by Sara Snow
Suddenly, I realized just what I’d said. “I, um, I just meant that I feel comfortable around Will. It’s not like I’m in love with him or anything. We just . . . get along, you know? And for some reason, I just, I don’t want to lose that. I mean—”
“We understand, Elinor, more than maybe anyone else,” Cyrus said, looking at Skye.
"That won't be on you or Elijah if either of you finds your mate. You were both forced into it," Skye argued.
“I’m not going to do it,” I said through clenched teeth. “I won’t marry Elijah. And not just because of Will, but because it’s not right. Then all I have to do is to stop seeing Will, and that’ll be handled too.”
“Stop downplaying your feelings,” Cyrus suddenly growled as he interlocked his fingers on the table. “I saw him kiss you. You like Will and that's fine. You can't control whom you end up liking, sometimes." He looked at Skye, and she blushed as he reached out and took her hand. "Sure, sometimes the person you end up falling for will only bring about judgment, but in the end, you just have to put your happiness first."
He kissed the back of Skye's hand, and I smiled. Cyrus left his family behind, not caring what any of them would think of him, and had remained on earth where he was happy. He’d done what he felt was right for him. He and Skye cared for each other, and if anyone discovered their romance and judged them for it, neither of them seemed to care. And because of Cyrus’s affiliation with the pack, their relationship was more likely to be accepted by some.
I didn’t have those options. Sure, I’d do what was right regarding my proposed marriage to Elijah, but as for Will, all I could do was accept my feelings for him. We might never be able to hold hands in public like Skye and Cyrus, but the stress I’d placed on myself by trying to hold back my feelings would be over.
“Wait, Cyrus! You basically just told Skye you love her, that you’ve fallen for her. Am I missing something here?” I pointed at them both. “Did you guys profess your love already or something? I mean, I know about the feeding.” Skye slapped my arm hard, the sound echoing through the room. “Goddess, that hurt, sorry!” I whispered. “But, um, have the words ‘I love you’ been said?”
Skye pulled her hand away from Cyrus as she growled. “You’re making it weird.”
“Oh my goddess, you guys are so cute!" I leaned forward so only they could hear, just in case Skye's mother wasn't sleeping. "So, have you had sex yet?" I dodged Skye’s punch and got up quickly. “Hey, I had to ask. You two have been skimpy on the details.”
“Well, now you know how it feels. We’re always hearing stuff from you two or three days after it’s already happened,” Skye countered. “Visiting a dragon territory and only just telling us now.” She shook her head.
I hunched my shoulders and grinned. “Sorry?” I returned to the table and held my hand out to her, then did the same to Cyrus, who took my hand immediately. Without asking, Skye slipped her hand into mine and then held hands with Cyrus. “I love you guys, and I know we’re about to split apart for the first time in our lives, but . . .” I squeezed Cyrus’s hand as he smiled. “Nothing will keep us apart and that includes you going back to the Underworld,” I said, nodding to him. “There has to be some way to see you or speak to you. But we’ll figure that out when the time comes.”
He kissed the back of my hand and then Skye’s. “I love you both, and I thank you for the life you helped me to build here. Truly.” Then he stood up and my face fell, as did Skye’s. “I should get going.”
“No,” Skye whimpered. “Can’t you stay a little longer?”
"Why can't you just stay until morning?" I added. He bit his bottom lip as he looked towards the window. "I'd rather fly through the night. I'd like to avoid the added attention my wings will bring, since I'll be travelling to a place I've never visited before."
I sighed and stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. “All right.” I walked around the table, and he pulled me into a hug. Biting down on my lip, I tried to hold back my tears. “I’ll see you soon or I’m coming after you.”
“I know,” he laughed as I released him and stepped back.
“I, um, I‘m going to head upstairs,” I said. He nodded, then glanced at Skye as I turned away.
“I feel like I’m losing you,” I heard Skye say as I closed her bedroom door. “Seeing you only now and then won’t be enough for me.”
I know how you feel, Skye. I know how you feel.
11
Elinor
I moaned in protest as the sound of heavy breathing pulled me from my slumber. I snuggled further into my pillow, but the sound didn’t stop, forcing me to roll onto my back.
I reached out, with my eyes still closed, to nudge Skye, needing her to stop whatever she was doing, but the spot beside me on the bed was empty and cold. That’s when I noticed a third heartbeat within the room. My eyes popped open and my body instantly tensed when I glimpsed the figure standing on the other side of the room.
A bulky black cloak completely covered its body, the voluminous hood completely obscuring its face. Behind the figure, light from a swirling purple portal filled the room. But what had me panicking was the sight of Skye suspended in the air, her eyes wide with terror.
She had been breathing loudly to wake me up, but the seconds I’d spent in shock, trying to understand what was happening, had wasted too much time. For a second, my heart stopped beating as her eyes closed and she fell unconscious. I was utterly confused about what was happening—my mind was still foggy with sleep, but that wouldn’t stop me from saving Skye.
“Sk—” I tried to scream but choked with her name lodged in my throat, as I levitated off the bed as well. Everything was happening so quickly. And I couldn’t detect a scent from the cloaked figure.
What the hell’s going on?
I tried to move but couldn’t as I continued to float upward toward the ceiling. It felt as if something had suddenly grabbed my body and was moving me in any direction it wished. That only pissed me off further, but the power surrounding me tightened, and I abruptly felt sleepy.
I closed my eyes for a moment as I inhaled deeply. Skye and I were about to be taken, and there was no way I could let that happen. I was Elinor Blackwood, an Alpha-born. I had no intention of letting some creep sneak into my territory and kidnap me!
I opened my eyes and called on my wolf, forcing my rage and power to flood the room as I released a thundering howl. The figure stepped back as if frightened, and I was released in seconds, falling back onto the bed. I was immediately on my feet as Skye’s body floated towards the figure more quickly.
No doubt the mysterious hooded figure had planned on keeping us suspended in the air until we were both unconscious before taking us.
“Put her down immediately, or I’m going to strangle you with that hideous cloak!” I growled as I hunched forward, my eyes turning black. But all I got was a masculine chuckle in response.
So it’s a male.
I looked towards the room door, wondering why Ms. Clementine hadn’t woken up. Surely, she could hear what was going on. I had howled loud enough for wolves patrolling the forest to hear.
I turned my attention back to the cloaked figure. “Okay then. I’ll teach you not to piss off an Alpha-born!”
I rushed forward to attack but smacked directly into some sort of invisible barrier. I slammed my hand against it as my claws pierced through my fingertips. I curled my fingers against the barrier and started pushing, digging my fingers through the invisible wall that was pushing me back.
Groaning loudly, I tried to break through, my heartbeat spiking as my groans turned to howls. Veins appeared on my hands as the space in front of them shimmered. On the other side, the cloaked figure stood motionless, as if surprised I was fighting back—or intrigued that I was.
This was the guy’s chance to escape with Skye, but he was just standing there. My jaw clenched as I channeled all my strength into my hands, and my claws finally pierced the barrier.
&n
bsp; That’s when the man finally moved. My eyes widened with panic as he stepped through the barrier and vanished. For a split second, I thought he was giving up and leaving, but I was wrong.
I leapt into the air as Skye’s body above me floated towards the portal. “No!”
My fingers were inches away from her arm when a dagger came flying through the portal, embedding itself in my side. The force of it threw me across the room and into the wall above the bed, which broke under my weight as I fell onto it.
The pain was excruciating, but my eyes remained on Skye as I watched her slip into the portal. “No!”
I was back on my feet within seconds, wincing from the pain spreading across my side to my back and across my stomach. I tried to ignore it as I ran forward, my eyes blurring with tears, but when I reached out to grab Skye’s hand—the only part of her not yet engulfed by the portal—another dagger came flying towards me. A second later, and it would have pierced my face. But the blade only nicked my cheek and caused me to falter.
I fell to the ground as the portal disappeared with Skye—with my best friend!—and the room plunged back into darkness.
I started shaking as I pressed a hand to my side to slow the blood loss. Blood from my cheek dripped onto the floor as my eyes darted around the room with confusion. That’s when I recalled my father’s words of supernaturals being abducted.
No.
I closed my eyes in realization as they burned with tears. “No,” I growled through clenched teeth. “Skye, not Skye, please Goddess, not her.”
I inhaled deeply as I got to my feet. There was no scent left behind. It was as if nobody had been in the room. Even Skye’s scent had vanished. Still shaking, I ran from the room, my clothes ripping as I transformed mid-stride.
I checked Ms. Clementine’s room. My chest grew weak when I found it empty and devoid of her scent. I backed out of the room, trying not to panic. I rushed from the house, my legs carrying me quickly through the forest.
I have to warn Father!
Alpha Grayson
Elinor’s pained howl echoed in my ear, and I bolted upright in bed. For a moment, I thought I had only imagined the howl. But it came again in a second, echoing through the woods, and all traces of sleep left me. I sprang out of bed and jumped through the window on the second floor to land outside.
Something’s wrong!
I spotted Elinor’s white wolf charging through the forest, and her mother landed on her feet by my side a second later. “Grayson, what’s going on?”
Without even knowing what was happening, she had followed me. I smiled on the inside as we both started running towards our daughter. “I don’t know.” I inhaled deeply and the smell of Elinor’s blood had my wolf immediately pushing to the forefront. “She’s hurt!” I picked up the pace as Elinor stopped running and began shifting into her human form. “Elinor, what’s going on?”
Her face was slick with tears, her eyes wide as blood ran down her cheek to her neck. “S-Skye, s-she . . . I-I couldn’t . . .”
She wasn’t making any sense, and my wolf lost control at the sight of all the blood running down her side and right leg.
“Elinor, ground yourself! What happened?”
“S-Someone took Skye! Someone took her! They pulled her into a portal and took her! I went looking for Ms. Clementine after I couldn’t save Skye, and she was gone as well!" She leaned forward, her face twisting with pain as she grabbed her side. "He took them!"
Connor appeared along with Darian and a few other wolves who were on patrol at night. “What’s going on?” Connor asked as his eyes rolled up and down Elinor with worry.
He’d always treated her like a little sister, as I’d treated him like a son, and the anger on his face at her wounds reflected that. But it was nothing compared to the fury I was feeling. As Alpha, I was trying to remain calm, but seeing my daughter standing before me, covered in blood and tears, nearly did me in. This was what I’d tried so hard to avoid.
“Tell me what happened, baby!” My need to rip whoever had done this apart was worsening by the minute. “Who did this?”
“We have to get her back!” Elinor screamed. Her face was red, her black eyes frantic, and she turned around as if to run back into the forest as she began shifting. Her right shoulder dislocated, and another scream tore from her lips. “We have to get her back!” she growled loudly, and her mother wrapped her arms around her.
“Don’t shift!” she whispered, but Elinor was barely listening as she shook her head. “You’re wounded and not thinking clearly!” her mother said.
“She’s losing too much blood!” Darian yelled. I moved my Luna aside so I could pick Elinor up. I held her close as she tried to get away, but with the amount of blood she had lost, she was too weak to put up much of a fight.
“It must have been them, whoever’s been abducting people. Who else would attack our pack?” Connor voiced as we all ran back to the house.
Those bastards were on my territory, they’d attacked my pack! And they’d taken two of my people! My wolf’s need for vengeance had me fighting back against the urge to shift. I was seething at the violation and the disrespect of someone daring to harm my daughter. But seeing her healed was my priority right now.
“Darian, Connor, start searching now! Find out if anyone else is missing and track Skye’s scent. Don’t come back until you’ve found her!”
“Yes, Alpha!”
Elinor
The pungent smell of herbs had my nose scrunching up as I opened my eyes. I looked down at my side to find a bandage wrapped around my stomach, and I bolted upright as my memories returned.
“Skye,” I whispered under my breath as I ripped the bandage off and inspected my wound, almost fully healed now. I got dressed quickly and began making my way downstairs.
I hadn't been able to save her. I hadn't been able to protect her! What good was I—an Alpha-born with incredible strength—if I couldn't even save my best friend? Sure, he had caught me off guard, but still . . . After meeting Will, I'd realized how much there still was for me to learn about the world, about other supernaturals . . . about magic. Fighting against those vampires the night I’d met Will and during the Werewolf Guard examination had been child's play. Yet, at the time, I thought I was showcasing true strength and power.
I had been useless in the fight against the demon who had been sent after Cyrus, and now I was too weak to save Skye.
I shook my head as I made my way to the first floor. This wasn't the time for self-pity, and I was not a weakling! Of course, I had more to learn—so much more—and of course there were other beings that had the strength to beat my ass. Still, whoever had taken Skye was going to feel my wrath—no matter how much power they had!
I followed the sound of voices, and found Darian, Connor and my father in the living room. "Did you find her?"
They fell silent.
“Elinor, you should rest,” Connor said.
I clenched my fists. “Do you want me to pull my dress up and show you my healed wound? I’m fine. Now, where is she?”
“Her scent disappeared, Elinor,” my father said, and the only pinch of hope I had left, vanished. “We went to her house, but we couldn’t find her scent anywhere in the house. We have no way of tracking her or her mother.”
“How is that even possible, to erase someone’s scent? It couldn’t have faded naturally so quickly,” I argued as I grew frantic at how calm they all appeared. “There has to be something we can do!” I turned to Darian. “You’re a Guard! Can’t you find her?”
“I sent Guards out to try to pick up on her scent, but so far, there’s nothing. We’re doing everything we can, Elinor.” Darian’s hazel eyes darkened for a moment. “We want her back too.”
I said nothing as I stared out the window. It sickened me that today was so beautiful and bright . . . and painfully sad. I shook my head as I covered my face with my hands. I understood everyone was angry—it wasn’t just me—and as the Alpha, my father had to
be more concerned than ever about his pack. Still, I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.
The pain of feeling useless would be the end of me. I couldn’t stay inside this house while Skye and Ms. Clementine were out there somewhere.
I turned around to leave, but my father noticed. “Elinor, I think it's best if you remain here at the packhouse.”
“Father, I need air. Okay? I have to go out.”
I turned and left, dawdling as I made my way into the forest. I gritted my teeth as the memories of what had happened last night kept replaying in my mind, taunting me. As much as I tried to remember any useful detail I might have missed while fighting, there was nothing. Whoever that cloaked person was, he had been careful. He had touched nothing—he hadn’t needed to. All he’d had to do was float me Skye and me into his portal.
He hadn’t even had a scent. If it hadn’t been for Skye’s loud breathing, I probably wouldn’t have woken up at all.
As I walked, I rubbed my hand across my forehead in exasperation. Maybe if Cyrus had stayed until the morning, none of this would have happened. He could have saved Skye and captured the guy who took her. I looked down at my hands, watching my claws elongate.
Stronger, I need to get stronger.
I gritted my teeth as I growled and swiped my claws at a tree, shredding its trunk and causing it to fall.
I need to get Skye back!
My chest tightened as my emotions bubbled over. “I’m so sorry.” First, I’d failed Meeka during the Werewolf Guards’ examination. I had been too weak and couldn’t do as she wished, couldn’t kill her before she changed into a vampire. And now, I was too weak to save Skye from being taken. I shook my head and walked away to press my forehead to another tree. “I’ll make things right, I swear. Just hold on, Skye. There has to be a way to track you down.”