Chapter 412: Catching Up
"It’s a long story," Graeme replied to August’s question, lifting a hand to run it down one wet, silky strand of her hair.
She was here again next to him, and for once he didn’t have to worry about anything. They were together, and that was all that mattered.
"It can’t be that long of a story. I’ve only been gone a few days," August’s eyebrows threaded together.
"Actually you’ve only been gone a matter of hours," Graeme chuckled.
"Really? It’s only the next day? What all has happened? Did you need the talisman for your memory?" she asked, rushing through all the questions she had for him that were arriving now. "Who did this to you? Was it Andreas?"
Graeme sighed and bent forward to let their foreheads kiss again, his hand continuing its rise and descent through her hair. He just wanted to focus on her here. He didn’t understand how this little oasis of hers worked, but somehow they were both here and they were both safe.
August allowed his presence and his touch to calm her as it always did, and she let out a deep breath. "You are okay," she breathed against him.
"So are you. Thank the Goddess," he murmured, both of his hands cupping the face of his precious mate.
"Who did this to you? Are they still a threat?" she finally asked, reaching up to run her hands along his arms.
"It was the male who marked Violet. He came to claim her and take her with him," his voice dropped recalling it.
"You put yourself in harm’s way for Violet?" she snapped, pulling back from him before she realized how immature that sounded.
Graeme frowned, studying her expression and reaction. "I am the Alpha now, Little Red. And you are the Luna. We are responsible for everyone in that pack, and he was trying to take her against her will."
A muscle feathered in August’s jaw imagining Violet clinging to Graeme for protection when this male came to retrieve her. Violet had gone through something horrendous, and August of all people could relate to it—she would have loved to have been the one to take on the bastard who came for Violet—but she also wanted that female whose memories and longing and desire for Graeme she had witnessed in her own mind to stay far away from her mate. And she definitely didn’t want Graeme dying protecting her. Something dark and ugly turned in her stomach at the thought, and she hated it. She hated that this was even a scenario in which her mate would be involved.
"I should have been there," she muttered. "It should have been me protecting Violet and the rest of you."
"What?" he asked, lifting her chin so that he could see that brilliant soul of hers that lit in her eyes and sang to his. Her irises were a deep, vibrant gold again. "Why are your eyes back to this?" his forehead cleaved with worry.
She gasped. "And look at yours!"
The deep brown of Graeme’s eyes were riddled with gold throughout, and they were glowing intensely as they stared back into hers.
"I have started to see it," he told her, one corner of his lips tilting into a smile.
"You have started to see what? The Veiled?!" her eyes went wide. "Really?"
Graeme was able to see what it was she had been trying to describe all this time? Did that mean he was able to use it as well?
"Do you have... abilities that you can use?" she asked, hoping this was the case. It would mean extra protection for him and everyone else in the pack while she was gone. But then... he had still ended up hurt and in this place to heal.
"I don’t know. It just started happening," he admitted. "Violet’s mate was very powerful," he dropped his hands. "His eyes were gold as well. I think he may have been from Eliade like you."
"What?" she breathed, the possibility of someone else from Eliade like her lighting in her mind and creating all kinds of scenarios. And he was hurting others?
"I think he knew you," Graeme told her. "I asked him about you, and he denied it, but there was a flash of recognition I thought I saw. And with Penelope’s memory enchantment..."
"Penelope and her memory enchantments," August frowned. "What did he look like? Did you find out his name?"
"He called himself Cassian," he recalled, and he watched as August’s face went pale. She recognized the name.
"Cass?" she muttered, her eyes going distant.
Could it really be her friend Cass? Had he survived that hike in suicide forest that day just like she did?
"You know him, love?" Graeme called to her, reaching to run his fingers down her hair again to bring her attention back to him.
"He was there with me," she swallowed, wetting her lips. Despite the warmth of the water, her teeth started chattering for some reason. "When Jonathan... he was one of the friends I was with. I figured he didn’t make it. I can’t believe it... he had blonde hair?" she asked, verifying this detail.
Perhaps it wasn’t the Cass she knew. Perhaps it was someone else. But Graeme nodded that this was the case.
"I should go back with you," she said, her teeth chattering harder. If her mate was in danger from someone from Eliade, she should be there with him.
"How can you?" he smiled that half smile of his again, his hands attempting to calm her. "We are okay now, Moon. Why are you so upset?"
"I just... feel like this is somehow my fault," she replied, her eyes darting back to his. "I wasn’t there, and I should have been."
"And instead you were bravely attempting to find a way to kill a vampire and in the meantime returning the alyko home," he said, the pride of that truth shining in his eyes.
"They went home?" she asked, surprise and relief arriving on her face. "They went back to your pack?"
"To our pack. Yes, all but Maggie," he smiled.
"And she is there now," August sighed, satisfied that at least something good was coming of all of this.
"What do you mean?"
"When I felt what was happening to you, I was with her. She and Sage were free, and they went back to help you."
