Hammer sat in a stunned silence; his head turned toward Cecilia while she looked out at the forest. She had told her heartbreaking story with no emotion as if she was talking about someone else’s life.

He was trying to maintain his composure but her past had shown him they might be more connected than he thought. She had never said the name of the coven that had attacked her family and his coven was across the Ocean but he knew, he knew this was the work of the cult that had taken control of his coven. He also knew that whatever had been used by the Mages to kill her pack come from him.

Even though he had never actually been a part of the cult or known what they were doing with his work until it was too late, it tore at his soul to think that he was the reason she had lost her family, lost her pack.

“What happened next?” Hammer asked, folding his hands together so he wouldn’t reach for her.

“Oscar and I got all the bodies together, asked the Moon Goddess to look over their souls and we burned it all to the ground.” Cecilia sighed deeply, “Then we ran, hoping whatever coven that had come for us would think they got everyone, that Briar Rose Pack was completely destroyed. We spent months in wolf form as rogues. Moving from place to place, just surviving. Then one night we came across another wolf.”

Hammer saw a small smile touch her face.

“It was Franny. She had just turned 19.” Cecilia chuckled, “Any other 19-year-old Omega would have run in terror from a rogue Alpha and Beta in the woods but not that girl. One sniff at Oscar and her tail was wagging like a puppy. She even tried to get him to play with her.”

They both laughed then, the tension of Cecilia’s tale lessoning, “You should have seen it. Most shifter wolves are huge, 3 or 4 times the size of a normal wolf. Omega’s are smaller, about half the size. Yet there she was, crouching and batting at a wolf who could have flattened her with his paw. Oscar’s look was something I will never forget, it was priceless. Possibly the first time I had felt happiness since the pack fell.”

She looked at him then, her eyes and smile bright at the memory.

“So, you stayed?”

“They didn’t give me much choice. It was the only thing Oscar ever fought me on. As a Beta he is practically hard wired to follow me but when it comes to Franny….”

“He found his mate, didn’t he?” Hammer didn’t know much about shifters and the pack dynamic, but he was sure that disobeying was not something that happened. A mate bond was nearly impossible to resist, for any Fae. His mind was overflowing with questions.

“They won’t admit it, almost 3 years and neither has said anything to anyone. At first, I thought it was the age difference, he’s seven years older, but she’s 22 now, its not an issue if they are meant to be.” Cecilia looked back to the forest, “But maybe I’m wrong. They don’t act like mates, I barely seen them even touch. Not completing a Mating after 3 years? Either they have the most self-control to ever exist or they are not mates. Oscar hated being a rouge, he needs a pack, and they welcomed us in.”

“And now Zachariah wants you for a mate?” Hammer was starting to understand more about what was happening.

“He wants my status as an Alpha. He’s not a true Alpha, no matter what he has convinced himself of. So, it’s not guaranteed that his offspring will be Alphas or even accepted by the pack. They won’t have Alpha blood. Franny’s father was the Alpha before him, but they only had Franny, an Omega and no other to take his place. Zachariah fought for the spot in ritual battle for the spot when Franny’s father wanted to step down.”

“If he is so concerned about rank and lineage why doesn’t he try to make Franny his mate?” Hammer shifted, unconsciously moving closer to her, watching the tips of her hair flutter in the slight breeze.

“I think that was his plan, but he decided a true Alpha who had lost their pack would guarantee him what he wants. He’ll move on eventually.”

Hammer didn’t want to say he didn’t believe her reasoning for a second. He didn’t know Zachariah but a shifter who is desperate to prove and maintain his station would not let go of something that would cement his status. He also suspected that if Oscar and Franny were mates, their silence had more to do with Zachariah than any age difference.

If Zachariah was as bad as Hammer was thinking, he wouldn’t want a Beta from a different pack mating with the former Alpha’s child and risk that mating producing an Alpha of lineage that could challenge Zachariah or his offspring.

“Cecilia…” Hammer started, and they both turn their heads to each other at the same time, making eye contact. Neither had realized how close they had moved to each other. Their noses were practically touching, their mouths so close their breath mingled.

Hammer could feel his heart beating against his chest, she could probably hear it. Her mouth had opened slightly, her eyes widening, looking slightly taken aback at how close they were.

Hammer didn’t even realize his hand had moved until he could feel her hair running though his fingers. It was soft and flowed like silk around his hand.

He could hear her breath hitch as she licked her lips before softly whispering, “It smells like rain.”

Hammer’s eyes flicked down to her lips and back up to her eyes, “Does it?”

His voice was as quiet as hers was. He wasn’t even sure what they were talking about anymore, all he could think about was what her lips would feel like and how soft her skin must be.

“We should go, “She shifted closer, their noses brushing against each other, “before anything happens… with the weather.”

Hammer’s other hand moved up and his fingertips brushed her check and settled lightly on the side of Cecilia’s neck. It felt like time had slowed, an eternity was stretching out between heartbeats.

“Right…the weather.” Hammer nearly closed the distance to press his lips against hers, “Cecilia, can I…”

Lighting flashed across the sky and thunder exploded though the night. They jerked apart, forced back into reality as the clouds unleashed a torrent of rain upon them.