Stolen Soul

Chapter 14: Lies

Hunter

“Xander came out and performed the ritual to reunite Ela’s soul to the moon goddess.” The lie was so smooth it felt like velvet as it slid off my tongue, the panic subsides instantaneously, while Xander growls low and deep in our shared consciousness. I can hear Esme breathing slowly on the line, when she finally lets out a loud squeal.

“Oh my god, oh my god, Hunter, really! This is the best news ever. Get home as soon as you can, I have missed you so much.” She continues to squeal and giggle excitedly on the other end.

“Sure thing babe, see you soon.” I hang up before she can say anything else, as the shame of the lie settles into the air, and swirls around in my thoughts I realize the magnitude of this lie, how it would hurt her to know that it couldn’t be further from the truth. Esme has waited a century for Xander to perform the ritual to reunite Ela and Rose’s soul to the moon goddess, but he has refused to even come forward in all these years. The lie I told Esme, will destroy her, but if she knew we thought Rose and Ela have been reborn she would lose it. Esme is not a witch to mess with, and she is as possessive of me as any wolf has ever been over their mate.

The drive home feels longer this year, more exhausting. My mind keeps wondering to who is Alexis Williams, does she know of her past life, does Ela? They look like our mate, they smell of our mate.

They are our mates. Why do you continuously question this. Even in that photo on that identification card the girl, Alexis Williams is our Rose. Xander snickers through our connection with a tone of absolute confidence that even I feel guilty questioning who this woman could be.

Xander, my heart knows, my head is confused. How has this happened? No one has ever returned earth side once they have left this plane of existence.

What’s that saying the humans use, never say never?

Turning up the music I try and tune out Xander and my wondering thoughts to the beauty that is Alexis Williams, and the gold wolf I caught running in our spot in the woods. Pulling up to the coven house I take a deep breath, when the door flies open and Esme comes rushing down the stairs towards me.

I barely get out of the car before she launches herself into my arms, and jumps up to wrap her legs around my waist. She captures my mouth with hers, when Xander booms in my head.

DROP HER NOW! DO NOT DARE RESPECT OUR MATE BY TOUCHING ANOTHER.

I loosen my hold on Esme, and release her from my grip, lightly brushing my lips to her forehead as I back away. “Xander is a little raw since letting Rose and Ela go, I think its best we take a little break from the affection for awhile, besides I am pretty beat,” I say with a yawn.

“Your wolf is such a pain in the ass Hunter. He has never liked me, and clearly would still do whatever he can to break us apart.” Esme pouts looking at me with tears lining her eyes, and her lip pushed out like a toddler about to have a temper tantrum.

“I know but he has a mind of his own, and I don’t want him to hurt you because he is feeling irritated,” I say with as much reassurance and truth as I can muster.

“He can’t be that stupid, if he hurts me, he hurts you your life force is tied to mine,” Esme states her voice dripping with the venom she feels toward Xander.

“Esme, we are immortal, surely you have enough patience to wait until he has cooled down?” I declare in my most diplomatic tone.

“Fine, for a little while” she mutters under her breathe.

“Thanks” I state mater of factly.

As we enter the room, I immediately start to undo my laces, as I watch Esme begin to undress from the corner of my eyes. Her long straight black hair falls over her shoulders as her pert breasts fall out from her tank top. She catches me looking, and smiles seductively.

“You sure? I promise it will be fun,” she asserts in a suggestive tone.

Fuck her and I will kill all of us. Xander growls out.

“Sorry sweetie, I’m exhausted and Xander is pissed.” I say trying hard to hide my erection. Pouting she slips under the covers half naked, pulling them all the way up to her chin. With her body tightly cocooned under the covers I hear her mutter to herself, “I really hate that f*****g wolf,” before she closes her eyes.

I slip my pants and shirt off, as Xander once again growls his disapproval. Pants now.

Okay man, don’t lose your cool, I say through our shared conscious with as much lightheartedness I can muster.

Don’t disrespect our mate then, Xander returns in a very serious tone.

Sleep comes quickly when a golden wolf enters my dreams, the smell of salted air and amber surrounds me, growing in intensity as she approaches. “Ela?” She moves closer and begins to nuzzle against me and lick my hands, and face. This is my sweet Ela, as I pet her ears, she rumbles and pushes herself closer to me.

“How have you returned, turn to Rose so that I can speak with her.” She lets out a huff, and pushes me with her snout, I feel a sharp intensity of pain hit me as Xander begins to force his way forward. The air is knocked out of my lungs, as the rearranging of bones is forced on me. Fur replacing skin, as my conscious is pushed in the far recesses of my mind and Xander pushes forward.

I watch from his eyes as Xander sniffs, licks, and nudges Ela, and then begins to communicate as only mated wolves can; while in wolf form mated wolfs can speak through a special subconscious connection that allows us to feel the others feelings, pain, and thoughts, as their souls are bound together and are essential a half to a whole. Wolves of the same pack can also speak through the mind link, however they will never feel the same connection of a mated wolf to their mate.

I can feel Ela’s anxiety and anger, when Xander reaches out to her. My dear sweet beautiful Ela, I have missed you. I knew you would return to me, if I was patient.

Ela turns and gives Xander her backside with a huff, indicating her irritation with him, like a woman slamming the door shut before the argument as begun. Irritation and sadness swarm her emotions as she states, I was trapped in the darkness for so long unable to reach the other side and be with the moon goddess, they have only returned me because they are angry with the witches. As you know the moon goddess alone could not return me, she had to seek help from another.

Who? Xander wonders, when I am ripped from my sleep as ice cold water drenches me and shrieks can be heard throughout my room. Above me Esme stands with a bucket in her hand, and a look of shock on her face as I lie naked on a broken bed frame and mattress, wind splinters littering the floor around me.

“What the f**k, Esme? I am f*****g freezing, soaked, and what happened to the bed?” I shout, and watch as the witches in the hall disperse.

“You tell me, you shifted into a f*****g wolf in your sleep, and broke the f*****g bed. I tried to wake up the sleeping beast, and even reach out to call your soul forward, but he would not budge, I could not even reach you. What were you dreaming about?” She is between begging and demanding, confusion evident in her gaze. I know I can’t tell her the truth, so I sit up and tell her another lie.

“I was dreaming about the night of Rose’s death, reliving it. When I felt her pain, I could not stop Xander from coming forward, he had bound through the forest trying to reach her, feeling her life force slip away with every step.” Tears line my eyes, as they always do when I think of that night. Esme steps closer, leaning towards me to place her hand on my shoulder, patting as I sit further up in the rubble that was once our bed, as I take a gulp of air and try to continue with my lie she cuts me off.

“I didn’t know you could shift in your sleep.” She states her words coming up shakier than normal.

“To be honest, I don’t think it has ever happened, but with the events of this week, and how real the dream felt, I imagine the alpha wolf in my came forward to try one last time to save her,” I say, and while I know this entire story is a lie, even I believe it.

“Is that what happened to you that night? You were in human form when I found you.” Esme asks her eyes questioning me on the verge of tears.

“Yes, I was running to her in wolf form, when I found her dying on the ground, I shifted to hold her. It wouldn’t have mattered, when you found me I was dead, or very close to death, we shift back to human form when we are faulty injured.” I say as the anger of that night dares to surge forth. Esme pulls me close to her, wrapping me in her arms and whispers in my ear, “I’m sorry.” It was so quiet, I barely heard it, even with my advanced hybrid hearing.

“Well, I guess we need a new bed and mattress, we can use one of the guest rooms tonight at least.” I state pragmatically. I grab a pair of basketball shorts and slip them on, as I turn back to Esme, she turns to me with her hands on her hips and declares, “oh no mister, you are not going to ruin another bed, you can sleep on an air mattress for the next week.” Thinking she is kidding I follow her out of the room, when she starts rummaging through the hall closet and pulls out the folded blue air mattress and pump. “Since you can’t touch me anyway, you might as well sleep by yourself in the living room, better you ruin a twenty dollar mattress than anymore furniture.”

I follow her to the living room knowing there is no point in arguing, even if she wants me to. Honestly, she solved my wolf’s anger issues all in one sweeping gesture that was both logical and a conniption fit rolled up into one nice little package. Realizing she didn’t grab me any blankets or pillows, I walk back into the room and grab them off the broken bed, shaking them out to ensure no splinters remain. I walk back to the living room, all the while Xander is laughing hysterically in my mind at the chaos his shifting mid-dream has created.

Esme is finishing blowing up the air mattress and lets out a big yawn, I lean in and kiss her gently. She moves into the kiss pushing her body further into mine, as I pull away. She is breathless with lust fills her eyes. I look away for a moment before kissing her forehead and telling her goodnight. She huffs, but does not protest as she drifts down the hall towards the suite of guest rooms.

We need to find Ela and Rose, we need to know why the Gods are mad at the witches. Xander comes through my thoughts as I close my eyes to drift back to sleep.

Tomorrow buddy, just wait until tomorrow. For now we need to sleep. I state as my body fades quickly into a deep sleep.