Wolves and Roses

by Christina Bauer

  “Having trouble controlling your animal?” I lower my voice. “Or should I say, animals?”

  Wolf-Jules lets out a rumbling growl that explodes into a series of ear-splitting barks. I wince, hearing how his voice is that of a hundred wolves crying out at once. “Don’t worry. It always takes a little magic to get them under control.” A cloud of silver fairy dust appears around Wolf-Jules’ body. Pulses of red light appear inside the silver cloud. That settles it.

  He’s using all three kinds of magic, just like Bryar Rose said.

  Wolf-Jules barks once more. The sound is almost deafening, especially to my wolf’s hearing. It’s also more unified. He’s getting his wolves under control.

  Everything just got a lot tougher.

  Wolf-Jules sniffs the air, and I know he can scent out my concern. “You’re afraid, warden for shifters. And well you should be. I will destroy you. There’s no escape.”

  “No escape.”

  Those two words echo through my mind. I think about the onyx pendant that hangs about my throat, even in wolf form. I can use it to escape any wizard. Sure, the magic isn’t supposed to kill anyone. That said, as long as the spell includes my escaping, I’m sure I can throw a little death into the mix.

  And Jules definitely needs to die.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bry shifting against the thorny cords that bind her. A glint of metal shines by her side. She’s got a weapon. That’s my girl. The blade shimmers as it saws away. A second later, she manages to get her arm free as well.

  “Smart mate,” says my wolf.

  Jules’ attention is fixed on me, and I like it that way. If he sees Bry, he’ll just trap her again. And Bry must get away. I raise my voice. “Your threats are nothing. You’re weak.”

  “I’m the greatest warrior in history.” I scent the tang of his wounded ego from across the courtyard.

  “You’re not a coward? Then prove it. Fight me in your wolf form. Make it a fair battle.” I tilt my head. “Or do you know you’d never win?”

  Jules’ snout stretches into a wolfy grin. “Of course, I’ll agree to that. Just us two.” His words reek of a lie, but he’s said enough to enter into a magical agreement.

  “Agreed.”

  “And to the death,” I add. “Neither of us can shift from our wolf forms or leave this courtyard until one of us is dead.”

  “I’d expect nothing else.”

  “Then I hereby activate the magic in this stone.” As incantations go, it’s pretty short. But Alec didn’t want to give me a ton of words to remember to start the spell. A blaze of red light erupts from the pendant around my neck. “It is done.”

  “The little wizard cast that for you.” Jules’ face twists into a snarl. “After I kill you, I’ll hunt him down next. And I’ll bring Bryar Rose along to watch. We’ll kiss over his corpse.”

  With that, all rational thought leaves my head. Jules kidnapped Bry, and now he’s threatening Alec? Pure animal rage courses through me.

  The man is going down. Now.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Bryar Rose

  Remember when I thought my life hit rock bottom? That place is a citadel of awesome compared to where I am now. To recap: a zombie king named Jules just tied me up with thorny branches because I’m a Sleeping Beauty life template.

  I shift under my bindings. As ropes go, these branches are pretty loose. That’s the good part. The awful side is that these things encircle me from shoulder to waist. Plus, another loop of them goes around my ankles—that’s what keeps me kneeling here. Fun times. And sure, the thorns scratch me all over, but that’s not why I’m in pain right now.

  No, it’s the scene before me that really hurts.

  Across the courtyard, Wolf-Knox and Wolf-Jules pace around each other and snarl. Every growl sends a shiver down my neck. The two of them will start fighting any second now. And since Knox cast a spell? One of them must die before they can leave the courtyard.

  Please, don’t let it be Knox.

  At least, I still have my dagger. In all the commotion of Knox’s arrival, Jules didn’t take it away from me. I grip the weapon more tightly, angling the blade until it touches the bottom branch. After that, I saw the dagger back and forth until—SNAP—the branch breaks in two. I freeze.

  That snapping sound was crazy loud. I glance over to Wolf-Knox and Wolf-Jules. Did they notice anything?

  Nope, they’re too busy growling at each other. Lucky me.

  I saw away again. A second branch breaks. Yes!

  At the same time, Wolf-Knox lunges at Wolf-Jules. After that, both of them move so quickly, I can only see a blur of claws, fangs, and fur. Low growls echo through the air. The ground shakes as bodies slam against the courtyard stones. The metallic smell of blood fills the air.

  Knox could be hurt. I have to get free and help him.

  Moving furiously, I slice through even more of the branches. Finally, enough break so that I can fully move my arms. Twisting about, I cut through the loop of branches around my ankles and hop to my feet.

  I’m free again.

  There’s no time to celebrate, though. The battle is heating up.

  Wolf-Knox bites Wolf-Jules in the throat. The coppery smell of blood grows even stronger. With a whip-fast motion, Wolf-Knox slams Wolf-Jules’ skull onto the courtyard stones. A high-pitched crack echoes through the air.

  That must be Wolf-Jules’ skull breaking. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

  An eerie silence follows. The air turns still. Behind me in the hotel, even the Denarii have stopped their constant grumbling. Now, they’re all just looking out the windows and staring silently at Wolf-Jules. He still isn’t moving.

  Hope sparks in my chest. Can Jules really be dead?

  With a whimper, Wolf-Knox limps toward me. His once-sleek black fur is torn and bloody. My breath catches. That looks bad. Even more blood drips from his muzzle. Hitching up my skirts, I race over to his side. My heart pounds so hard, it slams against my chest. Knox is only a few feet away when he collapses onto the ground. A crimson pool quickly forms around him.

  More blood. This is terrible.

  I kneel beside Wolf-Knox and scan his injuries. Great swaths of fur have been ripped from his beautiful black coat. In some places, I can even see exposed muscle and bone. I stifle a gasp. With every breath, his lungs gurgle and heave.

  Angling my body, I glance over to Wolf-Jules. Already the tears in his patchwork fur are knitting back together. He’s healing up at shifter-speed.

  We don’t have much time.

  I gently stroke Wolf-Knox’s neck. “What can I do to help?”

  “Run from here.” Wolf-Knox’s voice is so low I can hardly hear him. “Never come back.”

  My blood turns cold. “But you’ll die.”

  “One of us has to. That’s what the spell demands. I’m too hurt. I can’t even heal myself anymore. You must escape while you still can.”

  My mouth falls open with shock. Knox will die here? I can’t accept that. I won’t accept that. Closing my eyes, I think through everything I saw when Knox cast the spell with Jules. There must be some way around this spell.

  An idea appears. Wizard power comes from enchanted stones. I stare at the onyx pendant from Alec, which still hangs on a silver chain about his neck.

  Maybe if I take the pendant, then I’ll take the spell on myself as well. I stare at the dagger in my fist. I’m healthy, and I have a weapon. If I take on the spell, I can kill Jules.

  I set my dagger down. Sliding both hands along Wolf-Knox’s neck, I reach for the chain’s clasp.

  Knox flinches. “No. If you take the stone, you must fight Jules.”

  I unclasp the pendant. “That’s exactly what I want.”

  A few yards away, Wolf-Jules rolls over and moans. From this new angle, I can see an indentation in his head—it’s a flat spot from where Knox pounded him onto the courtyard. That’s one serious injury. Unfortunately, his skull is already starting to heal.


  Jules will wake up again and soon.

  “My mind is made up, Knox. I’m taking the stone and fighting.”

  I reclasp the pendant around my neck. The moment the pendant touches my skin, power slams into my body. Red light dances around me. Wizard magic. For a moment, it flares even more brightly. After that, it disappears.

  My fingers brush the pendant. “The spell is on me now.” I scoop up the dagger and rise to stand. “I’m ready.”

  The moment the words leave my lips, I feel an untamed desire to defend Knox. A fierce sense of determination pulses through me.

  All of a sudden, silver specks of light appear in my vision. My limbs turn loose and sluggish. The very air seems to press in around me. The old lockbox rattles inside my soul.

  Oh, no. I’m having another episode.

  I pull out my inhaler from where I hid it in the folds of my dress by my toga belt. For a second, I can only stare at the device on my palm. I know I need my medicine, but something about it just feels wrong.

  Wolf-Knox raises his head. “Don’t take that.” He looks to the sky and exhales a rattling breath. “There’s not much time before sunset, either. Damn.”

  I stare at the inhaler on my palm. It’s clenched in my left hand while the dagger is still held in my right. “What’s in my medicine, Knox?”

  Across the courtyard, Wolf-Jules tries to get up. His forelegs are too shaky, though. He collapses again. I scan his head. It’s about halfway healed.

  “Please, what’s wrong?”

  “Your dagger is nothing compared to a werewolf. And that medicine stops your wolf.”

  My breath catches. “My what?”

  Knox lifts his muzzle to meet my gaze. Even that effort strains him. “Colonel Mallory put you under a Slumber Beast spell. Whenever you start to shift, it makes you freeze and fall asleep. That inhaler has Predator’s Bane. It makes any were take human form. Once you’re human, the Slumber Beast spell stops.”

  I try to process that news. It doesn’t make sense. I’ve spent too many years being told I’m powerless. The words of my aunties play in an endless loop in my head. I’m weak, human, and a total failure. “No, that’s not right.” My voice is barely a whisper.

  I think about the lockbox in my chest. Colonel Mallory said that he placed it there and I had magic. Was he talking about the Slumber Beast spell?

  Across the courtyard, Wolf-Jules groans and tries to rise again. His legs are wobbly, but he’s making progress. His head looks almost fully healed. I check Knox’s wounds. They don’t look better at all. I’ve heard about this kind of thing—it happens when werewolves are close to death.

  I stare between the weapon in my left hand and the inhaler in my right. Worry squeezes my temples. I have to make the right decision. “Taking the medicine will keep me awake so I can fight.”

  “No, your best chance is to battle as a werewolf. And you do have a wolf inside you. I’m positive.”

  With those words, my world splits in two. On one side, there’s everything I’ve known until now. On the other side, there’s Knox’s answer to my question. “How do you know this?”

  “Because you’re my mate.”

  “No, that can’t be right.” But even as the words leave my mouth, part of my soul knows that it’s the truth. I am Knox’s mate. He’s the one who’s haunted my dreams for years. Our connection has always been there. And the moment I saw him in Alec’s office, some part of me recognized him.

  The lockbox inside my soul starts to shift. The internal walls press in more tightly around something inside.

  Something that isn’t human.

  Could that be my wolf? Or perhaps even more?

  A short distance away, Wolf-Jules gets back on all four paws. He tosses his head, the motion reminding me of someone who’s waking up from a deep sleep. This is it.

  “You are my mate,” says Knox. “And we werewolves don’t bond outside of our own kind and potency. That means you’re at least as strong as I am. You can easily take down Jules.”

  His words rattle around my mind. If I’m Knox’s mate, then I’m a werewolf. “If I’m only as strong as you are, why are you so sure I can defeat Jules?”

  Knox’s eyes gleam with golden light. “I’ve felt the power in your soul. Back in LeCharme, I reached out to your wolf. It was after Philpot left, remember?”

  “Yes, there was a surge of power between us.”

  “That wasn’t shifter power. It was something else. I don’t know what it is, but I can tell you this. You’re stronger than I am. You’re stronger than Jules. You can face this fight and win. But first, you must set your wolf loose.”

  Maybe this is all a lie, but it’s the best shot I have to win. I drop my inhaler. “Whatever your plan is, I’m on board.”

  “I’m an alpha and your mate. That means I can help release your wolf. Just keep looking into my eyes. This may feel like it takes a long time, but only a few seconds will actually pass. Are you with me?”

  “I am.”

  Knox and I lock gazes. Instantly, the world seems to freeze. I feel Knox’s power move through my veins. It’s like an electrical charge that whips through my very soul. The energy calls to me, over and over. It demands one thing.

  I must release my wolf.

  Suddenly the courtyard, Knox, and Jules all disappear. Instead, I find I’m trapped inside a lockbox made of wood. On instinct, I know exactly what’s happened.

  I’ve taken on my wolf’s point of view.

  Now, I’m witnessing everything as she does, and she’s trapped inside a container of magic that’s been implanted in my soul.

  I spin about, scanning my prison. Wooden walls surround me. Every panel bears long grooves—marks that must have been made from my clawing and trying to get out. Magic keeps me confined, but Knox’s power calls to me, urging me to scale past the barriers and escape. Looking up, I see the box’s wooden lid is closed.

  Not for long.

  With all my strength, I leap up toward the box’s lid. As I move, colored lights begin flashing all around me: red, gold, and silver. My human mind knows those represent the three different shades of magic, but my human mind isn’t in charge now. Instead, I’m mainly thinking with my wolf’s brain, and all she can focus on is escape. Her limbs—my limbs—are huge, covered in white fur and end in paws the size of dinner plates.

  I jump higher this time. The warmth of Knox’s power urges me on. I get so close my front paws scratch the lid.

  Then a chill sets in to my bones. Knox’s power is fading. Panic heightens all my senses. My wolf knows there’s only one reason why Knox would leave us.

  He’s dying.

  Leaning back on my haunches, I jump again and again in a frenzy of action. The wood slams into my bones; the deep grooves scrape across my fur. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t scale the wall. I don’t even get close to the lid anymore.

  The connection with Knox snaps. I shiver with icy fear. A heartbeat later, I find myself back on the courtyard outside the hotel. The sun has almost disappeared on the horizon. Wolf-Knox lies beside me, his eyes closed and chest barely moving.

  Wolf-Jules glares at us from a few yards away. “He tried to awaken your wolf, didn’t he? Well, it’s too late now. Your animal is gone.”

  My eyes widen. What had Scarlett said in that Magicorum Teen Group so long ago? You must awaken your wolf by sundown on your eighteenth birthday, or you’ll lose your animal forever. I search my soul again, frantically looking for my inner wolf. It was so easy to find her a moment ago. But now? I feel nothing.

  My heart sinks. Jules is right. My aunties are right. Even Madame Grimoire was right. I’m a failed Sleeping Beauty template. Nothing more.

  Golden light shimmers in Wolf-Jules’ eyes as he transforms back into his human state. Since I took on the spell from Knox, Jules can change forms now. I’d be disgusted by the fact that he’s naked, but I’m too worried about Knox to care. I rise to stand, placing my body between Jules and Wolf-Knox. The dagger i
s gripped firmly in my fist.

  “Spell or no spell, you’ll never touch Knox.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Jules is only a few feet away when I attack. Rushing forward, I raise my dagger high. Jules lifts his hand, and red light glows across his palm. My weapon flies out of my own grip and into Jules’ hand. A satisfied gleam shines in his dark eyes as he raises his blade high. “Say good-bye to Knox.”

  “No!” I rush forward, trying to stop him.

  But Jules moves with super-human speed. I’ve barely taken a half-step when he plunges the blade deep into Wolf-Knox’s chest. Jules pulls the dagger free and turns to me. “You’re next.”

  The world seems to freeze as I stare at Wolf-Knox. He isn’t moving at all. This can’t be true.

  Knox is dead. Jules killed him.

  With that realization, something deep inside of me snaps. It’s my wolf. She’s back and howling for her lost alpha. An instinct I’ve never known before takes over my entire body. Golden light clouds my vision. My bones crack and realign. Fur bursts out across my skin. My teeth lengthen into fangs.

  I become a wolf.

  Power streams through my limbs. I see the last curve of the sun touch the horizon line. The sun hadn’t fully set. My wolf was still alive. And now, she’s free.

  Knox, I will avenge you.

  With a great growl, I leap up at Jules. My massive paws knock him onto his back. Before we even hit the ground, I’ve locked my teeth onto the pink flesh of his throat. Warm blood flows into my mouth.

  Jules’ body transforms beneath me. Within the span of a heartbeat, he turns back into a massive wolf. I lose my grip on his throat and fall backward.

  Wolf-Jules charges at me. My wolf instincts take over as I latch my teeth onto the back of his hind leg, chomping hard enough to break bone. Wolf-Jules retaliates by kicking me with such force, I go sliding across the courtyard.

  I quickly right myself to stand again. Wolf-Jules transforms back into his human form. He rests all his weight on his left foot. Blood streams down his right leg. He turns to the hotel. “Denarii! Come!”

  The doors swing open. Denarii race toward the courtyard, but slam against an invisible barrier. They can’t cross the threshold.