The Faye's Secret: A Keepers of Light novel Read online

  She made a soft noise in her sleep, causing Wesley to look over at her again. She had curled in on herself, her small frame being able to fit on the truck seat like a dog. He chuckled at the analogy, turning his attention back on the road ahead as they climbed higher into the mountains. He would get them home safely, then he could worry more about his damned instincts.

  They had been driving for an hour through the mountains when Abby woke up abruptly, startled by something enough that her fear immediately filled his nose. He had to slow his speed before he drove them off the cliff. He looked over at her quickly, trying to figure out what had scared her so bad. But she was looking out of the windshield, her hand on her chest, breathing heavily.

  “Abby? Abby, what’s wrong?” It was like his words didn’t register at all, she didn’t move or look at him. He quickly pulled over onto the barely-there shoulder and put his hand on her arm. She still didn’t move.

  He looked out the windshield but there was nothing out there. Just vast amounts of darkness only lit by the crescent moon. He was starting to worry. His gut clenching at the realization that what had scared her was probably something he couldn’t see. But he didn’t sense any spirits either. Gently, trying not startle her more, he put his hands on her cheeks and turned her head to face him. Whatever had woken her had scared her more than his nose had let on. Her usually bright green eyes were dull and wide. “Abigail. Please, say something. I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong. What do you see?”

  He held her face in his hands for what seemed like forever, before her eyes slowly started to focus on his. Light coming back into them. She looked at him for a moment longer before she turned in her seat, sitting properly forward, and pulled her arms tight against her. “Let’s keep going. I want to get into the house before it gets any later.” She had shut down. He knew it before she had even turned her face from him. Her eyes changed before her body did.

  He continued to look at her, trying to figure out if there was anything he could do to make the situation better. After a moment, she looked out her window, and he knew that she didn’t want to talk about whatever had happened. Maybe that girl had been back in her dreams. With a sigh he pulled the truck back into the road. They were only thirty minutes from the house. But he had a feeling it was going to be the longest half hour of his life.

  He should have known by then that nothing went as he thought around Abigail. Just as suddenly as the first time, Abby gasped and grabbed his arm, just as she grabbed the armrest on her door. She startled him, as it had been deadly quiet in the car until that moment. Damn it. They were only ten minutes from Alex’s house.

  He glanced over at her. Her eyes were wide as she stared out of the windshield and her fingers were digging into his arm. He didn’t need his nose to tell him that she was terrified. He couldn’t stop the growl that crept up his throat. He was getting very tired of smelling her fear. “Abby…?” He saw her slowly shake her head out of the corner of his eye, but he didn’t dare stop the car this time. Whatever it was that was scaring her, he was fairly certain that the protections around Alex’s home would fix the problem.

  Trying again, he spoke firmly, hoping that it would be enough to break through, “Abigail. I need you to tell me what you see.”

  She took a deep breath and tried to speak, but nothing came out of her mouth when she opened it. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and shook her head, her grip on his arm only got stronger, “They...they won’t leave me alone.”

  “Who, Abby? Who do you see?”

  “Spirits” was the only word she managed to get out before gasping again.

  The grip on his arm was gone. She had slumped into the seat, her hand resting beside his thigh. This time the growl was loud. Abby probably would’ve cringed if she had been conscious. He hoped it was loud enough for any spirit in the vicinity to hear it and heed it’s warning. Pressing the truck to go faster on the straight stretch of road, Wesley prayed they would reach the house safely.

  Seeing the house filled with him as much relief as it had that first day he had met Abby. His brain tried to remind himself that it had only been yesterday. But he felt like she had always been a part of his life. There was no way that they had just met the day before.

  Even though he knew that Alex no doubt heard the truck pulling into the driveway, he honked the horn twice to really get his attention. The minute he shut the engine off, he jumped out of the car and ran to Abby’s side. Throwing the door open and gently pulling her into his arms. She felt cold to him, even though he had turned the heat up to high in the truck. He heard more than one set of footsteps come running to the truck.

  It was Alex who go to them first, gently placing a hand on Abby’s forehead, “What happened?” His voice was concerned but focused.

  Wesley growled lightly, “I don’t know! She was sleeping one minute and then woke up scared the next. She was fine for a while again before something scared her, but it was worse this time. She blacked out again, after I finally got her to tell me what it was.” His eyes met Alex’s and he tried to rein in the fear he felt rolling off of himself in waves, “She said the spirits wouldn’t leave her alone.”

  Alex gave Wesley a nod, “Get her into the house, quickly.” As Wesley walked past him and then passed Warren and Kyle who had come out as well, he could hear a deep and menacing growl come from his Alpha. Under no uncertain terms were any spirits welcome in his house.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ❖

  Wesley

  Alex and Wesley sat in the guest room, where Abby lay sleeping on the bed. Her body had begun to warm after a few minutes in the house and her breathing returned too normal. Wesley had placed a soft blanket over her, just in case she got cold again. He sat on the bed beside her, his hand resting just inches from her own. But he was so afraid that he would startle her that he didn’t dare touch her.

  “You’ve had a long day. Go get something to eat and rest.” Wesley glanced over his shoulder at Alex, who had brought a chair over to the end of the bed. His father smiled softly, “She’s safe here. But you won’t do her any good if you’re irritable due to lack of food and sleep.” He inclined his head to the door, before adding, “Go sleep in your room, not the couch.”

  Wesley looked back at Abby’s sleeping face. Her color had improved since he’d brought her inside. He hadn’t noticed how pale she had looked under the light of the moon. But her lips had been almost blue when he had brought her in.

  “Wesley.”

  He balled his fist at the command in Alex’s voice. His father didn’t pull rank on him often, not that Alex ever really needed to pull rank on any of them. They had become such a tight knit family that no one questioned him or fought him. But every instinct in his body was telling Wesley to stay by her side, to protect her. He wouldn’t admit it, but Alex was right. He needed food and he needed sleep after spending six some hours driving that day. Even werewolves got tired. With a short nod in Alex’s direction, he gently brushed some hair out of Abby’s face. Without leaving himself any time to go back on his decision, he turned from her and left the room. She would be safe with Alex watching over her. He just had to keep reminding himself that, as he made his way down the stairs and farther away from the witch who had unknowingly stole his sanity.

  * * *

  ❖

  Abby

  The fact that this was the second time in two days that she had woken up in a bed after fainting did not bode well. This time though, she wasn’t concerned as she slowly woke up, the pillow under her head soft. Clearly, she had gotten used this new life of hers far too quickly. Abby groaned as she sat up, resting her head in her hands. Damn it, not another migraine.

  “I sent Warren into town for some migraine meds for you. He should be back any minute.” Although the voice didn’t alarm her, especially when her subconscious recognized it, she still jumped. When she looked up to the end of her bed, Alex was smiling sheepishly at her. “Apologies, sweet girl. I didn’t mean to
startle you.”

  She sighed, rubbing her hands over her face, “It’s okay. And thank you, again.”

  Alex chuckled as he stood, replacing the chair he had been sitting on to its place by the dresser. “No need to thank me, I’m just glad you two weren’t far from the house last night.”

  Abby looked out the window closest to the bed. Sure enough, the sun was shining brightly. So she had slept through the night. Well, at least that was two days of good sleep.

  Alex came to sit beside her on the bed, sitting just on the edge so he didn’t touch her. “Do you remember what you saw? You were ice cold and barely breathing by the time Wesley got you inside. You had us all a little worried.”

  She remembered feeling cold, so very cold. But she remembered Wesley turning the heat up in the truck, so she had thought she must have imagined being so chilled. She scrubbed her hands over her face again, trying to wake up more so she could think clearer. “ It wasn’t the girl from my dream this time; there were more spirits this time than there were at the cemetery. It felt like they were surrounding me, trying to get into the car. But I think they were all Native, they wore head-dresses and jewelry like I’ve seen in museums.”

  Alex rubbed his chin, making a noise in the back of his throat. “The Natives of this country were very spiritual people, they believed very heavily in the spirit world and their connection to it.” He shrugged, a sad smile coming to his lips, “This area was once highly inhabited by Native people, it wouldn’t be surprising if a large number of their spirits still call these mountains home.”

  Abby groaned, falling back into the pile of pillows at her back, “Oh great. I guess I’ll just be staying in this house for eternity, if you don’t mind.”

  Alex laughed, his eyes shining, “Oh, you’re more than welcome anytime, dear. But I think once you have more understanding of your magic and your abilities, those spirits won’t bother you so much anymore.” He chuckled again when she raised an eyebrow. Patting her hand gently he stood up and headed for the door, “I’ll tell Wesley you’re awake, if he by some miracle doesn’t know already.” She must have made a noise without realizing it, because Alex turned back around with his own eyebrow raised, “What did he do now?”

  Sitting up again, she busied herself playing with the blanket covering her legs. When she heard Alex walk back into the room and pull the chair over to the side of the bed, she sighed and looked up at him. “He just acted so weird yesterday. Fine one moment and then yelling and growling at me the next. Claire kept saying stuff like she’d never seen him so out of control and that it was funny. But I don’t have any idea what she was talking about.”

  He chuckled as her brows drew together. “Are you certain of that? That you have no idea at all?” He was waiting for her to say something, but in the event that she said something she might regret, she kept her mouth shut. He sighed a few moments later, “Abby, I know a lot has happened to you in the last couple of days, and it’s likely that the next will be just as eventful. But try to imagine how he must be feeling.”

  All of the unknowns and anxiety from the last hours came rushing at her. Her life had been normal two days ago. She hadn’t been worried about someone torturing her for her magic or that she had just found her soul mate is a man she didn’t know. But she was supposed to think about how Wesley felt? Her eyes turned hard, her mouth setting itself into a hard line, “How he feels? He was born a werewolf; he’s always been a part of this world. Yet it’s his feelings you’re worried about? How about how I feel?” She could tell her voice was rising, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She kept looking at Alex’s kind face and could only get more irritated. She didn’t even have any idea where all of the sudden emotion was coming from, but now that she had opened her mouth it was like she couldn’t stop.

  “In the last twenty-four hours I’ve found out that I’m not crazy, but that I’m a witch! That, by the way, makes me probably immortal and half-Faye! So not only am I a witch, but whoever put a spell on me and sent me away, was likely related to me. And then, if all of that wasn’t enough, I’m also apparently destined to be mated to a werewolf!” She stopped, more to take a deep breath than anything, before gripping the blanket in her lap harder. She could feel her emotions getting the better of her. If she didn’t regain some semblance of control, she was going to cry in front of an Alpha werewolf, no matter how kind that wolf may have been.

  Her voice was softer when she spoke again. “Imagine how he feels? You mean the feeling like a fire has been ignited inside me every time I touch him? Or how half of my brain seems to be totally fine with all of this, while the other half is left trying to catch up? Or how about the knowledge that some irritating werewolf would do anything in his power to protect you and for some unknown reason, so would you?” She could feel the tears in her eyes now, but she didn’t care anymore. She hadn’t realized how hard the last two days had really been. Or she just hadn’t allowed herself any time to think about it. But all of the talk with Claire had been both wonderful and eye-opening.

  And now, looking into the kind and safe eyes of a new friend, she just couldn’t stop. “No one, ever, has ever done anything for me. My own family sent me away and never tried to find me again. Why would some werewolf who I just met be any different?” She gasped quietly, trying to regain control of her breath that had gotten away from her. She felt a tear fall down her cheek but before she could wipe it away herself, Alex’s warm and gentle hand came up to her cheek.

  His eyes, so full of understanding and care, made her want to cry harder. She had never been a crier. Crying never helped anyone, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop now. “Dear Abigail, if I could take away the years of you being all on your own, know that I would in a heartbeat. But then you wouldn’t be the strong and independent young woman you are today. I know none of this can be easy for you. The fact that you’ve been this strong for the last few days, after everything you’ve been told and been through, is remarkable.” He smiled softly, wiping another tear from her cheek. “I can only imagine how scary all of this must feel, but know one thing — the one thing you don’t have to question is Wesley. You’re right, that boy would do anything for you, but that’s not something to be afraid of. Relying on others is not a weakness. It can be more of a strength than you realize right now.”

  Taking another deep breath, Abby sniffed. Great, now her nose was running.

  With a soft chuckle, Alex reached over to the bedside table and grabbed a tissue. Handing it to Abby he said, “Give him a chance, child. And maybe a little patience wouldn’t hurt either. This is scary for him too.” He winked at her before he stood and exited the room, giving her some space to calm down and absorb what he said.

  A few moments later, after she had given herself a minute to calm down, she put her head in her hands and groaned. “Good job, Abby. You just blabbered on like an idiot to the Alpha and cried like a baby.”

  But for some reason, her body felt lighter than it had since speaking to Claire the day before. Although she had a wonderful time with the witch, she had left with so many more questions than answers. The magnitude of it all hadn’t hit her until she had been stuck in that tiny truck cab with Wesley, a two-hour some drive back into the mountains in front of them. With a grunt, she tossed the blanket aside and shut her bedroom door. Sitting in bed all day wasn’t going to solve anything. Maybe a shower would help rid her of the lasting chill in her bones.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ❖

  Abby

  When she finally emerged from the bathroom thirty minutes later, she made a mental note to apologize to Alex for using so much of his water. She found Excedrin and a glass of water sitting on the dresser for her, a note sitting beside them.

  Good morning, Abby

  There are pancakes in the fridge, all you need to do is heat them up. Tori will be in around 10:00 AM, she had some errands to run in town. Wesley and I have gone for a run in the woods, but we’ll be back in time for lunch. Please,
make yourself at home! This is as much your home now as it is ours.

  -Alex

  She smiled at the note before glancing at the clock by the bed. She had about five minutes before Tori would arrive, so she quickly got dressed in the same jeans and shirt she had been wearing that first day, before she went to find the pancakes.

  She was sitting at the island, half of the pancakes gone, by the time Tori came stumbling into the house, bags in both arms. “Sorry I’m a little late! I went shopping!”

  Abby quickly jumped up and ran to the door, grabbing a few bags out of her arms. Setting them down on one of the couches, she raised an eyebrow, “At ten in the morning?”

  Tori laughed, “Well, I know the boutique owner. So she let me in early.”

  Abby looked at the couch. There was a good five bags full of clothes, and she was pretty sure a pair of winter boots in one bag. “What is all of this?” she asked she watched Tori walk into the kitchen area and grab a plate of pancakes.

  “It’s for you, of course! Alex said he was worried you didn’t bring the right kind of clothes for the weather up here. And it’s likely going to snow any day now, so he wanted to make sure you were prepared.”

  Abby stared at the blonde in the kitchen and then back to the bags on the couch, “What? Tori! I have plenty of clothes back home! And I can buy them myself!” Not that she really had all that much money to spend on clothing, but she had always gotten by.

  Tori waved a hand at her as she drowned her pancakes in syrup. “Oh, I know that, silly! But you’ve already been here longer than expected, and I doubt you want to wear the same clothes over and over again. Besides,” she pointed her fork at Abby, “you needed a warmer coat and boots.” She went back to her pancakes, either unaware of Abby glaring at her or she didn’t care.