Alec?”
“You’re the seer,” he said quietly. “And Elspeth’s the healer, and—”
Cait’s foot faltered on the steps. They weren’t allowed to discuss their coven except with their families, who already knew the truth. She shook her head. “Ye’re bein’ ridiculous.”
He looked down on her with a dark intensity. “That’s why you said you didn’t see a future for us. No matter how hard I pressed, you wouldn’t budge.”
Cait could only stare at him.
“But I prefer to make my own destiny, Cait.”
“I—um—I’m certain Lord Brimsworth is waitin’ for us,” she mumbled.
Alec’s hold on her arm tightened. “Have you seen him in your future?”
Cait shook her head. “No,” she answered honestly.
He heaved a huge sigh. “Good.” Then he continued to direct her down the steps and into the overflowing taproom. “Brimsworth has secured a private room.”
Cait’s head swam, and no words came to her mouth. Everything was spiraling out of her control. Alec couldn’t renew his suit of her. His destiny lay along another path, and then there was—
“Caitie.” Dash stepped from a private dining room at the other end of the room. His amber gaze drifted across her and left Cait feeling slightly breathless. He frowned as his eyes landed on her hand tucked into the crook of Alec’s arm.
“Where did you meet him ?” Alec grumbled under his breath.
Cait tilted her head to better see the man whom she’d foolishly fallen for as a young girl. “Westfield Hall.”
Alec scowled. “And I thought Ben was my friend.”
Before she knew it, Dash was before her, taking her other arm with his hand. Heat radiated from him and tingled across her skin. “I am glad to see you’re not so cold anymore, angel.”
Alec looked down at her, a question upon his face. “Cold? Angel?”
“Aye, after walkin’ in the rain,” she admitted, shooting a look at Dashiel. She had a feeling she was in for a long night.
Twelve
Dash had never been ignored quite so well in his life, unless he counted interactions with his father into the number. The marquess had a way about him that made Dash feel insignificant, something he’d grown accustomed to in the years after his Lycan traits had become obvious.
But he’d never wanted to be a part of a group as badly as he did over dinner at The Black Swan. Most importantly, he wanted to be a part of Alec MacQuarrie and Caitrin’s group. He wanted to be a trusted friend. He wanted Cait to look at him with fondness as she did MacQuarrie.
“Do you remember the time Sorcha talked you into climbing the tree in the garden and you fell out of it?”
Caitrin laughed softly. “Aye, I remember I thought I’d tumble ta my death.”
“Then, at the last minute, you were falling through the air and the next, you lay in a soft bed of leaves. It was almost as though they’d been placed there just to cushion your fall.”
Dash noted that she refused to meet Alec’s eyes when she responded, pretending interest in her meal. “Aye, it was a miracle.”
“A miracle?” Dash asked slowly. Cait raised her eyes and looked into his. There was a subtle warning there. He just wished he knew what it was.
“Aye,” she said as she took a sip of her wine and avoided discussing the topic any more.
“So, Brimsworth,” MacQuarrie said as he focused his dark eyes on Dash. “What are your thoughts about predetermined fate?”
Dash gulped. What the devil did the man mean by that? Did he know of his connection to Caitrin? “I believe things happen the way they are supposed to,” he answered enigmatically.
The cultured Scot smiled wickedly. “How unfortunate for you, then.”
“What does that mean?” Dash asked as he stabbed a piece of mutton.
MacQuarrie shrugged. “Just that I think a man ought to make his own future. I don’t believe my life is mapped out regardless of my wants and desires.”
Cait’s face turned a bit purple, which made Dash feel sure he was missing
“You’re the seer,” he said quietly. “And Elspeth’s the healer, and—”
Cait’s foot faltered on the steps. They weren’t allowed to discuss their coven except with their families, who already knew the truth. She shook her head. “Ye’re bein’ ridiculous.”
He looked down on her with a dark intensity. “That’s why you said you didn’t see a future for us. No matter how hard I pressed, you wouldn’t budge.”
Cait could only stare at him.
“But I prefer to make my own destiny, Cait.”
“I—um—I’m certain Lord Brimsworth is waitin’ for us,” she mumbled.
Alec’s hold on her arm tightened. “Have you seen him in your future?”
Cait shook her head. “No,” she answered honestly.
He heaved a huge sigh. “Good.” Then he continued to direct her down the steps and into the overflowing taproom. “Brimsworth has secured a private room.”
Cait’s head swam, and no words came to her mouth. Everything was spiraling out of her control. Alec couldn’t renew his suit of her. His destiny lay along another path, and then there was—
“Caitie.” Dash stepped from a private dining room at the other end of the room. His amber gaze drifted across her and left Cait feeling slightly breathless. He frowned as his eyes landed on her hand tucked into the crook of Alec’s arm.
“Where did you meet him ?” Alec grumbled under his breath.
Cait tilted her head to better see the man whom she’d foolishly fallen for as a young girl. “Westfield Hall.”
Alec scowled. “And I thought Ben was my friend.”
Before she knew it, Dash was before her, taking her other arm with his hand. Heat radiated from him and tingled across her skin. “I am glad to see you’re not so cold anymore, angel.”
Alec looked down at her, a question upon his face. “Cold? Angel?”
“Aye, after walkin’ in the rain,” she admitted, shooting a look at Dashiel. She had a feeling she was in for a long night.
Twelve
Dash had never been ignored quite so well in his life, unless he counted interactions with his father into the number. The marquess had a way about him that made Dash feel insignificant, something he’d grown accustomed to in the years after his Lycan traits had become obvious.
But he’d never wanted to be a part of a group as badly as he did over dinner at The Black Swan. Most importantly, he wanted to be a part of Alec MacQuarrie and Caitrin’s group. He wanted to be a trusted friend. He wanted Cait to look at him with fondness as she did MacQuarrie.
“Do you remember the time Sorcha talked you into climbing the tree in the garden and you fell out of it?”
Caitrin laughed softly. “Aye, I remember I thought I’d tumble ta my death.”
“Then, at the last minute, you were falling through the air and the next, you lay in a soft bed of leaves. It was almost as though they’d been placed there just to cushion your fall.”
Dash noted that she refused to meet Alec’s eyes when she responded, pretending interest in her meal. “Aye, it was a miracle.”
“A miracle?” Dash asked slowly. Cait raised her eyes and looked into his. There was a subtle warning there. He just wished he knew what it was.
“Aye,” she said as she took a sip of her wine and avoided discussing the topic any more.
“So, Brimsworth,” MacQuarrie said as he focused his dark eyes on Dash. “What are your thoughts about predetermined fate?”
Dash gulped. What the devil did the man mean by that? Did he know of his connection to Caitrin? “I believe things happen the way they are supposed to,” he answered enigmatically.
The cultured Scot smiled wickedly. “How unfortunate for you, then.”
“What does that mean?” Dash asked as he stabbed a piece of mutton.
MacQuarrie shrugged. “Just that I think a man ought to make his own future. I don’t believe my life is mapped out regardless of my wants and desires.”
Cait’s face turned a bit purple, which made Dash feel sure he was missing
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