Chapter Eighteen
Killian and Connor were already in the SUV by the time Daric, Meredith, and Quinn arrived at the garage. As they drove through Manhattan, Daric pondered on his conversation with his mother about the visions. Although he had been occupied by the events of the last 24 hours, the bigger picture never strayed from his thoughts: find out how Archie was connected to Stefan and of course, kill the master mage. His need for vengeance hadn’t tempered, but, looking over at Meredith, the stakes were much higher now. Aside from the distraction, there was one thing he realized just now: Stefan could use Meredith against him like he did with Signe. Cold fear gripped his heart, knowing how cruel the master mage was and there was no line he wouldn’t cross to get what he wanted. For now, he had to compartmentalize what he was feeling and block out Stefan from his thoughts and visions. The link between them was growing weaker every day, but Daric would never take the walls down, not while Stefan was still alive.
Meredith looked up at him with her amber eyes, looking soulful and worried. He gave her a reassuring smile, wishing he could put his arms around her or even just touch her soft skin. It was nice to forget the world outside while they were alone in the motel room in the middle of nowhere. But that was only temporary, and now they had to go back to the real world.
They reached the parking garage of The New York Downtown Hospital and made their way to the 11th floor. When they got to Sven’s room, they saw that Merlin was already there, sitting by the bed.
“Here they are, Sven,” Merlin said to the younger man. “Don’t be afraid. They just want to help you.”
Sven’s face was still swollen, his lip split and he sported a black eye, but at least now he stood upright and didn’t need the breathing tube. He warily eyed the newcomers, examining each one until his gaze clashed with Daric.
“I…I know you…I think?” Sven frowned. “I’m sorry…I can’t remember much.”
“Where are you from, Sven?” Daric asked. He was sure he had never met him, but there was something eerily familiar about the other man.
“I came to New York to be an actor, but I’m from Canada,” he replied. “But I moved to Toronto with my mother when I was six or seven. We used to live in Norway.”
The young man’s words jolted something in Daric, and he moved forward and touched Sven’s hands. He closed his eyes, seeing the same vision he had seen before, but now there was more. It was slow, at first, like someone slowing down a roll of film, then speeding it up. The wildflowers, the cliffs, and the clear water beneath it. Then the inside of a house—small, but cozy. A tall blonde man and woman were embracing in the corner. The door opened, and the vision rushed forward to show more of the outside. Small huts, built with stone and wood. The structures were simple and rustic, set against the majestic backdrop of a fjord.
Daric’s eyes flew open. “Our village,” he said at the young man.
“Y-y-you know my old village back in Norway?” Sven asked, his clear blue eyes widening. “I can’t even remember the name.”
“Its name is lost, I’m afraid,” Daric replied somberly. “But I remember what it looked like, just as you do. And I remember you. One time your mother asked me to watch you while she put the laundry up on the line to dry.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”
“You are Ulric’s son.” The day Stefan came to his village, he killed three blessed witches and warlocks to take their powers. One of them was his father, Jonas, and the other was Ulric, the healer.
“How did you know—so you really lived in the village?”
“Yes. That day your father died, mine perished along with him.”
Sven gasped. “I don’t remember much. Mama made sure I didn’t see. But after that, we fled and ended up in Canada with my uncles. Mama is human, like me.”
“So, wait a minute,” Killian interrupted. “You two grew up in the same village? But how does he know Archie?”
“He doesn’t, but I can explain what happened,” Daric said. He told the others what his mother said about sending her vision out. “I think because of our connection to Sven, and his father’s abilities as a blessed warlock, he may have inadvertently received the vision.”
“Like an antenna, tuned only to get visions of the future,” Quinn deduced.
Daric nodded. “Exactly. She cast her net wide enough, and Sven here was able to get it.”
“Wait…you saw the dreams I’ve been having?” Sven asked. “About the man in the hat?”
“Yes,” Daric said. “Now, why don’t you tell us what happened?”
Sven took a deep breath. “It was…a couple of weeks ago that I started having these dreams. I thought, well, they’re just dreams right? But I kept having them over and over again, and they were so real.” He shook his head. “Well, one night at Merlin’s, while I was on stage, I saw him. The man in the hat.”
“Did you see who he was meeting?” Killian interrupted.
“No, not while I was up there,” Sven answered. “I was up first that night,” he explained. “And I saw the man enter, but he was exactly as I saw in my dream. Same suit and hat. I…I…” he looked down.
“It’s okay, Sven,” Merlin encouraged. “Tell them what you said to me.”
“I had this bad feeling, you know? So, I watched them from the wings. I followed them when they got up to leave. I wanted to stop the man from dying, but I was too late. I was walking outside the building where it happened. It was so fast, and I saw him fall. I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice strained. “I tried…I tried…”
Daric shook his head and placed a hand on Sven’s shoulder. “It was not your fault. If you didn’t save him, then it wasn’t meant to be.”
Sven looked at Quinn. “When you asked me about Archie…well, I panicked. I thought you were going to kill me, too, because I witnessed his death.”
“So, when you ran out of the club that night we were there, what happened?” Quinn asked.
“That’s the thing. I don’t remember,” the younger man said. “I remember rushing out and running for a couple of blocks. But then I realized there was a group of guys following me. They beat me up, but my memory’s clouded.”
“Could it have been a potion?” Killian asked.
“Very possibly,” Merlin replied. “It’s too late to find traces of it, but if he can’t remember, the attackers may have used a potion. I spoke with the police this morning,” the warlock continued. “It seems that Sven got lucky. A couple of cops were having a late supper at this diner next to the alleyway where the attackers cornered Sven. They heard the commotion and scared them away just in time.”
“You got very lucky,” Daric told Sven.
“I have a few more questions if you don’t mind,” Killian said.
“Make it quick,” Merlin replied. “He just woke up a few hours ago, and he’s still recovering.”
As Killian asked Sven for a few more details, Daric quietly slipped out of the room, hoping the Lone Wolves would not notice. He walked out into the hallway and leaned back against the door, closing his eyes as he tried to make sense of it all. His mind was reeling from the revelation. Sven. Ulric’s son. His father’s death. He thought he had buried the pain of what happened that day so deep that he would never feel it again. But seeing Sven and their village had conjured up feelings he thought were long gone.
“Daric.”
He opened his eyes and saw Meredith, staring up at him, concern marring her face. She slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. “Are you all right?”
“Your brothers might see us,” he said, his voice tight.
“I don’t care,” she said. “I know what happened in there is messing with your head. What he said...It’s a lot to process, so talk to me.”
“There is nothing to talk about,” he said, unwinding her arms from his middle. “I’m fine.” Thoughts of Stefan killing Ulric flooded his mind. Him standing over his father, driving his sword into Jonas. Then it changed. It wasn’t Jonas on the other end of Stefan’s sword. It was Meredith.
“No, you’re not,” she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Don’t keep it all inside, Daric.”
“And you would rather have me spew out my thoughts and feelings without a filter, the way you do?” he said bitterly. Shock and hurt registered on Meredith’s face, and Daric instantly regretted his words.
“Fine,” Meredith replied, lifting her chin. “Go ahead and bottle up all your feelings.” She walked away, heading toward the elevator.
Daric watched her leave, the uncomfortable pit in his stomach growing. As she disappeared into the elevator, he told himself that it was better this way. What they had last night could never happen again. He couldn’t let his emotions run wild. No, he didn’t have that luxury. And it was for her own good. Pursuing anything more with Meredith was like painting a target on her back.
“Hey, where’s Meredith?” Quinn asked as he and his brothers came out into the hallway.
“I think she said she’d be downstairs,” Daric shrugged. “Did you glean any more information from Sven?”
“A couple of details here and there,” Killian replied. “But nothing more that could lead us to Archie’s killer. He says that he didn’t see the face of whoever did it.”
“What should we do now?” Connor asked.
“Let’s go back and regroup,” Killian said. “We need to update Grant on what’s happening anyway.”
***
Meredith was tempted to walk out of the hospital right then and there. Stupid ass, stubborn warlock! She kicked the SUV’s tire. It made her feel marginally better. But not a lot.
She knew Daric was hurting, probably remembering what had happened to his father. Maybe she was presumptuous, but he didn’t need to push her away like that. But he was right—she was crude, mouthy, and maybe she didn’t think before she spoke. But he made it sound like a bad thing. He said it to hurt her. Why, she didn’t know. Meredith wasn’t the only one hurt. Her inner she-wolf cowered and whined in pain.
Why doesn’t he like us anymore?
I don’t know, she answered. Maybe Daric decided their affair was over. He had gotten what he wanted, and he didn’t need her anymore. The thought made her gut ache.
“Hey, stop daydreaming, runt, and get in the car,” Quinn yelled.
She was jolted out of her thoughts, so engrossed in them she didn’t hear her brothers and Daric approach or the door unlock. Normally she would have given Quinn a snappy comeback, but instead, she climbed into the back seat, squeezing herself into the end, hoping to get as far away from Daric as possible. Thankfully, Connor went in next, taking up the middle seat and the warlock sat at the other end.
“We’ll head straight to the Alpha’s office for a debrief,” Killian said. “Then we can figure out our next move.”
The traffic was light, so the drive back was quick, thankfully. The longer she was in Daric’s presence, the harder it was for Meredith to control what she was feeling inside. All she wanted to do was scream at the warlock and smack him upside the head.
After parking the SUV in the garage, they proceeded to Grant’s office, where the Alpha and Beta were already waiting for them. As they sat down to talk, Daric first recounted what his mother said and Killian filled them in on their trip to visit Sven.
“So,” Grant began. “We know how Sven and Archie are connected. But, who killed Archie and why?”
“Perhaps we should think about why he came to New York in the first place,” Nick said. “Did he have business here? Did he come to New York regularly?”
The three Lone Wolves looked at each other, and the silence in the room was deafening. Meredith recognized that look. It was the look her brothers had when they were hiding something. From her.
“Why was Archie here?” Meredith asked, standing up from her chair.
“It’s not important,” Killian said.
“You’re lying,” she accused. “You know why. And if you don’t tell us now, I swear, I’m going to make you!”
“Meredith,” Quinn warned. “Listen to us. All we need to do is find out who killed Archie.”
“Why won’t you tell me why he came to New York?” She walked towards Killian, placing her hands on either side of him. “What did he do? Was someone after him?”
“You don’t need to know,” Killian shot back as he remained seated. He turned away from Meredith, unwilling to look her in the eyes.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? All of you?” She looked at her brothers, one by one, until her gaze landed on Connor. “What are you hiding? Please, just tell me.”
More silence.
Finally, Connor spoke. “He came to see you.”
Meredith felt her stomach drop, and her knees shook. If she weren't braced against Killian’s chair, she would have collapsed. All this time…
“No,” she shook her head and pushed herself upright. “No, no, no.”
Killian stood over her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Like I said, it’s not important why he came—”
“Yes it is!” she shouted. “He came because he knew I was stuck here. He came to help me, didn’t he?” When her brothers said nothing, she knew it was true.
“It doesn’t matter,” Quinn huffed.
“Yes it does,” she countered. “Archie died because of me.”
“Stop saying that!” Connor growled. He stood and walked towards Meredith. “We’ll find the bastard who killed Archie and get our revenge.”
“He shouldn’t have died in the first place,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “And you should have told me when you got here! Why did you lie to me, you especially,” she said accusingly at Connor. “You said I could always trust you.”
“I’m sorry,” was all the Lone Wolf said.
“I can’t…” Meredith shook her head and turned to the door. She ignored her brother’s calls, walking away swiftly and then breaking into a full-on run as soon as she was out the door. The edges of her vision were going black, and she couldn’t breathe. She wanted to get out. Wanted to destroy something. Or hit something. Or just do anything to make the hurt go away.
***
Meredith ran to her room as soon as the elevator hit the 16th floor. She threw the door open and slammed it shut behind her. Rage, sorrow, anger, all kinds of emotions coursed through her. She thought she was getting over it. But now it all came back, stronger than ever, with a new addition—guilt. It was her fault. Archie was dead because of her. The she-wolf howled, and she begged to be let out. God, she wished she could. Just let the wolf take over so she could disappear into her furry body and escape the world, even just for a little bit.
She grabbed the chair and threw it across the room. It hit the wall, and one of the legs broke off. Next came the lamp, which she tossed on the floor, the base breaking into a million pieces. She ripped the covers and pillows from her bed, then climbed up on top of it and tore the poster on the wall. Letting out a rage-filled cry, she sank down on the mattress, wrapping her hands around her legs as she curled on her side and let the tears flow.
Archie. Oh, Archie. I wish you could hear me now. I’m so sorry for the things I said. For the way that I left.
She felt the bed dip and a large hand gently stroking her head, pushing her hair away from her face. At first, she thought it was Connor, but the chocolate scent tickling her nose told her otherwise. She quickly scrambled to the other end of the bed, squeezing up against the window. “What are you doing here?”
Daric’s face was inscrutable, and he placed his hand on his lap. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m fine,” she said, throwing his words back in his face. “As you can see,” she nodded to her wrecked room. “I’ve just been spewing my feelings out.”
He let out a sigh, his shoulders sinking. “It seems that even though I said I’d make amends, I cannot stop hurting you. I should be the one who thinks before he speaks.”
She huffed in agreement but said nothing.
“I’m sorry. And I know you don’t want to hear this or want to believe it, but you did not cause Archie’s death,” Daric said somberly.
“I don’t want to talk about Archie.”
“Then we won’t,” he moved closer, sliding over to her. “We can talk about me. And why I acted like an ass this afternoon at the hospital.”
“You won’t get an argument from me,” she grumbled.
He gave her a faint smile. “I know better than to expect one.” Daric let out a sigh. “The conversation with Sven and his visions brought back a lot of unpleasant memories. You know which ones, you were there when I told everyone about how Stefan came to our village and killed my father to take his power.”
“I remember,” she said quietly.
“It was like I was experiencing it again. Not only the moment Stefan killed my father, but also destroying my life. Taking away everything and everyone I cared for.” He paused. “And then I thought that there was something else he could take away that would destroy me.”
She sighed and moved closer, touching his shoulder. “Daric, Signe is safe. He’ll never take her away from you.”
“I’m not talking about my mother,” he said in a soft tone, bending his head so he could rub his cheek on her hand.
Meredith froze. He couldn’t mean…
“I would protect you until my last breath,” he said. “And if Stefan found out, he will use you to get to me. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.”
“Daric…” She crawled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek to his back. She understood now. He was afraid, that’s why he pushed her away. That’s what he always did, it seemed. But, would he do it again? “What do you want to do now?”
The warlock turned around, slipped his arms around her waist, and pulled her to his lap. “I think I would like to spend the rest of the night showing you how sorry I am.”