by Rachel Jonas
“And what about the witch?” a soldier called out.
Sebastian cast an indifferent glance toward Maisy before sealing her fate. “She’s just said herself that she’s useless to us. Kill her and make it quick.”
“No, please. You’re Highness, I … No!”
She was hauled beyond the thick cinderblock walls, and her screams seeped right through them. I could only guess how Maisy met her end, but the moment of her death was marked by eerie silence.
She’d brought me here today, hoping for Sebastian’s favor, but all she’d done was get herself killed moving me from one prison to another. Only, as ten soldiers inched toward me with menacing grins on their faces—one carrying a bucket of thick, red liquid and a short hose—I was positive Maisy had kept her word.
She promised she’d drag me right to hell with her … and this was certainly that.
Hell.
Chapter Twelve
Evie
“Sure you’re ready for this? Ready to be the center of attention,” Beth clarified.
I lifted my gaze toward where she sat on the end of my bed, giving the only answer I had. “Doesn’t matter if I’m ready. We’re out of time.”
She rushed over as soon as she got my call—unloading all my problems on her, because, well … that’s what best friends are for.
My condition was, technically, supposed to stay within the family, but she was exactly that to me. She knew all my secrets—how I lost myself when Liam was down, how I nearly self-destructed, and she had my back through it all. It didn’t feel right keeping the biggest news of my life from her, nor did I see the point in hiding that, tonight, during the rally Liam spread the word about, I would finally step out from the shadows. It was time the people knew I was ready for this.
Born for this.
As the sun sank below the treetops just outside the window, Beth was seated across from me. I leaned against the headboard, thinking of how weird it felt being in this room. I hardly came in here anymore, into this space Elise had so carefully furnished with me in mind. Most of the things I used on the daily had migrated to Liam’s dresser, his drawers, his closet. The transition was gradual. I hadn’t made a huge gesture by deciding to haul my things in all at once, but with each day, the line between what was his and mine blurred even more.
However, this room served its purpose in times like these, when a girl needed to talk to her best friend in private.
“I’m so sorry about your brother,” Beth said.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded before replying. “It’s so strange. I hardly know the six of them, but there’s such a deep connection and love I feel already. I think that might be because my dragon hasn’t forgotten anything. She’s holding on to my brothers, Elise, Hilda, just like she held on to Liam.”
Beth reached out and my hand warmed in hers when she held it. She seemed to understand despite it sounding a bit odd.
“And … I’ve been having the strangest dreams the past couple nights,” I admitted. “At least, I thought they were dreams, but … the more I think about it, the more I’m sure they’re not.”
I glanced up just as her brow quirked. “What do you mean?”
An answer didn’t come right away. Mostly because I had no idea how to explain, but I tried.
“I think they’re … memories. My memories. After talking to Liam about them, too many facts line up for it not to be real,” I shared. “It was weird. Liam was present in both, but we weren’t in this time. Everything—the entire setting, our clothes, the way we spoke—it was all from before. Like … long before,” I added with another smile. “He once told me about the moment I finally stopped denying my feelings for him. In the vision, there were definitely traces of what he shared with me, but … more. More detail, more emotion.”
I could have told her about the dark nightmare from the night before, but it was still too haunting.
Beth moved her thick, blonde hair behind her shoulder before responding. “It’s probably the baby.”
I laughed a bit. “You think?”
She nodded while explaining. “I’ve heard of women having strange dreams when they’re expecting, so … it’s possible. And because you’re a supernatural being, this experience is kinda supernatural, too. Instead of dreaming you’re giving birth to an alien or something crazy like that, he or she’s helping you see your past.”
If I’d learned anything since I first started sensing Liam, it was that dreams of him were rarely simple. Keeping that in mind, this theory of hers could have been true.
“One thing’s for sure,” I sighed. “You’re dead on about this experience leaning toward being anything but normal.”
“Of course it’s not normal,” she scoffed. “I mean, you’ve had the entire world thrown at you these past few days. I’d say a minor freak out is allowed.”
It was nice to be understood. Not that everyone else didn’t get me, but that understanding was different coming from another girl, one my age. Beth could easily put herself in my shoes and relate to how all these changes might make an eighteen-year-old feel kind of overwhelmed. And another thing I knew she’d relate to was my concern for a mutual friend, despite him having tried to kill me a couple days ago.
“So, have you heard anything new?” I asked, drawing my legs closer when I clarified. “About Nick, I mean.”
Beth’s expression turned somber when she shook her head. “Only that his family’s gone looking for him. You?”
I sighed before speaking. “Nothing but the fact that there were signs of a struggle in his cell, which means he was likely taken against his will.”
We were quiet, maybe both worrying if he was safe, or even alive. Maybe both worrying if I was safe with him roaming around out there. But with time winding down, I didn’t want to talk about that. If I was going to have my head in the game for this rally, I couldn’t focus on him.
On being afraid of him.
“Your parents tell you stuff,” I blurted, changing the subject. “Any chance you heard of something called cresting?”
When one eyebrow lifted, I took that as a no, and then sighed when she answered. “Not that I can recall. Why? Should I have?”
I shook my head. “No, but I thought … maybe there was a chance you’d read about it and could help me figure something out.”
Her foot bounced over the edge of my bed when she asked, “Figure what out?”
The short answer to a really long explanation was, “I was hoping you might know of a way to tell how I would ‘present’ as Elise put it. Apparently, because I’m a hybrid, this pregnancy could go either way.”
That word … pregnancy … it felt strange rolling off my tongue. I did my best to hide the fact that I didn’t think such a term would apply to me before age twenty-five or thirty.
“Dumb this down for me,” Beth laughed.
“Lycans carry a kid for nine months like a human. Dragons? Try three,” I revealed, watching as her expression shifted from bearing a huge grin to going slack in a matter of seconds.
“My sentiments exactly,” I added. “And … I guess I’ll have my answer in a couple weeks.”
“Holy stretchmarks, Batgirl. Are you freaking kidding me?”
Leave it to her to make me laugh when I was honestly about to freak out again.
“Nope. Definitely not kidding.”
There was a strange silence I didn’t expect. Beth was never short on words. Never. During that stretch of time, her eyes stayed trained on my face and there weren’t many people who could read me better than she or Liam could. And I knew that was exactly what she was doing.
“I, for one, don’t think that’s the end of the world. My mom always tells me that being thrown a curveball just gives you an opportunity to get creative. So, let’s get creative,” she said with far more pep than I was capable of mustering at the moment.
“Tell me your biggest worry with all this,” she demanded as she continued to stare.
There were several worries, but she ask
ed about the biggest, so that’s what I shared.
“That they’ll all be so worried about me they won’t take care of themselves.”
When I finished speaking, Beth nodded slowly.
“You know how Liam is,” I explained. “He’ll put everything he has into protecting me, forsaking even himself if he has to.”
Beth’s expression turned thoughtful.
“Have you … considered going someplace safe?” she asked.
I nearly rolled my eyes, having heard this speech too many times to count.
“It’s been brought up once or twice,” I said sarcastically. “But to answer your question, no, I’m not considering it.”
I didn’t bother going into the many reasons that wasn’t feasible. Including that I knew it wouldn’t actually keep me or them any safer.
“And … at the risk of being a Debbie-Downer … you’re sure speaking tonight is a good idea?” she asked.
While I knew tonight would take a ton of courage, I was honestly surprised Beth wasn’t more on board. I must have said as much through my expression because she rushed to clarify right after.
“I don’t mean to scare you or anything,” she explained. “It’s just that … maybe staying in the background for a little while longer isn’t such a bad idea.”
I studied her for a moment, detecting that there was more lurking beneath the surface, and then when wetness touched her eyes, I was sure of it. I moved from my seat at the headboard to sit beside her.
“What is it?” I asked, squeezing her hand again.
Beth’s gaze met mine and she didn’t bother trying to hide her tears.
“I just … I can understand your family wanting to do everything they can to protect you. I—”
When her voice trailed off, my heart raced, wondering what she’d say next. She was the toughest girl I knew, so for her to be fighting tears right now meant whatever she was holding was major to her.
She swiped her finger beneath her eye and sniffled. “Sorry for crying. This is so stupid,” she added, laughing at herself. “It’s just that, I’ve been thinking very hard about sending my parents away.”
My brow twitched at her wording. “Send them away? What do you mean?”
She moved more tears from her cheek and sat up from her comfy position, explaining a bit. “You’ve had a lot going on, so I didn’t want to bother you with this, but … the transition is complete. You’re officially sitting in the presence of a true-blue alpha female.”
There should have been pride laced within that statement, but instead, only sadness. When she spoke again, I understood why.
“My parents want to run. Want our entire family to run,” she clarified. “And honestly, being able to feel how weak they are now in comparison to me? I want nothing more than to do just that,” she admitted. “But not for me, to save them. To spare them from what’s coming.” She seemed embarrassed to share what she said next. “Out of fear, I even forbid them from coming tonight.”
With the lycan race being so proud, I was certain Beth wouldn’t have said such things in anyone else’s presence, but I was glad she knew she could share with me.
“I can’t turn my back on the clan, but … Evie, all I keep thinking is that I can’t lose my parents. I can’t let them … I—”
She couldn’t even finish the statement. However, I understood completely. I couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like to foresee the likelihood of your parents being killed, all the while possessing the power to command that they flee to safety. There was undoubtedly a pull within her to respect their wishes and flee, but also feeling inclined to honor the clan.
As a girl who’d lost her parents—albeit in a different sense than what Beth feared—I would have given anything to change that.
“I can’t leave,” she repeated. “It’s not in me to run when I know what’s coming, My friends and family are the most important thing in the world to me and there are too many that I care about in this town to turn my back. And with you carrying the future of both shifter races … I need to be here.”
I didn’t know what to say. Her loyalty was something to marvel at. She and I were alike in that way—hence the reason I was still dwelling under this roof despite being given a means of escape.
I sat straight, considering my words before uttering them. “Well, I can’t tell you what’s best for you or your parents, but … what I can tell you is that I support your decision either way. And if you do decide to send them off, you’re more than welcome to stay with us.”
She seemed a little lighter when I made the offer. “I’d like that.”
“Well, as a fair warning, things can get kind of chaotic around here with there being so many of us, but … I’d be happy to have you. We all would,” I amended.
Beth laughed and my gaze was trained on her, this brave girl who’d shown me so much about myself, about what true friendship was. She’d been with me through everything and … I don’t know … that was kind of priceless.
“I guess I have some things to consider. I’ll sit down and talk to them after the rally,” she concluded.
I nodded, still holding her hand. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Deep in thought, she sniffled a bit and I figured we ought to talk about something else.
“So … what’s it like being the alpha female?” I asked with a smile.
She returned the gesture. “Pretty cool, but probably pales in comparison to being queen.”
I nudged her shoulder when I laughed. “Do you feel any different? Has to be wild being able to boss your entire family around with a simple glare, right?”
“Well … not the entire family.”
Unsure of what she meant, I passed her a questioning look that prompted her to explain, and she did with just one name.
“Roz.”
I didn’t know much about her other than that she was with Nick now and she and Beth didn’t get along. So, to say it came as a surprise that the slight-built brunette was also an alpha was a bit of an understatement.
“Wow … two alpha females in one family. That’s kinda wild.”
“Actually, one pack alpha, and one clan alpha. Officer Chadwick shifted down and Roz is officially being groomed to lead the clan, ranking just below the Elders. There hasn’t been an official announcement—mostly because the Elders are concerned the clan will freak out that their fate kinda lies in the hands of children—no offense,” she said before pausing. “But as soon as everything dies down, they’ll get the word out. They’ve been working with her in secret.”
Again, I was speechless.
“But at least now I understand why I’ve always lightweight hated her,” Beth added, baring a half smile before explaining. “Apparently, it’s a thing between pack alphas and clan alphas. Part of me, something within my wolf, has always felt the pull of her authority and sort of resisted it. It’s like … ego times a million,” she joked after figuring out how to put the feeling to words.
“And now?” I asked. “Does it still feel that way between you two? Is it better? Worse?”
She shrugged. “Better. Even if only marginally. But my mom says it subsides with time, so … maybe I won’t always want to heave the poor girl over a cliff.”
Being soft wasn’t Beth’s gift, but she was loveable nonetheless.
“Well, I guess if things can work out between the two of you, this little bit of business with the Sovereign should be a piece of cake, right?” I said with a weary smile.
Humoring me, Beth smiled back. “Yup … simple as pie.”
Now, if only I actually believed that.
Chapter Thirteen
Liam
Everyone showed up. And I do mean everyone.
The only members of the clan missing were the Stokes family, including Roz, Chris and Lucas who’d joined the hunt for Nick. The Elders were, of course, also not in attendance, which had been by design. It was crucial that we got our message across to the entire body of lycans here i
n Seaton Falls, but equally crucial that no member of the High Council be aware of our gathering.
The flames of tall torches carved out a path among the trees. They were all that illuminated the space. Our family stood at the center of a circle, one composed of twenty large, Kevlar chests, each stocked with the weapons the witches had laced with magic. In preparation for tonight, several of us had gone to the artillery stations where they’d been stored, scattered about the woods, and brought them here. This rally seemed like the perfect time to arm the people, give them a sense of security. Until now, they’d only been given the Council’s word. Tonight, they’d be given more. They’d be given weapons, something tangible to ensure their safety.
Despite the massive crowd, it was eerily quiet, much like the chamber before a Council meeting commenced. I suppose that was an indication that this event was being treated with similar respect—a good sign.
Beside me, Evangeline breathed deep. Her brothers, Beth, Elise and Dallas all stood directly behind us, all with mixed emotions about her being front and center tonight. I admit, I might have been on the fence about it myself. However, the decision, just like all decisions concerning her life, was hers to choose.
“The sooner we get through this, the better,” Declan said, leaning in so no one heard his thoughts but me.
I couldn’t have agreed more, but did my best not to let it show.
With Nick’s whereabouts still unknown, being out in the open like this wasn’t ideal, but over the course of a few days, Evangeline had been different, less willing to let fear rule her. I’d witnessed her suddenly embracing her past—who she was in relation to who she still is—with open arms. The dreams were either the cause or a byproduct of this change, but I was certain the two were somehow related. It was almost as though, the old and new versions of her were beginning to collide.
She exhaled sharply again and glanced up toward me for reassurance. This one act required so much courage, causing pride to swell in my chest as she stepped forward to speak.
Each set of eyes focused intently on her. Some knew exactly who she was, others seemed bewildered. Still, they all likely sensed her authority because lycans were hardwired to instinctively feel the chain of command.