Chapter 126

We basically have to sprint across the field where the candidate barracks are to get down to the train tracks in time. The sleek train is waiting there, puffing steam, filling with cadets all eager to get home for winter break. As we run I mentally thank my mother again for her healing powers – who would have thought that two days ago I was basically dead over Jackson’s shoulder, and now here I am dashing across a field with my best friends, a mostly-empty bag bouncing on my back?

When we get down to the tracks I see that the platform itself is getting sparse, pretty much all the cadets already having boarded, and I dart immediately for a door to the train, wanting to get in and get a seat. But before I can even grab the little handle to lift myself into the closest train car, Jesse grabs my arm.

“Ari, what are you doing!?”

I spin, stumbling a little as I look up at him. “I’m getting on the damn train, Jesse!”

My cousin just grins down at me and gestures down the tracks. “Come on,” he says, laughing. “Our seats are back here.”

“What?” I let myself be lead down the line, frowning the whole way, but then my face shifts quickly into surprise and delight when I see the bright red caboose attached to the end of the train.

Because of course. Of course mom and dad sent the royal car for us to take back to the city.

“Oh my god,” I murmur, my hands going to my cheeks, my embarrassment competing with my pleasure and losing immediately. “That’s…that’s so nice of them.”

“Whoa,” Luca says at my side, and I jump a little when I realize that it’s him standing there. And then I burst into a grin as he slips an arm around my waist and pulls me tight for a second before turning his gaze back to the train itself. I watch his eyebrows raise as he takes in the beautiful coach with its cheerful, shiny red sides, its gilt details. “We are traveling in style today.” His voice is a little breathless.

“Wait till you see inside,” Rafe laughs, glancing at Luca and Ben, who is also staring at the coach, dazzled. But before we can get any further a group of guards step onto the platform in front of us, a handcuffed cadet between them.

And all of us simultaneously go still because…

Well, because it’s Wright.

And god, but he looks like shit.

Wright’s face lifts at the sudden silence before him and he flinches immediately back when he sees Rafe, Jesse, Luca, and Ben at my side – all of my Alphas, who bare their teeth and take defensive stances, ready to spring at him if he even takes one wrong stumbling step in my direction.

But when his eyes fall on me, Wright can’t help the cruel snarl that twists his face. He doesn’t say a word, but the hate radiates off him, nearly palpable in the air. As he stares at me I know without a doubt that he doesn’t regret a damn thing. In fact, if he had the chance? He would absolutely try to murder me again, his reasons for committing the crime now only compounded in his mind.

Still, despite his venom and his determination, something about this – about Wright shackled and beaten while I stand, healthy and hale, with my best friends and my family all around?

I realize, now, my power. That even if Wright can kill me with his bare hands…

Well, I’ve got much more than bare hands to defend myself with, don’t I?

“Hey, Wright,” I say, far too cheerful as I put on my best Princess smile and step forward to greet him, my hands innocently tucked behind my back. I purse my lips a little in mock pity as I look him over, taking in each and every one of his bruises. “Did you have…a rough couple days?”

The snarl that rips from Wright’s mouth is vicious and deadly, but one of his guards just cuffs him over the back of the head and he stumbles forward, moving along.

“Have a nice winter break!” I call over my shoulder as my enemy walks away, a little gleeful at my victory over this terrible man. Luca, pleased, laughs and puts an arm around my shoulders giving me a squeeze.

“He’s going to have an absolute shit winter break,” Rafe murmurs, slipping his hands into his pockets and watching Wright go as Jesse and Ben climb up the little set of gilt stairs and into our train car. “He’s being incarcerated over the holidays, so he’ll be in a cell while we’re all celebrating. But his trial will be held after the holidays pass, but before we return to school.”

“So, even though he was accused – and he totally tried to murder me - he was allowed to take the candidate finals?” I ask, looking up at my brother, curious.

Rafe slowly nods, meeting my eyes. “It’s all still allegations at this point, Ari. If he is declared innocent, he’ll return to school. They had to let him take the tests to see if he’d pass.”

A little worry curls in me at this and I open my mouth to ask more questions, but suddenly the train emits a loud whistle that makes me leap nearly out of my boots.

“Come on!” Jesse calls, sticking his head out from inside the coach. “There’s champagne in here! I am not waiting for you! If it’s all gone by the time you get in here then you only have yourselves to blame!”

I laugh, moving eagerly forward, Rafe and Luca following close behind. But just as I put my foot up on the prettily-wrought golden stair, I hear someone shyly clear their throat behind me. I gasp, recognizing the sound somehow, and spin, my eyes wide.

“Daphne!” I shout, thrilled to see her standing there, a tiny suitcase anxiously clutched in her hands, her auburn hair curling prettily over her shoulders.

“Um,” she says, biting her lip, looking at me with sad and sorry eyes, her whole body tight with unease. “Is it okay? I mean…does my invitation to the Capital for midwinter still stand?”

“Daph!” I shout with a laugh, dashing away from the train car towards my friend and almost knocking her over in my eagerness as I hug her tight to me. She gasps a little at the force of me and then laughs too, wrapping one arm around me, her suitcase pressed between us. “Of course it stands! I’m so happy to see you! I’m so happy you came!”

“I’m so sorry, Ari,” she whispers, and I can tell by the tightness in her words that she’s on the edge of tears. The train emits another sharp whistle and starts to rumble. “I didn’t want to do it, but they made me – they said I wouldn’t be allowed to keep my job if I didn’t –“

“This is all very nice!” Luca shouts, and I jump a bit, turning to see him leaning from the edge of the gilt stairs, already boarded, a hand out towards us. “And I hate to interrupt a sentimental moment, but you two need to get on now, because this train is leaving!”

Almost as if Luca’s words themselves made the train move, it gives a sudden jolt and starts forward. I gasp, shoving Daphne in front of me, and she stumbles towards Luca’s hand, grasping it. Luca pulls Daphne upwards with ease as I start to run alongside the train, but my powerful mate handles the situation like he’s done it all his life. After Luca safely hands Daphne off to a waiting Jesse, who, beaming, helps her into the car, he reaches out for me.

I grab Luca’s hand he Luca laughs as he pulls me upwards, settling me against his chest as the train pulls away from the platform and picks up speed. I turn towards the carriage, eager to get inside, but he holds me still for a moment, smiling down into my face.

“Almost too late, Princess,” he purrs, putting a hand on my cheek and running his thumb over my lower lip just briefly, just once.

“Never too late,” I say, lifting my chin and shaking back my head in a way that would send my hair cascading over my shoulders if it weren’t tucked up under my cap – a very girlish, very Princess sort of gesture. “I am royalty, after all. This train leaves when I say it does.”

“Yeah right,” he mutters, laughing at me. “We almost left you crying on the tracks, and then you’d have had to run home -.”

But when I start to sputter a protest, pounding him ineffectually on the chest with my fists, Luca just laughs harder, and so I do, and he lowers his face to mine and presses a kiss to my mouth like he can’t help it. And I know I should care, should worry about who might see us kissing out in the open like this – but as the train begins to speed through the countryside, and the air whips around us, and my mate kisses me all alone – just the two of us – on the little platform on the caboose of the train taking us back to the Capital?

God, but I can’t bring myself to care. Because it’s just so perfect, and just so wonderful, to be here and wrapped in his arms.

But as we speed away, and I lose myself in Luca, my little wolf raises her snout in my soul and looses a tiny, mournful howl, sniffing the air.

Her little nose works hard, trying to find any trace of the scent of embers and pine, leather and whiskey and cold winter nights.

But sniff as she might, we both know it’s not there.

And she lets out another tiny, mournful noise.

And then tucks her head down against her paws.