CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Kyle
I didn't like it one bit. Crystal refused to listen to reason and she insisted on seeing Flynn. My instinct and gut feeling told me to stop her but nothing I said deterred her from her mission.
"Fine," I relented. "But before I let you see him, I want you to rejoin the pack." It would make me feel better.
She hesitated. "Why?"
"Because I need to be able to communicate with you via the mind-link."
She considered my explanation before she nodded. We went to the kitchen. The thought of having to hurt her for her to join the pack went against the protective instinct I had for her.
I got a knife out and turned to face her, reaching out a hand for hers. She put her hand in mine with her palm facing upward.
"You ready?" I asked, tightening my hold on the knife.
"Yes," she said before averting her gaze.
I did it as quickly as I could. The cut began to bleed and she grimaced but refused to look. I let go of her only to repeat the action on my hand. Putting the knife down on the counter, I covered her palm with mine. Our blood intertwined.
It took a few moments before I tried to talk to her through the mind-link.
Can you hear me? I asked.
Yes. She smiled before removing her hand from mine.
Now that was done, it was time for her to see Flynn. We washed up before we went back downstairs and stood outside the cell where the Keeper was being held.
I understood to a degree she felt obliged to him in some way because he'd saved her, but what she didn't realize was once he discovered she wasn't human, he would see her as the enemy. There would be no gray lines.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked one last time, hoping she would see sense, but she nodded with a determined glint in her eyes.
There was no stopping her so I opened the door and allowed her inside. I followed behind her, keeping my eyes fixed on our prisoner who was sitting on the bed with his back against the wall.
His eyes were sharp as they followed Crystal, narrowing as he straightened up.
She walked closer but I caught her wrist.
That's close enough, I told her through the mind-link.
Flynn's eyes took in my hand on her wrist and he stood up. The wolfsbane that had kept her werewolf traits suppressed was gone, so he would be able to smell her.
"How?" he asked. Anger and disgust began to filter into his features when he realized she wasn't what he had expected.
"It doesn't matter," she answered softly, her eyes searching his.
Good girl. Don't give him any information he could use against us.
He glared at her, looking almost betrayed.
"You're one of them…" he began to say before he stopped. He frowned as he got up and stepped forward. His hand went to the back of his neck as shock set into his features. It was the most emotion I had seen him show.
"That's not possible," he whispered to himself.
Crystal put a hand up to her neck as she stepped backward, fearful. I stepped in front of her, blocking her from his view. Flynn's eyes were still wide with shock before they focused on me.
"That's why you were looking for her," he murmured softly, starting to connect the pieces together.
I didn't answer. Somehow he knew exactly what she was and that didn't bode well for her at all. I felt frustrated that if she had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened. But on the other hand we had discovered they could sense what she really was without the wolfsbane.
The only Keeper who knew her true identity was locked up. In my mind the new development had sealed his fate. I couldn't release him for fear of what that would mean for my mate.
"Flynn, just listen to me," she said, pushing me to the side.
I watched the two of them, feeling helpless that I had been unable to keep this from happening.
In Flynn's expression was a split second of something I had never seen, but before I could analyze it the glare returned to his features. Maybe there was a chance she could reach a part of him that none of us could.
Well, except for Bay. I pushed that thought away. I didn't want to bring Bay into this mess. I had an uneasy feeling when it came to Bay and the Keeper. Limiting the time they interacted was for the best.
"You cannot be allowed to live," he told her with more disgust than he had shown me.
"Don't even think it," I warned him, feeling the need to make him eat those words, but I knew we wouldn't be evenly matched. He would tear me to pieces.
"You," he scoffed at me. "You think you will be able to protect her but you can't."
I didn't like that what he was saying was close to the truth because we didn't have a way to even the playing field with them, and until we did, we were fighting a war we had no way of winning.
"Flynn," Crystal said, pulling his attention away from me. "Why do I have to die?"
Her voice was soft and calm, unlike any of the emotions building up inside me. I was angry, scared, and I hated that I couldn't smother that useless feeling of helplessness.
"What makes me so evil?" she added, her eyes pleading with his.
His expression remained hard. "Our kind isn't meant to mix."
"Why?" she asked.
I didn't like the ache in my chest at the sound of her voice. For the first time since discovering she was different, I had a sense of the turmoil inside of her.
It was something that hadn't occurred to me before. There had been no one to tell her what to expect or how to handle it. And for the first time, she had the chance to find out more about them and herself. I understood her need to talk to Flynn and why it was so important to her
"It goes against everything that is natural."
I frowned. The existence of werewolves and Keepers wasn't natural but I kept my quip silent. Crystal bit her lip silently as she listened to Flynn.
"You will only bring evil and destruction to the people who care about you," the Keeper informed her with a side glance in my direction. "And when you die, they will perish with you."
That visibly upset my mate and I had reached my limit.
"That's enough," I told him, struggling to restrain my anger. I put an arm around her to embrace her, giving her my support.
Don't listen to him, I told her through the mind-link.
He is only telling us the truth. This is why I ran, she replied, sounding defeated.
Flynn watched with sharp eyes while I comforted my mate.
"If you love her, you will allow me to end her life," he told me in a calm and calculated tone.
"Are you crazy?" I asked, feeling my temper snap. "There is no way in hell I would allow you to put one finger on her. But I wouldn't need any persuading to end yours."
Our eyes clashed.
"You're a fool."
I wanted to break the bars open and attack him. I wanted to watch his life slip away as I tightened my hold around his neck.
"You have no idea the evil she will be capable of if you mate with her."
I hugged Crystal closer when she trembled.
"The only evil here is you," I shot back. And I was done. Taking Crystal by the hand, I led her out of the room. Just as the guard closed the door behind us, Crystal began to cry.
"It's okay," I soothed, hating he had reduced her to this with his meaningless words.
I didn't believe for one moment that anything he said was true. I had known her all of her life and I had never, ever, seen her hurt anyone, directly or indirectly. She wasn't capable of it.
"What if he is right?" she asked, lifting her teary eyes up to mine. I smiled at her as I brushed her tears away.
"He isn't," I assured her, my tone caring.
"You can't know that," she argued softly.
"Yes, I do," I told her. "If you were evil, would you have run away to keep me and the pack safe?"
She shook her head.
"Exactly."
Crystal
Flynn's words replayed in my mind again and again. You have no idea the evil she will be capable of if you mate with her.
I rubbed my hands over my face, feeling the anxiousness his statement made me feel. What if he was right? What if I turned into some sort of monster?
Feeling more agitated, I stood up and began to pace the room. It was late. By the time we'd finished with Flynn it had been time for dinner.
At the dining table I saw Nate, Kyle's uncle. He had hugged me and settled me down to sit beside him but I hadn't been able to eat. When I had asked Kyle where everyone else was, he had told me they were busy working on strategies. It was a reminder of what could lay ahead for us. I had spent most of the time staring at my food, trying to make logical sense of what the Keeper had told us.
Flynn's reaction to my existence had knocked me. I had hoped he would be able to accept it but that hadn't happened.
Kyle had watched me with concern. I wanted to assure him I was okay but they would have been empty words. How could I not be affected by what we had been told? All my life I had never for a moment imagined that I would be capable of that. Even Kyle had a hard time wrapping his head around it.
But on the other hand he could be lying. Or perhaps that was just something he was told. Had he actually seen it himself? I had never gotten a chance to ask him and I doubted Kyle was going to let me in to see him again.
Half way through eating Kyle had arrived. After eating what I could, I began to yawn. Kyle had walked me up to his room. Even knowing we were mates it was still weird to be shown into his room and expected to be comfortable. It would take some getting used to.
He embraced me, and I rested my head against his broad chest, feeling worn out.
"Everything will be okay," he assured me.
I wanted to believe him so badly. For once I didn't want to fear for my life or for the lives of the people I held dear. Couldn't I just have a little normalcy?
He left me to get ready for bed while he went and checked how the rest of the group was coming along with ideas.
We had Flynn and it would be foolish of us to think the Keepers wouldn't come to get him back. But we couldn't let Flynn go. He knew what I was and he would tell the others. It felt like each scenario led to a war. There was no way around it. Biting my nail slightly, I wondered why my existence was such an awful thing.
I rubbed my head before giving up. I saw my backpack by the bed. Maybe going for a shower would help me distract myself until Kyle returned.
I went into his private bathroom. A spare towel was folded neatly on the counter. I stripped down to nothing before turning the shower on. Once the water temperature was right, I got in. Closing my eyes, I savored the warm water that cascaded down my body. I washed myself and rinsed.
Once I was done, I got out and dried myself off. I got dressed before I stepped back into the room.
"For a moment there I thought you made a run for it," Kyle said, walking toward me. His features were still etched with worry.
"I promised I wouldn't," I reminded him. His worry reminded me of how much I had put him through. I felt guilty. Hurting him had never been my intention.
"I know. I'm just scared you're going disappear again."
I cradled his face in my hands.
"I'm sorry for leaving you," I said before pressing a kiss to his lips.
His arms snaked around me as our kiss grew more intense. His tongue trailed lightly against my bottom lip before slipping into my mouth. My tongue tentatively touched his. His confidence assured my awkwardness and I began to explore his mouth with the slight push of my tongue.
Strong hands grasped my hips, bringing me closer to him.
When most people my age were exploring their sexuality, I had been trying to keep to myself so no one would discover my secret. It wasn't surprising that I didn't have much experience and I had never slept with a guy before.
But when Kyle kissed and touched me, it was all I wanted, to feel his skin against mine, his mouth hot and hard against mine. My stomach flipped when his tongue stroked mine.
Then I remembered what Flynn had said. What if he was right? It was like a cold bucket of water had been thrown over me. Still breathing hard, I broke away.
"What's wrong?" Kyle asked, seeing my expression.
"What if he's right?" I asked.
"I don't believe for a second that any of it's true."
I turned away from him. Logically in my mind I tried to rationalize what Flynn had told us. If it went against nature to be what I was, how could it happen? Obviously the werewolf and Keeper DNA had to be compatible to produce me.
Claire had told me many times that I had been conceived with two people who had been madly in love. They had loved me enough to give me up to save my life. How could that bring evil? I mentally shook my head. I was going around in circles and coming up with nothing.
"Stop it," Kyle commanded, turning me to face him. "I don't know why you believe him. He is the enemy. We can't trust anything he says."
"You don't know that," I said, frowning.
"I do and I'm willing to prove it right here, right now."
"How?" I asked. I wanted nothing more than to prove him wrong.
"Mate with me."
I wanted him both on a physical and an emotional level, but I was afraid.
"I can't," I whispered. It felt like I was going against my instinct and maybe I was. Part of me was the werewolf that was destined to be joined to Kyle for the rest of our lives. But the Keeper part of me, the unknown side, made me too fearful to go through with it.
"Tell me this doesn't feel right." His hand slid to the back of my neck. Beneath his fingers, my circular mark heated as he pulled me toward him and he kissed me.
It felt like we were made for each other and I wanted to be as close as two people could be.
"Let me love you," he whispered. I felt my resistance start to crumble.
His gray eyes glittered with promise and a warmth spread through my chest. This was a moment I had only ever dreamed of and I had never believed I would get the chance to live it in reality, but here we both were.
"What if-"
"-Trust me," he said and the last bit of resistance I was holding on to folded like a pack of cards.
"I do."
His eyes darkened as they swept over me and my skin tingled. He kissed me again as his hands slid down to my waist. My nervousness didn't stop me from helping him out of his shirt. The sight of his hard defined chest and stomach made the heat pool between my legs.
His hands went to the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head.
"Beautiful," he whispered, taking in my half-naked form.
I had never felt beautiful but the way he looked at me made me feel like I was.
Our lips locked together as my hands went to his chest, and his hand slid down my side before helping me out of my sweatpants. I was down to my underwear.
His eyes swept over me briefly before he kissed me again. This time my hands went the buttons on his jeans and I began to undo them. He dropped his jeans to the floor and stepped out of them.
"Your skin is so soft," he murmured when his hands skimmed down my sides before enclosing me.
His lips moved down the side of my neck and I leaned back, allowing his touch to sear my skin like a brand. There was no way that this, what was happening between us, could be anything but right.
I wanted him and I wanted this.