Chapter Seven – Will
Catherine shook like a leaf, but Will was too consumed in his own mind to pay much heed to her. As soon as she had told them what happened, both he and Lukas had transformed, searching for any sign of the Geisterwolf and Elena. Just like during its nightly attacks, it left no scents and no trail to follow. There was a faint scent of Elena, but even that disappeared shortly after it got into the forest.
And so they had come back to the house, to get as much information as possible from Catherine. Not that she was being much use. She was as distraught as they were, and just kept repeating what she had already told them.
"He appeared as a man first. What did he look like?" Lukas asked, his gaze intent on Catherine's face.
"Tall. Brown-haired. He had a scar on his cheek."
Will picked up the cigarette and lighter that he had dropped before they ran out at Elena's scream. His hands shook as he lit the cigarette and pulled in a deep drag. Lukas shot him an annoyed, angry glance, but the other Alpha ignored it. Knowing what the Geisterwolf's human form looked like wasn't going to help them at all.
"Call Xavier." He strove to keep his own fear from his voice. "He should know why the Geisterwolf was able to attack after sunup. It's never done that before."
"How can you be so nonchalant about this?"
"What?" Will glanced up to see Lukas now glaring at him. "You think I'm being nonchalant?"
"You are being nonchalant." Lukas stepped forward, fists clenched. "You're sitting there smoking as though there is nothing wrong! I should never have approached you to join the packs, it's clear that you care nothing for Elena!"
Will got to her feet, a growl rising in his throat. "I care nothing? You're the one who said to her face that he'd rather have another mate!"
Lukas roared, springing forward. His fists flew, but Will was not caught off guard this time. He sidestepped the blows, sinking a fist into Lukas' stomach. A rush filled him and he bared his teeth in a snarl. It felt good to act on his impulses, rather than always burying them and acting like he didn't care. Lukas huffed out a breath and stumbled back, face paling, but Will followed up, punching hard into the other Alpha's face. Will felt something crack.
"Stop!" Catherine screamed. She jumped to her feet and grabbed her own face, eyes wide. "Will, stop, you'll hurt him!"
"That’s the point!"
Blood poured down Lukas' face. He slammed his palm into Will's sternum. His breath whooshed out of his lung and his heart did a strange double beat. The other Alpha's face was twisted in fury. Another blow, but this one Will blocked. Every frustrated, helpless feeling that had been building in Will since the Geisterwolf first arrived came pouring out as they traded blows, snarls and growls filling the air as their teeth lengthened and fur began to sprout along their backs.
"Stop it! Stop! This wasn't supposed to happen!" Catherine turned away, hiding her face.
Will shoved Lukas away from him and bent over panting. The other Alpha did the same. The features of the Wolf in them both faded as they stared at one another.
"We can't fight." Will shook his head. "This isn't helping Elena. We need to find a way to get her back before the Geisterwolf kills her. Fighting each other is just a waste of time."
Lukas straightened and nodded. "You're right. I'll phone Xavier, see if he knows anything. You have a good point, it shouldn't have been able to attack after sunrise. The only think I can think that when we made her angry it grew stronger…"
"We can deliberate that when Elena is back with us, safe."
Catherine grasped Will's arm. "But surely she'd be dead already by now."
Something in her voice made a red flag go up in Will's head. He turned towards her, frowning, as Lukas made for the telephone. Catherine stared at him with uncertainty in her eyes as he studied her. Why were she and Harriet here in the first place? He told them to stay away.
He'd taken away their keys and told them that it was over. Catherine never did anything without Harriet's approval, and Harriet would never have come here to show her support towards Elena as his mate. She was a beautiful woman, but full of her own ambition. She was willing to use everyone around her for her own means.
"You said that this wasn't supposed to happen. What did you mean by that?"
Catherine swallowed hard and stepped back from him. Her eyes darted around the room. She was an awful liar. It was one of the things Will liked about her, that he could see through her head to whatever plots Harriet was cooking up. So what was making her look so pale now?
"Answer me. Are you and Harriet involved in this?"
"I…" Catherine shrank from before him. "Harriet said she was just using you, and I could see the way she acted she doesn't love you like we do."
Lukas strode over and shook Catherine. "What did you do?"
"Harriet took her away. You deserve a proper mate, one that will give you everything you desire, not demand her own way constantly. And you were always fighting for her, the Geisterwolf will kill you if you keep defending her. I don't want her to die, but it's the only way to keep you safe."
Will couldn't breathe. Out of everything that had been going through his head of late, he hadn't thought much about how his actions would affect Catherine and Harriet. He hadn't thought they would come after Elena.
But now as he stared at Catherine's pleading eyes, he saw the truth. He wasn't some sort of impressive, rebel Alpha who did his own thing. He was a monster that used people for his own ends. His blood ran cold. He would have used Elena the same way, as a broodmare to give him children. Even though his feelings had been changing towards her, those thoughts had remained the forefront of his mind.
It was his carelessness with the feelings of those around him that had caused this. Harriet had taken Elena because of it.
Lukas gripped his shoulder. "Will, snap out of it! We need to get Elena back before sundown."
Will shook himself from his horror and nodded. There would be time for regrets later, but not now. It was morning, which meant that they had lots of time before the Geisterwolf returned for Elena, but they didn't have any time to waste. He didn't think that Harriet would kill her herself, but did he really know her all that well? She never really let him know her. She was too cunning for that.
"Where did Harriet take her?" Will asked Catherine.
"But she's no good for you."
"Maybe not," Will said, not wanting to waste time on arguing with her. "But she is Lukas' mate. Does he deserve to lose her? Does she deserve to die for something she didn't ask for? Her father signed her away as a baby for a piece of land. She didn't ask for any this! Catherine, please."
His ex-girlfriend's face was pale. She swallowed heavily. "Harriet was taking her to the old abandoned sawmill by the lake."
Relief broke over Will. He nodded. "Thank you. Lukas, we'll take my car. It's faster."
"I'm the better driver."
Will knew it was true. After he retrieved his keys, he tossed them to the other Alpha. As they headed out to the car, Catherine followed. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Will?"
He turned.
"You never loved me, did you?"
Will shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for using you the way I did, and I'm sorry for using Harriet. You both deserved better than how I treated you. I blame myself for all of this. You're a great girl, Catherine. Don't every let a man treat you the way I did again."
"I loved you."
"I know. And I'm sorry."
Lukas leaned out the window. "We don't have time for this."
Will slid into the car. They headed off, and all he could do was sit and stare out the window, hoping they wouldn't be too late. The old sawmill was several hours away, and with all the equipment there… well, if Harriet did have a homicide on her mind, then they needed to move quickly in order to get there in time. And if they didn't…
"I love her," he blurted.
Lukas was silent.
"I didn't think I was capable of love. But I love Elena."
"I love her, too. I have since the first time I saw her picture. I had such dreams built in my head… I thought I could handle the three of us because you'd be her mate in name only. But I don't know anymore."
Will sighed. "We need to get her back. That's the most important thing. Everything else… We'll have to discuss with her."
Lukas nodded. They continued in silence.
***
They arrived at the sawmill halfway through the afternoon. As soon as the car was parked, the two Alphas burst out and ran inside the old building. Will came up short at what he saw there.
Elena was tied in the center of a circle of candles, her eyes wide as she struggled uselessly against her bonds. Harriet crouched just outside the circle, her skin deathly pale, her usually pretty face looking haggard and worn, with dark wrinkles under her eyes and sharp teeth in her mouth.
"Harriet," Will said, stepping forward. "Let her go. I don't want to hurt you."
"Harriet is no longer here," the woman said, her voice hoarse and cracked. "You mistreated her and lost her. But by her sacrifice, I have returned. And by your mate, I will have my mate again."
Her head threw back, and a deep, echoing howl rang through the sawmill, shaking the very foundations. And then her body twisted, shifting in a giant white wolf. Will stepped back, eyes widening in horror. The Wolf separated from Harriet, and his ex-girlfriend dropped to the floor.
The Geisterwolf howled again and charged him.