A Wolf Awakens (Black Hills Wolves Book 18)

by Cassidy, Cam

  “You must always keep an open mind and an open heart, Angeni. Your gift is strong. Your aura brighter than the stars in the heavens. With the light there always comes the dark. The evil which lies in wait and searches for a way to return.”

  Ange remembered the warmth against her skin the day her grandmother placed the necklace around her neck. “Keep this necklace with you always. Let it be your strength.”

  The memory of her childhood had come quickly and then it was gone. Instinctively, her hand went to grasp the crystal around her neck. But her arms wouldn’t move, they seemed frozen against her. The memories changed, deep laughter rang in her head. Through Magnum’s eyes, she witnessed the horrors he’d perpetrated against his own kind. She felt their betrayal, saw the fear in their eyes, felt it in her soul.

  The cabin door opened, and Drew stepped inside. She could only watch and hear the things she did, she had no control over Magnum. “I had begun to wonder if you had changed your mind, son. Or, maybe you had stopped at Gee’s and grabbed a bottle of whiskey to celebrate my return.”

  The hatred which came off of Drew only seemed to feed Magnum’s presence. His eyes were cold and never left Magnum’s. “Celebrate your return? You’re making a joke, right? I have a fuckin’ party every year to celebrate the day I killed you. Now you’re back, and the one thing I did realize is there are some things in life which are so good they deserve to be repeated.”

  Magnum was having a good laugh, goading him. “I realize my coming back and taking over the spirit of a female may make me seem weak; however, I can assure you, that is the one thing I am not. Come on, boy, show me whatcha got.”

  “Fucking end this or I will,” Ryker growled and took a step forward, leaving no question as to is intent. Drew’s arm stretched out to stop him. “I gave my word to Jax. I told him I would give him some time to come to grips with this. I owe him that much.”

  “You don’t owe him shit. You didn’t do anything to him, Magnum did.” Ryker snarled, obviously wanting to get a piece of Magnum for himself this time.

  “Sins of the father aside, I gave him my word and I stand by it. When it’s time, I will handle it.” The again was unspoken.

  Drew stepped outside to wait.

  ***

  Jax stood outside the old barn. A cold chill ran through him which had nothing to do with the breeze. This was the one place in town he avoided. The only place he had refused to help restore or enter. Drew and Ryker never pushed the issue. Jax had made it through the reign of Magnum with few demons, only the ones that stayed within the barn. Ryker had seen firsthand what happened. While Drew never mentioned it, Jax was sure Ryker had filled him in on all the details.

  He finally opened the door and took a step inside, not sure what he expected to find. Maybe Magnum waited inside, bullwhip in hand. The memory came so hard and fast, Jax fell to his knees.

  Jax received the order to meet Magnum at the old barn. He always did his best to stay out of the crazy bastard’s way. Being summoned to meet him wasn’t anything new. It seemed whenever the Alpha ran out of opponents for a good fight, Jax received the summons. Before he stepped foot in the barn, he caught the scent of blood, the scent of other members of the pack, the scent of his parents. Maybe it wasn’t going to be a fight. Maybe it was another one of his crazy-ass revivals where he told the pack he was more of a god than a Wolf.

  Walking inside, he found Magnum in the center of the barn, his body covered in blood, and a bullwhip in his hand. Jax’s hackles rose.

  “One thing I’ve come to learn is the future isn’t always a given,” the Alpha said. “I am the Alpha of this pack and, being the Alpha, everything and every member of this pack belongs to me. The males of the pack should be standing at my side, at all costs. Ready to fill my every order without question. You wonder how I intend to rectify this, don’t you? Let me explain it to you. Mates are nothing more than a weakness. A male will fight to the death to protect his female. Even against his own Alpha. Take your mother for example.”

  Jax wasn’t fast enough to dodge the bullwhip before it sliced through the air, wrapping around his neck. Instinctively, he shifted, his jaws snapping at the whip. Laughing, Magnum pulled it tighter, cutting off his air and tossing him to the other side of the barn. He rolled through the hay, wetness coating his fur. He caught the scent and turned to see his father’s eyes wide, staring at him, his mouth open in a silent scream, his head no longer attached to his body.

  He searched for his mother. He could smell her. He strained to hear something. He didn’t need to see her body to know she was gone. The buffer he’d tried to create between Magnum and the pack had failed. The agony of his loss was too much. Without thought, Jax attacked.

  Magnum’s laughter cut off abruptly when he shifted, Jax’s jaws wide intending to take his throat. But he missed his mark, catching his Alpha by the shoulder, and dug deep. Magnum tossed him off, the two circling each other, snarling and snapping. Magnum finally pounced. Magnum’s bites ripped Jax’s flesh, his paws kicked. Jax wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  But then, it didn’t matter. He awoke later in his human form, strung up between the beams of the barn.

  “Now, where was I? Oh yes, I was saying, females will always serve to be nothing more than a weakness to stronger males. Your father? He failed to understand the concept. If I want someone to fuck, I don’t need anyone’s permission. I take. Everything. Is. Mine.”

  Jax wanted to fight the rage which raced through his blood like molten lava ready to erupt. Strung between the beams he knew shifting would be impossible and, even if he could, he was not match for Magnum. He watched as Magnum cocked his head from side to side, his curious gaze landing on his chest. “What is the necklace you wear?”

  The bullwhip sliced across his chest when his answer didn’t come fast enough. He knew Magnum would sense any lie and told the truth, despite the fact he knew it would sound foolish. “It is just something I got in town. Supposed to be good luck.” Jax remembered the first time he had gone to Sturgis years ago, when the pack had been thriving. He had walked down the streets, checking out the bikes, trying to figure out what kind he would someday buy. The old woman had surprised him when she approached him. “I’ve been looking for you. I know, I sound a crazy old fool but humor an old woman, I made something for you.”

  She reached up and placed the necklace over his head. The medallion was the size of a coin, thick and heavy against his skin. One side was engraved with an odd yin and yang symbol. “Someday, you will need this. It will be at a time when things are at their darkest. If you trust in it and have faith, it will bless you with the answers you need.”

  Jax rubbed the medallion between his thumb and forefinger, warmth and peace surging through him. He’d laughed softly to himself and watched the old woman turn and walk away. He hadn’t believed a word she said. But, he had thought that the necklace was cool and loved the feel of the medallion against his skin. He had never taken it off.

  The bullwhip sliced through the air again, this time the hardened leather not only through the skin, also through the chain which held the medallion. “Maybe it did work. After I’m finished, you can consider yourself lucky to be alive. Always remember and tell the rest. I. Am. The. Alpha. No one will ever be able to stop me.”

  The whip sliced through the air until Jax’s vision darkened. Every hope, every dream, every belief disappeared dissolved he drifted into unconsciousness.

  The door blew shut, startling Jax back to the present. The only light which shown through the few cracks between the barn siding. He hadn’t realized he was crying until he felt the drops of moisture drip from his chin onto his chest. This was why he never came here. The past, his grief which he held back all these years threatened to swallow him alive. Ange’s face came to his mind, her smile a beacon in the darkness.

  He scrambled across the dirt floor, the area below where Magnum had stretched him out. His fingers clawed the dirt. He found nothing and moved in a circular motio
n, not knowing if it was here. He surprised himself when he began to pray it was still here. He almost screamed in frustration when the tip of his finger felt something hard. He dug at a fevered pace, praying it wasn’t another rock.

  Grasping the edge, he pulled. The moment the medallion was in his hand, he felt the familiar warmth. He used the pads of his fingers to wipe off the dirt to reveal the detail of the design. He traced the raised edge and ran along the side then the small indent. Bringing it to his mouth, he used his teeth on the small groove. The medallion opened.

  The inside had been engraved, the first symbol immediately recognized. His heart hammered against his chest. The symbol was the same as he had seen on Ange’s necklace. The other he had seen. But where?

  He squeezed his eyes closed, remembering Ange’s purse spilling, a dark stone landing on the floor. He didn’t understand why only that he needed the stone. He jumped to his feet and ran. There was only one place it could be, back in his cabin,

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jax burst inside the cabin and found Ange’s purse by the couch where they’d left it. He dumped the contents, scattering everything to search for the stone. He came up empty-handed. She must have it with her.

  He grabbed a pair of jeans from the bedroom and put them on. He didn’t bother with a shirt or shoes. Who the hell knew what would happen when he got to the old cabin? Ange was still alive, he could feel it. If she were dead, he would shift and be gone.

  The last thing he took was an old necklace chain from his dresser. It was a heavy, gold braided rope which had belonged to his mother. He placed the medallion on the chain and fastened the clasp behind his neck. A warmth spread through him the very moment it rested on his chest. He had no clue what he was doing, he was flying blind—just like he’d done his entire life. Now, it was different. He had no doubt, when the time came, he would know what to do.

  Drew stood outside the old cabin, his expression one of regret, resolve. “Where’d you find that old thing? I thought you’d lost it.”

  “I went back to the old barn. Magnum had whipped the fuck out of me and hit the chain and it broke. I didn’t bring it up before because, at the time, it didn’t seem very lucky. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I need you to hear me out.” Scrubbing his hand down his face, he gathered his thoughts. “You remember, I told you the story of the old lady who gave it to me. I had completely forgotten about it until today. I know this is what she talked about. I never knew it opened until today. There are carvings on the inside. One matches the necklace Ange always wears. The other, an odd rock I saw fall from her purse.” He combed his fingers through his hair. “Listen, I know this sounds like a load of shit and goes against everything I’ve ever believed, but I need you to believe me. I think we can get rid of Magnum if I lock the stones inside the medallion.”

  Drew’s eyes widened. “Jesus, Jax, you’re grasping at straws. Say you find the two stones and put them in. There is no guarantee it will work. I can’t take a chance of Magnum’s poison coming back to spread through the pack again. He came to kill me. You know how he works. He would use anyone to get to me. Do you think I would risk B or the rest of the pack?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, my friend. I can’t. It’s time we put an end to this.”

  The conversation had gotten him nowhere. All he could do was hope he was right and show him. “Let me pass. I want to say good-bye to my mate.”

  Drew stood firm in front of the door. “Your mate isn’t in there, only her body. Her thoughts, her memories are all Magnum’s now. Don’t put yourself through it.”

  Jax stepped forward. “This isn’t a challenge. If you want to fight, I can and I will. You have to think to yourself, what if it were B in there? What the fuck would you do? You’d bust down the fuckin’ door to see her one more time. Don’t think I won’t do the same.”

  Drew growled, a low rumble in his chest before he stepped aside. “You’re on thin ice, Jax. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Ange was unable to do anything but watch through Magnum’s eyes. Jax entered the cabin with Drew behind him. She screamed—of course it had only been in her mind. No one could hear or see her. It was a feeling she could only equate to being locked in a soundproof room. She pounded on the walls, but no one could see or hear her. Magnum had shown her glimpses of his past, and now she saw his plans for the future. She tried to stop the words, to close her eyes, not waiting to witness what she knew would come and failed. Magnum was now in control, and not bothering to hide his amusement. He would use whatever means he had to make her watch as Jax was taken down by her own hand.

  “Jax, how nice to see you again. I assume you’re here to finish the welcome home. I’ll tell you, I waited a long time for you to finally catch up with your mate. I went to visit a seer once. You can imagine my surprise when my future showed your face and the face of your mate. I would need her in order to come back. The stupid bitch got quiet and asked me to leave. Guess she realized too late who she was dealing with. Of course, I had to beat out of her what she meant by come back. Pathetic human died before she told me who would challenge me.”

  Ange pushed off the wall and eased along it. “I would have killed you a thousand times over if it hadn’t been for that prediction. At least I’ll get to take my time, kill you slowly.”

  Jax took a step forward. Drew’s hand landed on his shoulder to stop him. He shrugged it off. “You don’t honestly believe I’ll let you take my mate. I stood back for years and watched you destroyed the pack. You killed off my friends, my parents. It stops here Magnum. I won’t let you have her.”

  Never before had Jax felt more conviction in his words. Ange was his. He was done merely living his life and allowing the Magnums of the world rule.

  Magnum only laughed as he spoke. “I don’t see where you have a choice, pup. I will admit, I’m going to enjoy hearing her scream in my head, or is it her head? Either way, I do enjoy listening to her screams. I can only imagine what she will say when she watches you die.”

  ***

  Jax wanted to rush forward and wrap his sweet Ange in the safety of his arms and never let go. But once she’d started to talk, he knew without a doubt she wasn’t in control. Even so, he had to believe she was still in there, somewhere.

  She wore her necklace. Easy enough to get. He looked for the stone. She had no pockets, no hiding places. But her hand rested at her side, closed in a tight fist, blood dripping. Drew and Ryker were behind him, he could sense how close they were to shifting. He only had one shot and dove for her.

  She fought with more strength than a human should have, and she got in a few good punches and a kick to the ribs before he grabbed her hand, prying open her fingers. The stone fell to the floor. He snatched it up, immediately feeling the darkness of the stone. She scampered backward to the corner, her face confused. Opening his medallion, he placed the stone inside, not sure what would happen if he held it in his hand for too long.

  Approaching her, he reached out his hand. “Ange, sweetheart, I need you to give me your necklace.”

  She pressed harder into the corner of the room, trying to get away from him.

  “Ange, you need to trust me. Give me the necklace.”

  He had hoped she would trust him enough to hand it over; he didn’t have time to wait. Drew and Ryker moved behind him. He pulled the necklace from her neck, took the stone, and shoved it in the medallion.

  For a moment all, the air seemed to be sucked from the room after he closed it. It felt heavy against his chest then the air cleared. “Son of a bitch, it worked. I know it did.”

  “Jax, I told you this doesn’t make a difference.” Drew’s voice was dispassionate. “We can’t live wondering when he’ll come back.”

  Jax was ready to shift when the door to the cabin opened. Gee looked around at the three men before his eyes landed on Ange curled in the corner. “The crystal she wore around her neck, it is her. Kill her and you kill the power of the stone whi
ch holds Magnum’s spirit. You will set him free to find another. Jax is the keeper.”

  Drew eyed Gee with suspicion. “So, Magnum is trapped in the medallion by Ange’s crystal. If we kill her, he will jump into the next body he finds?”

  “Not quite that simple. It will leave him free to try again to come back. Of course, being the Alpha, you will need to ensure that she and Jax stay here and keep watch.”

  Drew hid his emotions well. Jax didn’t doubt the Alpha already had contingency plans A through Z in place in his head. He hadn’t relaxed his stance, standing guard over Ange.

  “At this point, I don’t think I have much choice in the matter,” Drew said. “I have no intention of allowing Ange, Jax, or the medallion out of our sight. I would say, Jax, it’s a good thing you decided to accept the fact that destiny has a hand in all things and that she’s your mate. From this day forward, you’re stuck together. Take your mate home. You know the drill, don’t leave the area. I’ll be by to talk with the two of you after I get my head wrapped around all this.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Two weeks later….

  Ange tried to remember a time in her life she’d felt this happy. There wasn’t one.

  Ryker had followed and watched them when Jax had taken her back to Sturgis. She had no burning desire to go back and see her father. It had been more an order from Drew. The last thing he or the Tao Pack needed were the authorities searching the woods for a lost hiker. The first thing they did was get married. Jax had insisted since she was a human, they do the human thing and marry.

  They took their vows in front of a bunch of bikers during Bike Week which was perfect. Their next stop was to see her father.