by Colt, Shyla
“And he didn’t tell you anything?”
“Nothing more than what you’ve heard about returning to the old ways. I helped him gather everything necessary for an Old Norse ritual. I’m sure this is dedicated to Odin. He believed we need to appeal to him to ensure our future success. I was told what to do, and nothing more.”
“And he got all of this from a dream?” Joss asked skeptically.
“I don’t know where else he would’ve gotten it.”
From the fortune telling lamia he’s keeping on payroll under the table.
“You’re ready.” Her mother cleared her throat and blinked, chasing away the tears that had given her gaze extra sheen. “You look beautiful, baby. Fierce and regal, like a queen.” Her mother cupped her face. “You’re the best thing I’ve ever done, and I hope you find a way to forgive me one day for my missteps. I’ve only ever wanted what was best for you.”
Joss covered her mother’s hand. “I do realize that, Mom. It’s not the mistakes, but the long-time secrecy that hurts me. I had a right to know.”
Her mother sniffled. “Yes, you did.”
Joss sighed. “I will always love you, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’m just hurt. The time I’m taking is to deal with that.” She hugged her mother hard.
“It kills me. I only want to see you happy, whole, and safe. After your father died, it was my top goal. Looking at you, I see I’ve raised a strong, intelligent, and capable young woman. So, I didn’t screw up completely.” Her smile wavered.
“No, Mom, you did so much right. I’m not going to let this break us. I just need some time.” She grabbed her mother’s hands and squeezed.
“I can respect that.” Her mother placed a sweet kiss on her forehead. It smacked of endings and good-byes. The bittersweet ritual took away some of the intense anger she’d held on to. Her mother stepped away and swiped at the tears running down her face. She cleared her throat once more. “Time to put on a show, Jossy. There won’t be too many more celebrations before Ian’s reign is over.” Was that relief she heard in her mother’s voice? Maybe her mother was tired, too? Joss straightened her spine, and lead the procession of two back into the main room. Their exchange had woken a protective instinct inside of her. Is she safe with Ian?
Isiah waited in front of the hearth in a long, blue, cloth tunic with a Nordic design on the trim and brown breeches. A wolf pelt was also draped over his shoulders. His hair had been clipped back and bleached a shocking blonde, just like the Vikings preferred. The process had pulled double duty back then because it also killed lice.
“Come, the others will be arriving soon. Tonight, we’ll have a true blood sacrifice to Odin done in the old way. No more watered-down versions. We need to gain real favor and prevail over our foes. The pelts hold the power of our ancestors. Once pack, we’ll always be pack. Even beyond the grave, they lend us their strength.” The Alpha’s eyes glowed, and his chest heaved. Spittle flew from his mouth. A crazed energy flowed from their usually calm leader.
She followed behind him. Outside, a massive bonfire crackled in an open field. Torches formed a circle waiting to be lit. In the center, there were two stone thrones etched with runes and symbols; she sensed latent power attached to the gray slabs.
“Go and sit in the one on the right.” She walked toward the opening in the sticks for the torches and hesitated. Breeching the circle felt wrong.
“Now.” The power in his voice had her legs moving despite her reluctance. Isiah grunted. The area around his eyes and mouth were strained. Drumming came from a distance. A steady rhythm accompanied by the haunting notes of a pan flute chilled her. People approached, dressed like the salt of the earth in simple cotton dresses, pants, and tunics. The sea of bleached blond locks sent her mind to Children of the Damned. The flickering flames of the torches distorted their faces.
Shadows created off angles and dark circles under eyes. She clutched the arms of the chair. A child led a snow-white lamb forward on a leash. The girl came to a halt in front of them as the others circled, claiming and lighting posts. The Alpha approached the center with her mother in tow.
“Today, we are here to sacrifice to Odin. What we want requires more than mere symbolism. Tonight, we spill blood in the old way.” An unnatural stillness settled over the area. The Alpha began to speak in a guttural Norse dialect.
“Odin, God of Thunder, we seek your approval and power.” Her mother interpreted as she lifted her arms above her head. The wind stirred, rustling the tree branches, and sending leaves skittering across the ground.
“We spill blood in your name.” The Alpha stepped forward and clutched the back of the lamb’s neck, pulling an old knife from a leather pouch. She was no stranger to death. As a wolf, she’d hunted her entire life. But this taking of life had nothing to do with the chase or food. He slit the lamb's throat, silencing its pitiful bleating.
Blood flowed into the silver bowl below. The lamb kicked as life slipped away. The Alpha’s eyes glowed amber as he dipped his hand into the steaming blood. The thick substance splattered onto her apron and face. She flinched. The splat echoed in her ears as the blood burned her skin. She gritted her teeth. The Alpha split the belly of the lamb and shoved his hand in, cracking bone before he began to cut out the heart.
The blood coating his hands and arms looked black in the moonlight. He held the still beating organ up. “We offer you this life’s blood and take the heart inside those who will lead the pack.” Her mother’s voice rose above the murmurs as she continued to act as a translator. She walked over to the bowl, knelt beside the Alpha, and closed her eyes. “Fill the bowl with your intentions and hopes for the future as you taste of innocence.” The Alpha drank from the bowl and handed it to her mother who did the same. “There is power in the pack. It’s time we wield it.”
Standing, her mother walked over to the woman closest to her and passed the bowl.
The Alpha walked up to Joss, offering the heart. “Eat and take the strength of the pack inside of you.” She sank her teeth into the small muscles. Blood coated her tongue and slid down her throat. Every bite opened the pack connection up wider. He moved to Isiah, who finished the heart. A connection formed between the two of them. Her body lifted, levitating off the stone slab. Isiah floated beside her. The air around them grew charged, forming an invisible bubble. Power exploded into a cloud of purple magic that swirled around them, encasing them in a cocoon.
An uncanny knowing hit her. She’d known Isiah for longer than this lifetime. If she hadn’t been floating, surely her knees would’ve buckled. Images of faces, empires long gone, and fingers entwined mentally pummeled her. Their gazes locked. You. The moment of instant recognition bound them. Lowered to the ground, they watched fuzzy imagery play across the screen of their minds. Her third eye blew wide open. A strangled scream rose in her throat as her brain hit full capacity.
A brilliant white light shot through the cocoon, snapping their connection. She slammed down her mental barriers to avoid backlash and pitched forward onto the ground. With the breath knocked out of her, she struggled to breathe. Digging her fingers into the ground, she scrambled to reorient herself. Claws easily burrowed into the soil. On the cusp of transforming, she swallowed the excess salvia and placed a mental chokehold on her wolf.
“You see the power Odin has granted us.” As the Alpha preened, she tuned into Isiah’s heavy breathing, in sync with her own.
“It’s for this reason they will be wed in December, when the brightest comet of the year passes by.”
“N—” Her protests turned into a cough as her throat swelled. The Alpha exerted his power, forcing her submission. Bucking against his control, she fought to escape his hold. Her throat constricted farther and his power pressed down on her, physically forcing her head down. The compulsion to take a submissive stance stole her breath. Wheezing, she ignored her mother’s mental pleading. A throaty growl drew her attention and broke the Alpha’s concentration. The pressure subsi
ded, and a black wolf leapt in front of her, wearing down. Isiah.
The pleased expression on the Alpha’s face threatened to make her vomit. Excitement pressed in from all sides.
“Let us celebrate this new blessing of two young, devoted cubs coming together.”
“Son of a bitch.” Isiah’s angry comment echoed in her head. He’d been just as blindsided as she. Things were spiraling, and she had no clue how to slow the descent.
They’d walked into his trap blindly, and he’d sprung it expertly, locking them into his time frame. Panting like she’d run a marathon, she tried to take air into what felt like oxygen-starved lungs. I’m nothing more masterfully for someone else’s gain. Her stomach dropped to her feet. Her legs shook under the weight pressing onto her shoulders. Isiah nuzzled her with his muzzle. His tongue shot out and affectionately licked her. She lifted her gaze to hold his own.
“Don’t you dare give him what he wants.”
He was right. Straightening, she lifted her head and faked the confidence she didn’t feel. Isiah moved in, brushing his body against hers. Body straight, he turned into a soldier, ready to defend. Dark, sleek, and deadly, he snorted. Head held high he exuded a royal heir. The Alpha’s right eye twitched. If a wolf could smirk, she would be. His Highness hadn’t expected them to rally.
A blast of power forced her to stumble back. “Kneel.” The Alpha’s voice had sounded in her head. Isiah growled low in his throat. He pressed in closer. Their powers sparkled, canceling out the Alpha’s command. The Alpha blinked. His anger became a living thing as his light blue eyes glowed a bright yellow. Malevolent power oozed toward them like a wave of darkness.
“Let’s remind him that he needs our cooperation.” Isiah fired the sentence down their mental link.
She huffed. “How?”
“Follow my lead.” He nudged her body with his own a split second before he bounded out of the circle. Bodies parted like the Red Sea. The torches flickered out, and a backlash of power hit like the recoil from a rubber band pushed past its flexibility. Ignoring the protocol pounded forcefully into her head, she followed, fully severing the connection with the power they’d amassed. High from the rush of the power leaving the group and flowing through her body and back to its source, she ran without fear of retribution or consequence.
Their paws padded over the ground as they left the ceremony site behind and reached the edge of the woods. The sounds of heavy breathing, barks, and paws on the ground, told her others had given chase.
“He sent the betas after us. Keep up with me.”
The bond between them rippled as he drew from the power they created together and increased his speed. Following his lead, she allowed the she-wolf to take over. Matching him jump for jump, she rejoiced in the freedom, embracing the wild, feral nature she often tempered. Plunging deeper into the forest, they left the others behind. An urgency overtook her, guiding her toward an unknown destination. She sensed the tree before she saw it. A massive trunk of a Cottonwood erupted from the soil like a mountain—wide, tall, strong, and solid as if it had always been there. They came to a stop as one.
“We’ll stay here tonight.”
“Yes.” She craned her neck, peering up into the massive trunks of the tree. Lowering herself to the ground, she rested her head on her paws. Isiah took a defensive position, angling his body in front of hers. The bad blood that existed between them was absent. She felt … safe. Exhaustion struck as the adrenaline waned, and she closed her eyes.
“Sleep.”
Too tired to bristle under the command, she slipped into dreamland.
* * *
A steady rhythm pulled her from a deep sleep. Prying her weighted lids open, she lifted her head. Her nose twitched as the scent of burning cedar, smoke, and people melded together. Night had yielded to day, and the area in front of the tree had come to life. Pitched voices cried out in song. The powerful message of praise and pride blended together as the sound floated toward the heavens. A large group of men and women shuffle danced around the fire pit. Ornate feathered headdresses adorned some of the men’s heads. Ebony hair flowed down their backs, standing out against the fringed beige buckskin leggings and long-sleeved shirts.
Colorful quill work down the sides of the leggings, and in large necklaces, dated the time. She froze, terrified to move. What will they do if they see me? Using her peripheral vision, she searched for Isiah. Her heart knocked in her chest. She was alone in some sort of time warp. Keeping her eyes glued to the Native Americans in front of her, she took a cautious step back. A twig snapped. The group continued, unaware of her presence.
“They can’t see you.”
She jerked her head to the left, straining her neck. A Native American with long, black hair, black eyes, and a kind expression on his face stood a few feet away. Where did he come from?
“They can’t see me either. We’re here to observe.”
She tilted her head, unable to speak in her form.
“You can change your form so we can speak. We’re in a dreaming place, but it’s not quite a dream.”
Why?
“We have been watching White Creek you since you arrived. Tonight, you proved yourself.”
Focusing, she shifted her forms, only to find herself garbed in a soft deerskin dress with fringe and quillwork down the sides. Her hair was parted in the center and braided into two plaits.
“And how did I do that?”
“By leaving. You and the male wolf.”
“Is he okay?” she asked, suddenly worried by his absence.
“He, like you, must choose his own pathway.”
Shifting her weight, she questioned, “Who are you?”
“I’m Seke, and I’m here to share my story with you.”
“You were the one who disrupted the balance,” she whispered.
“Yes. I wanted to be the most powerful being in existence. I never stopped to think what it would cost me or my people. We live to uphold the balance. I should’ve known better.” He shook his head. “I spent a long time paying for those poor decisions. I don’t want to see you make the same mistake.”
“I would never do that.” She sneered at his assumptions.
“Are you sure? Hate, anger, and an unwillingness to forgive can lead us down roads we never imagined we’d travel. Don’t be so sure the right path is easy. Confidence is a blessing and a curse. Too little and you’ll always fall short of your goal. Too much and you’ll miss the obvious, and grow deaf to the wisdom of others. It takes just the right amount to be strong, and yet humble.”
Her brow furrowed as she mulled over his words. It felt like a backhanded compliment and another push toward Isiah.
He smiled. “Have you figured out that the darkness and light need one another to exist? When both play their role, day,” the sky lightened, and the sun rose; heat baked into her skin, warding off the chills from the evening air, “and night are born.” She watched in awe as the sun slowly sank, creating a picture-perfect array of purples, oranges, and pinks as it disappeared from the horizon. Stars came to life, like bright diamonds dotting a blue velvet canvas. “When they are in balance, they create harmony.”
She gaped at the fat, round moon that appeared closer than ever. The people continued to move around their life, like phantoms of the past. She watched as the Native people gathered, cooked, and interacted with each other in accordance to the time of day. The simplicity of their lives made her ache with longing. This is how it should be when you lived on the land. Working together in a group. White Creek had twisted it. Sadness filled her heart and weighed her soul down. Turning to the man who watched her like she was a new form of reality television, she scowled.
“If you’re all knowing and powerful like Oz, you’d known my step-brother and I make a job of being on the opposite ends of everything. There’s no synchronization there.” She shook her head and slashed the air in front of her neck with her right hand.
“Except for when there is,” he drawled
. “You worked together tonight.”
“That’s rare.” She pointed with her index finger. Fury pushed aside the fear she’d felt initially.
“It wasn’t always. Together what could you accomplish?” His even tone enraged her.
She opened and closed her hands, balling them into fists. “You do realize, getting along takes two people unless one is completely submissive to the other?”
“That’s called balance,” he said gently.
She snorted. Because that’s so easy to achieve? People searched their entire lives for that one thing. “I haven’t seen much of that in my life.”
“You did. With your parents.”
Did he just compare us to my parents? Theirs was the only love story she believed. “Isiah and I will never be like them.”
“I wonder why you believe you need to be.”
She paused in mid-step. “I’m not the one with the disillusions. Besides, isn’t that what this is all about? Pushing us together? Trying to turn us into some fake Ken and Barbie?”
“The pack is not about insignificant romantic connections. It’s deeper. This is a spiritual connection. You are bound by soul, blood, sweat, and tears. These are your people. Would you dismiss them over a petty misunderstanding? If so, perhaps you aren’t the woman the ancestors believed you might be.”
“How dare you judge me, after everything you done? If it wasn’t for you, none of us would even be in this mess.”
“That is the reason I was chosen for this task. I, better than most, understand what’s at stake. It’s a darkness that stains your soul and anchors your spirit to the worst moments of your life. Whatever’s holding you back now, relinquish it.”
“Holding me back from what?” she asked, thoroughly confused.
“Peace, potential, and vision. You lack the ability to see the bigger picture. You’re running out of time …” He paused and glanced over her shoulder at something she couldn’t see. He gave the nod and walked forward, pressing two fingers to her temple. “See.” Images exploded behind her eyelids, a movie in fast forward, disappearing before she could fully grasp them. Each scene felt like a glimpse into a potential future. The visions settled into her brain, pressing down like sinus pressure. An ache began in her temples. The rollercoaster ride ended with the vision of ravens circling above her head. He removed his fingers, and she stumbled back.