by K. C. Hamby
We walk to the exit and I nearly fall over when I remember something. “Wait,” I tell Nina and Ash, and wobble over to Damien’s body, scoop some blood in a Proof, and shove it in my pocket. I run back to Nina and kiss her lips.
Ash grabs Damien’s body and follows us out, pausing to glance at Invidia’s crumpled form against the wall. He shifts his dark, amber eyes to my face.
“I’ll get her—and everyone else—later.”
We walk out of the warehouse into the frosty night and away, finally, from this madness.
Chapter 37
The next day, after making sure Luna is okay—she only has a few aches, what a trooper—I leave Nina with Ash so I can turn in the Proof. It worries me, leaving her, but she’s powerful. She stopped me, Ash, Invidia, and Damien in our tracks with a scream. She’s a force to be reckoned with.
I get to the Complex and walk up to Cosma’s office, but I’m told to wait outside. I sit in one of the most uncomfortable chairs in the hall I thought was only for show. I’ve never had to wait to get into Cosma’s office. This is weird. My stomach turns with unease.
I wait nearly an hour before I’m summoned inside. I walk in with my head held high to find the room full of other Lupi; all assassins. All Alphas. So much power in one room is dizzying. I count them off and come to ten in all, not including Cosma who sits behind her desk, impassive.
Uh, this is beyond weird.
I walk confidently to Cosma’s desk and throw Damien’s Proof so it lands right in front of her. The corners of her lips tilt up, but only for a second. She smooths her face over with apathy.
“What’s going on?” I finally ask, peeved no one is saying anything. Cosma’s Beta, Bellona, moves to stand by her Alpha. She’s tall and imposing with an oval face and steely copper eyes. Her black hair is wound into uniformed dreads and pulled away from her caramel colored face. Her brows tilt down in anger and her eyes are stone cold.
Am I supposed to be afraid of a Beta?
Bellona throws a stack of pictures toward me and they land on the end of the desk, spreading slightly apart. My breath catches as I see the one on top.
It’s me and Nina, kissing at the poetry bar.
I pick the stack up and flip through them, becoming more horrified with each picture I see. Us walking together and holding hands; us asleep and cuddled in my bed at Ash’s house. The final one makes my skin crawl. It’s me on top of Nina, taken from the window looking in to the couch at her apartment. I’m kissing Nina’s neck and she’s arching her back, pushing closer to me.
We are both completely naked.
I’m mortified, but I’m also extremely wrathful. Invidia wanted to make sure I was killed either way. I wish I could kill her again. I would make it a lot slower and agonizing. I shove the last photo in my pocket and throw the rest back onto the desk. Clenching my jaw, I stare down Bellona, making her submit instantly. She growls low, seemingly in a warning.
Cosma nods to someone behind me and the door opens. I turn around and let out a ferocious snarl.
Four more Alphas drag in a cuffed Ash and Nina. Three are on Ash, holding him as he thrashes, attempting to yank away from his captors. Nina is accompanied by a small, female Alpha. She holds her head up high, but I can see in her glacier eyes she’s terrified. My knees weaken and nearly give out from under me. Nina and Ash are pushed and dragged next to the desk. Cosma clears her throat before I can yell and beat the shit out of everyone in this room.
“Falen Nyxine Thana and Ash Aeron Thana,” she announces and Ash’s captors drag him to stand beside me. I stare at him and he stares at me. We know what’s about to happen to us.
Someone from behind me yanks my arms backward and slaps cuffs on my wrists. Ash and I both glare at Cosma. “You have both been proven guilty of sharing classified information and associating yourselves with a human. Falen specifically is charged for having inappropriate relations with said human.” I try to yank free at my added sentence as Nina gazes at me, petrified. But, my captor holds steadfast, and keeps me in place.
“The penalty for all involved is death.” The last word chokes me like it’s a noose around my neck.
Nina will die too.
Nina will die too.
I thrash, fighting to get to Nina. The terror in her eyes slaps sense into me and reminds me I’m stronger than everyone here. I break free from the giant, Alpha male by headbutting him with the back of my head. He releases my arms and I break the cuffs from my wrists. I snarl and break the jaw of the next Alpha who tries to restrain me with a hard kick to the face.
“Enough!” I scream, rolling out as much of my Alpha power as possible when more Alphas come for me. Bellona immediately falls to her knees, unable to stand against my command. The Alphas freeze, shocked at how I’ve overpowered them all.
But, it’s only short lived. They all break free and use their combined Alpha strength to choke the air right out of me, forcing me to the ground and slamming my cheek against the hardwood. Ash soon follows, roaring against his captors.
Then, a scream. But, only, it’s not a scream. It’s in my head, drilling into my skull and paralyzing me. Everyone in the room drops to the floor, howling in torment, grabbing their heads and writhing in pain.
I look up and Nina stands tall, her nose pouring blood and her eyes clouded with determination. If I didn’t feel like my brains were going to be blown into tiny pieces, I would be proud.
I watch as her energy fades; her shoulders slump and eyes twitch. Her skin becomes impossibly pale and she sways on her feet. The hold she has on everyone vanishes and everyone cries with relief.
“Witch!” Cosma yells. “Restrain her!”
An Alpha picks himself off the ground and shoves Nina’s face to the hardwood. Tears pool under her cheek as she stares at me in absolute terror. Guns are loaded above us. Bullets click into their chambers. They are going to kill us right here, right now.
I have to do something.
“I’m Chosen,” I whisper to the floor.
“Fal, no,” Ash grits through his teeth. I watch as shadows on the floor point their guns at the back of our heads. I can’t let this happen.
“I’m Chosen!” I scream and fingers are removed from their triggers. Everyone in the room stops moving as I pant into the floor. Ash’s eyes are shocked and sad. “I’m Chosen and so is she.” I jerk my head in Nina’s direction. “Nina is Hecate’s Prophetess,” I breathe. “And my Mate.”
Nina watches me from her place on the floor. I have to save her. I can’t lose her again. I can’t lose Ash. I have to save all of us.
The room is silent except for mine, Ash, and Nina’s breathing against the floor.
“Check them,” Cosma commands and wheels around the desk. No one moves. “I said check them!” My shirt is yanked up to reveal my side and they do the same to Nina. I growl at the Alpha putting his hands on her. He turns and eyes me, terrified. He shows me his neck in submission, but I’m still fucking furious.
“Um, Ma’am?” the Alpha holding my shirt says. “They aren’t just Chosen.” His voice is nervous as Cosma wheels over to take a look herself. He jumps when Cosma gasps.
“Get them up, now!”
We are all yanked to our feet. They uncuff Ash and Nina and my wrists are released from three Alphas’ grips. I run over to Nina and stand protectively in front of her, snarling at all of the Lupi in the room. They all submit. Every. Single. One of them.
“Falen,” Cosma addresses me with a wavering voice. I glare down at her, waiting. “I’m so sorry about this. Everything has changed now.” I growl.
“And why is that?”
“Because both of you aren’t just Chosen and Mated. You are Predestined.” Discovery lights up her eyes.
My face drains of blood and I push myself closer to Nina, wondering if we would be better off dead.
Acknowledgements
I have to say, the writing of my first actual book was a severe pain in my ass. But I loved every second of it.
I could have never done it without my amazing wife who sat up with me for hours, listening to the story, adding in some advice.
By the way, Nathan was her idea.
She stuck by this story when I wanted to throw it in the trash at least once a week and pushed me to keep going when all I wanted to do was eat brownies and sleep instead. She’s my rock through everything. Like, ever.
My parents and brother are super awesome too, always letting me know they were proud of me when I would give half-assed updates on my progress. I love you guys.
To everyone else who believed in me and all that mushy mess, thank you.
Alternatively, to everyone who said writing isn’t hard, sit on a cactus.
XO,
K.C. Hamby