by Sara Snow
I abruptly stopped walking and looked up. And then it hit me.
Back when I’d been engaged to Elijah, I had intended to end things with Will. Ultimately, I couldn’t do it, but I’d planned to. So, if I had known Will was committed to someone else back then, would that have been enough for me to end our relationship? Probably.
Could I really be angry at him for failing to tell me about it back when I would’ve left him over it?
When I’d been engaged to Elijah, I’d hated the thought of losing Will—especially to marry a werewolf I barely knew. It had nearly killed me to tell Will I was engaged and we'd never be able to see each other again. We had seen each other again, of course, but I’d tried to keep him at arm’s length because I knew I had to do what was right.
I pulled my cloak tight around me and continued walking. A sudden need to fall into a bed and sleep for all eternity took hold of me, and I made my way back to the room.
When I got there, Skye was already asleep, and Cyrus and Will were gone.
I climbed into the bed beside Skye. Then I turned onto my side, pulling my knees up to my chest. And there I stayed, crying softly until I fell asleep.
Sometimes, I really wished I was someone else.
4
Elinor
I rolled onto my back and growled as someone poked my shoulder. “It’s okay, I don’t need sleep. I’m fully capable of surviving without it.” I opened my eyes to find Skye sitting up, leaning against the headboard. She looked sad, and I immediately sat up as well. "What's wrong?"
It was still dark outside, and as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I noticed my headache was finally gone . . . and we were the only ones in the room. “Where are the guys?”
"Other rooms became available, so they're sleeping elsewhere," she answered with a small yawn.
I guessed that was for the best. I couldn’t see Darian staying in the same room as Will.
We sat in silence as I waited for her to say what was on her mind. Outside, the world was still asleep. Come morning, we'd continue on our way. I wasn't looking forward to the journey with the tension between Will and Darian, but I couldn’t do much about it. I'd just have to ignore them.
What was more important, at this moment, was my need to learn how to control my ability. Back in the forest, my power had overwhelmed me, burning my flesh. I’d been afraid that I was going to die by my own hand.
"I don't want to be weak," Skye said after a moment, and my brows furrowed.
"What? You're not weak. What are you talking about?"
She held her head back to stare up at the ceiling. Despite the darkness, I could see that her brown eyes were rimmed with tears. "Then why does Cyrus always immediately whisk me off to safety whenever there is danger? I can tell you why. It's because I'm weak. If I stay, you'll both be too distracted worrying about my safety to fight.” She inhaled deeply. “I know I’m not completely incompetent, but I’m nowhere near as skilled as the rest of you.”
I wasn’t sure what to say, and I didn't want to say the wrong thing. Skye was a werewolf, which meant she was born with incredible strength, but she didn't have the training that Cyrus and I had. Yes, we were more skilled than she was, but I hated that she thought of herself like this.
“Listen, you’ve dedicated your life to becoming a pack doctor, which is one of the most important jobs in a werewolf pack. Learning to fight the way Cyrus and I do wasn’t something you needed. You shouldn't feel bad about that." I took her hand and squeezed it gently. “Circumstances have changed for us all. If none of this had happened, you'd still be studying medicine, not being taken to some secret location Darian refuses to tell us.”
“I know," she sighed. "But I'm tired of being the weakest link, of being spirited away while others fight. Yes, my knowledge of herbs is valuable, but this fight is mine too, and I want to be a part of it. I already shift quickly. I want to learn how to defend myself.”
She had a point. “You’re right. I don’t think there is a wolf in our pack that shifts faster than you do.”
Skye wasn't just tagging along with us. She was a part of this like I was. And if possible, she was even more invested. She’d been the one who’d been kidnapped and forced to watch as her mother was brutally murdered. She shared the same driving need that I did—to put an end to what the Vampire Queen was doing, any way we could.
"I'm going to ask Cyrus to train me," she said, turning onto her side and facing me. "When we get to wherever it is Darian is taking us, you'll be training. I want to do the same."
“Sure, I bet Cyrus will be thrilled to hear you want to be on the front line.”
She laughed and reached up to touch her thick, curly hair, the part that was slightly shorter than the rest. The chunk of her hair that had been ripped out when she’d been abducted hadn't taken long to regrow, but from time to time, I'd noticed her touching the spot.
She bore no physical scars, but her soul was scarred. The things that had happened to her were never going to leave her.
"Yeah, I can just imagine his grumpy face when I ask him.” Her hand fell to her lap. “He’s going to do his best to warn me against it, but it won’t work. He'll just have to deal with it.”
She shuffled down in the bed to lie on her back, and I did the same. “I know he loves me and just wants to keep me safe,” she said. “And I appreciate that. But I need to be able to defend myself, you know? Cyrus can't always be there to protect me, and neither can you."
“I know,” I answered. "But don’t worry. He'll teach you. He'll argue about it, but he won't be able to say no."
Her head fell to the side, and I looked over to find her staring at me. I knew what was coming from the look in her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"I am," I answered but looked away because, honestly, I wasn't. "Okay, I'm not."
“Do you want to talk about it?”
I took a deep breath. “I gave myself to him.”
Skye sat up, her eyes wide with shock. “Y-You . . .” She looked up and down my body, and a smile grew on her lips. “Really? You had sex with Will?”
I nodded as her excitement washed away the sadness I had begun to associate with a memory that should have only brought me happiness. I couldn't help it, though. Even though Will had told me he’d broken things off with Vivian, I couldn't stop imagining them sharing a bed the way Will and I had.
He had made me the other woman.
“I did,” I answered with a weak smile. “It was . . . like nothing I've ever felt before. It was perfect. Even now, I don't regret that it happened. But I can't help feeling upset that things were ruined so soon afterwards."
“I get it,” she said, lying on her side. “And anyone would be livid if they found out that the man they loved was engaged and kept it a secret. At least you told him about Elijah. But it was as if he wanted the best of both worlds—you and that woman."
“Vivian,” I growled. “That’s what he called her.”
Despite her beautiful face, there had been darkness in Vivian’s eyes, a reflection of her nonexistent soul. Before I lost control, while I was trying to understand what was happening, I could see that she did, indeed, love Will, although clearly in a twisted way.
And I understood her pain. Because I, too, had discovered that Will had been seeing someone else.
That had been the moment I had lost control. I’d blacked out, allowing my power to take control of my mind and body. When I came to, Will was on the ground, burned by my hand, and she was gone. But I would see her again, I was sure of it.
"I know he loves you, though," Skye began, and I closed my eyes. “You know it, too. And I know you love him as well. Luck just doesn’t seem to be on your side in this relationship, but you both still try to hold onto each other."
“Will and his secrets are tearing us apart. Maybe it's all a sign that we shouldn't be together."
"How many times have you said that now? Every time something pops up and you two fight, you take it as a sign.
And yet, you can't stay away from each other."
I rolled onto my stomach and pressed my face into the pillow. "The thought of him being with her is killing me, Skye. I was the other woman, and I want to strangle him for that."
"I'm not saying what he did wasn't wrong and that you shouldn't be mad at him, but at this point, you should know that hearing him out is probably the best move. Don't you want to know what was really going on with him and Vivian? He said he broke the engagement off, but when did he do that?"
A part of me didn't want to know anything about the things he had done with her, sexually or otherwise. It would be too painful to hear. However, the rest of me was curious to know if the relationship they’d had was like ours.
If it had been so great, why did he leave her?
I rested my cheek on the pillow and looked at Skye. “What would you do if you found out Cyrus had a fiancée?”
"First, I'd slap his ass into next week, but then I'd want him to tell me everything, from start to finish. He’d better have a damn good explanation if he wanted me to stay with him. If he kept secrets and lied to me, I’d lose all respect for him. But if he told me the truth, then our relationship might be salvaged."
"Since when did you become a relationship expert?" I teased.
She grinned smugly. "I'm a girlfriend now. I've been learning on the job."
"Yes, while I'm failing miserably."
She patted my back. “You’re not failing. You and Will are different than Cyrus and me. The two of you have more obstacles to overcome than we do.”
The feeling of something pushing against my mind had me rolling over to sit up. My eyes darted around the around the room frantically.
Skye sat up as well. “Elinor, what’s going on? Your eyes are white.”
“Elinor?" A voice called in my head, and I turned to look at Skye.
“Yes?” I answered out loud. “Faelen, is that you?"
“Yes,” Faelen answered. Her voice was so clear, it was as if she was sitting right beside me.
I sighed. “I’m okay, Skye; it’s just Faelen.”
“I never knew a mind-link was possible from such a distance." Skye looked impressed. "I thought a mind-link through dreams was easier to do from far away.”
“We’ve arrived.” Faelen’s voice echoed in my head. “Where are you? Are you all okay?”
“Were you attacked?” I probed as I stared at the wall across the room.
"No, we arrived safely, and I'm looking at your father's grumpy face as we speak. He wants to know if you're okay."
"We were attacked," I told her. “You didn’t get a vision about it?”
“No,” she answered. “Are you all right? Was anyone hurt?”
I bit down on my lip. "Will got hurt, but he's okay now. We're safe and staying the night in a little town—I don't know the name—but we'll be moving on in the morning."
“What of Will’s brother?”
I pressed a finger to my temple, my headache returning. "They fought, and Will found out that the Queen doesn’t want me dead. She wants to capture me and turn me.” Faelen growled and then went silent. “Faelen?”
Skye was looking at me curiously since she couldn’t hear Faelen the way I could.
“Faelen?”
"Yes, I'm still here. Your father is breathing down my neck, so I was telling him what you're telling me. Did Will kill his brother? Tell me he didn’t. The Queen will only feel forced to attack.”
"He didn't," I told her and decided not to say anything about Vivian. "The Queen still doesn't know he's on our side. We still have time to gather everyone's help, but he’ll be coming with us.”
“I can’t imagine Darian likes that idea."
I sighed. “You have no idea.”
“Okay, I'll be leaving to see the High Priestess tomorrow. We’ll need her support in the coming battle. But I’ll contact you again in the morning, so I . . .”
Faelen’s words trailed off, and I froze. My ears perked up because somewhere outside, I heard a muffled scream. It came and went quickly, and the link between Faelen and me began to weaken. Skye’s eyes turned black as she tilted her head to the side.
"Did you hear that?" she asked, and the link between Faelen and me abruptly resumed its former strength.
“You need to leave!” she screamed in my head. “You need to leave that town now!”
Skye and I jumped up as loud cries from outside pierced through the night, and the smell of vampires, foul and pungent, filled the air. Our door flew open, and Darian rushed inside, his eyes black pits.
“We need to go! They found us!”
5
Elinor
Skye and I rushed to the door, and as Darian turned around to leave, Cyrus walked past the entrance to head downstairs. I looked to the left as Will exited his room, and our eyes met. My heart skipped a beat at his ruby eyes, and I turned away to catch up to the others.
"I really didn't think there was going to be more of them," Cyrus said through clenched teeth as we all walked down the hallway.
Darian began wrapping his hair and then pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. "Well, they're here, and we need to leave."
"I'm not leaving," I announced. Everyone stopped at the top of the stairs.
I looked down at the first floor, where many people—humans and supernaturals—gathered inside for cover. Outside I could hear the crackling of the fire, the hissing from the vampires, and the cries of those being attacked. "It's our fault this town is under attack. We can't just leave them."
"There are Guards here that will defend the town." Darian moved to walk away, and I grabbed his arm.
"The Guards won't stand a chance, and you know it. I am not leaving these people when I have the power to help them."
Darian pulled his hand away. “How much help will you be to them if you lose control and destroy the town instead?”
My jaws clenched tightly.
Cyrus walked away, descending the stairs quickly. “Hold on.”
We watched as he vanished through the door, and we waited. My heart was beating rapidly, my power awake and begging to be set free. On the first floor, I saw a human woman holding a young satyr child. The girl’s little hooves were pulled up to her chest as they huddled together on the floor.
Darian was looking at them as well.
“We can’t leave them,” I said to no one in particular.
Images from the night my pack had been attacked were playing over and over again in my mind. If I ran now, what kind of person would that make me, knowing I had the strength to help? Wasn't this the reason I’d been given the power I had? To stop the Queen and save all species?
My gifts weren't only meant to be used to defend myself or preserved for the day I finally came face-to-face with the Queen. I'd always wanted the strength to be a Werewolf Guard, to help those in need, and this was my chance to do that.
The door flew open as Cyrus rushed back inside, blood splashed across his chest.
"They're not here for us," he said as he ran up the stairs. "If they had tracked our scent here, they would have had us surrounded already. They're just attacking the town, taking humans and supernaturals."
I turned to Darian, and he shook his head. "That changes nothing. You almost leveled the forest a few hours ago. We need to go."
"Then I won't use my power. But I'm not leaving!" My eyes changed to black, and my fangs elongated. “I had power before my divinity was awakened. I was an Alpha-born before I was anything else!" Then I brushed past him and Cyrus as I began descending the stairs.
"I'm staying, too. I can help the wounded." Skye ran down the stairs to meet me by the door, and Will followed.
"I'll help you," he told her. "I'll bring the wounded in here. You can start with him."
He pointed to a man across the room, a fae with blood gushing from a wound on his stomach. A human girl wearing an apron stood up from where she’d been cowering in the corner with other townspeople. Her brown eyes were
wide with fear, and she was shaking, but she stepped forward.
"I-I work in the kitchen. I can help you," she told Skye, who nodded her thanks.
Cyrus joined us, and the moment he opened his mouth as if to speak, Skye pointed a finger at his face. "Don't even try to object! We are not abandoning these people!"
“I wasn’t going to object,” he answered. “I was going to tell you that you left your bag with your herbs upstairs.”
Something exploded outside, followed by screams, and on the stairs, Darian growled low with displeasure.
"Growl all you want, Darian, but we're staying. And you're staying too. You, me, and Cyrus will take care of the vampires and Resurrected," I said.
He ripped his cloak off as he descended the stairs, and without saying anything, he stormed past us and went through the door. I sighed but nodded at Cyrus, whose eyes were as black as mine.
I looked at Will as Cyrus went through the door next, and Skye walked away with the human girl.
“Be careful. Don’t be seen by any vampires,” I said through clenched teeth, then walked away before he could respond.
Outside, the world was burning. Bleeders were devouring humans and supernaturals while the Resurrected wreaked general havoc. I could feel the hum of my power beneath my skin, but I ignored it, focusing only on my wolf.
Cyrus took to the sky, his body covered in black smoke, and Darian had long since vanished. Beside me, with his cloak covering his body, Will disappeared and returned seconds later carrying a little girl with a broken leg and bite marks on her neck and arm.
I joined the fight, running forward and tackling a Skin who was about to attack a woman. I moved quickly, slicing its body with my claws before slitting its throat and removing its heart. I moved on to the next target before its body fell, a Bleeder hunched over a witch, its head buried in her neck as it savagely ripped at her body.
I forced my nails to grow longer and embedded them in its back and through its heart. It fell onto her, dead, and I pushed it off to the side. I swallowed hard as I looked into the witch's lifeless violet eyes, and I was suddenly thrown to the ground.