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  “They’ll find out about Marita,” Reuben finished and hissed, “Damn. Okay. Who exactly on the Council is doing this?”

  She gulped, and Lucien reached over to soothe her. “All of them.”

  “Ah, I see. Well, there’s nothing for it. We just get Nikolai out of there.”

  “What do you mean? The Midnights will start attacking again.”

  “They’ll just have to. We can’t deal with that and Marita.”

  Lucien watched with pleasure as Caia growled down the phone at Reuben. The vampyre didn’t know her that well. “I’ll deal with it. I’ll just do what I was doing before. I’ll send reports to Alfred and the Council.”

  “And what about our—”

  “We’ll talk later. Warn Nikolai to get his ass out of there.”

  She hung up, trembling.

  “And what about our—” She’d cut Reuben off for a reason. Something was going on Lucien wasn’t aware of. He’d felt it every time he’d spoken with her in the last day. She had a guilty look in her eye. And it had something to do with the vampyre.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I thought you would’ve guessed from that conversation.”

  “I’m not talking about Nikolai and the Council. I’m talking about you and Reuben.”

  She guffawed. “What are you talking about? You’re not suggesting that Reuben and I are …”

  He bristled at the implication. “No. But it’s funny that was your first thought. Something I should know about?”

  “No,” she snapped, and he almost flinched at the resentment in her voice. “And need I remind you that you reprimanded me like a child for being jealous about Rose. It’s not an appropriate time, remember?”

  Damn her for throwing that in his face. “That’s not what I was saying.”

  “That’s exactly what you were saying.”

  “No, that’s what you said. I was just asking what’s going on. Because you’re clearly hiding something from me.”

  Surprised by the sudden silence that descended over the cab of the van, Lucien looked sharply at his mate. She was staring straight ahead, her hands twisting and untwisting the hem of her overlong T-shirt. His heart skipped a beat. Something was going on. And he knew he wasn’t going to like it.

  Five minutes later, Lucien was struggling to contain his anger and disbelief.

  “Please tell me you’re joking,” he managed hoarsely.

  She shook her head, her eyes wide and pleading with him.

  What? Is she expecting me to accept this? To understand?

  “How the Hades can you even think about doing this?” he bellowed, not caring that it caused her to skitter back in her seat.

  “Because I have to. You said before you trusted me to make the right decision.”

  “Because I thought you would know that killing innocent people is the wrong decision!” he spat. “You don’t have to do this! How can you … Caia, these are innocent people! You can’t kill innocent people! How can you even—”

  “You don’t know they’re innocent!”

  He threw her a disgusted look. “Is that your argument? Jeez, Caia … do you even know if they’re innocent? Have you checked out the Midnights’ trace?”

  “I haven’t had a chance yet.”

  Lucien drew a deep breath. This was Caia. There had to be a reason she would even consider doing this, some reason he didn’t know about. His Caia would never—could never—hurt anyone, unless it was absolutely necessary.

  “Why?” he managed quietly, calmly. “Why? There must be a reason.”

  “There is. Lucien, Marita will only get more powerful with the trace. If I can get rid of the trace, then she’ll be a much easier target.”

  Okay, that was not a good enough reason.

  “Is this about the pack? About revenge? Because I already told you the pack is not getting involved in a vendetta. We have to move on.”

  “And you can. But I can’t. I’m a part of this, and while I am, I might as well get some justice out of it.”

  His fingers turned white on the wheel. “Caia, you have to give me another reason. There has to be another reason. You wouldn’t do this. You couldn’t.” He glanced at her, and he saw her mouth tremble. There was more. There had to be more.

  “No. I just want this to be over.”

  “So you’re going to kill the Septum? Seven innocent people?”

  “Seven against thousands. Do the math, Lucien.”

  An overwhelming ache flooded through him, his stomach churning, his heart palpitating. After the last horrendous days, Lucien hadn’t known he could feel any worse. “If what you’re telling me is true, then we have a serious problem.”

  “I have to do this.”

  “No. You don’t.” He took a shuddering breath and momentarily squeezed his eyes shut. He opened them just in time to see he was hovering a little too close to the car in front. He eased off the accelerator, wishing he could do the same with his relationship with Caia. “If you do this, and I let you, my word with the pack will be worth nothing. And after all they’ve been through, they need a strong leader. They need me more than anyone else needs me right now. I owe them this.”

  He knew she understood at the sound of her harsh indrawn breath. “You’ll kick me out?”

  He pounded his fist against the wheel. “Damn it, Caia!” he roared, shooting her a venomous look. “Don’t do this!”

  Her eyes widened with shock. “You’re kicking me out?”

  “No! You are not doing this!”

  “I am doing this,” she persisted. “And you’re kicking me out?”

  Panic overwhelmed him. He fought to breathe. “You’re not doing this.”

  “I am.”

  A wave of nausea rushed over him but he maintained control, staring straight ahead. How could his life change so much in the matter of five minutes?

  He hardened his heart against her. Fine, if she wanted to play hardball, he’d play it right back. There is no way she’ll walk away from the pack, he told himself. No way. An ultimatum was the only way to stop her.

  “Then I’m kicking you out.”

  16

  Banished

  “You can’t be serious,” Ryder responded in a hushed tone, his body language betraying his shock.

  Jaeden sneered, throwing Lucien a look of disgust. “Oh, he’s serious, all right.”

  Caia stood in the dining hall of the hotel Reuben had given to the pack as part of their bargain. The last hour of the drive with Lucien had been one of the worst of her life. The silence had been brittle and furious, and dislike for one another had resonated in every corner of the van. How could he do this to her? How could she do this to him?

  Lucien gathered everyone in the dining room as soon as they arrived and updated them on Caia and Reuben’s plan to take out the Septum. The pack stared at them in disbelief. She hugged herself, trying to stop the trembling.

  “Caia, tell him you’re not going to do it.” Magnus turned on her gruffly, his kind eyes bright with worry. “You can’t do this.”

  She shrugged wearily, hating to see the disappointment on his face. “I’m sorry, but I have to.”

  “For the love of …,” Ella whispered. “Please don’t do this to us.”

  “She’s not doing anything,” Jaeden snapped and brushed away from them all to stand by Caia’s side. Caia felt the heat from the lykan as if a warm blanket had been placed around her. She smiled gratefully at her, momentarily forgetting she was part of the reason this was happening. If Lucien knew she was being blackmailed into this, he wouldn’t be kicking her out of the pack. She felt like she’d been kicked in the gut.

  Lucien is kicking me out of the pack!

  He stood across the room glaring at her, Rose and all his pack gathered around him protectively. Only Laila and Vil stood close to her uncertainly, and now Jaeden. Oh, and now Alexa.

  “Yeah,” Lex snapped at them. “Lucien’s the one kicking her out. Kicking her out for doing somet
hing that, as our Pack Alpha, he should be doing!”

  “Alexa,” Mal warned, shaking his head. “Lucien’s doing what’s right.”

  “How can you say that?” she cried. “Our parents are dead, and he’s not doing anything about it! But he’s going to kick out the one person who will?”

  “Enough!” Lucien growled and strode into the center of the group. His silver eyes blazed into Caia’s. “My word is law. I said there would be no acts of vengeance. This war is no longer ours. If Caia breaks the law … then she’s out of the pack.” He might as well have taken a knife and shoved it right through her heart. She couldn’t hate him for protecting the people they both loved.

  The pack chattered in confusion and hurt, completely certain that Caia wasn’t doing the right thing but uncertain that Lucien was. Caia shook her head and moved to meet him.

  “Don’t,” she said sternly, and they all quieted. “Lucien is right. I have to do this, and I don’t expect any of you to understand.” She struggled to hold back the tears. “It’s for the best. I would’ve been pulled back into the war no matter what happened, and I don’t want to drag you back in with me.” A sound to the right drew her attention. Reuben was there waiting for her. “You’ll be protected here.”

  She turned and looked Lucien straight in the eye. With that look, he begged her one last time not to do this. But she shook her head slightly, and his face mottled with uncontrolled anger. “Will you keep Laila and Vil here with you? Please?”

  He nodded, and she thought he might not trust himself to speak.

  “I’m leaving with Reuben. Now.”

  “Caia, we’re coming with you.” Alexa and Jaeden rushed over.

  Lucien opened his mouth to speak, but Caia beat him to it. “No, you’re not.”

  “But Caia—”

  “Do you want me to do this?” she hissed, feeling so angry at them. Stupidly she’d hoped their conscience would make an appearance, and they’d tell her no. Not that it would matter because Reuben would still take away his protection if she didn’t do it.

  Jaeden blanched but Alexa nodded enthusiastically. “Of course we do.”

  “Then stay here.”

  “Bu—”

  Jaeden grabbed Alexa’s arm. “Be quiet, Lex. We’ll stay,” she agreed, and Caia could see a shimmer of guilt in her eyes. She wasn’t so comfortable with blackmail after all. Too late.

  Caia turned away from them and gave Vil and Laila a reassuring smile. “You’ll be fine here,” she promised and strode toward Reuben who stood at the doorway, waiting for her.

  “Caia, wait!” Magnus ambled after her. He grabbed her arm and spun her around. She’d never seen him look so mad before. “Why?”

  Impetuously, she pulled him in to hug him close so she could whisper in his ear where the others couldn’t hear. “I can’t explain. I wish I could. But I can’t. I’m still me, I promise.” She choked on tears, and he squeezed her tight.

  “I love you,” he told her softly.

  That was it. She had to get out of there before her control broke. “I have to go,” she mumbled and pushed away from him, hurrying from the room. Through the glass-fronted doors, she caught sight of Saffron waiting by Reuben’s car in the driveway. She crossed the foyer and felt Reuben at her back.

  “I hate you,” she told him quietly.

  After a moment of silence came his sad reply, “I know.”

  Caia flinched at the sound of Lucien’s almighty roar from the dining room. It was followed by a horrendous crash. A shower of tinkling ensued.

  Reuben sighed as he held the front door open for her. “There go my windows.”

  Jaeden had never felt this guilty in her life. She still couldn’t believe Lucien had actually thrown Caia out of the pack. And everyone had let him! Ryder had let him! She wanted to beat the crap out of him for that.

  She ambled wearily along the corridors of the hotel. The place was surprisingly big and nice. Everywhere was hardwood flooring and bright lighting. Faux flowers added a little romance here and there, and the paintings and décor were modern and airy, giving the whole place a sense of openness. The bedrooms were huge as well. She’d taken one next door to Alexa and was studiously avoiding Ryder, who, for the moment, was thankfully preoccupied with making sure Lucien was alright. Their Alpha had cut himself up pretty good when he threw chairs through windows and smashed, crushed, and basically destroyed everything in his path after Caia left.

  If it hadn’t been for Laila and Vil, who managed to magik them up some new windows, they would all be freezing their asses off. So … who gave a damn if Lucien was hurt? He’d thrown Caia out.

  You’re angry at yourself, not Lucien.

  Like hell!

  Dad would be so mad at you.

  She growled and stomped through the halls. She was looking for Lucien’s room. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind.

  “There you are.”

  She tensed at the voice and turned slightly to see her mate walking toward her determinedly. “Ryder.” She nodded at him as if they were strangers instead of mates.

  He grunted at her. “Jaeden. Nice to see you. It’s been awhile.”

  “I’m not in the mood for your pathetic wit.”

  He pushed her up against the wall, his eyes sparking with irritation. “I’m not in the mood for your childish behavior but still I’m going to put up with it because you’re my mate … or have you forgotten that?”

  The feel of him close to her, his scent, his heat nudged at her heart, adamant to start it beating again. And she so wanted to just let go, to fall into his arms and tell him everything and make him persuade Lucien to retrieve Caia. But she wouldn’t. Instead she pictured the gory sight of her father’s body.

  She wanted revenge more.

  “I haven’t forgotten,” she replied quietly. “Although I’m trying.”

  Ryder flinched, and she refused to feel bad for the hurt that flickered in his gaze. “What the hell does that mean?” he growled, pushing his face aggressively closer.

  She shrugged, pretending indifference. “I don’t want it. I don’t want … you,” she lied, struggling to forget her amazing first time with him that night at the Center. She’d never felt closer to anyone in her entire life.

  He exhaled slowly and took a step back. “You’re grieving. And you’re angry. Confused. You need time.”

  “I do need time,” she agreed with her dead eyes. “But I don’t need you.”

  And with that, she brushed past him, ignoring his shocked countenance, and continued on through the hotel in search of Lucien, determined her heart wasn’t breaking.

  After all … she didn’t have a heart left to break.

  “Lucien.” Rose sighed, gazing up at him from the sofa in the bedroom suite he’d chosen for himself. “Talk to me.”

  He didn’t want to talk to anybody. He was afraid of the damage he would do, afraid he would take the frustration over Caia’s departure out on one of the pack. He had managed to shake off Ryder—who was pelting him with questions—and retreat to his room. Then Rose had shown up. She didn’t deserve his attitude.

  “I appreciate your concern, Rose, but—”

  “But why don’t you stick your damn nose in someone else’s business.”

  They turned to see Jaeden striding into the room, the door slamming shut behind her. Lucien frowned as she glared at Rose.

  “Jaeden,” he warned.

  She sneered and he flinched at the disrespect. Jae had never dared to look or speak to him in any manner but that which she owed her Alpha. “Don’t,” she bit out and then turned back on Rose. “Get out.”

  Rose’s mouth fell open momentarily before she remembered herself. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

  “Jaeden, don’t speak to Rose like that.”

  “Don’t speak to Rose like that?” She guffawed and sliced him another disdainful look. “Pity you can’t show the kind of concern you reserve for your ex-girlfriend
for your actual mate. Or has Caia already been forgotten and I’m interrupting the reawakening of a beautiful relationship here?”

  Her remark stung, and Lucien felt a sense of shame. Not about Rose. There was nothing going on with Rose. He loved Caia. Which was exactly why he felt sick to his stomach for kicking her out of the pack. His plan had backfired.

  “Rose, can you give us a minute?” He nodded to the door.

  By the tensing of her shoulders, he knew Rose was annoyed at being dismissed, but if he didn’t have this out with Jaeden now, they would be at each other’s throats for days … weeks, even.

  When Rose was gone, Lucien turned his full attention to Jaeden, reminding himself she was going through an unimaginably difficult time and to be patient with her. “If you’ve come to shout at me about Caia, you can stop. I already feel as bad as I’m going to feel.”

  Jae curled her lip. “I somehow doubt that. I mean, you have Rose hanging out with you already.”

  He sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Jaeden, Rose is none of your business.”

  She smirked derisively. “Is that why you kicked Caia out? To be with Rose?”

  “For goddess’ sake, Jaeden, no!” he yelled, dropping into a seat, glaring at her the whole time. “I love Caia.”

  “Oh yeah, sure, I really got that, you know … when you humiliated her and kicked her out of the only family she’s ever known.”

  Sharp streaks of guilt spiked him all over. “Don’t. Do you think I wanted to? But this pack has been through enough, and Caia is going to do something unforgivable. We need out of this, and Reuben has promised us safety.”

  A tense silence fell between them before she finally nodded and lowered herself into the seat across from him. Her eyes were limpid pools, and he saw a reflection of his own guilt in them. “And what about Caia’s safety?”

  “You think I don’t care?” he hissed. “You think I just threw her out of here like it was nothing? She is my mate, Jaeden. It goes against everything I am to throw her to the proverbial wolves like that … but she’s made this insane decision and her reasons are not good enough for me to back her up.”