by C. Larsen
"Thank God he got away," she says. "He must be so worried about me..."
"Ethan's smart. They'll come up with a plan." I don't know if I'm trying to reassure her or myself.
A scuffling sound down the hallway grabs my attention. Four huge wolves and one smaller one burst through the door, nails clicking on the concrete. Low snarls and panting fill the room. They stalk forward, pinning me with five sets of golden eyes. All of the wolves are injured in some way. All except Max. Grant's wolf’s coloring matches his son's almost exactly, the only difference between them is their size and the long claw marks slashing across Grant's chest. Isabel's fur is matted on the side with dried blood. Miles has blood on his muzzle, and I wonder if he's the one who took a chunk out of Isabel.
The largest of them, the one with pure black fur, takes the lead, teeth pulled back. Three inch fangs drip with saliva. Savage growls rumble deep in his chest.
"Gray..."
His eyes hold no recognition. Cold and empty, he stares at me as if I'm a stranger. No. Worse than that. As if I'm the enemy.
"Gray," I try again. "It's me, Emerson."
A snarl tears up his throat and he lunges, teeth snapping inches from my face.
"Gray! Solnyshko! It's me. Snap out of it! You know me! You don't want to hurt me."
"On the contrary." Gabriella swishes into the room, her long hair swept up off her shoulders, making her thin face look even more severe. "He wants what I want." A small motion with her hand has Gray lunging at me again. This time, his teeth graze my arm, cutting a long gash in my shirt sleeve. Blood quickly soaks into the shredded fabric, a smear of it on his muzzle. His tongue flicks out, tasting it, and his eyes turn hungry.
"Cooperate, and I’ll keep him in line. Fight us, and I'll let him tear you apart."
Part of me refuses to believe that Gray would seriously harm me, even with Gabriella controlling him. I want to believe that his feelings for me are strong enough to fight Gabriella's hold. But I know that's silly. In the ancient legends, Brannagh forced Randolph to massacre his entire family. If he could have fought it, I'm sure he would have. Gray may love me, but right now Gabriella is the one holding the leash on his wolf.
"What do you want?" I tear my gaze away from Gray to glare at her.
"First of all, we want to know who killed Lydia," Caroline answers as she walks through the doorway. "Gabriella tells me you've been getting cozy with this animal." She shakes her head at me. "I had hoped your tastes would have improved after Sebastian, but apparently not."
Caroline’s eyes take in my bleeding arm and she gives Gabriella a look. "Was that really necessary?"
Gabriella shrugs with feigned innocence. "I needed to demonstrate how futile it is to try to reason with the wolves."
Caroline studies my narrowed eyes and defiant posture. “Emerson is more hard-headed than the rest, that’s for sure. But no more roughing up my witches. Not unless they give you no choice." She stares straight at me as she says this.
"Why do you care?" I say. "You're just going to kill me anyway."
"Why on earth would I do that?" she asks.
"Are you serious? The last time I saw you, you tried to kill me!"
"I wasn't trying to kill you. What good would you be to me dead?" She turns away from me and points to Grant and Max. "You two," she says. Caroline makes a motion with her hands and Max and Grant separate from Gray, Isabel and Miles, who are still staring at me with bared fangs.
“What the…” I stare at Caroline in horror. “No, it’s not possible. You’re able to control them? How? You’re not a shape-shifter.”
Caroline grins, giving Gabriella a sly smile. "Blood requires blood.”
Gabriella’s jaw clenches. She averts her gaze before Caroline sees the resentment burning in her eyes.
Blood for blood. She said that to Gabriella after rescuing me from them. Caiden said Gabriella would have to make some kind of restitution for what they did to me, since I was under Caroline's jurisdiction when it happened. I guess I know now how she got her restitution.
I look back and forth between them. "Gabriella blood bound herself to you?"
Caroline's smile widens.
Oh shit... She’s absorbed Gabriella’s abilities. Caroline is now a Soul Binder.
Chapter 48
As Caroline orders Bridget to set up two chairs with attached handcuffs, Richard enters, leading a couple dozen witches, many of whom I recognize from Night’s Hollow. The sight of light sandy hair in the back of the crowd knocks the breath out of me.
"Ethan?"
"Oh God! Ethan! You were caught?" Arianna's face pales, eyes wide with horror.
But then I notice two things. Firstly: he isn't tied up or bound in any way. The second, and most damning, is the look of guilt suffusing his face.
"Ethan?" Arianna says again, this time in confusion. "What's going on?"
"Why is she tied up?" he asks Caroline. "You said she wouldn't be hurt. You promised all of them would be safe." His gaze takes in the gash on my head and my bloody arm. “You promised they would be safe.”
"No one is going to be hurt," Caroline reassures him, raising her voice so it carries across the room. "The shackles are just a precaution until we get to the truth."
A couple of the witches, ones who were friendly to me in the coven, exchange looks and whispered murmurs. Bridget stands as far back in the crowd as she can get, her eyes darting around the room nervously.
"What happened to Emerson?" one of the witches from Night’s Hollow asks.
"That wasn't our doing," Caroline lies. "That beast there broke control for a moment and attacked her." Several people gasp and shuffle away from the werewolves. "Don't worry, we have them under control now. Everyone is safe. As soon as we take care of this issue, I'll heal Emerson myself."
Over my dead body... I grit my teeth and glare at Caroline's back.
"You did this, Ethan?" Arianna asks. "You set me up? You set all of us up?" Her voice cracks at the end. "How could you? How could you do this!" She struggles against the chains holding her to the wall.
Ethan gives her a tortured look. "I had no choice. She was combining the packs. You told me yourself! Do you think any of us would stand a chance against both packs if we didn't strike first and take them by surprise?"
She shakes her head violently, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "They weren't here to fight us! We could have formed a truce!"
"There will be no truce with animals," Caroline interrupts coldly. She turns, taking in the surrounding crowd. "Welcome everyone. We’re gathered here tonight to right a wrong done to us. One of our own was killed. Viciously murdered by one of these were-beasts who have invaded our town.
"Somehow, they've managed to live among us, undetected for years. But evil will always rear its head, no matter how long it lies dormant. The evil among us has finally shown itself, just as the prophecy foretells. And our poor Lydia paid the price for our ignorance. One of these beasts mauled her. Ripped her life away as they did to my son so many years ago. Back then, Brent's murder was never avenged. We will not let the same thing happen to our poor Lydia."
As Caroline continues her speech I watch her with grudging respect. Despite everything she's done, all the horrific crimes, the lies and the murders, she can still enthrall the crowd, persuade them over to her way of thinking, convince them that she's only acting in their best interests. It really is amazing. I'm sure some of it is because of her ability to manipulate emotions, but no one can deny she has charisma. The kind of charisma that persuades armies into battle, even if what they're fighting for is morally corrupt and so obviously wrong, Caroline has a way to make others believe the opposite. It's truly astonishing.
"Today, Ethan stands before us, ready to pay Lydia's blood debt. Today, she will be avenged. Blood for blood!"
Cheering rings out around the room. Cries of 'blood for blood' echo off the empty walls.
My stomach drops. She's going to kill them. Gray, Max, Miles, Grant, Isabel. Sh
e's going to kill all of them.
And there's nothing I can do. I meet Gray's eyes, silently willing him to fight Gabriella's hold. To break free. I remember the threads of magic woven around his wolf, the magic keeping his wolf under Gabriella's control. Or is it Caroline’s control? Does it matter which of them is controlling which wolf?
Thinking back, I think Caroline is only controlling Max and Grant, while Gabriella has the others under her spell. If I can somehow take out Gabriella, Gray, Miles, and Isabel will be freed, but Grant and Max will still be under Caroline’s control. Will I have enough time to take Caroline out too, before she orders Max and Grant to attack? My chances aren’t looking so good.
But maybe there’s another way…
I was able to free Sebastian's wolf the other night using magic. Maybe I can do the same to Gray.
While the others are focused on Caroline's speech, I close my eyes and use the pack bonds I've forged with Gray to descend down into his consciousness like I did before. Within moments, I'm in his head.
I can feel Gray's wolf, closer to the surface this time, fighting to break free. I study the black threads twisted around his limbs, looking for any weak spots, but he’s completely ensnared. Like I did with Sebastian, I call up my power to form a blade, remembering too late the spelled manacles encircling my wrists.
My cry of pain draws the attention of Leanne who stands nearby. She narrows her eyes at me in warning. Blackness creeps in along the edge of my vision. I fight to stay conscious.
When I can lift my head again, I hear Caroline's voice ring out. "I've been able to view enough of their memories to know that they both have some knowledge about what happened to Lydia that fateful night. Unfortunately, due to their unique makeup, our abilities are limited when it comes to these creatures. I've been unable to gain free access to their minds."
Worried whispers chase each other through the crowd.
"There’s no need to worry," Caroline says above the din. "There are other, more primitive ways to extract the information."
I try my best to block out everything around me and focus on a way to get free of these manacles. I need my hands free to work any magic.
I yank on my chains but they're solidly fastened to the wall and cinched too tight to allow my hands to slip out. But...maybe not too tight for wolf paws...
When the rogue wolves attacked I was able to partially shift. Back then, all I did was extend my claws and elongate my fangs, but theoretically, I could shift my hands into paws. That should give me enough wiggle room to slide them out of the cuffs.
Keeping my eyes locked on Caroline, I concentrate on changing my hands. Pain lances through my joints as they shift, dislocating, then reforming. I keep my face as blank as I can, teeth clenched to hold in a whimper. Caroline continues, talking about how she’ll get answers from them one way or another. Worry for Max and Grant threatens to distract me, so I tune her out.
I finish the partial shift when Caroline tells Max and Grant to shift back to human. The witches in the room protest, worried about what they'll do once they’re out from Caroline’s control, but Caroline assures them that they can handle them.
Whimpers break out as Max and Grant begin the painful shift from wolf to human. I slide my paws out from the manacles as silently as I can, keeping my arms raised, as if still bound. I'm careful not to touch the metal to my skin. I only have a few minutes before Grant and Max complete their change.
As the coven looks on in horror at their transformation, I descend inside myself, searching for the pack bond I share with Gray. As soon as I find it, I follow it down into Gray's consciousness, quickly finding his wolf.
Focusing on the black tendrils of power encasing his wolf, I fashion a knife out of energy. Experimentally, I touch the blade to the thick bands surrounding his forelegs.
Gray's wolf whines and fights at the binds.
*Sorry, sorry!* I immediately pull back, afraid of cutting through and injuring him. The problem with the blade is that it's too sharp. But what else can I use to cut through the bands?
*Em...* Gray sounds exhausted.
*Shh, easy. Everything will be fine. I'm going to try to free your wolf. Just stay strong, solnyshko. The pack and coven are on their way. We'll figure out a way to get everyone free.*
I can tell that he wants to argue, but he doesn't have the energy.
Focusing on the threads of magic trapping his wolf, an idea occurs to me. I can't use a blade without slicing into Gray's wolf, which will surely draw Gabriella's attention. With Sebastian, I first tried using my bare hands, but the threads burnt my skin. What if, instead, I use my energy to create gloves to cover my hands?
Deep inside Gray’s consciousness, I move closer to his wolf, gently brushing my hand along its back, testing the reaction of the binds. A frisson of power jumps through my palm, but I seem to be unscathed, as does the wolf. In fact, the threads appear to be a bit worn, as if the energy jolt from my hands frayed the top layer of binds.
Pouring even more energy into my hands, I brush along his back again. The same jolt, but no pain. The threads on top are visibly frayed. After a few more passes, some even drop away.
*Em... She'll notice what you’re doing. She'll kill you. You need to leave.*
*I figured out how to free your wolf! I just need a few more minutes.*
He's silent for a moment, then whispers, *Be careful.*
Wrapping my hands in even more energy, I stroke down the wolf's back. With every crackle of electricity, I glance at Gabriella, praying she won't notice.
Gray's wolf still watches me with wary eyes, but as threads of black magic fall away, he seems to calm, recognition entering his eyes. He shifts, as if sensing he'll be free soon and able to attack.
*You have to be patient,* I tell him. *Once you're free, you can take out Gabriella. With her gone, Miles and Isabel will be free to help.*
Gray's wolf doesn't respond, but his body relaxes fractionally.
As I continue working on Gray, a scream jerks my gaze back to the center of the room. Grant and Max have both finished their transformations and are now bound to the metal chairs. A long slash down Grant’s chest tells me where the scream came from. The gash is deep, blood already pooling at his feet.
"Tell us, and this will stop," Caroline says. Bright red blood drips from the dagger in her hand, a line of it running down her wrist, dripping onto the grimy concrete below.
Max is screaming from the other chair, tears streaming down his face as he watches his father being tortured.
Fangs explode in my mouth. It takes everything I have to yank my wolf back.
She hurt Grant. She dies, my wolf growls.
She will, I tell her. But not yet. Wait.
To my surprise, my wolf obeys, pacing close to the surface, but not breaking free. Not yet.
I focus back on Gray, on freeing his wolf. The scent of his pack brother's blood whips his wolf into a frenzy. I continue working, keeping one eye on Caroline, but my progress is too slow.
Caroline heals the gash on Grant’s chest enough to keep him from bleeding out. The knife flashes again, this time across his stomach. Pink intestines spill out across his lap in a torrent of blood.
I swallow the bile rising in my throat and force my eyes away. I can't block out his harsh cry of pain though.
Max is writhing against his restraints, calling for his daddy, sobbing and wailing. All I can think is thank God Caroline isn't torturing Max. Not yet, at least. But forcing him to watch his father get disemboweled is torture of another kind.
The coven might get squeamish is she were to physically torture a ten-year-old, but the emotional pain she's inflicting on him is worse than anything she could do with the knife.
Grant cries out again, and I know without looking that Caroline has healed him, just to cut him open again.
Gray's torso is almost free and I move onto the binds on his legs and neck. In my haste, I press a little too hard and yank my hand back. A black scorch mark
appears on my palm, the smell of burnt flesh turning my stomach. Gabriella glances over at Gray, her brows furrowed.
I immediately yank my consciousness out of him. Gray doesn't move. He keeps his golden eyes trained straight ahead. She turns back to watch Caroline, but keeps darting looks at him every now and then. I don't dare attempt merging with him again just yet.
Caiden's gaze finds mine, his eyes full of questions. He hasn't noticed my hands yet, but my vacant stare was apparently enough to grab his attention. I meet his gaze and shake my head infinitesimally, warning him not to say anything. I can't afford for Caroline or Gabriella to discover what I'm doing.
I find Leanne in the crowd, only a few yards away from me. Thankfully, she has her back to us. While Gray goes for Gabriella, I'll take Leanne out. My wolf plans the attack as if this is an ordinary Saturday night hunt, coolly and calmly working through the steps. Unlike me, she doesn't cringe at the fact that we're hunting people this time instead of animals.
"I killed her!" Grant says, voice hoarse from screaming. "I killed that witch. Lydia. She attacked me. Left me no choice. It was me."
Chapter 49
Gasps sound around the room.
Grant killed her? Grant? No. It couldn't have been. This last month in Ashwood, I spent more time with him than anyone else aside from Gray. Afternoons hiking through the woods, listening to him patiently teach Max and myself how to stalk silently through the leaf litter. Playing games. Talking and laughing and joking. He's become a friend, almost family. Unlike some of the others in the pack, I never had to wonder whether I was safe with him. His strong moral code is integral to everything he does. I know he couldn't have killed Lydia.
But Caroline has gotten what she wanted. A confession. Her face lights up in satisfaction. Now she can show the crowd that her malicious actions were warranted. Now she can justify every despicable thing she's done. Everything she intends to do.
Max is sobbing, screaming unintelligibly. Traumatized from watching his father tortured right in front of him. And now he’s going to watch him die.