He nodded and as she entered the forest, she noticed his truck didn't leave until she was around the bend and out of his sight. As she approached the clearing, she saw Miranda race across the path.
"Miranda!"
She ran after her, and Miranda stopped at the edge of the clearing near the ruins of her home.
"He's got her. He's got Hannah," Miranda said as she turned to look at her.
"What are you talking about? Who has her?"
"Your coyote."
Faith felt ice rush through her body. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid, so trusting. All this time he was planning and she believed he needed a pack to get things done. She was too busy thinking about herself, about having a family, and about Erich to notice Abel was up to his old tricks.
As she thought about the metal structure he was building, she realized it was gone earlier, but it couldn't have gotten far. Abel was doing this alone, without a pack or anyone helping him. He had to be close to the house in the woods.
"I'll find her, Miranda. I promise."
Chapter Ten
Faith raced to the small house she and Abel shared. She was right, the metal structure he had been working on was gone. She could see the depressions on the ground where it used to be but nothing else.
Rushing into the house, she looked for a sign. He had to leave something behind, some clue to his whereabouts. Quickly looking through his stuff, she found the schematics of the metal structure and realized it was a trap. This is all my fault, she thought. Had she only paid more attention to Abel, had realized he was smart enough to do things on his own without the aid of a pack, she might have been able to stop him.
Grabbing her phone, she dialed Erich. The phone rang and rang but he didn't answer. After what felt like forever, his voicemail picked up and she hung up without leaving a message. She didn't have time for that.
As she ran outside, she stood right where Abel had constructed his trap. Guilt overwhelmed her. While she was enjoying herself, Hannah was being captured. She had to do something, but what? The forest was too large to just run around in and hope that she found him. He could be anywhere.
"I knew you'd be back," Abel said as he stepped out from the tree line, startling her. "You're very predictable, you know. Maybe it’s just that my human knows you so well, but I don't like giving him much credit anymore."
As he left the protection of the trees, Faith saw Abel had morphed into an even more grotesque creature. His head was almost fully changed into that of a coyote except for his face, which was caught somewhere between animal and the human the coyote destroyed. While he still walked on his back legs, Abel hunched forward to the point where his long arms nearly touched the ground.
"Where is she? What did you do with her?"
"How sweet! You've only had a niece for a day and you're suddenly protective of her. Why, just over a month ago you were at odds with each other."
"No," Faith said. "I was never with you on that. I was only doing what I had to to survive. I had no choice. You didn't give me a choice."
"That's bullshit, human! You enjoyed it. You loved the power charming gave you. And guess what? The girl, the new wolf, my special charmer is an Alpha herself. Now why don't you come with me so you can put her under my control and I can use her to take over all the wolves, both living and dead."
"No, Abel! I'm not going to help you anymore."
He shrugged, his fur-covered shoulders rising and dropping in a manner that disgusted Faith. "That's fine, don't help me. Look at how far I got on my own. You helped me enough as it is, I suppose. After all, you helped me find her, and she's the one I always wanted. I don't need you anymore."
He was playing with her emotions, and she refused to give into him. Folding her arms in front of her, she tuned him out and didn't let his words hurt her as they had in the past. She knew this was all about the Crane curse and she resented him for not telling her the truth about it. Slowly, it dawned on her that he knew the truth all along.
"How long have you known that I was a Crane? For how many years did you keep me from discovering my family?"
"Family is overrated, my dear. I was all the family you needed, you didn't need them."
"So you knew? And you kept it from me?" She shoved him back and felt the energy from the white light begin to swell in her body. She had no idea what it would do to a shifter, but she was ready to find out.
"Go ahead, try some of your new powers out on me. Maybe you'll get lucky and kill me," he said, laughing. "Just remember, you don't know where I'm keeping her. Also, remember those collars? She's wearing one now."
"No! You can't do that to her!"
"She's being kept as a wolf for now, but she's fighting it. I had to make some adjustments so it would work on an Alpha, but it’s working well. I just hope she doesn't go mad before I'm through with her."
Abel had outwitted her. She had no choice but to give in and help him again. Looking down at the ground, she noticed his hunched shadow and kicked some dirt onto it in protest. That was the most she could do without harming Hannah.
"Okay, I'll help you," she said.
He howled his approval and turned back to the forest. "Follow me. But be careful, I'm not like your bear friend who will help you. Where is that grunt anyway? I thought he would’ve shown up by now. No matter, I'm ready for him or anyone else."
He muttered as he changed into full coyote and walked through the trees on all fours as Faith tried to keep up. The ground became softer and more sandy, slowing her walk even more. In the distance, she heard the bell from the drawbridge and shook her head. She didn't realize how close they were to the catacombs. Of course Abel would return there, and he'd be safe because no one would think he'd be brazen enough to do that. It was another smart move on his part.
As they exited the woods, Faith watched him trot through the tall grass. It hurt to see him like this. She wanted to only remember him as he was, the man she loved for so long, but he was making that harder.
Entering the catacombs, Faith noticed more water along the cement floor than before. The high tide must have flooded it recently, and Faith wondered if the coyote was astute enough to realize the danger they could be in. She wanted to warn him, to protect Abel, but she had to remind herself that he wasn't himself anymore.
After a series of turns, they entered the main room, where not long ago Hannah had attacked her in defense. In the center of the room was a tall cage made of thick metal bars and inside was Hannah as a wolf fighting the collar and crashing into the bars as she tried to escape. Faith's heart sank and pain filled her chest as she realized what a horrible man Abel had become.
"How could you do this?" she said. "I trusted you for so many years. I loved you for all this time and it was never enough. You always wanted more. How could you treat anyone like this?"
"Shut up, Faith," he said as he changed himself back to the half coyote, half human creature he had become. "Abel kept you in the dark before, but this is what I've been doing for years now. It’s time you came to accept it."
She shook her head and looked in at Hannah, who didn't seem to know she was there.
"I thought you were done. They took your pack, you have nothing."
"That just meant I had to start over," he growled.
"I trusted you!"
"And it was a good thing I didn't trust you, right?" he said.
"Trust is a dangerous thing, coyote," Caleb said as he entered the large room. "I didn't trust your woman, but I see I was wrong. Luckily it did lead me to you. Let Hannah go and I'll spare your life."
Abel scoffed before a maniacal grin spread over his face. "You of all people should know of the power of love, Caleb. And you'll see its power first hand today." Abel pulled a small remote control from his pocket and pressed a button. Hannah bucked and howled in pain. "It's one of the collar's improvements."
Caleb jumped into the air, changing mid-air into a wolf, his fangs bared and ready to attack.
"No!" Faith screamed as s
he leapt towards Abel and pushed him out of the way. Quickly spinning around on the slick cement floor, she faced Caleb and focused her charming on him. She had one chance. If it didn't work, he would kill her and anything in his path.
With her green eyes glowing, she met the wolf's gaze. She couldn't bear to see anyone get hurt, and she didn't agree with what Abel was doing, but she had to protect him.
Caleb stopped and laid down obediently at her feet, waiting for another command. Abel grinned cruelly as he walked over and kicked the wolf in the ribs.
Hiding her face in her hands, Faith cried. "What did I do?"
"Bravo, Faith!" Abel said. "Maybe there's hope for you yet. I knew your love wouldn't let that animal harm me."
Looking at Abel with his long pointed ears and random tufts of fur, Faith wondered what happened to the boy she loved. She stayed for so many years wishing and hoping he'd come back, but she realized now it was futile. The Abel she loved was gone forever.
"I'm leaving, Abel. And I'm taking the wolves with me."
"You're a funny little human. You really think you can overpower me?"
Faith removed the long cardigan sweater she had put on earlier and tossed it into the cage with Hannah. Then she positioned herself so she was between the cage and Caleb.
"You're nothing but a pathetic, weak human," Abel said as he watched her.
"And you're nothing but a stupid coyote."
Faith reached out towards Hannah and focused on the collar. It popped open and fell to the ground of the cage. As Hannah changed back to human form, she found the sweater and slipped her arms into it.
Faith's eyes glowed again as her anger towards Abel grew and fill her with power. As realization crossed Abel's face, he changed into a full coyote and ran out of the main room and down a corridor.
"Caleb, attack!" she said.
Under her control, Caleb chased after the fleeing Abel and Faith realized what she had done. Running down the corridor, she screamed, but she knew it was already too late.
The wolf came to her with his head down, and she released her charm on him as she watched the coyote on the floor at the end of the hall change back into human form. Abel lay on his side, his pale blond hair covering his head. Faith ran over to finally see the man she had loved and waited for for so many years had returned.
Kneeling beside him, she touched his shoulder and he rolled onto his back as he clutched at the bloody bite on the side of his neck. With tears streaming down her face, she tore the end of her skirt, pushed his hands aside, and put pressure on his wound, but the blood wouldn't stop.
He covered her hands with his before reaching up to touch her cheek. "Please don't cry, my love. You did what you had to do," Abel said.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried.
He smiled at her as his hand dropped. "I don't have much time left. But you should know that no matter how much that coyote was in control, I never stopped loving you."
He coughed up blood and Faith wiped at it quickly before returning to his wound. She focused her energy on it and imagined it closing.
"It can't end like this," she whispered. "It's just not fair."
"Faith, stop. Let me go. I'm finally free of that coyote. It's still here and if you're able to do what I think you can, he'll only take over again. I can't live like that anymore. I can't live knowing how much I hurt you."
"But, Abel–"
"No," he said as he looked deep into her eyes. "I love you so much, but I'm weak to the coyote. I've spent too many years being unable to touch you, hold you, or simply talk to you like we used to. I can't continue like that and if you heal me, it will continue. I can't resist him."
"I've missed you. You can't leave me again."
"I have to, my love. I'm sorry. Now just hold me, let me feel your warmth one last time and promise you'll let me go and love again."
Faith gently wrapped her arms around Abel and thought about the good times they had together. She stopped focusing on his wound and whispered, "I love you more than you'll ever know."
Warm, thick liquid covered her hands. Before his body went limp, Faith thought she heard him say her name one last time. Her tears choked her as she clung to him, gasping for air as her ragged cries echoed down the cement corridor.
A hand touched her back and she knew it was Hannah. Slowly, Faith lifted her head from Abel's dead body. She wasn't ready to let go so she reached for his hand and stroked the slender fingers she hadn't seen in years as she turned to Hannah.
Hannah kneeled on the floor beside her and pulled her against her as they held each other, but Faith wouldn't let go of Abel's hand.
Chapter Eleven
Three Weeks Later
The sea gulls squawked loudly as Faith walked to the end of the pier. Below her, the water gently lapped against the wooden pillars, filling the air with the salty scent of the ocean. At the end of the pier was a wooden bench that faced out to the inlet where the boats passed before heading into the deeper water.
As she sat in the middle of a small wooden bench with dark green slats and a cement base, Faith set a black ceramic urn beside her. She had been bringing Abel there everyday for over a week. In his will, he requested his ashes to be spread at their favorite spot. They used to spend hours watching the boats and people passing by. Of course that was before.
'Before' became a huge thing for Faith and something she began to measure her life by recently. Before she was an orphan, now she had a family. Before she and Abel had a life together, then the coyote changed things.
The boardwalk shook under heavy footsteps, but Faith didn't bother to turn and look. She was there with her high school sweetheart. The coyote was gone and now they could be together again. Unfortunately, she wasn't that deluded to think that way, but sometimes she thought it would be nice. She picked up the urn and set it on her lap.
"Abel, why did things have to get so complicated?" she asked.
"When did you start talking to inanimate objects?"
Her heart flipped in her chest as she recognized Erich's voice, and she spun around in her seat. Wearing boots, his footsteps thudded on the pier as he came closer. She had almost forgotten how sexy he was in just jeans and a cotton button shirt with the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows. Almost.
"I'm not talking to an inanimate object, I'm talking to Abel," she said, turning around to face the water again.
She wasn't sure how to feel. She wanted to run to him and feel safe in his arms again, but she couldn't help but remember how Erich was missing just when she needed him most. It was the story of her life. She couldn't count on anyone.
Erich slid into the spot beside her, gently sliding her over. "I was hoping I'd find you here. I've been looking for you but when I heard about Abel's passing, I thought you might need time."
She looked at him then turned away, the words 'Abel's passing' hanging thickly in the air. She wanted to reply, to say something to Erich about Abel's passing, but she simply had nothing left to say.
"I know this is bad timing, but there will never be a good time," Erich said. "I've waited for so long and I just feel like I can't wait any longer. I have to tell you how I feel."
"Just stop. Please. I really can't take this right now. I mean, he just died."
"Be honest with yourself, Faith. You've had plenty of time. Remember, I knew Abel long ago, too. I also remember him when he was a good and kind man. I looked up to him. The Abel I knew, the Abel you loved didn't die a few weeks ago. He died a long time ago."
"No!" she said, her voice cracking as tears stung her eyes. "No, he didn't die a long time ago. He only just died. You weren't there. He was. In the end...before..." she couldn't say the words. She wanted to tell Erich how Abel came back and told her he always loved her and always would. Instead, she just cried and felt like an idiot.
Erich pulled her close, but she shoved him away and turned from him. Her tears turned to sobs as guilt flooded her. With her heart aching, she thought of the times she co
nvinced herself Abel was gone, that the Abel she loved before wasn’t there. For months, she told herself it was okay for her to be attracted to Erich, that part of it was just her biology of a human naturally being attracted to an Alpha, or that it was okay because Abel hadn't noticed her in years. But it wasn't okay. None of it was right.
Whether she realized it or not, the Abel she loved before was still there, just buried deep within the coyote. And yes, she stayed and never left him, but had her heart truly been there with him in the end? She couldn't forgive herself for that.
As her heart grew heavy, she realized Abel had been wrong. She was the key to the Crane curse. Only the key was the curse of the charmer. A true charmer can never find love. She was proof of that, and sitting beside her was proof of exactly how powerful she was. She didn't have just one Alpha there with her, she had two.
Taking a deep breath, she blinked away the rest of her tears and wiped her cheeks before turning towards Erich. She had to make him understand. She had to make him leave, and she would say whatever it took to make that happen. "What you feel is nothing, Erich. I'm a charmer, remember? And you're an Alpha, my specialty. Give it time and it'll wear off."
"All I've had is time, Faith. It kills me that I wasn't there to protect you that night."
"Well, I'm sure you had better things to do," she said.
"Better things to do? Do you not realize how important you've always been to me? Do you want to know where I was, Faith?" he asked angrily. "I was choosing you over everything else. I stepped down from the Council and as Alpha. All my territories have been assigned to Rafael. Yes, genetically I'm still Alpha but that's it, I am no longer a leader. Your charms have no reason to work on me."
"That doesn't matter. You're still charmed. That's all it is. It's the curse of the charmer to never have true love. That's my lot in life and yours if you don't listen to me. Look what it did to Abel."
"No, I refuse to believe that," Erich said as his voice softened. Moving closer to her, he cupped her chin and looked deep into her eyes. "Listen to me. I let Abel get into my head, too. It's why I took so long to find you. That was my mistake though. I never stopped thinking about you and I never stopped loving you. If this is what it's like being charmed, then I'll take it, Faith. Because the way you make me feel is how I want to feel for the rest of my life.
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