The Change

by C V Leigh

  “Is it my fault?” His voice was so small, so fragile, it resembled thin glass, ready to shatter into a million pieces.

  “No.” Derek held him close while he cried. “Not at all.”

  “Dad hates me.”

  “Hey.” He took hold of Michael’s shoulders and forced him to look at him. “Now you listen to me. Your dad does not hate you. None of us do. We love you. Your dad loves you more than life itself. Everything he does is for you and Ben. I know it feels like he’s been distracted, and had more important things to worry about, but that’s not true. Yes, he’s had a lot on his mind just recently, but you are still the reason he breathes. And don’t you ever forget it.”

  Michael swallowed. “Yes, Uncle Drake.” He gave a quick nod. “Is…” He looked away. “Is Nathan…”

  “Nathan is being questioned by your mum and Uncle Zane.”

  “Is he—”

  “Don’t worry about Nathan. He used you to get to us. He,” Derek paused, unsure of how much to tell the young boy. He was only twelve years old. There was only so much he would understand, so much he would be able to accept. Fortunately, he was saved by the appearance of Alistair.

  “I’ll take over.”

  Derek nodded and stood up. He patted Michael’s back. “Remember what I said, yeah?”

  Michael nodded. “I will.”

  Derek walked past his brother. “Be gentle with him. He’s…” He sighed. “He’s not as strong as he thinks he is.”

  “I know. Thanks.”

  Derek smiled and headed into the kitchen. Nathan’s moans crept from under the cellar door as Zane worked on him. He shook his head, part of him wishing it was Jacob down there, another part glad it wasn’t.

  * * *

  Zane rinsed his hands under the tap. Nathan’s blood swirled around the plughole and down into the dank depths of the cesspit beneath the grounds. He looked over his shoulder at the barely-breathing body that lay curled up on the cold, stone floor. His stomach churned. Whether it was from the beating he’d given Nathan, or the look on Tess’s face when she’d seen the aftermath, he wasn’t sure.

  “She’ll be okay,” Megan said, running her hands over the slope of his shoulders. She massaged the knotted muscles in his neck. “Until now, lycanthropy has been all running through forests, nudity, and hot sex.” She placed her hands under the water beside his. “I take it the sex is hot?”

  Zane smirked. “What about you? Will you be okay?”

  “I’m a lot stronger than any of you realise. And that tea you gave me seems to help. It tastes vile, though.” She flicked her hands dry. “This baby is resilient. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was a girl.” A smile teased at her lips. She looked over at Nathan. “What do we do now?”

  “Wait until he wakes up and keep questioning him. In the meantime, I need to check on Nicholas. And you,” he looked down at her, “you should get something to eat and rest.”

  “We can’t leave him.”

  “The camera is on him, the cage is locked. We can’t live down here until Alistair decides his fate, can we?”

  “No. You’re right.” She blew out a breath.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah. It’s hard, though, you know? Once upon a time, I loved him.” She rubbed her arms. “As much as I hate to admit it, he made me who I am.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Do you think he’s telling the truth? I mean, if he didn’t kill my family, then who did? Who is he protecting?”

  Zane shrugged. “A member of CAPA, maybe? We’ll find out, don’t worry.”

  Megan gave a small nod. She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. “Maybe I will go and get some rest.”

  “Good idea. I’ll finish up here and then take over from Jacob.”

  “And you thought they didn’t need you,” she teased.

  “I’m starting to wish they didn’t.”

  Megan smoothed his bicep. He watched as she made her way up the stairs, the heels of her boots clicking on the wooden planks. The door creaked when she opened and closed it. He turned back to the cage.

  Nathan’s shoulders heaved with each breath. “You’re trying to protect them from me,” he ground out.

  “So, you are awake.”

  Nathan lifted his head. Dirt and dried blood smeared his face. A slash cut through his right eyebrow. “Could I get some water?”

  Zane filled a metal dish and shoved it through the gap at the bottom of the cage door. “Lap it up like the dog you are.”

  “I’ll talk. Now she’s gone, I’ll talk.”

  Zane contemplated him for a moment, deciding what to do. Alistair had insisted they work in pairs, ready to back each other up. He also wanted Nathan to spill his guts–figuratively and literally. Zane checked the camera was recording and sat on the chair in front of the cage. “Go on then. Talk.”

  “Do you want to know what happened in Yorkshire?”

  “Is it relevant?” Zane asked. “We know what happened. You bit Megan, you killed her family, you ran away.”

  Nathan tried to laugh, but it caught in his throat and came out as a cough. He choked on his own spit and blood for a few seconds. Zane did nothing to help him. Nathan forced himself to sit up, pushing his back into the wall. “I didn’t kill them,” he said, then took a breath. “Do you know what an Alpha is if he doesn’t have a pack? Dangerous. Nicholas and Malcolm Kincaid were doing everything they could to destroy me.”

  “Your idiot pack was seen on the Dales. It’s your own fault.”

  “No. They weren’t. We don’t know who or what it was the locals saw. We had our own internal investigations, but the Kincaid family had head seats on the Council. We were ignored. Malcolm wanted us gone.”

  “Why?”

  “Superiority. Dominance over the UK. He singled out each member and made them disappear, one by one. Megan was young and open-minded. I bit her because she wanted it. Don’t believe everything you hear. She’s as sly as they come, that one.”

  “Get on with your story,” Zane said, suppressing the urge to kill him there and then.

  “She lost control with her first change. I realised then there was something deeper inside her. She told me her mother was a witch.”

  Zane stared at him. “A hybrid is—”

  “Dangerous. Deadly, even. I know.”

  Zane shook his head. “You’re lying. Her first change was here after the Council put her in Nicholas’ care. My father—”

  “You were young. They hid the truth from you, just like they always do.” His voice cracked as air escaped from a punctured lung. “I doubt even Alistair knows what really happened. But Nicholas… he does. Her first change was with me. I held her through it. But she…” He closed his eyes and held his breath. For a moment, Zane thought he’d died. Then he sucked in a lungful of air and cried out in pain. “She lost her mind. She went back to her family home. Her mother tried to cast a spell on her… Memory magic. But it was too late. She ripped them to shreds, I’m sure of it. There was nothing left to identify after she’d finished. By the time I got there, the house had burned to the ground.”

  Zane watched him, his heart racing deep within his chest, his stomach turning as he took it all in. “Why should I believe you?”

  “Because it’s true. She changed back and had no idea what she’d done. When Nicholas told her it was my crime, she believed him. But your sister-in-law is an insane murderer.”

  “No. You weren’t there when it happened. You said so yourself.”

  “She doesn’t remember any of it, though. She doesn’t even remember she’s a witch. Memory magic is powerful. I went to the Salem coven.” He shifted uncomfortably, using his arm to hold his ribs. Bruises blossomed and flowered on every inch of his skin, slashed by deep red gashes that tore through muscle and sinew. “They told me to find her. To give her…” He dropped his head. “I left it in my room at the B & B.”

  “Give her what?” Zane’s heart leapt. Perhaps he’d be able to fix something up
.

  “A potion. It’s one of the ingredients to the memory magic curse. They said if the spell was cast again, then maybe her memories would return.” He glanced up at Zane. “The child she carries is a girl. A natural-born female lycanthrope with magic running through her veins. She could be the key.”

  “The key to what?”

  “To all of it! To being accepted. The paranormal realm could finally come out. We’d be able to shift in front of humans. We could—”

  “Be killed,” Zane said. “Humans still outnumber us a thousand to one.”

  “You don’t understand. This child… she’s powerful, more powerful than any of us could ever imagine. The Salem coven wants to protect her, nothing more.” He sighed and closed his eyes.

  Zane relaxed into his seat, but his mind was a hive, buzzing with contradictory thoughts.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Tess considered her own reflection. The taste of mint swirled around her mouth. She’d showered and brushed her teeth twice, but none of it helped to remove the overwhelming sense of hate and guilt.

  “Tess?” Megan called from the bedroom.

  “Two minutes!” Tess splashed water over her face and gargled some mouthwash. She pulled her hair into a messy bun, tied it in place with a black hairband, and went back into the bedroom. “How’s it going?” she asked, grabbing a shirt from the wardrobe and slipping it over her arms.

  “Slowly.”

  “How’s Zane?”

  “Worried. About you, mainly.”

  The acrid taste of stomach acid burned Tess’s throat. She swallowed it down and forced a smile. “I’ll be fine. It was a shock, that’s all. I’ve never seen him—” Her breath caught. “Like that before,” she finished. “I know he’s only doing his job, and Alistair asked him to. He shouldn’t have made him, though. It should be Jacob down there. Zane should be with Nicholas. He’s the doctor, and he should be—”

  “Hey…” Megan pulled her into a tight hug. “Zane is with Nicholas right now. Drake has gone down to talk to Nathan. They swapped shifts a few minutes ago.”

  “W-what about Jacob?” Tess stuttered, endless, unthinkable possibilities flashing through her mind.

  “He’s with Zane too.” Megan’s brow knitted into a frown. “What’s going on? This can’t all be over what happened in the cellar?”

  “Nothing. I’m just tired, that’s all. It’s been a long day, and then the police came. Did you hear them? I don’t think they saw anything. I was so scared, Megan. I didn’t know what to do. I’ve never been through anything like this before. And the kids? Oh my God, the poor children. What they had to witness…” She covered her face with her hands and let the tears fall. “You guys.” She sniffed. “You guys, though…” Tess shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’ve been through a hell of a lot worse. Which is why I know we will get through this. You’ll see.” She rubbed Tess’s back. “Nicholas will be fine. He’ll heal. Nathan will be dealt with. The children are resilient and tough.”

  “You mean, Nathan will be killed.”

  “In a few weeks,” Megan continued. “You guys will be back in Edinburgh, like none of this ever happened.” She took Tess’ hand and pressed it to the flat of her belly. “And in eight months, we will welcome this little one into our family.”

  “I hope you’re right, Megan.” She hugged her sister-in-law. “I’m going to go back to Nicholas.”

  “Don’t be too hard on Zane. He doesn’t like any of this, any more than you do.”

  Tess pulled on a pair of jeans and padded down the hallway, returning to the bedroom where Nicholas lay, surrounded by bloody gauze and tubes.

  Zane was checking his pulse, fingers pressed into his wrist. Jacob stood by the window, his arms folded as he stared out across the grounds, brooding.

  “How is he?” Tess asked, taking a seat by Nicholas’ side. She glanced at the bandages covering his arms and chest, once white, now drenched red. A plastic tube fed fluids into Nicholas’ arm, dripping in time to the grandfather clock downstairs.

  “He’s fighting it,” Zane said, wiping his arm across his forehead. He looked tired, worn down. “He’s lost a lot of blood, though. It’s a matter of waiting to see what happens.”

  “I still think we should take him to a hospital,” Tess suggested. “They’d have more equipment and—”

  “And then where would we be?” Jacob snapped. “The police are already on our tails. We take Nicholas in, and all hell will break loose. They’ll search the place, and they’ll find Nathan. And are we forgetting that Nicholas is a fucking werewolf?” Silence fell as shock shattered them all. None of them ever used that term. It was derogatory, linked to nightmarish tales and bad Hollywood movies.

  “She knows that,” Zane shouted. He looked at Tess. “But he’s right,” he said, softer. “The hospital will ask questions we can’t answer. Our biology isn’t the same as a human’s.” He shoved the buds of a stethoscope into his ears to listen to Nicholas’ chest. Tess watched as it rose and fell with shallow breaths. Zane closed his eyes and shook his head. She saw the tell-tale tic of his jaw as he clenched his back teeth. He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. “Stay with him. I have to get back to Nathan. Finish the job.”

  “Make sure he suffers,” Jacob shot at him.

  Zane put everything back in his bag and picked it up. He bent down to place a kiss on her cheek. She waited for him to leave before she let more tears flow.

  Jacob joined her at the bedside. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, as though he didn’t want anyone to realise he was capable of empathy. “I shouldn’t have snapped.”

  She shrugged him off. “I’m sorry you think I’m incapable of understanding this world after five years of living in it.” She stood up and moved to the other side of Nicholas’ bed, refusing to look at her brother-in-law. She could feel him, though. Feel his eyes boring into her. “Maybe you should go and check on the children. There’s nothing you can do here. I’ll stay.”

  Nicholas sucked in a breath, making them both jump to attention.

  “Nicholas?” Jacob leaned over his uncle and peeled back one eyelid at a time while flashing torchlight over them. “Nick? Come on. You need to pull through this. The one time we need you to be a stubborn bastard is now.”

  Tess wrapped her fingers around Nicholas’ and patted the back of his hand, urging him to wake. “Please, Nicholas,” she begged. “Please!”

  Nicholas relaxed, falling back into a state of unconsciousness. Tess tilted her head to the ceiling, her shoulders and chest heaving with silent sobs. Her stomach churned and twisted into tight, unforgiving knots.

  Jacob sank into the seat by the bed and rubbed his hands over his face, then raked his fingers through his long, brown hair. “Fuck.”

  “He’s going to die, isn’t he?” Tess asked, sinking to her heels. She kissed Nicholas’ knuckles and released his hand.

  “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.” Jacob sounded strange–sad, almost. She’d never known him to be anything other than moody. It ripped her apart to know he might have to grieve for his uncle. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, resting her chin on his head. Jacob patted her arms. “I’m sorry for being such a shit. I do care about you. I was…” He huffed.

  “I know. You were angry with Zane.” She released him and stepped around to the front of the chair, facing her brother-in-law.

  “No. It was more than that. Zane shouldn’t have gone against Alistair’s rules. They’re there for a reason. But it was wrong of me to hold it against you.”

  “I asked him,” Tess said, running her thumb over the white, bumpy scar. “I wanted to be a part of this family.”

  “It was stupid of him to put you in that position. Being a lycanthrope is not the romantic notion you think it is.”

  Tess glanced at Nic
holas. She watched him struggle to breathe. “I’m beginning to realise that now.”

  Jacob stood up, then cupped her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. “Tess.” Her name came out on a rush of air. “Don’t let this colour your judgement of Zane. He’s a good man. He’s better than me.”

  She palmed his cheek. “You’re good, too,” she said meekly, her resolve wavering. Her pulse throbbed in her ears.

  Their lips met.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The snow was settling again, covering the land in a blanket of innocence, oblivious to the death soaking into the earth, oblivious to the lies and treachery filling the air.

  Alistair had checked the security footage for the past week, then made copies onto a USB drive which he locked in a safe before deleting every file. He’d raked gravel and sand over the dark patches tainting the drive. McBride must have been blind to miss that. He wasn’t taking any chances, though. She’d be back, and once the authorities proved the blood in the old stone barn belonged to Nathan Trevell—or Nate Travis, as they knew him—she’d have more questions. She’d likely have a search warrant as well.

  He tugged the collar of his coat up to cover his neck, protecting it from the bitter breeze. A muffled scream came from the house, and a shudder fell down his spine; they’d started on Nathan again. Zane and Drake were in the cellar while Megan tended to the children. Michael had told them about the barn. Alistair had managed to contain his fury–it wasn’t his son he was angry with.

  He made the long walk from the house to the barn and pushed open the double doors. The stench that hit him was overpowering; decaying flesh had suffocated the soft smell of warm, dusty straw. Alistair found a rotting deer carcass in the back, then dragged it out to the forest and left it under a pine tree for the scavengers to finish off. Foxes, badgers, and carrion were rife throughout the area, even if they did tend to avoid Faol Hall.