by Belle Harper
“Hi, Kiara, come on in and join us for a girls’ party, where we ignore the problems of the day and try and smile before everything turns to shit again.” She perched herself on the edge of the bed. I could see Ada still looking confused.
“I really need to speak to Galen. Right now,” I said in a slightly raised voice and smiled at them all like I wasn’t crazy. I didn’t want them to worry or get upset about what had happened. And that should hopefully get his attention if he wasn’t in Alaric’s office or his house that was.
Chapter Forty-Two
Galen
The plans had been made, traps set, but we seemed outnumbered still. Most of our shifters were young. Or old. There weren’t as many females, but they could protect the children. We were going to leave the older males at the house to protect the rest.
When Noah came and got me, telling me that Lexi was screaming out my name, I panicked. I didn’t know what to expect when I got upstairs and into the room, we’d all taken turns at some time last night sleeping with her. When I saw she was safe, laughing with a few of the girls, Hazel being one of them, I felt like I could breathe. Well, as much as I could when I was surrounded by so many shifters.
She told me what the problem was, and how I had to fix it. As if I’d chosen to compel Ada and not that I was ordered to do so by Alaric. I did wait to ask Alaric if it was alright to do this, no fuck him. I just did it and left them to their girls’ day as they kept calling it, but it was good to see them all smiling and happy.
I could hear some Rawlins and Kiba shifters fighting while on patrol. That wasn’t going to help our cause, if there was infighting, we were just as bad as the rogue wolves who seemed to be holding it all together better than we were. Kiba seemed to be the worst for this rival fighting. The young guy that Lexi saved last night, Huxley, he was pack Rawlins, and he’d volunteered to be with a Kenneally pack member.
We needed more Huxley’s, who saw each other as equals. The shifters were all the same, didn’t matter what pack they came from, they still bled red, shifted into wolves, and did everything else teenage boys did. This feud between them was stopping Kiba, all of them from growing strong together. I was just thankful that it was only the teenagers and not the adults who acted like this. They seemed to understand the need to put aside difference and come together.
“Ben, how did you sleep?” I asked.
I’d wanted to speak to Lexi in private, but Hazel had come with her, she wanted to see Ben before we got ready to fight. It was understandable, they were a couple, and I was proud of my friend for finally finding someone. If anyone deserved love, it was Benedict. I was much older than he was, but we’d bonded many years ago and I would call him my closest friend. He was a good man, and a good vampire.
Outside, it was quiet…calm. You could feel it in the air, the tension thick like a fog settling over Kiba. Alaric was right, they would use tonight’s full moon to attack. Shifters believed it made them stronger. I wasn’t sure on this, as it had never been spoken of in Kiba before, and teenagers like to talk. But just in case, we needed more of an edge. Shelly was on her way, and she was bringing some of the pack Keene was a part of with her.
Hazel flinched when Ben took a seat beside her, but Lexi didn’t move a muscle. I wondered if she was getting used to my faster speed, that Ben doing it didn’t faze her.
“Lexi, I wanted to ask your permission to share your blood with Ben. I won’t give him too much, but you might hear his thoughts. I don’t know exactly how this works, but given that your blood does that for me, it might also do that to Ben now that he is close by.”
She was nodding before I’d even finished talking.
“Do you need more? Fresh? I’m happy to do whatever you need. If this will make you faster and stronger, then take as much as you need,” she offered, and I knew that would be her answer. She would do anything to protect the ones she loved, her newfound family. Even if it meant someone would be inside her head, it was a small price to pay for the safety of others.
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her gently.
“We will only take a little,” I said. “I want you to be ready at the house. If we have any more victims like Huxley, I’d really like you to be there and ready. I know you can do this, because you’re amazing. Once this is all long behind us, I was thinking we should go on a little holiday. Just you and me, since the boys can’t leave the area. Vegas? Maybe Europe?”
She chuckled and placed a small kiss on my nose, before placing her forehead against mine. Her eye sparkled at my words.
“That sounds fun,” she pulled back a little. “I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyland. I lived in LA for so long, but never had money to go.”
I kissed her, “I promise that as soon as this is over, and I hopefully compel all the rogue shifters to leave and avoid you, then we’ll go to Disneyland. And ride everything and eat all the cotton candy and be sick on the roller-coaster.” She laughed and called me a dork. But agreed to eating all the cotton candy.
It was Ben that alerted me to the time. “We need to get going, Galen.”
He was right, but first, I needed to make sure Lexi was safe. So I called Rafferty to escort her back to the main house with Hazel. When they had both left I turned to Ben.
“Let’s get stronger. Just be careful of what you think about. Can’t have you talking bad shit to my girl.”
He chuckled, “yeah I’m pretty sure she would tell Hazel, so will leave the bad thoughts till this is all over.” He clamped his hand down on my shoulder and I knew this was going to be hard, tough and dangerous. And I was just grateful to have my friend here. Fighting with me.
“That you again for coming.” I patted his back and he replied. “Anytime.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Galen
We waited, in the trees, on the ground, and in the field the surrounded the Lovell house, but there was no movement. It’d been dark for hours, the full moon reaching it apex in the sky and still… the only movement I sensed was from our packs. I was starting to wonder if we had this all wrong. My fangs had descended, and I was on alert from being around all the shifters scents. Shelly had arrived with seven members of the Seattle pack. I’d been hoping for more, but that was eight extra bodies here at least.
“We will kick some ass.” She was tiny but a little fire cracker like Lexi. Keene held onto her, he was worried for her. I smiled at him and nodded. I would make sure nothing happened to her. They moved into positions, adding to our number surrounding the house.
“What do you think they’re waiting for?” Nash asked me, and I wished I had the answer for that. If it wasn’t a set time, like I assumed it would be, then I didn’t know what it was they were waiting for. But it made sense based on how they’d attacked last night.
I heard a clicking sound come from far away, but it was there. A few shifters beside me heard it too, and they faced north, preparing for what was to come, unaware that the threat also loomed behind us.
There was an explosion, and my ears rang for a split moment before healing themselves, but it was enough time for them to get the jump on me. Three large, red wolves attacked me from behind. I turned just in time to block their bites, but they pushed me to the ground. I jumped up ready for them, and they didn’t relent. They didn’t take turns, they all attacked me as one. Their teeth reaching out for me again, over and over.
I understood their plan here, take down the vampires then the other shifters were a more even match. I hissed out, my fangs dripping the venom I needed to put them down once and for all. I waited for the right moment, they knew they had to be careful, if they didn’t get Lexi’s blood then they wouldn’t come back from my bite.
I sensed Rafferty coming for me, his smaller form jumping through the air and landing on one of the wolves. I fought the other two, and they were strong, but I was stronger, faster now that I’d had Lexi’s blood.
I hit one in the muzzle before kicking the other clean across the field. The mov
e surprised even me, and I watched his body fly through the air.
“Give us the girl and all this will be over.” The other had shifted back to speak to me, and I took the chance to break his leg, swinging a low kick and bringing him to the ground. He howled out in pain before he shifted back into a red wolf, his fur matted and unkept. These wolves had tried to kill Ben, and they’d tortured Rafferty for all those years. I wasn’t going to let them just walk away. I was going to end them here, tonight.
More descended upon us, all red wolves, and it was as if Pack Russet was only targeting me and now was caught in the crossfire Rafferty, But he didn’t stop, he was fighting alongside me, two packmates working together. He was a swift fighter and was holding his own until three of them took Rafferty down and pinned him, ripping into his flesh over and over, but I couldn’t get to him. I kept calling for help, but it was me against four wolves. One grabbed my leg, and I hissed out as they flooded my system with shifter venom.
I could feel Lexi’s blood running through my veins, protecting me from the venom, and was able to grab ahold of him long enough to bite, my teeth sinking into his flesh, his fur thick on my tongue. I injected him with my venom, hoping it would keep him down long enough to fight off the other three and get to Rafferty.
As soon as I stood, I watched Rafferty’s body go limp and saw nothing but red. They were going to fucking die for this. I could hear his heart beating, so he was still alive, but he needed help. I wasn’t sure what they did to him, but he wasn’t healing. I would protect him. He was my family.
“You’re gonna wish you were all fucking dead,” I screamed as I charged the nearest wolf. He crumpled beneath my arms as another bit my shoulder, injecting me with venom again. I spun and threw him off, but it was burning my veins, the blood was taking too long to stop this. I was slower now, I tried to get to Rafferty only to have two more sets of teeth on me, I didn’t scream as their teeth ripped and the venom flowed. I struggled to get away from them. It was as if Lexi’s blood was only able to work so much before it was all used up. And these shifters…they knew it.
Over and over, they bit me, my body screaming in pain. My veins on fire, I used the last of my energy to scream out to Rafferty, to “get up and run, protect Lexi.” When I glanced back over to where he’d fallen, he was gone, and I felt a sense of relief wash through me. I’d distracted them long enough for him to heal and go to her.
I tried to scream out for back up, but nothing came out, until all I could hear was the ringing in my ears. My sight was fading until I couldn’t see, only feel the ripping at my arms and legs. I slumped to the ground, thinking only of Lexi. My beautiful, smart, and badass Alexis Turner. The angel I never saw coming, but I was sure glad she had. I wanted her to know how much I loved her, and that I would always love her.
I have heard by many that in your final moments, your life flashes before your eyes.
That everything becomes clear, that this was the natural way of life and death for humans.
I didn’t see my life, only regrets. And there were many.
But saving Lexi, that was the only thing I got right in my three hundred and twelve years. She awakened something in me, and I’d only just started really living. But saving her…it was worth the pain. It was worth everything.
“I love you, Lexi. You have my heart, always and forever.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Lexi
Something was wrong, I could feel it in my bones. We’d heard the fighting, and it was closer than I was expecting. I’d hoped that it wouldn’t come so close to the house. I’d sat with Josh, singing some songs with him, and I’d promised him if he stayed in the movie room with all the other kids, that I would make sure he got to watch The Avengers with me when everything was back to normal. That helped to calm his nerves. Grayson and Jack were out there fighting, like all the other able men were.
We did have female shifters, but not many. Huxley was here, since he was told to protect us. After his near-death last night, they’d thought it was best for him to stay here, and I knew it made Ada feel better with the way she couldn’t keep her eyes off him.
She had towels and blankets stacked up ready to go, and now her and Kiara were setting up makeshift beds, and all I could do was stand there and watch. I could feel a sick sense of loss, but I didn’t know how to help or what to do. I kept pacing, my hands tingling with that healing power, and I wanted to go out there. I could see some of what was going on from the kitchen window and I was frozen, watching it all unfold. I could hear the howling and screams for help.
And all I could do was stand here and wait, guilt building up higher. My breathing was fast, and I could stop my body from shaking, listening to them all fighting…for me.
“I love you, Lexi. You have my heart, always and forever.” I gasped for air, and dropped to my knees onto the hard tiles, I gasped again and held my throat as I coughed then screamed out in pain.
“Galen, Oh god. Something bad has happened to him. Someone help him. Please I could barely hear him. He needs help.” I sobbed, this wasn’t happening again, this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. This was bullshit universe, why? Why give me these abilities then let him just die…
I felt hands on my body, “Lexi, come have a seat and drink something. I am sure he is fine, he was with a whole heap of them.” I choked back a sob. “There is nothing you can do right now. Please come. You’re scaring me,” Ada’s voice was shaky, her face pale and her eyes darting around every time she heard someone scream. My heart wouldn’t stop racing, and I was scared. I held her hands in mine, and she gave me a worried smile.
“Maybe, maybe he was just telling me he loved me. He drank my… he will be extra protected right?”
She rubbed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug, god I felt stupid, like I overreacted. He was just trying to tell me something sweet. I felt the horrible feeling leave my body, it left me trembling in Ada’s arms a little longer than I wanted. We didn’t have time for this and my head drama. I took a deep breath and plastered on a smile. Ada looked at me like she knew it wasn’t real, but I didn’t care. I wanted to change the subject.
“Ada, you should be a nurse, not a cop.” She shook her head and chuckled. “You’re so good at this. Look at all you’ve done,” and Kiara agreed with me, but Ada shook her head again. I let out a defeated huff.
“I…I didn’t take any classes for that. I’ve always thought I would be a cop, to help people. I never thought I could be a nurse. I thought blood and gore would scare me.”
“You handled yourself pretty well last night, and there was a lot of blood,” I explained. “Galen can help. He’ll get you into nursing school if you want.” Because he was fine, he was coming through that door at any moment to tell me it was all over and we can go back to our regular lives.
She smiled and hugged me tight, and it didn’t take long for men to start running into the house, screaming out for medical attention. My heart sank at the sight of one of them. This guy was only young, but he had so many bites, wolf and vampire. It wasn’t just a fight, this almost seemed like revenge.
Ada’s facial expression changed and she went straight into nurse mode. It was really fascinating to watch. “Get him over here, lay him down,” she ordered, wiping as much blood off the young guy as she could, Kiara and another woman by her side. I watched, almost frozen in place, like I wasn’t in my body. This was all happening around me and I wasn’t really here. I didn’t hear my name until Ada pulled on my hand.
“Lexi, I can’t help him. Can you please help?” she pleaded, but this was a lot more than with Huxley. I could feel my hands tingling, but I was worried that I wouldn’t have the strength to heal anyone else. Zara, Noah’s mom came in the room and ushered me forward to him as I dropped to my knees beside him. Fuck, I think I used to ride the bus with him. He had to be no older than fifteen if that.
“It’s too much, I don’t know where to start,” I explained, but she held my shoulders and told me that I co
uld do anything if I just put my mind to it, that I had her strength and that of the pack. My hands were both tingling with warmth as I placed them on his crumpled body, his heartbeat was so slow…so very weak. I focused on the vampire venom, but there was just so much and the pain, when it transferred to me, was jarring. I didn’t think I could continue. It was like sticking your hand in a fire and being burnt, but having to keep it there to help him. I flinched, but held myself in position, gasping for breath over and over. I wanted to take all his pain away, but it came at a price. I could feel my body growing weak as more wounded shifters were coming in. I wouldn’t be able to save them all. Tears fell as I tried so hard to hold on, but it was too much.
I threw myself back, and Zara caught me. “It’s just…too much. I don’t know if I can save him. I don’t have that kind of… energy,” I said as I tried so hard to sit up on my own. My limbs felt like lead, weighing them down to the floor.
“Blood? Lexi. Do you think your blood would heal them?” Ada asked, forgetting the one rule we had. Not that it made much difference they were here for my blood regardless. Ada held onto my face with one hand, while the other held a water bottle to my lips and I gulped down a few cold sips.
Shifters didn’t drink blood, vampires did. My blood had healed Galen, and if that was the key to healing from shifter bites, then maybe she was onto something. I had thought that last night with Huxley but dismissed it. But there was only one way to find out.
“Get a knife,” I whispered.
Chapter Forty-Five
Lexi