“Charlotte, Bram.” Ryder’s voice startled her, but she did her best not to show it. “Leah, these are my friends from the Redwood Pack. Charlotte is Maddox and Ellie’s daughter, who you met earlier. Bram is a soldier.”
If she remembered correctly, soldiers were wolves in the center of the dominant hierarchy that could move up to enforcers or lieutenants depending on the Pack. Their strength of wolf and dominance was ever-changing. Leah was pretty sure all wolves were able to move up and down the totem pole other than those who were in the royal line. Those titles were given to them by the goddess and only changed when the next generation grew into power.
It was funny, really. Wolves were the ones portrayed as barbaric while witches were either seen as crones or naked women dancing peacefully under the moonlight. And yet, it was her people who killed and tortured for their place in the Coven. Wolves let their goddess decide and used their claws and teeth to define their true place, but never to take over a Pack.
She nodded and shook their hands, trying not to let her magic pour out of her and wrap around the couple who seemed to not quite be a true couple. Sometimes she hated her powers and her lack of control.
“Hello,” she finally said, aware that her thoughts kept pulling her out of the present.
“I’m so sorry about your brother,” Charlotte said softly. “I know you don’t know me, but if you need to talk, I’m a good listener.”
Leah studied the other woman and felt a connection she couldn’t understand. It was as if her inner powers knew Charlotte had been through her own form of torture and pain. Indeed, it seemed this woman would understand her.
“Thank you.”
Bram gave her a solemn nod and followed Charlotte as she turned away, leaving Ryder and Leah alone.
“What is their story?” she asked. She hadn’t meant to say anything, as it wasn’t her business, but, apparently, she couldn’t help it.
“I don’t know,” Ryder said. “I tend to keep out of matings.”
“They’re mates?” she asked as she turned to him. He hadn’t shaved so his beard was just a bit longer than it had been a couple of days ago. She wanted to run her hands over it, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.
“I don’t know. They don’t have the bond, but there’s something between them anyway.” He shrugged. “They’re Redwoods, not Talons, so my wolf can’t tell much for sure. I can only assume from body language alone at this point.”
“I see.” She looked over her shoulder at her brother’s grave and frowned. “I think it’s time to go. If I stay here, I won’t leave at all.”
Ryder took her hand and led her away. She let out a sigh, but followed him, knowing she was leaving her past behind with each step and stepping into a future she couldn’t quite understand.
When they made it back to Ryder’s, she went back to her room and stripped off her clothes. She didn’t want to wear the black anymore. She’d have burned them or thrown them away, but they were borrowed from the Pack. Instead, she changed into a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved tunic. Ryder had been silent on the walk back, but she knew it wasn’t her. He never spoke unless it was important, and she kind of liked that. The silence wasn’t awkward, but comforting.
She met her gaze in the mirror and knew it was time to tell him everything. She was a guest within the Talon walls and couldn’t hide from the world. Her problems would find her…and soon.
When she made her way out to the living room. Ryder was on the couch, looking at his tablet. She knew all the Talons had jobs of their own, or at least they used to before the Unveiling. She wasn’t sure what Ryder’s was or if he still had it. But asking him now would only delay what she needed to say. If they let her remain within the wards, she’d ask him, though. He might not want her as his mate, but she still felt a strong enough connection that she wanted to know who he was.
“Ryder?”
He looked up from his tablet, his blue eyes intense. He must have heard her shuffle in, but he’d let her breathe first. “What is it, Leah?”
“I want to tell you why I was running.”
He nodded but didn’t stand up, didn’t gesture for her to sit next to him. He was letting her make the choice. Goddess, she could fall for him. But she wouldn’t. She had to protect the one thing she had left—her heart.
“Okay.”
“I used to belong to the Coven. The one you are meeting soon.”
His eyebrows rose, but he didn’t say anything.
“Well, I suppose you could say I belonged until I was born. My mother, you see, was shunned when she became pregnant with Roland and me.”