He glanced at his watch. Seven more minutes. Back to pacing he went.
The last three days had been crazy. Getting the pack settled with Nate as the new Alpha meant mediating with the pack members to make sure they answered everyone’s questions and ensured each member had their place. They had finally achieved balance.
Amazingly, no one had challenged Nate’s role as the Alpha after he killed his father in a proper challenge. And no one had argued when he named Bran his Second.
That could change at any moment. Challenges often happened soon after the Alpha changed. Though so far, each member who stayed seemed happy.
Another glance at his watch. Six more minutes.
Screw it. I’ve waited long enough.
He wanted to hear that sexy French accent, smell her fresh orchid scent, and feel her satin skin.
Bran grabbed the keys, locked up, and drove to Evangeline’s house. Doubt plagued him when he noticed that not a single light was on.
After parking, he jogged up to the door and rang the bell.
Nothing. Not a sound in the house.
He pulled his phone out, checked his texts, his messages, and found nothing.
Leaning against the rail, he dialed her number.
No answer.
Bran flexed his hands and went back to his car, dialing his closest friend, Nate. They grew up next door to each other. Evangeline had helped Nate come out of a coma, and they’d been friends ever since.
The new Alpha happened to be his half-brother, and his sister’s mate—make that half-sister. Very few knew Bran and Nate shared a father. Hell, neither of them learned until around two years ago when Killian had turned Bran. At least Savon and Nate didn’t share blood.
Nate answered, “What’s up, Bran?”
“Have any idea where Evangeline is?”
“That’s a joke, right? Don’t you two have plans? Aren’t you taking her out tonight?”
“We do, but she’s not home.” Bran walked around the side of the garage and peered through the window. A sigh escaped. “No car. She’s not here, Nate.”
“Seriously? When I saw her earlier, she was very excited about the date. Where the hell is she?”
“Fuck if I know. But Evangeline isn’t home. I know she wasn’t at the café.” He’d went by for an iced tea, and she hadn’t been in. He continued, “She’s not answering her phone, hasn’t left a message.”
“I haven’t heard anything. I’ll try calling Evangeline.”
“Thanks. Talk to you later.”
Bran sank into the seat in his car to wait.
An hour passed, so he called again. Still nothing.
Well, waiting would get him nowhere. Either she’d changed her mind, or something happened.
He dug a pad of paper out and wrote a note, doing his best to keep the heat out of the tone.
Evening, Evangeline,
Hope all is well. Thought we were going out.
Miss you. Call when you get this.
Yours,
Bran
He taped the message to her door, climbed back into the car, and drove home. The sign for Fang’n’Claw caught his attention.
Maybe a drink would help.
* * * *
Evangeline stared out the plane’s window. She pushed back in her seat and held back the frustrated growl that wanted out. If her damned father hadn’t called with a supposed emergency, she’d be with Bran, on that wonderful date he promised.
Not that she needed a date. All she wanted was Bran, and she thought she was done running.
Wrong. Apparently not.
Damn it. Evangeline should have told her father no, except the asshole mentioned her twin was deathly ill, and he needed help to save her.
Not that she had any idea what to do, but that wouldn’t stop Evangeline from trying.
She called Genevieve first, to check. Her sister wasn’t well. She could hear it in her voice.
Her sister’s declining health sealed Evangeline’s decision. She hopped on the plane her father had already sent.
Why didn’t I call Bran?
I’m a giant coward, that’s why.
A close examination of her past and he may not want her. Honestly, her family history could scare him away. Or the fact he wouldn’t be the first of Killian’s sons she would mate.
Evangeline worked hard to lock away those memories of that part of her life.
Her father insisted she go to Killian and glean any information she could about his business and dealings with magical artifacts. And as much as she wished her past could stay buried, that would never happen if she let Bran claim her.
And every ounce of her being wanted Bran to claim her.
A pulling sensation caught her breath. Something drew her to Bran as if he called her name. Her heart stuttered. Nate once told her what it felt like to have his Sleepwalker pull on their bond.
Evangeline hadn’t believed she shared one with Bran. Not until that very moment. She had always assumed it would accompany a mate bond, which they had yet to form.
Then again, Nate hadn’t mated Savon until years after he learned she was his Sleepwalker.
Were Bran’s emotions battering Evangeline? What else could affect her so?
He didn’t seem angry, so much as hurt. Her heart twisted into knots. She needed to contact him, but her father’s jet didn’t have access to a phone, and she had left hers in her bag.
Evangeline reached for Bran. Her mind traveled through blue skies and clouds until she made it toward Oregon where she hurled down until her speed slowed. She floated above Silvertail Ridge, then through the wall, into Fang’n’Claw. Bran sat at the counter, talking to Jay.
Her breath caught. Bran was having a conversation with the man who killed her first mate.
To be fair, Jasper was a monster in the end. She’d been too blinded by lust to see it. She was too young to understand. Sure, he’d been good to her when with her, all except one cruel act that changed everything. However, his father had twisted him, and the atrocities he’d committed away from her painted a whole different story of her first love.
His one truly horrific act toward her changed her life forever.
Another man chose to speak to her, and even though she turned him away, Jasper took offense. He shifted to half-beast and tore her clothes away so he could fuck her in front of his guests. She’d been scratched, torn, and he even sank his teeth into her, ensuring she became a werewolf.
Like most caster’s she lost her magic after turning. Only druids and shaman managed to keep their magic, not witches. She would never have access to her magic again, but she had over a hundred years to get used to the idea.
However, nothing could strip her ability to Dreamwalk, except death.
And with the mate bond in place, her father couldn’t rightfully force her to go back home. She had become part of Killian’s pack when she mated his second in command, through their bond. Becoming a werewolf made it official.
Jay had freed her from the cage when he killed Jasper. After that, she was able to travel freely, and her father only wanted her around when he needed her talents.
Looking over his shoulder, Bran met her gaze. He was gorgeous in a fitted suit with the bow tie loosened.
Bran dressed up for me? What did he plan?
Pain floated across his face as he turned back and chugged the rest of his beer, slapped some money down, and started for the door.
She hurried to follow, sliding through the door that sent a shudder through her. Astral projection always produced strange sensations.
He made it to his car and slid into the seat. She joined him, hoping she could make this right.
“This is what Savon was talking about, huh?”
“What? The way Nate followed her?” Evangeline asked.
He nodded.
“Yeah. And it means I shouldn’t have left without talking to you first. For that, I’m sorry.”
“Where are you?”
She swallowed hard. “I’m in the air. On a plane heading to New York. My sister isn’t doing well.”
“Could have told me.” He let out a sigh and started the car. “How long are you going to be gone?”
“Don’t know. Wish I hadn’t left.”
“Me too.” He reached out, and his fingers drifted through her hand. Frowning, he met her gaze. “You never told me you had a sister.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Wasn’t important before. I kept a lot to myself.”
“Think you’ll open up now?” he asked, staring into her eyes.
“I have every intention of it.”
“Good.” A smile finally lifted the corners of his full mouth. “Now that everything is quiet, I want to show you what you’re missing. I had plans to woo you like you never imagined.”
Excitement rolled through Evangeline. “Soon. And maybe you’ll let me visit your dreams.”
“I feel you there every night, but you disappear when I search for you.”
“Wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me being there.” She let out a sigh. “Should have told you I was with you.”
“You were still running from me. Thought maybe my imagination had gotten the best of me.”
She laughed softly. “It’s been a long time since I welcomed the idea of being with someone.”
“And you do now?” he asked before catching his bottom lip between his teeth.
“I can’t keep you out anymore,” she admitted.
His eyes lit up. “Call me when you land. Okay?”
“If you’re asleep?” she asked.
“Call anyway. Or come to me in dreams.”
“Promise. You’ll hear from me soon.” She opened her eyes, and the tension eased. If only she had dealt with everything differently.