by Martha Woods
“Go ahead.”
Michael nudged Liam and pushed closer to the bed. “Sky, you need to wake up,” he ordered and reached out and slapped his hand across her cheek.
Liam’s wolf roared to life and fought to emerge. It took every ounce of strength he had to keep the animal at bay. Unfortunately, Michael’s tactic didn’t work. Skylar remained in the same position.
“I’ll get the pack doctor. Stay with her. I’ll be back in a few.” He stood and shifted before he made it out his mother’s bedroom door.
“No, we need to take her to a hospital. She isn’t a shifter. There’s nothing the pack doctor can do for her.” He would never say it to his mother, but he didn’t trust the strange shaman they’d used for as long as he could remember. He wanted his mate at the hospital. The equipment they had to examine her was much better than the ancient practices of the shaman.
A light touch on his shoulder grabbed his attention. He turned his hand to see his mother’s pale, boney fingers lying against his golden flesh. “There isn’t time. If something is serious, the shaman will help.”
“What if he can’t, Mom? What if she dies?” His voice cracked and moisture pooled in his eyes.
“Skylar is a fighter. Have faith, son.” She squeezed his shoulder before she pulled it away.
If you hadn’t left her alone last night, our mate would be safe.
His wolf didn’t know when to shut the hell up. Instead of responding to the furry beast, he ignored him. He didn’t have time to worry about this machoism shit right now. “Please wake up, Sky.” He draped his arms across her stomach and dropped his head against her warm skin.
“Move out of the way. I need a chance to examine her,” the shaman said as she shuffled into the room.
Liam raised his head and stood as he observed the pack equivalent of a doctor. The man’s gray hair stood out in all directions and his eyelids drooped. “Are you up to this? I can take her into Boulder Junction.”
The elder waved him aside. “Nonsense. Let me examine her.”
Liam stepped away from the bed and gave the man room to perform his duties. As he watched each move the doctor made, Michael stepped beside him and squeezed his shoulder. “I know you don’t believe in ancient therapy, but he knows what he’s doing. Have faith, Liam.”
What was it with his family telling him to have faith? Instead of saying anything, he remained quiet and watched. To his surprise, the elderly man grabbed a stick from his bag and began to wave it over Skylar. As the wood was passing over her chest, he jumped back. “Magic. Someone is controlling her with magic. To stop the convulsions, you must sever whatever ties the human to magic.”
“Witches.” Liam growled and moved closer to Sky.
“If the girl wishes, she can break the spell, but it will be tough. I recommend you sit with her and talk to her. Urge her to break the bond.”
“Thanks for coming. I’ll show you out,” Michael said.
“Boy, I’ve been in this house more times than I can count. I know my way out,” the old man scolded. “But, if you want to mix me a drink, I’ll gladly accept.” He laughed, his voice cackling.
Liam ignored his brother and the man. At this point, he’d do whatever he can to bring her back to him. As her body continued to shake, he was soothed and whispered words of encouragement to her. He urged her to find the magical ties and break them. As time passed, he repeated the words and forgot about his mother and everyone else. It wasn’t until Leah spoke that he realized he was still in her bedroom.
“Liam, the convulsing is easing. Keep encouraging her,” Leah whispered.
He studied his mate. His mother was right. The shaking wasn’t as bad as it was earlier. Liam took Sky’s hand into his and stroked his thumb along the smooth skin along the top of her hand. He continued his murmurs closer to her ear, pausing to press his lips to her cheek. When he pulled them away, he whispered, “I love you. Come back to me.”
Without warning, Skylar stilled. Liam moved back and gazed down as her eyes fluttered.
“Sky?” he asked as his thumb ceased caressing her hand. “Are you awake?”
Skylar turned her head toward the sound of his voice, and her eyes opened. “What’s wrong? Why do you look so worried?” she asked, her voice crackled.
Liam dropped her hand and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. The worry he felt earlier was nothing compared to the relief he felt now. “Baby, you’re back.” He buried his nose into the crook of her neck.
“I haven’t been anywhere. What’s wrong, Liam?” she asked.
He pulled back far enough to look her in the eyes. “Someone was controlling you with magic. You’ve been unconscious and unresponsive for hours. Mom called for me this morning when you started convulsing. It’s been happening for hours. What do you remember?” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead before he pulled back again, keeping her in his embrace.
“Magic?” she asked and narrowed her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she whispered, “The dreams are real.”
“Dreams?” Liam asked.
“The nightmares. Farah’s been reaching out to me through my dreams.” Skylar pulled from his grasp and sat up, turning so her legs dangled over the edge.
“Skylar, I—“
“Liam, I know it’s her. She’s been trying to show me where she is. My dream last night was clear. I remember everything. The people holding her want her. She’s important to them, but they’d rather see her dead than set her free. They’ve tortured her over and over,” she said, her voice broke and tears filled her eyes.
“It was a dream. You have nothing to worry about,” Liam assured her and reached out to her, but she shrugged off his touch.
“It wasn’t just a dream. Farah’s in trouble, and I know where she is. I saw it tonight. There’s a place in the forest, but we can’t see it. They’ve enchanted it, and Farah told me it requires a special magic to enter. She said other witches will know what needs to be done.”
“There won’t be other witches. Skylar, I’ve—“
Leah interrupted him, “I’ve been through, across, and over every inch of this forest many times. There is not a part of it that’s enchanted.” Leah’s frail hand patted Sky’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Leah, but you’re wrong. I know there is. I’ve seen it. Farah was talking to me.” She stood, but Liam reached out and grasped her arms, pushing her back onto the bed.
“You need rest, Sky. After you sleep, we can discuss this further.” He couldn’t understand why she was so insistent. Whatever magic that held her must have messed with her mind.
“No, we won’t discuss this after. I won’t sleep.” She shrugged out of his grasp and stood once more. As he reached for her again, she maneuvered away from him and raced from the room.
Liam blew out a frustrated sigh before he turned to his mom and said, “You look tired. Will you rest? I’ll talk to her.”
“I am tired.” She yawned and leaned back, allowing her head to rest against the pillow. “Liam, if magic held her while she slept, perhaps what she said is true. Listen to her.” She closed her eyes.
“I will. Rest well, Mom.” He bent over and kissed her forehead before he pulled the blanket over her frail body and tucked it around her. Before he finished soft snores emitted from the future Lady of the Pack. With a final glance at her, he turned and stalked from the room in search of Skylar.
* * *
Skylar yanked her shirt over her head and tossed it into the hamper. She couldn’t believe Liam and Leah dismissed her as easily as they had. Yes, she hadn’t known them long, but she’d known them long enough for them to know she wouldn’t lie. As she selected a t-shirt from the closet, Liam entered the bedroom and closed the door. She pulled the coral, cotton material over her head and faced him.
“Liam, I love you, but if you’re here to tell me I’m wrong, save it. I know here,”—she patted her hand over her heart “that Farah was showing me where she is.” She moved her hand from her chest and placed
it on her hip.
“I won’t say you’re wrong. I’m here to listen. Tell me about your dream.” He crossed the small space and sat on the edge of the bed. When he held his hand out to her, she took it and allowed him to pull her to him.
She sat next to him, her hand still in his, and recalled her dream.
As Skylar closed her red, swollen eyes, the dream rushed to her, and somehow, she was aware it was a dream. Instead of the nightmares, she’d been having, this one was calm…peaceful.
The sounds of the forest animals surrounded her, and a cool breeze blew through the leafless trees. Ever deceiving this time of year, the bright sunrays shown through the branches. There was no warmth, but the temperature wasn’t something she worried about.
As if something called to her, she spun around and faced the opposite direction. This was the way she was to go. When she stepped forward, Farah appeared beside her. The sudden appearance didn’t startle her. No, the woman’s presence calmed her.
“Skylar, my sweet child. I’ve tried for days to push through and reach you, but my captors keep a close watch over me.”
“Farah, I’m so happy to see you. I—“
“Enough child. I need you to listen because I don’t have much time. I’ll show you how to find the place they’re keeping me. You, Liam, the wolves, the good witches, and the hunters need to come for me together. Do not risk coming alone. It will take all of you together to defeat this evil. Do you understand?” Farah asked as they strode deeper into the forest.
“Yes, I understand,” she said as she took in her surroundings. The farther they walked, the darker the woods became. It was no longer the peaceful, beautiful area she’d first arrived in. Instead, it was more menacing.
“Good. I’m keeping them at bay the best I can, but they know I’m in touch with someone. Let’s hurry, child.” The older woman hurried ahead, and despite their difference in age, Skylar struggled to keep up. “Hurry.”
“I’m going as fast as I can.” Skylar quickened her pace and failed to notice anything around them other than the darkening sky. The rays of sun began to disappear, and the chill from the wind increased, causing her to shiver.
“We’re here.” Farah stopped and pointed to her right. “Do you see the large tree? The one that looks someone cut out a hole in the middle of the trunk?”
“Y…yes.” Skylar studied the massive tree and shivered uncontrollably. The roots protruding from the ground were as large as her thigh, and the bottom of the trunk was at least ten feet in diameter. As her eyes traveled up the rugged, gray bark, her eyes struggled when she reached the hole. “W…wh…what caused the hole?” She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to warm her freezing body.
“Witches. It’s the mark of witches. They can live within the boundaries of the tree without others finding them. The reason is unknown to others. Don’t forget you must find the good witches and convince them to help you and the wolves. You’ll also need the aid of the hunters. All three groups must work together. It’s important for all of our survival.”
“I…I’ll…f…find them.”
Farah’s head whipped to the left, and she held a hand up to silence Skylar. The animals that greeted her when she arrived quieted, too. Nothing moved for the next few seconds, including the cold wind. Without warning, Farah turned to her and yelled, “Run! Don’t stop until you wake. I’ll hold them as long as I can. Run, child!”
Skylar didn’t want to leave Farah. She’d lost her once, but the wind pushed her in the direction they’d come. It wrapped around her body, tugging and pulling her away from the witch. She turned her head and watched as the woman grew smaller and smaller until she was, at last, out of sight.
Long after Farah vanished from her vision, Skylar found herself running still. But instead of the wind helping her add distance between her and Farah, now it fought against her. The brown, lifeless leaves on the ground swirled about her. At times, they were so thick, it was almost like they built a wall around her. She didn’t know how long this lasted, but she never once stopped. She didn’t even think of halting. Farah told her to run until she woke, and that’s what she did.
She fought her way through the dream, and she began to think she wouldn’t wake. However, when she heard Liam’s voice whisper through the wind, she found the energy and fight within. She pushed herself to find the source of the whisper because she knew when she found it, she’d wake. As Liam’s voice grew louder, the freezing cold that overtook her body when she was with Farah thawed. For the first time in hours, she felt the warmth. The warmth from the wind. The warmth from the sparse rays of sunlight. The warmth from the hope she’d find her love.
A warm, tropical-like wind encompassed her when she heard him say, “I love you. Come back to me.”
“That’s when I woke,” Skylar finished and focused on his green eyes.
“I know the tree you’re referring to.” Liam pulled her to him and hugged her against his muscular body.
“Liam, I think it’s the evil witch coven who burned the house down and abducted Farah.” She pulled back a little and arched her eyebrows. “We need to find the other witches she referred to.” She stood and moved from his embrace when dizziness overtook her, causing her to stumble.
“We aren’t doing anything right now.” Liam jumped up and steadied her. “You’re going to crawl back into bed and rest.”
“I’m fine, Liam. I’m sure it’s just a side effect of such an intense dream. I need food, and I’ll be fine.” She smiled at him and rubbed her hands across his muscular chest.
“Remember our promise. No lies.”
“I remember. Never again.”
* * *
After lunch, Skylar washed the dishes and checked in on Leah. When she opened the door, she watched the slow rise and fall of the woman’s chest. She wished there was something she could do to help her…to keep her alive. She’d only known her a short time, but she’d grown quite fond of the woman. She reminded her of her own mother. Tears filled her eyes, but she knew what she felt was nothing compared to what Liam would feel when Leah eventually passed away. Her death would devastate the alpha and the pack.
She pulled the door closed and walked over to the couch, sinking down into the worn cushions and pulling her knees to her chest. As she thought about the events since their return from Paris, she couldn’t believe so much had happened. The house fire and Farah’s disappearance. The death of Liam’s dad. Lucas’ cabin and him vanishing. Even Cayden’s capture and torture. All these people were supernatural and had uncanny strength. If she found herself in a predicament, there’s no way she could defend herself against a wolf or witch.
Despite spending the majority of her life on the run with her mother and learning how to slip away unnoticed, being stealthy wouldn’t help her if it came down to a physical confrontation. No, she needed to learn how to use weapons. She needed to be able to defend herself in order to survive.
The front door swung open and Liam stepped over the threshold. She looked up at his massive size. Yes, she needed to train. “I want you to teach me to defend myself,” she blurted and wrapped her arms around her knees.
“What? Did something happen while I was out?” he asked and crossed the space, sinking onto the couch beside her.
“No, but with everything that’s happened, I think it would be beneficial if I knew self-defense.”
“Sky, I’ll protect you. You don’t need to worry about any of that.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
She dropped her hands from her knees and stood. “Liam, you won’t always be around. Between the pack and your business, I’m bound to be alone some. We’ve seen how things happen around here. Take Lucas, for example. There was some sort of fight. Yet, no one saw or heard anything. That could easily happen to me. Teach me? Please?”
“I won’t. I refuse to do anything that will put you in harm’s way.” He blew out a frustrated sigh, but his face was stern.
How could he not see her side? By not
training her, he was putting her in more harm than not. “Liam, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard you say.” She toyed with the necklace Farah gave her. “You refusing to teach me is putting me in harm’s way. It’s not like I’ll go out and look for a fight, but if something happened, I’d like to know I could at least take care of myself.” She knelt before him, placing her hands on his knee.
“No.”
She narrowed her eyes. “As the future Lady of the Pack, I need to be able to defend our people. How can I do that if I can’t protect myself?”
“Future Lady? Did you really just say that?”
Skylar laughed and stood. She paced the room. “Yes, I said that. Do you have a problem with it? Are you too big a chicken to ask me to marry you?”
Liam growled and leaped off the couch toward her, barely missing.
Skylar laughed and ran toward the bedroom they shared. When she turned around, he was right in front of her.
“So, are you a chicken, Mr. Conway?” She narrowed her eyes and grinned at him.
“No, I’m anything but a chicken.” He reached out and grasped her coral shirt, ripping it from her body. “I want you, Sky. There’s nothing I want more than to have my cock inside you right this minute.”
She stood in front of him in her bra and jeans. When she reached down and unclasped the front snap on her bra, Liam’s eyes focused on her exposed breasts. “I guess this doesn’t help, huh?” She smiled at him.
“They make me want you more.” He reached out and cupped her curves, running the pads of his thumbs over their peaks.
Chills covered her body, and she stepped closer to him. The feel of his warm hands against her exposed flesh caused her core to tingle. “What’s stopping you from fucking me?” She ran her tongue along her lower lip as she stroked her hand over his shaft through his pants.
“Nothing’s stopping me.” He traced his fingers over her breasts and down her stomach, stopping when they touched the button on her pants. With one swift movement, he tore them open, causing the metal button to pop off and zipper to open. When he pushed her pants from her hips, he growled and lowered himself with them. As he traced his tongue over her hip, she wound her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer to her body.