While I walked in the shadows along the side of the house, heading toward the back, my mind drifted to the ancient texts that were stored in a room that only the elders were allowed into alone. They'd shown the room to the Dark Guardians, reverently removed the ancient book from a glass box, and allowed us to touch the worn leather so we'd have more regard for our past. But the book was never opened in front of us. The words were never read to us. Surely something so carefully guarded contained secrets—and answers.
I didn't bother sneaking. No point when the night guards had a keen sense of smell. I was surprised that I hadn't spotted anyone yet, but I figured they were probably on the far perimeter. Their job was to stop anyone who shouldn't be here from getting this close. They weren't here to stop us from doing anything we shouldn't. After all, we'd all sworn an oath to be honorable. An oath I was about to break.
When I reached the back door, I turned the knob—not surprised to find it locked. I swiped the keycard and watched the red blinking light turn green. Taking a deep breath, I slipped inside and quietly closed the door behind me.
Now was the time for stealth. I was in an area we were discouraged from hanging out in. The hallway was unlit. Closing my eyes, I envisioned what everything had looked like when the elders brought us to this area of the residence. The hall was wide. Tables decorated with antiques and statuettes honoring wolves lined the walls. If I simply walked down the center, I should be okay.
I crept slowly and carefully, until my eyes adjusted to the gloom and the shadows began to take shape. I realized that a few of the doors were open. Pale moonlight spilled through the windows into the rooms and whispered into the hallway. But it wasn't an open door that interested me.
My heart thundering, I came to a stop in front of a closed door. I knew if I was discovered I'd be stripped of my Dark Guardian status—but that was going to happen anyway if I didn't get some answers. I put my hand on the knob and a chill went through me. I wasn't certain if it was the knob or my hand that was cold. It was as though the ghosts from the past were breathing down my neck. "Enough already," I muttered. Squeezing my eyes shut, I twisted the knob.
It opened.
I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from gasping out loud with surprise. I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Or what I thought I was going to do if it hadn't opened. Was someone in there? Was one of the elders working late? Or did they trust us to respect that we weren't supposed to enter this room? Or maybe someone had just forgotten to lock it.
Pushing on the door, I cringed when the hinges gave a creak I glanced around quickly, then decided the hell with it. I shoved open the door and stepped inside.
No one was there.
I switched on the light and dimmed it. An ancient mahogany desk sat in front of a massive fireplace. The mantel was stone with feral-looking wolves carved into it at either end. I guessed that they symbolized Dark Guardians watching over the treasures. The room was huge with ornate brocade chairs and carved wooden chests scattered throughout. I could envision the elders sitting around and going through the treasures tucked away in the chests for safekeeping. Leather-bound books lined the shelves on two of the walls, but those weren't the books I was interested in. The one I cared about was in the glass case on a stand in the corner.
I set my backpack in a chair. Striding by the desk, I grabbed a stone paperweight, fully prepared to do whatever was necessary to get at that book. I'd worry about the consequences later. I knew I was being rash, but I was also desperate. But when I got there, I saw no lock, only hinges. Could it be that simple? That unprotected?
Carefully I lifted the glass lid. A breath of relief rushed out of me. I could do this without leaving any evidence behind. Setting the paperweight aside, I reached in and closed my fingers around the ancient tome. It felt as though it weighed a ton as I lifted it out and carried it to the desk. Carefully, with respect, I set it down. Taking a deep breath, my heart pounding so hard that I couldn't hear anything except for the blood rushing between my ears, I very slowly turned back the cover.
And stared at the indecipherable symbols.
Had I truly believed that an ancient document would be written with modern letters and words?
I turned to a page at random. More garbage.
I wanted to scream' I wanted to tear out the pages, I wanted to destroy—
"Oh my God, you're back'"
With my heart leaping into my throat, I jerked my head up to see Lindsey standing there. She was dressed in shorts and a tank, her long blond hair flowing around her shoulders. She looked different. More confident, more mature, more…wolfish. Before I could respond, she rushed across the room and hugged me tightly.
"I've been so worried," she said.
I wanted to lash out at her, shove her away, but at the same time I wanted to draw her closer, absorb the comfort that she didn't even realize she was providing. I knew she'd acquired what I'd so desperately wanted. Did she even appreciate what it was to shift?
With her brow furrowed—no doubt because of my less-than-enthusiastic greeting—she leaned back and studied me. "Are you all right? Was it horribly painful?"
More than you can imagine.
I rolled a shoulder as though I couldn't be bothered. "No biggie."
"I thought the pain was going to kill me."
"You were always a wimp."
"Not anymore. I'll show you my fur later if you'll show me yours," she said teasingly.
God, I wanted to weep and I never cried. It made me mad that I was changing but not in the way I'd expected. I fought to keep my voice calm, noncommittal. "We'll see."
Then the significance of her words struck me. "Wait. You were with your mate. I didn't think it was supposed to hurt."
"For a while I wasn't with my mate." She licked her lips, suddenly looking uncomfortable. That made two of us.
"Rafe is my mate," she blurted.
"So tell me something I don't know."
"You already heard?"
I didn't want to tell her that I'd seen Connor earlier. Just like my inability to shift, my few moments of connecting with him weren't meant to be shared. Besides, they probably had only meant something to me. By tomorrow he will have forgotten our talk by the brook—except for the part about the snares. Anything intimate, though, would be long gone. "No, but Rafe has that whole looking-at-you-like-you-hang-the-moon-and-stars thing going. I knew you were going to end up with him."