Chapter Three
Cosette moved through the mall at breakneck speeds. I wasn’t sure what the rush was, but I didn’t want to ask any real questions until she was ready. Instead, I kept pace beside her.
“Where’re we headed?” I asked, finally. Not that I cared. Getting out of that incense was enough motivation to keep me moving. Add in the possibility of shopping, and it was all good. I could just look at things, never buy a thing, and be happy.
“Shoes. I have a need for shoes.”
“Shoe emergency. Got it. Nordies?”
“Hmm,” she said, and I took that as agreement.
The mall had a Nordstrom at one end. A few people did double takes as we passed. Maybe I was paranoid after that girl recognized me, but Cosette didn’t seem fazed, so I shrugged it off. Cosette was a force to be next to. Especially since she wasn’t hiding her fey very well. Her skin had a golden glow that no amount of salt scrubs could replicate, and as she walked, homegirl looked like a fan was blowing on her, making her dark blonde curls flow gracefully around her shoulders and down her back. It was kind of a sight if I was being completely honest.
“I would’ve answered your calls sooner, but cell reception is abysmal at court.” Cosette offered me the tiny, green coin purse. “This is for you.”
“No worries. I figured you were tied up.” I gave the purse some serious side-eye. Insulting Cosette would be bad, but I didn’t want to take anything from her until I knew what the hell it was. “I don’t know… After how your cousin looked at me, are you sure you want to give me anything?”
“I’ve heard what’s going on in Ireland. Donovan’s pack is a mess, and it’s about to get worse.”
I stopped walking. How on earth would she know anything about Donovan’s pack? “I’m sorry, what?” I asked when I caught up with her again. “How do you know what’s going on with the Weres?”
“The entrance to my court is in Ireland.”
“Then why’re you here?” Denver wasn’t exactly next door to Ireland. It was at least a twelve-hour flight with a stop. Unless Van, her fey bestie slash possible boyfriend—I wasn’t quite sure which way she leaned when it came to him—had teleported her out like he was Scotty and she was in an episode of Star Trek.
“I’m harder to assassinate when I’m half a world away.” She shrugged. “Plus, my condo in Denver rocks, the coven here is more than welcoming, and the Colorado pack likes me better than my family does. I tend to like them back.”
“Assassinate?” Someone was trying to assassinate her?
“Hmm.” Cosette wasn’t elaborating. Honestly, I was shocked she’d said so much.
I put that aside and asked a question she might answer. “What’s with you and the pack?” Cosette got along really well with the unmated guys at St. Ailbe’s and not one Cazador had ever complained she could be a security threat. It seemed odd when things were supposed to be so tense between our races.
She flipped her long curls over her shoulder. “I have a thing for wolves.”
“Oookaaaay.” That so wasn’t an answer. I tapped my fingers on my leg as we walked. At least there was one thing she could tell me about right now. Or so I hoped. “What’s in the pouch?”
“Your get out of jail free card. I was hoping to get coins for Tessa and Claudia, too, but for now, I just have the one, and you need it the most.” She held the pouch out to me again. “Although, I’ll warn you. You shouldn’t go to Ireland right now if you can avoid it.”
I had exactly zero plans to go anywhere—especially Ireland—in the near future, but it was odd that she was worried about it. “Why?”
“My court hears things. Donovan’s pack was in a state before everything went down with Luciana and the news reports. Add in our recent adventures… And then there’s you.”
“Me?” Why would I be an issue?
“Yes. You. Now that Donovan’s mated, the Irish pack will only get more chaotic. Since you haven’t completed your bond to him yet…” She shook her head. “Trouble is brewing.”
“What are you talking about?” Cosette was my friend, but sometimes she was so vague I wanted to wring her skinny neck. Why would having an uncompleted bond with Donovan cause a problem in his pack?
“I can’t tell you much more than I already have, but at the very least, I wanted to warn you and leave you with a measure of protection.”
Protection? Now she was starting to freak me out. Donovan? What the hell is going on with your pack?
Nothing that I know of. And as Alpha, he’d definitely know if something was up. I’m in the middle of a pretty heated debate. Just tell me what you’re after.
I winced as I felt his stress level edging on nuclear. I shouldn’t have mentally bombarded him like that. Nothing. It’s okay. Go back to whatever you were doing.
You sure you’re fine? I could already feel his attention turning from me.
Yeah. We’ll talk later.
The bond went quiet. I thought over Cosette’s warning, but if Donovan didn’t know of any conflict, then the girl was talking nonsense. “I’m not going to Ireland, so I don’t need protection.” She gave me a long look that told me arguing would be pointless. “And a get out of jail free card is what exactly?”
“Open it.”
I took the pouch and shook its contents into my hand. It held a single gold coin attached to a chain. One side was smooth as silk, and the other had a ring engraved with the phases of the moon.
A Lunar court coin? That was one of the more powerful fey courts. Cosette couldn’t be part of it, could she? With the way she liked to lay out in the sun reading magazines whenever she had a second to herself, I’d totally thought she was Solar. I’d know if she was Lunar, wouldn’t I? I shook off all the questions rolling through my mind and asked the one I truly needed her to answer. “What does it do?”
“It’s a one-use enchantment.” She grabbed it from me and fastened the chain around my wrist. “It will stay until you take it off, even if you shift. Don’t do that. Keep it on. The saying that goes with this coin is: When you’ve reached your darkest hour, the coin will warm. Grab hold of it and be safe.” She paused. “Don’t forget the last part, okay?”
Grab hold of it and be safe? Perfect. That wasn’t vague at all. Would it destroy my enemies? Give me an extra life? Heal me? But I knew Cosette better than to ask too many questions. It was a big deal that she’d gotten the coin for me. I’d figure out the details out later.
I glanced at the bracelet. “I don’t know what to say.” I couldn’t thank her. That was a severe no-no with the fey. A thank you implied a debt, and the fey could claim what they were owed in a whole host of unsavory ways.
“You had my back in the chapel, and this is the only thing I can do for you before I get hauled into hiding.” She sighed. “Just be careful whenever you do end up in Ireland. They’re a dangerous bunch. There might be challenges. If you can get out of fighting—”
“No.” Cosette might be an expert on fey stuff, but what she was about to say was complete crap. That was a piece of advice no Were should ever take. Especially me. “I can’t run away if I get challenged.”
“Why not?”
“I’d be a disgrace.”
“You’d be alive.”
My blood ran cold. “I’m not the most dominant wolf, and until Donovan and I have our ceremony, my position won’t be secure. If his pack wants me gone, they can probably make it happen. Running from a challenge would only speed that up.” And it scared me how easy it might be.
“Donovan will try to protect you, but he can’t see all the threats. You have to look for the truth.”
Look for the truth? What was she talking about now? “What do you know?”
“I can’t.”
I nodded. Cosette was under some crazy restrictions. I knew she’d tell me more if she could. “Either way, I’m glad to have some insurance. This was really thoughtful of you,” I said instead of thanking her.
“I hope you never need it.”
“Me, too.” I prayed she was wrong. Fighting to join a pack that didn’t want me seemed like a worst-case scenario. But it was Donovan’s pack. If I wanted to be his mate—and I did—then I had to do what I had to do.
Luckily, there was no hurry to head straight to Ireland. Donovan hadn’t agreed to a date for our Full Moon Ceremony, and until then I was still officially part of the Wayfarer pack and a satellite member of the St. Ailbe’s pack. That was more than enough for now. I was cool with avoiding Europe altogether if things were bad over there.
Since I couldn’t say thanks, I did the next best thing. As we walked into the Nordstrom, I waved around the shoe department. “Whatever you want, it’s on me.”
Cosette grinned. “I’ll take you up on that. I’ve been eyeing a pair of Louboutin cage sandals that are to die for.”
Good thing I still had my father’s credit card. “God. Why haven’t we gone shopping together before?”
“Because we were hunting a psychotic witch. But I knew from your stash of magazines that this would be a true pleasure.”
I cracked my knuckles. “Let’s do some damage.”
Two hours later, shoe boxes were piled around us. We were making a mess, but I didn’t care. I had a few pairs I was for sure getting, and a couple of maybes. I was trying on a pair of Kate Spade booties that I was dying over. “What do you think?”
Cosette glanced up from a pile of K Jacques. “Do they have a zip?”
“No.” They had laces with a buckle around the ankle, but no hidden zip.
“How quickly can you get out of them?”
“What?”
“If you needed to shift?”
That was a fantastic point. I’d never had to think about shifting in random scenarios. At least not until Luciana. Now, with all the problems we’d had… I tried toeing a shoe off, but it didn’t work. I had to unbuckle and then pull them off. “This is so sad.”
Cosette walked off and came back with another pair. “These. Get these.”
The boots were made of the most gorgeous chocolate leather. A zip with red accents went up the length, and they had some flex in the toe, which meant they’d be okay to run in. Not the best, but doable. “Done.”
My phone buzzed.
Micah: We’re coming to get you in ten. Check out.
I sighed. “Looks like fun is over for today. Brothers are heading this way.” I motioned to the guy helping us and handed over my card and my pile of trophies. “These. And whatever she wants.” One of the other salesmen rushed over to help gather up all the boxes. It was quite the bounty.
“There! That’s the werewolf.”
I spun. The girl who’d spit out her gum earlier was standing by the rack of sale shoes, and this time she wasn’t alone. She easily had ten friends with her. And more people were heading toward us through the makeup counters. The gum girl had her phone out, recording. With my luck, she was probably streaming. This was a disaster.
Cosette’s face went ghostly pale. “I’m in so much trouble.”
I looked around, trying to find a way out. “Can Van get you out of here?”
“Not with this many people. We can’t get caught on tape again.”
She was right. The crowd was getting bigger by the second, and they all had their phones out now. “Shit. We’re going to end up on the news again.”
Cosette closed her eyes and let out a long breath. When she opened them, she looked resigned. “Can you get out if I take the fall?”
I could outrun humans—even a mob like this one—but I wasn’t leaving Cosette behind to deal with the mess. I glanced around, hoping an idea would come. Then it hit me. There was a way I could help. “Follow me.”
I took off running, feeling only a minimal sting as I left my shoes and credit card behind. I’d take care of them later. Cosette wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. I had to make this right.
We darted through racks of clothes. The crowd was yelling behind us. I had the urge to dump a rack of clothes to slow them down, but I didn’t want to cause any damage on purpose. It was another thing if it happened accidentally. A crash sounded behind me, and I didn’t look back.
I hit the escalator and sprinted up, trusting Cosette to follow.
“Up? Shouldn’t we be going down to the exit?”
“You don’t need an exit,” I shouted as I leaped three steps at a time.
We blew through the lingerie department, and I spotted the glorious sign: Women’s Restroom.
“In.” I held the door open and then locked it behind Cosette. A lady washing her hands froze.
“This, I can handle,” Cosette said as she moved toward her. “Forget you ever saw us.”
The lady nodded once and continued washing. I pulled Cosette into the wheelchair access stall. “Call Van.”
Cosette nodded. “Van.”
I didn’t feel any fey magic happening, but suddenly Van was there, standing on top of the toilet. His navy pants and tunic were belted with his scabbard hanging empty. He had his sword out, ready to take the head off any enemies. “Who’s attacking?”
“We’re at the mall,” Cosette said. “There’s a crowd outside with their phones out…”
Van let out a series of curses, before turning to me. His long, white hair was out of its standard low ponytail, the only clue that he’d been in the middle of something. “Do you need me to get you out, too?”
I considered it for a second, but it wouldn’t work. If we both disappeared, the fallout would be worse. Going back out might at least distract the human mob from the fact that Cosette had left from a bathroom with no exits. “Nah. I’ll be fine.”
Van nodded, but Cosette raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. No worries. My brothers are on their way.” Sure, they were going to murder me, but there was nothing Cosette could do to stop that.
A pounding came on the door followed by Max’s voice. “Open up, Mere!”
“That would be them. I’ll catch you later.”
Van lifted his chin a bit and then grabbed Cosette’s hand. Suddenly I was alone in the stall.
What the hell is going on? Donovan yelled through the bond.
I jumped at the sound of his voice. My mate clearly wasn’t happy with me, but I could still fix this. I’m just at the mall, and—
With Cosette? With a fey? When things are strained, and I’ve been here for days working my arse off trying to make nice with the queens? You took the youngest Lunar court princess to the mall? Undisguised? The same princess who started the mess with them? I—
I banged my head on the stall door. Did he just say that Cosette was a Lunar court princess? What the… Maybe it wasn’t the best plan, but I honestly didn’t think anyone would recognize us.
The pounding on the door got louder and my phone vibrated. I answered the call.
“You need to come out,” Max said. “The police are here. They’re going to escort us to the car.”
“Great.”
I hung up. I’ve got to talk to the police. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause more problems. Donovan’s anger and frustration came through our bond, and they hurt. A lot.
The police? I’m in the middle of trying to stop a war and you’re getting in trouble at a mall with Cosette? He was yelling so loud that I couldn’t hear my own thoughts. Which wasn’t going to work. I needed to put on my game face or else this was going to get a whole lot worse. So, I did the only thing that would give me a chance to think clearly. I shut down our bond.
I slid down the stall door as I fought a wave of heartbreak and the tears that welled up. Inside it felt like Donovan had died. He was gone. The emptiness I felt without access to our bond took my breath away. I focused on the fact that I knew he was at his meeting, probably cursing me out about now. What I was feeling wasn’t real. He was fine. Pissed off at me for sure, but fine. Once he cooled down, he’d get over this whole mess. We’d get our bond back in place and everything would be okay.
For now, I had to focus on the shitstorm waiting outside the doors. The people. The police. My brothers.
This was going to be epically unfun. Next time I wanted to shop, I’d pull out my laptop and do it on the internet. No pair of shoes was worth this massive pain in the ass. Not even Louboutins.