by Melissa Haag
Most of this I’d gathered from the last time Bethi had talked in private with Michelle and Gabby. And it wasn’t answering the biggest question I had.
“If they are hunting you, why did you Claim one?” I asked.
“We return every one thousand years for a period of time. I don’t know all the details of that either. But I’ve recalled enough of those past lives to know we always die.” She looked at me. “I Claimed him to stay alive...to buy us some time to plan.”
Although I’d already guessed that, some of the tension in me eased upon hearing her say she had no real interest in Joshua.
You still need to wait to challenge him, Winifred sent to me with a look before turning to Bethi. “To plan what, dear?”
“An evacuation, to start.”
Thomas didn’t immediately scoff, as I would have thought.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“When the Urbat come, they will use the people we love to try to sway us. First, they use our families, torturing them until we do what they want. If that doesn’t work, they start torturing us.”
“What do they want?” Grey asked.
“For each of us to Claim one of them.” Bethi looked at Michelle and Gabby.
“We’ve already Claimed someone,” Gabby pointed out. Clay rested a hand on her shoulder.
“It won’t matter. A Claim can be broken by death, or simply by Claiming another. That’s why I was willing to Claim Joshua.”
Our law, our knowledge said, the challenger had to die to stake a new Claim. And it was a lie? I looked around the room and saw I wasn’t the only one stunned by this news. Emmitt had paled, and Clay…who knew what his reaction was. He needed a membership to a shaving club.
“The next step is for life,” Bethi said.
I growled, understanding what she meant. Joshua would not have her in that way. Ever.
“Once Mated,” Bethi said, “we don’t Mate again. I mean, they could force us to Claim another and mate, but it doesn’t do any good. Our hearts stay with the first lost Mate. The new Mate holds no influence.”
“Influence for what?” Sam asked.
“For balance. They have been after power ever since they figured out what we are. The Judgements. In the beginning, we always judged in favor of the humans. At least, that’s my guess. I haven’t dreamed what really happened, yet. Since then, as far as I’ve seen, we haven’t made another Judgement. I’m guessing that’s why, despite the inferiority of humans in comparison to your races, they have thrived.”
Did she even realize she’d said they instead of we? If she didn’t consider herself human, then what was she? It didn’t matter to me, but understanding how she thought of herself would help me understand her. So far, my Bethi handbook had “Insane love of ketchup” and “not a morning person” in it.
“The Urbat are tired of living in the shadows and want to be the dominant race for a while. The last cycle they almost had it, but one of us died. Without all of us to...do something, things will stay the way they are, with humans maintaining control. The cycle doesn’t last forever—only fifty years—so they try not to risk our lives. But they will if they must. After all, we can still be reborn again into the same cycle.”
My temper rose hearing that. The mutts in the woods would have been willing to kill her? I glanced at her stomach. It had come too close. We didn’t need to run, like she was suggesting. We needed to fight.
Why not make a stand? I sent Winifred. Why are we even considering running?
Michelle has witnessed their numbers. There are more than we can hope to face without severe loss.
“So you’re saying we need to clear the Compound because they will come for all of you and use the people here to talk you into surrendering?” Thomas asked, his disbelief evident.
“Don’t doubt it. They will come. They always come. And death always follows.”
“What then? Where do we go?” Thomas asked.
“That’s the tricky part. I don’t know where the pack should go, but I know where we need to go.” Bethi looked at Gabby, Michelle, and Charlene. “We are missing two of our group. We need to find them.”
“About this evacuation?” Charlene said.
Bethi shook her head. “Out of all of us, you and Michelle are the most vulnerable. Michelle’s brothers need to be sent away and protected. Emmitt, if he’s taken, will be a risk to both of you. They will want to break the Claim Michelle has as much as they will want to hurt Emmitt to sway you.”
Charlene glanced at Emmitt with worry. He gave her a smile and squeezed Michelle’s hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry. We know now so we can make sure it doesn’t happen.”
Charlene nodded, but her fear remained. As much as I didn’t like Emmitt, I didn’t want to see the Urbat hurt him just to get to his mother. No mother deserved that.
“What are we going to do about Joshua?” Grey asked.
“Nothing. At least not yet. Oh, but I can’t be left alone with him. With these stitches,” she laid a hand over them, “I won’t be able to fight him off.”
“You said you could Claim another to break your Claim,” Winifred said. “Why wait?”
“Because I’m not done with him yet. Until the Compound is clear and we’re ready to leave, I have to keep my hold on him. It’s the only thing that’s keeping him from reporting back to his leader.”
Death is the only sure way to keep him from reporting, I sent Winifred.
I agree.
“Are you sure about that?” Sam asked Bethi.
“No, not really but it’s our best chance. There are three Urbat out in the woods waiting for Joshua. Gabby, can you see them?”
All eyes turned to Gabby, and she nodded hesitantly. Bethi reached across the table to touch her hand. “We need to find them and get rid of them before people start leaving. They can’t know what we’re doing.”
Gabby’s gaze grew unfocused. “They’re not far from here. But, there are ten more scattered in the surrounding area. Nothing close enough for concern, though. The rest are regrouping in the east.” She paused for a moment and frowned. “More are coming from the main group. I think you’re right, Bethi. They’re coming back.”
“That’s good,” Bethi said with a nod. “I’d be more freaked out if they weren’t coming for us.” She looked at Winfred. “Pick an Elder and a team of five to go out and hunt the three Urbat down. Kill them quickly and quietly so they can’t communicate back to their leader. Deal with the ten on the outskirts as needed. Closest first.”
Closest first means we really don’t need Joshua.
I agree. His presence is a threat to our kind. We do not tolerate threats for long. The moment his existence no longer protects her, he dies.
“No prisoners, Nana,” Bethi said. “Think of the families running from here with kids. Those ten prowling the outskirts will track and kill them if they get wind that this is a mass exodus. The three need to be silenced quickly without a chance for them to send word. We need to move.” Bethi slowly stood. “Their leader—”
“Blake,” Michelle interjected.
“Blake will be wondering why Joshua hasn’t reported by now. Gabby, let us know if you see a change in their direction.”
Gabby nodded.
“Nana, will you come with me to talk to Joshua?”
I straightened away from the wall, well ready to end the immediate threat to Bethi.
“I’m coming too,” I said.
“No, Luke. I need him calm. Help Gabby. Clear the field so we can be done with this, and I no longer need my Claim on Joshua.”
Winifred slowly nodded.
Go. He won’t live long.
* * * *
The woods were quiet as I silently stalked toward the gully.
Gabby says you’re almost on him, Grey sent suddenly over our link. The mental intrusion didn’t even give me pause. Far too many Elders had been in my head lately.
Inching forward through the brush, I spotted the grey wolf hidde
n in the ferns. Through Grey, Gabby had directed me to come to this spot from the east, so I’d circled around to come at the mutt from behind.
His forward facing ears twitched occasionally, but his back legs remained loosely tucked under him. He hadn’t sensed me yet.
Jim came walking from the west, his steps heard long before I saw him. The wolf tensed.
When Jim was within twenty feet from the gully, he stopped, brought his hands to his waist and unzipped his fly as he started to whistle a jolly tune. The wolf relaxed just as Jim started to answer nature’s call.
I jumped on the wolf’s back, transforming my arms. His neck snapped in my hands before he’d had time to react. His form slowly reverted back to human.
“Stage fright. Oh well,” Jim said, zipping his fly.
“You’re odd.” I shouldered the dead man.
“My mom tells me that all the time,” Jim said with a grin.
We jogged north until we met up with Emmitt and a few other Mated males I’d never met. Four bodies already lay in a heap. I added the one I carried. Like me, Emmitt and another man were without clothes.
“The rest are dead,” Emmitt said. “The families are packed and already moving out. Gabby told Grey those things,” he nodded to the men on the ground, “are still gathering to the east. We need to get back.”
He shifted and started to run. I did the same. Those with pants fell behind.
When we reached the Compound, most of the cars were missing from the yard. Clothes were set out on the steps, and Charlene was directing Mary and another woman where to put the food and supplies.
“Take what you can and distribute it to other families. I can’t stand the thought of all this going to waste. Not when we’ve worked so hard for it,” Charlene said, looking at the buildings.
“Not to waste,” Thomas said, wrapping an arm around her. “We’ll be back.”
Charlene’s expression held doubt.
The remaining families left as soon as the last items were packed into their vehicles. Only the Elders, their protégé, and the Claimed humans and their Mates remained.
“It’s done,” Grey said. “They’re coming out.”
I grabbed a set of clothes in my mouth. Emmitt was already around the side of the building, dressing. His modesty wasn’t for our sake, but for Gabby and Michelle. Charlene too, maybe. Though, I doubted it. She’d been with our kind long enough to know most werewolves found clothes to be an optional accessory.
With my clothes in my mouth, I jogged into the tree line and shifted back just as the door opened. I watched Bethi slowly step out. Her face was drawn and pale again. Her gaze swept the yard, and I hurried to step into my pants. Something was wrong.
Winifred nudged Bethi aside, and Carlos carried Joshua out. My teeth elongated at the sight of the bastard who’d touched Bethi.
“Where’s he going?” Bethi asked, drawing my attention.
“Taking him to the woods. Charlene put her heart into this place. Maybe they will leave it be if he’s found out there.” Winifred moved past Bethi toward one of the remaining vehicles. Emmitt was behind the wheel, his Mate in the front seat, and Jim in the back with two boys, who were watching for Winifred.
Bethi stared after Carlos as he strode straight toward me. Disbelief gripped me. Was she honestly sad about Joshua’s death? Had he meant something to her despite her assurance that he hadn’t?
I pulled on shirt and shoes but stayed within the trees, too angry to step out. Behind Carlos, Winifred closed her car door and Emmitt slowly pulled away from the Compound.
“Show me where to put him,” Carlos said as he reached the tree line. I glanced at Bethi. She was watching Gabby closely.
“Hurry.”
Nodding to Carlos, we ran back to where we had dumped the other bodies, a good distance from the Compound. He unceremoniously dropped the body and immediately started the run back.
Just as we reached the yard, Gabby said, “Sam, we need to leave now.”
Seventeen
Bethi was hobbling toward one of the few remaining cars by the time we broke through the tree line. The lead car quickly started toward the gate while Carlos and I ran for his car. I got in the back with Bethi and Carlos slid in behind the wheel. As soon as our doors closed, he pulled away from the Compound. Grey glanced at him, but remained quiet.
Fear drifted from Bethi as she hugged an arm to her stomach. I didn’t know what to do for her or where we stood. So, I kept an eye on the trees to watch for signs of trouble. Since we were the last car in the line of cars headed south, we all saw cars starting to take turn-offs. The number of vehicles in our caravan thinned.
“Does everyone know where to go?” Bethi asked.
Grey glanced back at Bethi. “Gabby gave everyone several safe locations where the Urbat population is low. The Urbat are mostly in the northeast so everyone will avoid that area.”
“Tell Gabby we need to find somewhere safe enough to stop for a few hours. We need to plan how to get Peace before the Urbat find her.”
Grey nodded but said nothing. He was probably communicating with the other Elders.
Bethi fidgeted in her seat. Twin spots of pink colored her otherwise pale cheeks. Her clouded scent left me wondering what was going on in her head. What new way was she devising to bring me to my knees? Hopefully she’d realize I was still on my knees from the last one. Joshua’s scent still clung to her hair, adding to the torture.
She turned to meet my gaze, regret and guilt winning out over all the other emotions she’d been feeling. In her eyes, I saw apology. I nodded, accepting it, and reached across the seat to take her hand in mine.
Her head slowly dropped back to the seat, and her eyes closed. Sliding across the seat, I tucked her to my side and slid an arm around her shoulders. Her head lolled to my chest, and I smoothed back her hair before kissing her crown.
Within thirty seconds she was twitching and moaning.
“Has she ever dreamed of a past life where she didn’t die?” Grey asked from the front seat.
“I don’t think so.”
“All the pain and suffering your generation has had to endure.” Grey shook his head slightly. “Why is a peaceful existence such a hard concept in this world?”
“Because we always want more than what we have. Peace needs to start within,” Carlos said.
Grey smiled slightly. “You’ve found inner peace?”
Bethi jumped in my arms and cried out.
“Shh,” I said, trying to hold her closer. It seemed to make the jerking worse, so I eased my arm out from behind her head.
A minute later, she woke with a gasp. I gently stroked her cheek, wiping away the tears that had started to fall.
“You all right?” I asked.
She lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers. “They cut off my fingers. One by one.” She exhaled shakily and closed her eyes once more. “Can we stop for an energy drink or something?”
Grey turned to glance at me.
We can’t stop.
I know.
“What?” Bethi said, looking between us.
I picked up her hand and massaged her fingers as I looked out the window.
“You were only out five minutes,” Grey said. “Gabby said the Urbat seem to be tracking us. We’re heading for the interstate. She’ll let us know as soon as it’s safe to stop.”
Bethi groaned and dropped her head back to the seat. Determination wrapped around her, and she reached out to roll down the window.
The cold November air swirled in the car. Her fingers chilled in seconds. Despite her attempt to find something to keep her awake, her blinks slowed. She slept restlessly for the next three hours, waking between dreams to wipe the sweat and tears from her face. I hated seeing her suffer so much.
“Not much further,” Grey said. “Gabby says the Urbat who were following us seemed to have lost our trail two highways ago. We’re going to stop for the night. Hopefully, Bethi can get some real rest soon.”
&n
bsp; Just before we pulled into the parking lot, Bethi woke. She looked around with relief as the four vehicles parked close together. With impatience, she watched the others get out of their vehicles. As soon as Carlos put our car in park, she scrambled out and hurried after Charlene and Thomas, who were walking toward the hotel entrance.
I quickly grabbed our bag from the trunk and followed.
“No credit cards,” Bethi said when she caught up to Charlene.
Charlene nodded as Thomas held the doors open. While they approached the desk, Bethi waited by the door for Michelle.
“How much cash do you have?” Bethi asked.
Michelle looked at Emmitt. “Three hundred,” he said.
Bethi turned to Gabby. “You said we needed to go east. We need enough cash to make it there. I don’t know how deep the Urbat are into the human world. If they have any connections, they could use credit card transactions to track us.”
“I have no doubt Blake could,” Michelle said, speaking softly. She kept an eye on Jim and her brothers as they went down a side hall to check out the pool. “I have someone I trust who can wire me some money.”
“Good.” Bethi turned and almost ran into me. But, I caught her by the arms before she could hurt herself. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
Charlene and Thomas joined us before Bethi could move away.
“They only had five rooms. One is the honeymoon suite,” Charlene handed a key card to Emmitt with a smile. “And the others are double queens.” She held up the remaining cards.
“Sam can room with us,” Gabby said. Whatever resentment she’d had for Sam seemed set aside for now.
Charlene looked at Winifred. “I thought you and the boys could sleep with us, Nana.”