by Rachel Jonas
“Take my advice,” he went on, belching into his fist before continuing. “The main thing Evie needs from you right now is reassurance. Let her know you’re okay.”
Let her know I’m okay.
It seemed like a lie, but I saw the logic in it.
Our conversation came to a sudden halt when Dallas stood from his seat, eying the door when he spoke.
“Hold that thought.”
My eyes followed his and I watched as he crossed the bar, headed in the direction of the three who just entered—the Stokes boys, minus Nick. The dark uniforms they wore, similar to those that had been issued at the Damascus facility, were those of guards. The Council had most likely appointed them, or it was possible they volunteered.
My first encounter with this many members from their pack had been with mutts outside my home. Apparently, since then, there’d been another run-in I couldn’t recall. Evangeline named them among those who traveled to confront the Sovereign’s army alongside her. They risked their lives just like she had. All for the sake of rescuing me. Whether I liked it or not, it wasn’t lost on me that I was only here because of them.
Wasn’t lost on me that the same held true for Evangeline; they were the reason she was still alive.
As I watched from my seat, Dallas had begun making his way back to our booth, but not alone. The three who shadowed him all stared with weary expressions. There was no doubt they hadn’t forgotten the discord between their brother and I, and I could only guess they were leery about approaching the table.
“Thought it’d be cool if the fellas joined,” Dallas said, sliding into the half-circle booth we once occupied alone to make room for the others.
They hadn’t stopped eyeing me, and probably noted the difference in my scent. For all I knew, they were already aware of my … situation.
“Good to see you on your feet again,” the one with the glasses said, extending his hand. “Name’s Ben. Not sure if we ever got to meet properly.”
I stared at his hand lingering there a moment, maybe a little caught off guard by the kind gesture. After all … I was kinda responsible for their brother running off months ago. I’d also threatened his life so many times I lost count, but from what I could tell, the air between us was clear.
Except with the big, broody one, because his expression gave nothing away. I guessed he was their alpha.
“This is Richie,” Ben went on as he slid into the seat, “and Kyle.”
I nodded toward the two he introduced, keeping my eyes on Richie longer than the other.
“So … how’re you feeling. You know … with all the changes?” It was Ben who asked, but Kyle stared with the same curiosity. Surprisingly enough, there didn’t seem to be any malice behind the question.
I cleared my throat before answering. “As good as can be expected, I suppose.”
They nodded, seeming to understand it was kind of difficult to put into words. On the one hand, yes, I was happy to be alive. However, on the other, I was pissed my dragon, my true self, had been stolen from me.
“Well, it’s good to see you’re out and about,” Ben jumped in again with kind of a nervous energy, like he wanted to fill the dead air that nearly crept in.
“I’m guessing y’all are attending the meeting tomorrow night?” I turned toward Dallas when he asked. This was the first I heard of it.
The others nodded.
“Can’t afford to pass on the opportunity to be better informed,” Richie reasoned. “With things heating up like they are, it’s no wonder talk of evacuating the humans has gone from a far-off suggestion to something they’re thinking of bringing to a vote soon.”
My fist clinched, but I hid the tension as well as I could. Things were getting worse and it was likely all we knew was what the Council wanted us to know. The big picture was probably far grimmer than any of us realized.
“Between us, our patrols have gotten a lot more interesting.”
Dallas perked up when Kyle offered this new information. “How so?”
“Witches are being brought in from all over. Just the other day, I was sent to escort fifteen of them safely to the Elders’ chamber.”
“And, from what I overheard, communication has been cut off from the Council’s Canadian division because it’s rumored they’ve chosen to align with the Sovereign’s army,” Richie added. “Rumor also has it, many of the clans in that region are organizing to defect.”
It was insane to even fathom someone fighting in support of Sebastian’s continued reign. But, if I had to guess, those who aimed to uphold it were likely on the receiving end of some sort of shady backend deal—access to money and power the rest of the Council were denied.
After a brief lull in conversation, Ben spoke again. “Evie’s doing all right? I imagine she’s tired of people making a fuss over her by this point,” he chuckled.
“She’s learning to deal with it,” I answered, knowing he was right to assume she was sick of the special treatment, sick of the pressure her eventual title had placed on her head already.
That silence came again and I took it as a sign I was supposed to speak up, saying what I knew the guys at this table were owed.
“Thank you. All of you,” I stated. “Evangeline made it clear she couldn’t have gotten to me without your help.”
Each one nodded.
“No problem,” Kyle grinned. “Gave us a chance to give the Sovereign a taste of what he’s got coming to him.”
Kyle’s confidence was admirable, but a sneak attack on Sebastian was one thing, facing an army of bloodthirsty mutts with an order to kill … that was another.
“We mostly just distracted the soldiers,” Ben added modestly.
“Well, either way, I appreciate it. She wouldn’t have even gotten close if it hadn’t been for you all being there to help,” was the last I planned to say about it.
But then, something else came forth. Something that made the world stop spinning the moment it was uttered.
“Can’t believe she tried to go back.”
It was Ben again, thinking what he just shared was common knowledge, but when I glared at him across the table, I was pretty sure he knew that wasn’t the case.
“She tried to go back? When?” My hands quaked with rage.
A curious gaze around the table and I guessed Ben realized he shouldn’t have said so much.
Dallas scrubbed a hand down his face with a sigh. “Don’t get yourself worked up,” he stated, so calm it only pissed me off more.
“Why wasn’t I told?”
Dallas sighed again. “Because it was before you were awake, and it seemed like a moot point after that. Besides, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Evie’s proudest moment. Hilda and Elise ripped her a new one once I brought her back.”
I tried to steady the rapid breaths that puffed from my lungs.
“Why was she going back?” I couldn’t fathom a reason she’d put herself in harm’s way for a second time, and in this instance, she intended to set out without anyone’s help.
The blank expressions around the table nearly drove me crazy.
When my fist slammed down on the hard surface, some of the peripheral chatter ceased, meaning I had the attention of a few patrons, but I didn’t care. I wanted answers.
“Because she thought it might help.”
I shot Dallas a look, one I would’ve followed up with a chokehold to squeeze the answer out of him. Good thing for him I didn’t forget I no longer had the upper hand—my strength compared to his was almost laughable.
“She thought it might help what?” I seethed, hearing the question escape my gritted teeth.
Dallas wore a pleading look, like he wished I hadn’t backed him into a corner, but I needed to know. What reason did she possibly have for putting herself in danger?
“She did it to save you,” he finally explained, making my thoughts go singular when he did. “She thought she might be able to find and capture the witch who … changed you … and fix it.”
>
Fix me.
That’s what he really meant.
I said nothing, just let this new information sink in. Outbursts like this were exactly what I was afraid of. There was no telling how many times in the coming years she’d go on these excursions, all in the name of saving me.
I suddenly felt like I needed air.
No one followed when I stood from our table, keeping my eyes fixed on the door. I burst out into the night and knew I couldn’t continue on like this, as a human.
What no one seemed to realize was, with me stuck in this form, the Sovereign was no longer the biggest threat to Evangeline’s safety.
… I was.
Chapter Eleven
Evie
The sky dimmed to the perfect shade of royal blue. Soon, stars would dot the heavens and another beautiful evening would be ruined by clan drama.
Tonight’s event, a meeting with the Council to update us on the latest tidbits they saw fit to share. I believed, deep down, we all knew the details were being spoon-fed to us, but I could attest to their being a marginal increase when it came to trusting them. Yes, a bit more transparency would have been nice; however, I no longer doubted their intentions. They truly did have the clan’s best interest at heart, but simply didn’t trust their ability to process or apply deeper knowledge than what had been given.
Proving that, perhaps, the trust issue lie with the Council itself.
“Will it just be us tonight?” Elise asked, doing her best to pretend things were normal, when things were nowhere near that.
As I sat on the steps gazing out the front window, a witch howled just beneath the foyer, locked in a basement room I hadn’t even known existed just a day ago. It’d been built behind a false wall, some sort of safe room I guessed.
I did my best to ignore the wailing.
“Dallas said he’d be down in a bit,” I answered, leaving it at that.
Elise stared, but I wouldn’t dare meet her gaze. I knew what she was thinking, that I forgot to mention one other member of this household. Hilda would be staying behind to babysit our houseguest, but we definitely expected Liam to attend.
I couldn’t say for sure he didn’t plan to, but we barely said two words to one another when I came in from Beth’s. He greeted me, said he wasn’t feeling well, and then went to lie down. The one time I tried to check on him, he simply stated that he was fine, but never invited me in.
Elise gazed up the stairs, tension in her brow evident, although she tried masking it.
“Well, I suppose we’ll just bring him up to speed when we return.” She forced a smile and pivoted quickly, most likely to hide what I already knew.
She was worried about him.
After the drama with the witch the night before, he’d been different—quiet, distant. Toward us all. I was being patient, giving him space, but it wasn’t easy. I hated seeing him like this, hated knowing he didn’t feel whole. I wanted nothing more than to make it all go away, but as I found out on my failed attempt back to the U.P., this problem was bigger than me.
I followed Elise to the car and Dallas joined us shortly after. The ride to the library was mostly silent as two SUVs trailed us. I felt ridiculous having guards present wherever I went, especially having three stationed outside Beth’s when I stayed over. I wanted to protest, wanted to make a fuss about it being over the top … but I’d seen enough lately to know that wasn’t the case.
The dangers around us were real, and they were only closing in with each passing day.
The lot was full. Even more than usual. With all the new shifters, the chamber was sure to be packed to capacity, too. Looking around at how our numbers had increased, I stepped out and trailed behind Elise and Dallas. We entered through the back as usual and descended the long, stone staircase to the meeting hall.
I was right. There were bodies everywhere. Nearing a thousand, maybe surpassing it. What I always perceived to be wasted square footage had been put to good use tonight.
Even with so many in the space, it was still almost silent. That must have been protocol. Dragons, wolves, witches—every faction was represented, and from what I observed so far, all came in peace. I suppose in times like these, it’s easy for people to put their differences aside, putting their energy toward fighting their common enemy.
An enemy he certainly was.
The door behind the Elders’ table opened and the ritualistic entrance began—witches first, our local Elders next, followed by the visiting members of the Council. All filed in in a single line before dispersing to either their designated seats, or their posts against the back wall.
There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke. Baz stood after setting down a paper he glanced at when first entering the room.
“Good evening,” he began, the crowd echoing the greeting before he continued. “I would like to first state that I, as well as the other members of our sacred Council, have been quite pleased with the reception of our visiting shifters. You all have been quite gracious to make accommodations in your homes, in your businesses, and it goes without saying that your loyalty to Seaton Falls is greatly appreciated.”
There were a few muffled responses, all positive from what I could hear.
“Tonight’s meeting was called simply to keep you all abreast of the latest information.” He lowered his head for a moment, and although his face was hidden, I imagined a trace of remorse might have been found there with what he said next.
“We are aware that our lack of forthrightness in the recent past created more confusion and distress than we realized. For that reason, we are doing our best to share the knowledge we’ve been given, as we’ve been given it.”
That came as a surprise to me, and probably to everyone else as well. Especially if their impression of the governmental system of the lycan populace aligned with mine. I initially thought of them as being shady as heck, and probably corrupt to the core. However, as I stood here today, I realized I’d been wrong. They operated in secret for the most part, but only because that had been their way for so long. Now, as Baz prepared to share the latest news, it seemed a new day was dawning.
“Some of you may have already been informed that our Canadian constituents have decided it would not be in their best interest to stand against the Sovereign,” he expressed.
The crowd murmured amongst themselves, a blend of concerned whispers and contempt.
“However, it has been brought to our attention that the opinions held by many of the clan members are incongruent with their representative Council members,” he amended. “In which case, it would be ideal to offer asylum to these members in exchange for their willingness to contribute to our war efforts.”
I half expected to hear mumbling and complaints—about how crowded the city had already become, about how those who opened their homes wouldn’t put themselves out even more than they already had. But the clan surprised me. All around me, hands shot into the air, volunteers who still had additional space to offer, even if the additional space was their living room couch.
Their hearts were willing, and it spoke volumes about the heart of this community.
“Your kindness is admirable,” Baz said in response to the people’s eagerness. “While we will need your assistance, we’ve been exploring another option,” he went on. “It’s been discussed whether the time has come to evacuate the human populace from Seaton Falls, given our current status. In which case, those empty homes would serve as temporary residences for those in need.”
There was a hush over the crowd.
“This is our fight,” he explained bravely. “It would be remiss of us to put their lives in undue peril while it is within our power to ensure their safety.”
My heart raced as I listened, thinking of my parents, all too aware of how their living in this town had made them just as vulnerable as all the others. The Council’s decision to get them to safety was one I appreciated.
“While, ideally, this issue would be put to a vote, the
Council has chosen to act on our own authority. So, it is official; within seven days, the humans of Seaton Falls will be evacuated, sent to nearby cities under the guise of our dam being deemed unsafe. As far as they will know, the structure was found in violation of several safety codes, and is considered a threat to our residents per a recent inspection. Military barricades and qualified personnel will seal all roads leading into and out of Seaton Falls.”
Beside me, Elise and Dallas exchanged glances, and I crossed my arms over my chest, wishing Liam had been there. Having him close always made me feel safe, even when the world around me was shifting, changing … falling apart.
Baz took his seat again and the Chancellor closed out the meeting. There was a brief question and answer segment at the end, which the shifters seemed to appreciate, but the message was already quite clear.
War was upon us.
The meeting adjourned with so many feeling unsettled. Chilled air swept my face as Elise, Dallas, and I neared the car, neared the security detail we’d been assigned. Tired and anxious to get home to check on Liam, I only stopped because my name was called in a deep, familiar voice. One I hadn’t heard in weeks because I successfully avoided his calls.
I turned to find Nick headed my way, and he wasn’t alone. Roz stood beside him, her lips pressed into a tense smile. She still didn’t seem quite comfortable around me. I returned the gesture, making sure my smile was more natural than hers, warmer. She’d come around eventually.
Elise and Dallas had stopped as well, eyeing Nick as he approached.
“I’ll catch up in a sec,” I said dismissively, prompting them to continue on without me.
Just as Nick came close, I faced him again, noting how he and Roz had seemingly settled into their new status—their interlocked fingers telling me as much.
“What’s up?”
His question was so general, which I appreciated. It wouldn’t require me to go into detail about how my life felt like it’d been turned upside down recently.
I nodded, pretending to be okay. “Everything’s good,” I lied.