by Sara Snow
“What they say about white wolves . . . That’s what happened to you?”
I nodded, and he closed his eyes, as if he was praying to be wrong. “Levi’s downstairs as we speak. Be careful what you say. You have more to worry about now than just these resurrected supernaturals. You’ll be hunted, Elinor. There’s never been someone like you among our kind. You know that, don’t you? They will seek your power after for both good and bad reasons.”
I swallowed hard but nodded.
“You can’t trust anyone anymore, not even the Council,” he continued. “You’ve always wanted to be known as more than just a firstborn female. Well, you’ve got your wish.”
When he turned and left, I slid back down into bed. I didn’t feel any sense of pride that I was more than just a firstborn. In fact, a part of me wished that was all I was. But it was too late now.
More importantly, my father hadn’t answered me when I’d asked what everyone was saying about me. Was it that bad?
Do they all see me as a monster?
I couldn’t blame them. Watching myself in those portals had filled even me with fear.
I got out of bed and got dressed, burying my doubts deep within me. Right now, I needed to walk with my head held high. I had a horrible feeling about how this was all going to end for me. The Goddess had been surprised I’d used my divinity and survived.
But would I be as lucky if I had to use it again? Or would being more than just a firstborn cost me my life?
10
Elinor
It took an hour after my father left for me to gather enough courage to leave my room. I wasn’t nervous about seeing Levi, but I was nervous about seeing everyone else.
In place of my hands, I saw paws drenched in blood. I could hear screams mixed with the sound of flesh sizzling as it burned, and I made a face as the horrific smell of it clogged my senses. Combing my hair and braiding it back, I tried to ground myself in the present. It was time. . . . I was as ready as I’d ever be.
There was no changing what had happened. There was no going back. No one from my pack had died as a result of my divinity being activated, and I needed to focus on that. Not only that, I had to find some way to make sure I remained in control next time. I clenched and unclenched my fists a few times to ground myself again before heading for the door. It was time to face Council Member Levi and everyone else who would have questions—questions I wasn’t ready to answer. All I could say was, as a direct descendant of the Goddess, I had powers to help save my people. That was all there was to it.
No one had to know that my body felt different, as if it wasn’t mine anymore. I’d always been able to feel my power, my strength within me, but what I was feeling now was different. It felt as if I was unbreakable now.
While getting dressed, I quickly noted the changes my body had undergone while I’d been unconscious. Others might not notice, but I realized I had changed physically.
My skin felt more sensitive than normal, as if my body was reacting to every shift in environmental stimuli. And my movements were more fluid and precise, while the muscles throughout my body were firmer, more defined. As I made my way downstairs, each step I took sounded louder than it should be, and I did my best to walk more softly.
Earlier, I had almost broken my window while trying to close it.
The closer I got to the staircase leading to the first floor, the more I could hear the voices of wolves inside the house. I realized my father was using the pack house to treat the injured. I wished I had known that before.
I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure I was ready to face the pack. Levi, I could handle. But I wasn’t looking forward to facing the people I had hurt.
I got to the top of the staircase where I could easily see everyone lying on the ground below. Everyone grew silent, and all eyes turned to the stairs—and me. The house wasn’t in as much chaos as I’d expected, but then again, three days had passed. Someone had even fixed the broken windows and doors already.
Nurse Hilary, who was bent over bandaging a wolf’s right leg, stood up. She smiled wide, and my breath hitched as she placed her closed fist over her heart and bowed. I slowly descended the stairs, my heart hammering away inside my chest as everyone, even those on the ground, did the same.
Jackson came running towards me, and I picked him up as he threw his arms around my neck. My mother and father were standing on the left side of the room. Though teary-eyed, my mother also placed her hand over her heart and bowed with respect.
I swallowed again, trying to contain my emotions. I could see pride in my father’s eyes as he, too, saluted me, and I held onto Jackson tighter.
“You saved us,” a Guard who was helping Nurse Hilary said. “You saved all of us.”
A chorus of whispers filled the room as everyone agreed. I placed Jackson on the ground, overwhelmed. Despite what I had done, my packmates were thanking me. No one was looking at me with horror.
“Thank you,” I said, choking up with emotion. “I’m so sorry I hurt some of you. I truly am.”
“Honestly, the scar left behind is interesting to look at,” one man on the ground said with a laugh. He held his hand out to showcase multiple slightly inflamed lines running from his shoulder down to his fingers. The scar looked like lightning bolts were cascading down his arm, the same way they did from the sky.
Werewolves rarely scarred, since we healed so quickly. Only an extensive wound or an attack using magic scarred us. But, sure enough, each person on the ground with their injuries uncovered had scars.
I didn’t know what to say, so I nodded. It wasn’t as if I could say “you’re welcome.”
“Elinor, it’s so good to see you again.”
I turned around to find Levi standing behind me, his yellow eyes as hollow as ever. “I wish I could say the same.”
The side of his mouth curved, and he threw a glance my father’s way. “Still mouthy, I see.”
“I doubt that’ll be changing anytime soon.”
My father cleared his throat, and I clenched my jaw. I gave Levi a thin smile as I interocked my fingers in front of me. For my father, I’d show some respect. But I had no intention of pretending I liked this man when all I wanted to do was to punch him in the face. Something stirred within my chest as the tension in the room increased. Then a woman appeared behind him, her hair as white as snow.
Unlike Levi’s smile, hers looked genuine. She placed her hand over her heart and bowed, and I did the same. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Elinor,” she said, her prominent blue eyes twinkling with adoration. “I’m Faelen, an Enchanted.”
Yup, the hair is a dead giveaway.
The name seemed familiar . . . and then suddenly, I remembered. The Enchanted my father had gone to meet just before Cyrus had killed the adracsas bounty hunter had been named Faelen. This must be her, but she was much more beautiful than I had imagined. Her face was straight, and thick blond brows hooded her eyes. There was an understated elegance to her movement, exactly as one might expect from the second-in-line to become the next Enchanted Grand Elder.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I answered. “Wait, where is Ione?”
I turned to Nurse Hilary, but it was Faelen who spoke. “She’s doing well. I was just with her. She’s a promising young Enchanted.”
“Thank you.” Hilary blushed with pride.
“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have known what was happening. She’s getting stronger,” I added, and Hilary smiled warmly.
Levi cleared his throat. “Elinor, I believe you and I have a few things to discuss.”
I turned to Levi, and my father walked over to stand by my side. “We can all go to my office on the second floor.”
Levi nodded. “Very well. I need to know everything that happened up until you arrived and how you came to have—” He looked me up and down. “—the power you used.”
The corner of my left eye twitched. He looked at me as if I was a puzzle he was itching to solve, and my sens
e of unease grew. My wolf stirred inside me, and I inhaled deeply, trying to control it as he continued to speak.
“After that, a test will be done.”
“A test?” I asked, my eyes lowering to slits.
I looked at my father, but Faelen moved forward, her hands facing upward. While I felt a deep sense of discomfort every time Levi opened his mouth, something about Faelen’s presence and the way she spoke instantly calmed me. “From what Council Member Levi and I were told, you showed incredible power the other day. Combined with the fact that you’re a white wolf, I think it’s clear you are a descendant of the Goddess, like myself and Ione. But a simple divinity test will prove it beyond doubt.”
“Okay,” I answered and looked at my father once more.
He nodded reassuringly, and Jackson latched onto our mother’s leg. I had yet to speak with her, but I saw in her eyes that she was dying to talk to me. And though I would have given anything to have been able to run to her, to have her tell me everything would be all right, right now, in front of Levi, I needed to appear in control.
I’d cry to my mother and allow her to curse me out for leaving later.
Elinor
“That’s all you did?”
I nodded as Levi looked at me skeptically. “Yes, I prayed to the Goddess. That’s all I did.”
“So you’re telling me that if I pray to the Goddess for power, I’ll receive it?”
“It’s highly unlikely since you’re not one of her descendants.” I hadn’t meant for the words to sound rude, but they did, all the same. And I couldn’t bring myself to care. “I assume my powers were awakened because of my divinity.”
“So, in other words, wolves without divinity can forget about the Goddess ever hearing their prayers?”
“That’s not what I said,” I answered as calmly as possible.
On the outside, I appeared calm, but on the inside, I was seething. As I’d explained the things had happened from the night Skye was taken until the night of the attack, Levi had done his best to twist every word I said.
We sat in silence for a moment until he glanced over at Faelen, then added, “Well, your divinity hasn’t been confirmed yet.”
I was getting tired of this whole thing, and so, apparently, was my mother. “Are you saying that you think my daughter isn’t a descendant of the Goddess?” she growled. “Do you think she got her power from something or someone else, then? And if it turns out that she doesn’t have divinity, what will happen to her?”
My mother looked fierce, the way she always did whenever she defended Jackson or me. However, Levi didn’t seem bothered as his yellow eyes fell on her. Nevertheless, she refused to back down and continued to hold his stare until he finally lowered his eyes.
“An alternative course of action will be taken—discreetly, of course. No harm would come to Elinor. But with the current state of things, Elinor being given power by anyone other than the Goddess is just one more problem we can’t afford.” He crossed his legs and took a sip of the water my mother had given him before he’d started this mockery of an interrogation.
“She’ll join me to meet the other Council Members in Romania, and the test will be done there,” he added.
He’s kidding, right?
“I’m not going to Romania,” I blurted out, and all eyes fell on me.
Levi’s eyes narrowed. “It wasn’t a request.”
“With all due respect, Council Member Levi, I don’t care. I’m not going to Romania.”
His mouth turned downward with disapproval, but that didn’t bother me in the least. There was no way I was going to Romania with this man. I could feel it, deep down, that he would do far more than just test for my divinity. For the Council and among many other species, women were viewed as somehow lesser.
The Enchanteds were a perfect example. Considering they were descendants of the Goddess and gifted with extraordinary powers, they should’ve been governing us all. Instead, they were under the Council’s thumb just like the rest of us. Perhaps even more than the rest of us.
“Your daughter, an Alpha-born female and a firstborn, lacks discipline, Alpha Grayson. That won’t stand. Our culture is built on respect.”
The audacity of this man is staggering!
“Our culture should be built on respect that’s mutual,” my mother argued, and Levi snorted. “I don’t approve of my daughter going to Romania, not with the threat we currently have knocking on our doors.”
“You and I go way back, Alpha Grayson. This isn’t the type of pack I thought you’d be leading.”
“What exactly did you expect, Levi? Weak wolves without an opinion? I agree with my Luna and my daughter. I’m not sending my firstborn to Romania to be poked and prodded—ever.”
I got to my feet at the same time my father did. He was an Alpha, and despite the fury in his eyes, he still had to respect the Council. But I didn’t.
“My father is a great Alpha, and despite your petty remarks to the contrary, I think you already know that. And if you think women are not worthy of your respect, that they shouldn’t have opinions of their own, you might as well just say so. But the way I see it, that’s your problem. In the Blackmoon Pack, we stand by each other, males and females alike. That’s how the Blackmoon Pack came to be one of the most respected, and that’s why we’ll stay that way.”
I glared at Levi, hoping something would get through to him. But it was obvious he wasn’t going to change. And he needed to know I wouldn’t either. “A woman who was like a second mother to me was murdered. My best friend was almost killed and is now scarred for life. Members of my pack were murdered before my eyes. I’m not going anywhere. I need to stay here and help my people. If you insist on testing me, do it here. If that’s not good enough for you, then too bad. My pack needs me, and I intend to be here for them.”
“That’s enough!” Levi roared as he got to his feet, his eyes changing to black as his voice thundered through the room.
My father quickly moved to my side, but despite the heavy weight of Levi’s dominance, I had no trouble standing my ground. Then I took a step forward, and a surge of power exploded within me as I called on my wolf. Judging by the way Levi stiffened, I knew he could sense the power flooding from me, and he realized it wasn’t something he wanted to tangle with.
“I won’t be silent when it comes to my own life. I never have been, and I never will be. I’m not disrespectful—I’m just deciding my own fate. I’m not anybody’s property, and I will have a say in what happens to me.” I quickly glanced at my father, who was looking at me with something like pride, and took a deep breath. Then I turned back to Levi. “You’re right, I’m an Alpha-born and a firstborn, and I was raised to be strong. A male wolf wouldn’t allow himself to be treated like this, and I won’t either. Just because I wear a dress, that doesn’t make me less entitled to respect. But if it makes you feel better, I could put on a pair of pants, too.”
I couldn’t stop the onslaught of power pulsating inside me. My body temperature increased, and I could feel my dress growing damp under my arms. “I might not be a Werewolf Guard, but I, along with two dark witches and two demons, was able to get information the Council couldn’t during the months of keeping this threat a secret.”
Levi’s ears turned red. “And your pack was found because of your recklessness, don’t you see that?” he argued. “Don’t judge the Council’s methods, child. You know nothing. Because you openly attacked them, they retaliated, and as a result, they attacked not just this pack, but also two others in their search for you.”
That news hit my heart like a hammer, shattering it. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palm, and Levi smiled villainously. He knew he’d struck a nerve.
I didn’t know what to do, what to say . . . so I simply let go. Both Levi and my father quickly stepped away from me as a lightning bolt flew from my right shoulder to strike the ground between Levi and me. I swallowed hard, a burning sensation blooming over my skin. I could feel
electricity surging through my body.
I wouldn’t listen to Levi. I wouldn’t let him blame me for this. If he had done his job right, he would have found these people long ago. If he’d been smarter, none of this would have happened.
Still, his comment about me being responsible for the attacks on two other packs stung more than I cared to think about, and they threw my power and control off-balance.
“Elinor . . .” My mother walked towards me.
Faelen, who’d remained silent all this time, didn’t move from her spot across the room . . . though the smallest hint of a smile was on her lips as she watched.
“Enough!”
My power vanished immediately as my father’s growl shook the windows and doors. I hung my head as my chest rose and fell rapidly. I squeezed my eyes shut, my body still buzzing with power.
“That’s enough,” he repeated calmly. “Council Member Levi, Elinor is my daughter, and therefore, my responsibility. Fighting among ourselves now will solve nothing.”
“She’s out of control,” Levi spat, and my father growled.
“Control can easily be learned. And there is no one more capable of doing it than Elinor. You see her as a potential threat, but she’s the most powerful one here. Faelen, can the divinity test be done here?”
“Yes, Alpha Grayson,” she answered.
I sat down, my legs growing weak.
“We will move the pack to a secret location. We don’t know if they will attack again, and we can’t risk that. We’ll conduct the test before moving,” my father said.
No one spoke as Levi sat down once more and the tension in the room subsided. “Fine, the test will be done here. But if Elinor loses control like that again, she’s leaving with me. End of discussion. Yes, she’s the most powerful one here, that’s clear. But without control, she’s a bigger threat than the resurrected supernaturals.”
“I apologize for my outburst,” I murmured, my eyes downcast. I wasn’t speaking to Levi, of course, but my father, and showing Levi that my father had control over his pack and his people in the process.