“What is it, Cullen?” Now Tristan sounded genuinely annoyed.
Parker wanted to scream. Instead he forced himself to remain calm. “What is the box doing to Angel and how can I stop it?”
“I never mentioned this before because I didn’t believe it actually existed. I thought it was legend.”
“Cullen…” Tristan growled and Parker agreed with his sentiment.
“Legend said the source of this pack’s power, the ability to shift, to perform magic, was kept from the Alphas. No one wanted their Alpha to become so powerful he could rule over the pack with an iron fist.”
Tristan sighed. “Like Dad wanted—and still wants—to do.”
“Exactly.” Cullen touched the box again. “Legend said it was taken away from the Alphas and hidden. As a dual protection, a female shifter could only handle whatever was in the box. She would have to decide her Alpha was worthy enough to get whatever is inside the box. If she didn’t think he was good enough to warrant it, he didn’t get it.”
Theo, one of the Kane brothers, stepped forward out of the crowd. “You do understand what this means? Whatever is in that box is so powerful it could enable us to win this war, Tristan. Angel can open the box and give it to you.”
Parker could feel Angel’s tension like it was a palpable entity between them. He took her hand and reveled in the softness of her skin against his. All of this was way too mystical for his liking. When it came down to it, he was a really basic man. Even though he carried the soul of a wolf inside of him, even though he could become one at will, he still liked to be able to see, feel, and touch the things he dealt with.
This box that he hadn’t been able to see under the water proved to be the limit of what he could handle.
He stood up. “Give it to him, Angel, so we can be done with this.”
“No.” Tristan put out his hands in front of him. “Don’t give it to me, Angel. I don’t want it. We’ll win this war against Dad using our wits and our abilities. Not by using some source of magic someone thought was so dangerous they hid it in a lake and made it so only you could find it.”
“But, Trip…” Theo clearly wanted to argue the point and Parker wanted him to win.
He wanted that thing away from Angel.
“No. We wouldn’t want that power anywhere near Dad and I’m not going to trust myself to handle it either. It was entrusted to the females in our line. Cullen might not have known about it but I can guarantee Dad does. That’s why he wants Angel dead. He doesn’t want her to be able to give that to me.” He pointed at the box. “You keep it safe, Angel. I’m sorry to have to burden you with anything, baby sister. But it’s yours. Keep it.”
Having said that, Tristan turned on his heel and stalked away from the lake, Ashlee right behind him. Parker could feel the stunned silence around him.
Angel looked up at him, her gaze the most wounded he’d ever seen. “What am I supposed to do with it if he doesn’t want it?”
He scratched his head, knowing she’d reject his suggestion even before he said it.
“Put it back?”
Angel frowned at him, the beautiful curve of her eyebrows slanted downwards. “Not going to happen.”
“Do you think it’s a good thing to cart it around with us? What if someone steals it?”
Not that he would ever let someone get close enough to her to actually grab the box but the point had to be made. At some point, they were going to have to sleep. It might be possible to pilfer the source of magic then.
“I was given a vision to go and get it.” Angel stood up. As she placed her hands on her hips, her eyes sparked with anger. “I’m not going to simply „put it back.’”
Parker felt tremendously relieved to see the flare back in her eyes. Maybe the magic waned. He could hope at least.
“Alright.” He nodded as he walked over to pick up the box. “We’ll take it back to the mansion with us until we figure it out.”
“You’re not going to argue with me?” Angel didn’t move even as he walked forward.
“No.”
She ran to catch up with him. “You just got your voice up and running, you don’t want to use it to yell at me? To tell me I’m acting nuts? That I’m possessed by some kind of crazy magic in regards to this box?”
He smirked. “Sounds like you’re saying all that stuff all on your own—or you wolf is—either way, you don’t need me to say it.”
“I don’t deserve you, Parker.”
He stopped, turning around to look at her. “I’m not sure I deserve you, Angel.
You’re royalty. But you’ve got me. I’m your mate. I will always do whatever you need me to do.
For whatever reason, right now you need me to haul this box, with gods-know-what inside of it, to the mansion. So that’s what I’m doing.”
She stroked his arm, her warm fingers heating his skin. “Thank you.”
They walked in silence together toward the mansion. It was peaceful, which was why he found it so odd that his wolf woke up and started pacing around inside of him.
After a moment, he had to ask. Something wrong?
I’m not sure. Something has me worried. Something is amiss.
That didn’t sound good. What do you mean?
The first explosion threw him forward onto the ground. Parker’s ears rang and his vision blurred.
He turned around searching for Angel and after a second caught her shape as she shifted into her wolf form.
He grabbed the box. If they were under attack, he had to get his mate’s precious cargo out of the line of fire. Angel ran up to him in wolf form. She nudged at his leg and he petted her head. He was fine.
“I know, you want me to grab the box. I’ll get it.”
I’m more concerned about you, Parker. You were closer to the blast than me. Are you okay?
He smiled at that, petting her head. Thank you. I’m fine.
Tristan tore through the clearing. “Anyone hurt?”
“My Alpha,” Cullen called from behind them. “Remove yourself from this or I will have someone remove you. You’re too valuable to us. We can’t lose you.”
Tristan growled. “I’ve told you before, I will not hide when the fight comes to us. I want the women and children back to the mansion.”
“He’s got another thing coming if he thinks I’m going to run and hide.”
Parker would have been shocked if she had. His mate shifted back into her human form.
“Put the box down, Parker.”
He couldn’t believe he’d heard her correctly. “What? Now?”
“Yes, now. The fact Tristan doesn’t want it means he should have it. This was given to me to find by whoever decides these things and I’m deciding to give whatever is in there to my brother.”
“We’ve just been firebombed. The enemy could be here any second.”
She shook her head. “So we can’t waste any more time debating this.”
She pulled open the lid. It groaned, as the wood strained to release from where it had been sealed for gods knew how long. A burst of bright white light exploded from the inside hitting Angel square in the chest.
She screamed as she fell backwards onto the ground. Parker’s heart stopped beating for a second before he rushed forward.
“Angel.”
If she were dead, he would kill Kendrick and every one of his men before he followed her. The evil bastards didn’t know the meaning of pain. He would teach them knew ways to hurt.
She raised her hand touching his chest as he approached. “I’m okay.”
He took a deep breath as his world righted itself again. Okay, he could breathe. The rest of the pack was deeply involved in making sure everyone was okay.