by N. R. Larry
At the end of my speech, I let my power rip away from my body. The monitors shattered, and the floor began to quake. I was going to take the world apart brick by brick, starting with that house.
Chapter 19
As soon as I stepped out into the hall, officers pounded toward me. It was almost too easy to strip away their weapons and force them into a magical sleep. I stepped over their bodies, Dorothy still floating next to me in butterfly form.
“Take me to Ty,” I said before I realized she probably couldn’t hear. Still, she fluttered off, and I followed her around a corner, and to another door that looked like the one they put me behind.
I waved my hand at it, and it crashed to the ground. Ty, dressed only in ripped jeans, turned and stared at me. The tension leaked out of his face, and he rushed forward.
“Thank, God.” He swept me up into his arms.
I pulled away from him. “We have to celebrate later,’ I said, darting my gaze around. It was too quiet. “We have to get out of here. Get to the camps before they kill all those people.”
Ty nodded. “I know where the others are.”
I followed him toward the back of the house, and out the back door. I crossed the lawn, still darting my gaze in every direction, expecting the mayor’s witches to strike, or his shifter army to come down on us. I followed Ty down into a storm shelter.
My heart felt lighter as soon as my gaze rested on them. “Katie.” I rushed forward, waved a hand over her cuffs and chains to release her.
“Lawrence?” she said in a tight voice. She slumped over into my arms and held on tight. “Oh, Gaia. I’m so sorry, this whole mess is my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten caught. I’m so, so sorry.”
“Sh.” I stroked her hair. “Don’t be silly. I shouldn’t have failed to get you back.” I looked over to Zed, who’s gray eyes always filled me with warmth. I waved a hand at his chains, freeing him too.
He half smiled. “It’s about time, boss. These white people were about to kill us.”
I laughed. That was Zed, tall, lanky, and always with inappropriate, comedic timing. “I won’t let it happen again.”
I rushed to help Ty free the rest of them, including the guard we captured when he freed me from Camp D. Adrian and Sylvia were the only ones not there—not that I was surprised.
“The Underground was compromised,” I muttered to Katie when they were all freed and we headed toward the exit. “I don’t know where the others are. I need someone to…” I ran right into Ty, who had stopped on the middle of the steps. Gazing up, I saw why.
Alpha was blocking our entrance, an army of wolves at his back.
“Son,” he said over the growling chorus behind him. “I thought we both agreed you were to stay out of this.”
* * *
I, like everyone around me, froze. I darted my gaze around, trying to figure out who Alpha was talking to. His gaze was locked on Ty.
I shook my head. That couldn’t be right.
Ty narrowed his eyes. “I had a change of heart, James.”
Alpha, or James, laughed, and I was relieved I could at least stop thinking of him by that silly name. “Well, that won’t do.” His gaze cut to me as he clicked his tongue. “And you, I thought we had an understanding.”
I shrugged, silently funneling magic into my right palm. “What can I say, I get indecisive during my time of the month.”
He laughed and nodded his head toward my hand. “I don’t think you’ll find me as easy to take down as the mayor, or those officers back there.”
I smiled. “Won’t know until I try.”
“That would be most unfortunate.” His gaze cut back to Ty. “I see, you’ve met my son.”
My gaze flickered to Ty, who was in such a rage his entire body was shaking. I opened my mouth, but couldn’t think of a response.
“Oh, that’s right. He cut ties with me long ago, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s still my boy.”
My gaze was still on Ty, waiting for him to speak. He didn’t. The wolves started to move forward. I threw up a shield around my friends. “This isn’t going to end the way you think,” I said to James, the effort of holding a shield up making me sweat.
He laughed. “Well, an order was given to kill all those innocent people because of your stunt, and you won’t be leaving this shelter alive.”
Finally, Ty scoffed. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” he said. “You think I didn’t know you’d try to use those people against her?” He smiled. “Or did you think it a coincidence I didn’t bring my whole pack with me?”
I could have kissed him, but I was too busy shielding my people. I was even starting to think of the shifters as my people.
James kind of snarled, and then brought out a walkie talkie. “Status report. Camp D.”
There was only a crackle.
“Status report,” he repeated.
More white noise.
Ty smiled as he nodded toward officer Brandy. “The codes were really easy to get, once I gave the proper incentive.”
James’ expression went still. For a second, I thought he had succumbed to his anger, and I might have a chance to take him out, when his gaze snapped to mine, almost as if he sensed himself in my thoughts.
“I’m about to be the least of your problems, witch.” He turned back to Ty, but he was still speaking to me. “I’m sure you know how shifting works, girl. But do you know how a natural pack works?”
I looked from him to Ty, who had gone pale. “I don’t understand.”
Unlike Eugene, James didn’t try to hide his cruelty for a second. “I’m sure you don’t.” He laughed, his eyes still on Ty. “Son, you probably should have warned her.”
Ty shook his head. “Don’t. Don’t do this.”
“If I let you get away with this, how will you learn to keep your word?”
What happened next sucked the fight out of me.
James whistled and Ty jolted on his feet like an electric charge was running through him. A familiar ripple touched his skin.
“Answer my call, son,” James said in a pleased voice. “Answer my call and kill this witch.”
My mouth fell open. I don’t even remember what I was about to say. I stared at Ty as he gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to shift. “Please,” he pleaded. “Don’t—” his next words were swallowed as his bones shifted and cracked.
His head twisted toward me, his features already more animal like. “Don’t. You hesitate. Lawrence.” He panted. “You fucking kill me where I stand.”
I was frozen with confusion. Before I knew it, he let out a howl of pain that made me wince and turn away. When I turned back, he was on all fours, his yellow eyes trained on me, his teeth bared.
Chapter 20
I was in the middle of the storm and didn’t even know it. My mind blanked as chaos broke out all around me. I was pushed up out of the shelter and into the yard. It had started to drizzle, and I was in the center of a circle of bodies, dumb as a toy doll.
The wet crack of bones exploded in my ears, followed by a series of grunts. It took me longer than it should have to realize I was in the middle of six black panthers.
My senses began to return to me. There was a blur of movement in the distance. I narrowed my eyes. James, or Alpha, was walking away. He looked back, and even from here, I could make out the smile on his face. He stepped into a long, black car. Tires screeched into the night.
I thought for a moment I would follow him, when a yelp of pain drew my attention back. Ty was pawing at the grass, bent over a crumbled figure with only three limbs.
Cody.
Rushing forward, I tossed a bolt of telekinesis at Ty. He flew back, only to land gracefully on all fours. Keeping my eyes on him, I crept toward Cody. He whimpered, obviously in pain, but alive and relatively unhurt, as far as I could tell.
With a sharp breath, I snapped my gaze over to Ty. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I sho
uted.
He growled again and lunged at me. A streak of black crossed in the air between us. Another panther grabbed him by the neck and tossed him to the edge of the yard. For a long while, they were a storm of bodies. Then there was a pained yelp.
The movement stopped.
I blinked at the panther’s body on the ground. Its form shook until she was once again human. I recognized her young face from my brief stay at the camp. I didn’t know her name, and now she was dead, protecting me from her leader.
I turned to Ty as he prowled toward me.
“You killed her,” I said dumbly, blinking at him. “You killed her.” I shook my head, as if the action could erase the reality of her dead body from existence.
His gaze was trained on me, unblinking. I didn’t recognize him. Before, even in his animal form, I could see him behind those yellow eyes. Now all that was in front of me was a hunter.
And there was no doubt that he wanted to kill me.
“Please,” I cried as he came nearer. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” The remaining panthers cut off his advance. He bared his teeth at them. “”Stop this, all of you. You all have to get out of here.”
“They can’t,” a soft, low voice said from behind me.
I turned to find Mrs. Sophie. She was leaning against her walking stick, looking as calm as someone enjoying a walk in the park.
“He told them to protect you should this happen.” She shook her head. “He told me to stay behind, but like hell.”
“What’s going on?”
She smiled. “A pack always has to obey their alpha, child. Always.” And with that, she struck the ground with her walking stick.
Everything seemed to freeze as magic rippled out and away from her cane. I squinted against the sudden lift of the wind.
“Let’s see if this girl has one last shift in her.”
My mouth opened to stop her, but it was too late. Her old bones creaked like the hinges in an old house, and she began to vibrate so quickly, she became a blur. Some kind of mist surrounded her, it seemed to seep into my bones, freezing me in place.
When it cleared, Mrs. Sophie was gone. Somewhere close, there was a wet cough. Then another. Then a long, pained groaned. Something slithered across my feet. I jumped back. Moments later, there was a howl of pain. I glanced up at something black streaking across my vision.
Pain tore into my face as Ty’s claws ripped into my flesh. I fell onto my back, looking up at him in panic. Saliva dripped from his jowls and onto my bottom lip.
“Air,” I whispered, turning my head to the side. “Come to me.”
Ty struck as a gust of wind came and swept him away. He went tumbling through the yard. I backed away, using my elbows to propel myself backward. All around me, people swept past, running toward the house.
“Come on,” Cody muttered from out of nowhere. He grabbed me by the arm and jerked me to my feet. I ran after him into the mayor’s house. He slammed the back door shut and secured the lock.
“What the hell is going on?” I screamed.
“Where is she?” Cody muttered, staring out the window next to the door. “Dammit, where is she?”
“Where is who?” I asked, trying to ignore the group of naked shifters all around me. The pain in my face was almost unbearable. It made me dizzy.
“Mrs. Sophie.” Cody’s gaze cut to me. “She’s the only one that could have pulled us out of animal form.” His face blanched. “Oh, no.”
“What? What is it?” I swayed on my feet, and someone came to catch me. Then they led me to the kitchen island counter. I realized it was Katie.
The lock clicked and the door banged open against the wall. I tried to get up and follow Cody back outside, but Katie pushed me back down.
“I need to tend to that wound, Lawrence,” she said.
“Wound?” I asked in confusion. “Wha—”
Cody came back into the room, cutting off the rest of my sentence. He carried a pale Mrs.Sophie in his arms. He rushed into another room and returned with a blanket to cover her up. He started fussing over her, but she had enough strength to crack him across the knuckles of his remaining hand with her walking stick.
“Leave me be, boy. I’m fine.” Her gaze rolled over to me. “You can finish that later, young woman.”
It took me a minute to realize she was talking to Katie, who was cleaning the throbbing cut on my face. Everything was happening so fast I felt like I was only seeing parts of the picture.
“I need to be alone with Lawrence, while there’s still time.”
“But Sophie…”
She cut off Cody’s protest with a hard stare. He paled and backed away.
“Someone go out there and sit with Ty. The rest of you leave us.”
They did as she said. I sat there, blinking, unable to process anything that was happening.
“Would you mind making a dying woman a cup of tea. Green, the way I like it.”
I blinked at her and then nodded. “Yes, of course.” I started to get up, but she reached out and grabbed my arm.
“I like to see the magic. Would you do it that way?”
I blinked again. “Wait.” Her words finally caught up to me. “Did you say you’re dying?”
She smiled, patient and stoic. “The tea, Lawrence. While there’s still time.”
Shaking, I settled back into my chair and waved my hand at the cabinets. A tea service zipped to the island counter and set itself up.
Sophie smiled. “Almost like being in a damned Disney movie. You remember those?”
I shook my head dumbly. Then I waved my hands over the cups. They filled with dark, steaming tea.
“Ah.” Sophie picked up her cup and took a long sip. Her eyes fell closed. “Perfect.”
I stared at her for several long moments as she enjoyed her tea. Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Please. Tell me what’s going on.”
Her eyes opened and she sighed. “We’re always in such a hurry to get to the bad news.” She took another sip. “But I suppose you’re right. We are out of time.”
“Out of time for what?” I asked, desperation making my voice whiny. “What’s happening?”
“Ty-Von and his father parted ways some time ago.” Sophie began between sips of tea. “James is a powerful shifter, perhaps one of the most powerful in the world. When the Party came into power, he was recruited to work security for the mayor. In exchange, he got all of the perks the pure race enjoys to this day.” She sighed. “For a while, Ty went along with him.”
My heart fell. Something must have shown up on my face, because she shook a finger at me. “Don’t be so quick to judge. He was scared, and pack ties are almost impossible to break.”
“I wasn’t… I’m …”
She held up her hand. “There isn’t time. Just listen to me, girl.” She took another sip. “Working for the mayor broke Ty down. In those days, there was still a tenderness in James. He let the boy go under the condition that he not interfere with his work. Ty went out into the world and found a pack of disorganized shifters, became their leader.” She sighed. “But he’s not a natural alpha, you see, because a natural alpha answers to no man. Ty answers to his father.”
Dread twisted knots into my stomach.
“And his father has ordered him to kill you.”
I blanked.
“And until he does as he has been ordered to do, he won’t be able to do anything else.” There was a sad glint in her eyes. “That means, girl. His only living purpose is to destroy you.”
I heard the words as they left her lips, but they didn’t quite land. I couldn’t accept them. I shook my head. “There has to be a way…”
She shook her head. “The only way for him to be free of that command is if James releases him.” She coughed up a dark laugh and set her cup down. “Or if James dies.”
I stared above her head, wishing I could be anywhere this reality wasn’t.
<
br /> “I’ve given you some time. I poisoned him. He’ll have to deal with that first.” She snapped her fingers in front of my face. “But what this means, is the world is against you girl. The pack will follow Ty. The Party is after you. You have to run. You have to prepare to fight.”
I shook my head. “No, not without Ty.”
She snapped her fingers again. “This isn’t the time for wishes. The only way you’ll be able to see him again is if you’re prepared to kill him.” Again, the sad expression in her eyes. “And if he kills you… Well, that’s something he won’t be able to come back from. You can’t allow it to happen. The world needs you.”
I opened my mouth, tears spilling down my cheeks. “But I need him.”
She clasped my hand. “I know you do. I felt it in you when we first met.”
I sniffled. “Wait, what was that about you dying?”
She smiled. “That was my last shift, Lawrence. I have a bad heart. I found out long ago that if I ever shifted again, it would be the last thing I did.”
Her words wrapped me in a wave of emotion. I couldn’t take it. I didn’t want to sit up anymore. I wanted to crawl away, dig a hole, and hide in it. My body broke down into a series of trembles, and then I started bawling.
“No, no, no,” Sophie said, standing up and hobbling over to me. She wrapped me in her embrace. “Don’t give me this shit, Lawrence. I knew what I was doing. I knew if I didn’t, Ty would kill you because he couldn’t help himself, and you lacked the understanding to stop him.” She pulled me closer. I wanted to stop crying, to be as strong as her, but I wet the blanket covering her in my tears anyway.
“I’m going to give you another five seconds, and then you have to pull yourself together.”
Another sob burst out of my chest. I clung to her.
“One,” she whispered.
“I can’t do this.” I cried.