by Amanda Carol
I open the link to Hunter. We can’t let him sacrifice himself.
We won’t, Hunter replies, squeezing my hand.
“Is that so?” Isabella quips. She quickly turns and opens the door behind the driver seat, pulling out…oh, God!
“Mom!” Declan and I both yell as Isabella locks her arm around our mother’s neck.
My mom looks over at me; a helpless look crosses her features when her eyes meet mine, then flick over to Declan. Every muscle is itching to take this bitch down, but I know it would be incredibly stupid for me to just jump in and start hand-to-hand combat. She could snap my mother’s neck before I even take one step. Isabella opens her mouth, dropping her fangs as she tilts my mom’s head to the side, then sinks her teeth into her skin.
“No! Please!” I scream as Hunter wraps his arms around me, holding me in place.
The wolves growl and some even roar, unsure of what to do because one wrong move could sign my mother’s death sentence.
I open the link. Hunter, please. We have to do something!
I know, baby. I know! But— Hunter is cut off by my brother.
“All right! That’s enough!” Declan roars.
Isabella pulls back from our mother, whose eyes look glossed over, but I can still see her moving.
“I’ll give it to you. Just please let our mom go, and you can have my blood,” Declan finally says after a moment.
He slowly makes his way through the crowd past Hunter and I, over to Isabella and our mom. I clutch onto Hunter for dear life, fear coursing through my veins as I watch my brother make his way over to them.
Isabella hands him a tiny vial. I hold my breath as Declan slices his hand open and lets his blood flow into it.
When she goes to take it from him, he pulls it out of her reach. “If I hand this to you, you leave our mother here?”
Isabella tilts her head to the side, eyeing my brother for just a moment. “Of course.”
Declan looks back at me, his eyes pleading with us to forgive him as he hands over the vial.
Isabella takes it from him, but a sinister look crosses her features. “That’s the thing about you heroes. You will always make a sacrifice to save a loved one, but you never think of the bigger picture.” She looks at the vial of blood, then directly at me. “Did you make the right choice?”
I cry out as Isabella grabs Declan’s dagger and plunges it deep into his stomach. Blood spurts out of his mouth as he falls to the ground next to our mother.
Her evil gaze reaches mine and she smirks. “Merry Christmas.”
And with that, she gets in the car and starts to drive off. Ciera rushes out from the barn with Kora and runs over to Declan. I know that with his demigod healing and Ciera, he’s in good hands, and so is my mom.
“Do not let her get away with that vial,” Hunter growls.
The wolves of the pack shift and take off after the car.
“Aria!” Caleb shouts, and I turn just in time to see my arrows and bow being thrown toward me.
I snap out of my daze, catching them, and quickly wrap the quiver around my back. I take off running after the pack, putting an arrow in the nock.
I stop running, lining it up and opening the link to Hunter.
Tell the pack to separate.
A second later, the pack splits down the middle and flanks each side of the car.
I let out a breath, releasing an arrow.
The silver tip punctures the rear glass window and hits Isabella in the shoulder, causing the car to swerve. I know Artemis’s arrows won’t be able to kill her. We need the dagger for that, but there’s no time. We just need to get the vial. Using my rage to my advantage, I use the air element to flip the car over and ram it into the trees. The limbs snap and buckle from the weight of the car and the force of the wind I created.
Hunter uses his powerful jaws to rip her from the wreckage, but with one arm, Isabella punches him hard on the nose, and he releases her. She pulls the arrow out of her shoulder and is fending off the wolves. She’s so preoccupied with them that the car is left alone, so I spring into action, heading for it to search for the vial of my brother’s blood. I tear through the wreckage until I finally find it, and just as I’m about to grab it, I’m ripped away.
I land in a heap on the ground, the wind having been knocked out of me.
Isabella grabs me by the throat and pulls me to my feet.
But a black blur knocks into her and we both tumble to the ground.
I’ve got you, baby. Go get the vial, Hunter tells me through the link.
I watch as he and Bennett start to fight her. I turn quickly, drowning out the yelps and snapping teeth behind me. I know that the moonstone is allowing the wolves to keep up with her, and that it will keep them safe, but she’s still getting the upper hand on them.
I rush back to the car, but when I get back to the spot where the vial was, I notice that it’s missing. I search around, and when I can’t find it, I quickly turn back around, looking for Hunter so I can let him know but a figure shimmers in right next to Isabella. It’s a god I’ve never seen before. Her icy blonde hair is pulled back into a slick ponytail, and she uses the air element to knock the wolves back, all of them flying in different directions. There’s just way too many of them for me to guide safely to the ground, but I spot Bennett flying right at me, so I summon the air element to slow his landing. Once he’s down, I scan the woods looking for Hunter and notice that he’s landed several feet away from Isabella and the new god. Bennett shifts back into human form, and I help him up.
“Looking for this?” The god says, holding the vial up in the air.
“Athena!” a voice roars, then a body shimmers in right next to me. “What are you doing?”
“Hello, dear brother,” Athena replies to Ares.
“Why are you helping her?” Ares asks.
“Why are you helping them?” she counters.
“The answer is simple, really. I don’t want to be eaten like Father was,” Ares says.
“Don’t be stupid, brother—”
“I’m not the one who’s stupid enough to release the only things that can kill us. Seems to me that someone has a death wish. I, for one, don’t. Now, why don’t you be a good Daddy’s little girl and stop this temper tantrum before—”
“Before what?” Athena cuts him off as Apollo shimmers in on the other side of Bennett.
I glance over at Hunter; he’s shifted back into his human form and is slowly getting up off the ground. Athena and Isabella’s backs are facing him, and I can see him slowly creeping forward.
Hunter, don’t, I plead to him using the link, and then my eyes connect with Isabella’s.
She’s watching me. Her dark eyes look at Apollo, and for a fleeting moment, I think I see pain in them. But then she blinks, and any emotion that she was showing is gone. Movement behind Athena captures my attention, and Athena notices my gaze shift to Hunter. Before anyone registers her intentions, she’s plunging a dagger straight into Hunter’s chest.
I open my mouth, but no sound comes out, not even a breath.
“Athena!” Ares roars. “What have you done?”
Athena turns around with a satisfied look on her face. “Say hello to Hades for me.”
Then both Athena and Isabella shimmer out of sight.
My heart stops.
My brain clicks off.
I stop breathing.
The entire world just came crashing down around me, and every hitched breath of air I take in burns my lungs.
Before I know it, I’m dropping down on my knees next to the love of my life, who’s gasping for air.
“What’s happening? Why isn’t he healing? He’s wearing the moonstone! H-he should be protected!” I shout out loud to anyone who will answer.
I feel the tug and open the link.
I lo-love you. You will always be my epic love. Always, Hunter tells me.
I stare down at him, my vision blurry with tears, as I watch his eyes start
to lose their blue hue and then close. I take a good look at the dagger; its sapphire gems look almost black in the moonlight. I can tell that it’s not laced with wolfsbane, because if it were, it would have no effect on Hunter, and this blade does.
I grab Hunter’s hand. “Don’t you dare say goodbye to me! You are not allowed to say goodbye! You’re going to be all right… We’re going to take you to Declan, and he’s going to heal you, okay? You’re going to be fine!” I glance up and look around, and my gaze settles in on Apollo. “Apollo, help me, please! Y-you have to heal him.”
Apollo looks at me with a great sadness in his eyes, but he doesn’t move.
“What are you doing! Please! Hunter is dying!” I shout angrily, tears streaming down my face.
“I know,” Ares answers.
He…what?
I narrow my eyes at him. “Then you shimmer out and get my brother, or I will kill you.”
Ares rolls his eyes. “One of you get her out of here.”
“What!” I roar. “No!”
Ares moves quickly, and before I know it, I’m ripped away from Hunter.
“Let me go!” I shout, thrashing my body, trying to shake him off me.
Ares’s hold on me grows tighter and I can hardly breathe. “If you take this blade out now, Hunter will die.”
I stop moving.
“He is dying, but he’s not dead yet.”
When I’ve calmed down enough, he lets me go, and I fall to the ground, too stunned to speak. My mind is running in a thousand different directions, but one thought stands out the most.
He’s not dead.
“Take your Alpha and get him back to the Compound,” Apollo commands.
The pack doesn’t move.
“Now!” he roars.
The pack scrambles together and carefully lifts Hunter and takes him back toward the barn. Apollo looks at Ares, then shimmers out of sight.
“It’s called the Soul Blade,” Ares explains. “It keeps the body alive, but sends the soul directly to the Underworld with Hades. It’s used on us gods as punishment by Zeus to those who disobey his rules. It’s only been used on mortals who have betrayed one of us. Removing it without his soul will ensure his death.”
“You said he’s not dead yet,” I say matter-of-factly, my mind and body starting to go numb.
“Yes.”
“But he is dying?”
“Yes.”
A tear falls down my cheek as I lift my eyes to look at Ares. “How long?”
“I’m not sure, which is why we need to hurry.” Ares says, and I look away from him. “There is a way to save him, but it requires going to Hell and back. Only the strongest of warriors can take on the task.”
“I’ll do it,” I whisper, looking back up at him. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
“Good.” Ares holds out his hand, and I place my palm in his.
The joy of having my mother back has been replaced by the terrible heartache of almost losing the love of my life. And if I don’t hurry, I will lose him.
Forever.
After Ares helps me up, he shimmers out of sight, and I’m left standing alone, surrounded by nothing but woods and darkness. I swallow the sob that’s building up in my throat and, sucking in a deep breath, I put one foot in front of the other and start walking. Before I know it, I’m climbing up the steps to the barn, my feet leading me to the medical room. Deep down, I know that my wolf isn’t here, but I open the door anyway and look around the room. I’m not even sure what I’m looking for. Something that will give me the strength to get through the next moment. Something to tell me that everything will be all right. Because right now, I feel nothing.
I was right. Hunter isn’t here, but I see Declan sitting by a cot next to our mother.
And there it is. The sign that I was looking for.
Hope.
He looks up at me as I approach them. “She’s weak from all the blood loss, but she’s stable.”
I nod.
“Ciera and Kora went to help the pack with Hunter,” he explains, confirming what I already knew. “They took him back to your cabin. Apollo told us everything. Aria, I’m so sorry.”
I don’t even have the strength to reply.
My mom is here. She’s safe and she’s alive.
I should be happy, but I’m not. Joy is replaced with dread. Out of all the things we planned for, Hunter being stabbed with a blade that sends the soul to hell was not one of them. I just wish we’d been told that something like this would happen, or at the very least, that this dagger even existed.
“You should go to Hunter. I’ll stay here with mom,” Declan offers. “I’ll call you when she wakes up, but you should go. The pack…they need a leader.”
I scoff. “I’m not a leader. I’m just the Alpha’s girlfriend.”
Declan stands and walks over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “You are so much more than that. The pack looks up to you. In that fight with Ares, they followed you. You’ve always been a leader, little sister. You’ve grown so much and I’m proud of you.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” My voice is barely above a whisper as tears threaten to spill over. I’m afraid that if I let go, let the tears fall, I won’t be able to stop.
Declan pulls me into one of his bear hugs. “You’ll figure it out.”
I shut my eyes, hugging my brother tightly. I pull back and look down at our mother, wiping a stray tear from my cheek, and turn to leave the medical room. I slowly make my way over to our cabin, thinking about what my brother said.
He’s wrong. I’m not a leader. The only reason the pack listens to anything I have to say is because of Hunter. He’s their Alpha, not me. I mean, there are also six other Alphas here, and not to mention, Bennett and Knox are his Betas. All of whom are much more qualified for the job.
I feel like I’m on autopilot as I walk along the path back to our cabin, like my body knows exactly where home is, which isn’t a place for me. My mind is in a million different places.
Is he lying there in silent agony, or is he feeling some version of peace?
I stop when my hand reaches for the handle. He’s in there; I can sense it. I can feel his presence. Can I do this? Can I walk through this door into our home and walk up those stairs, knowing that he’s lying there and is days, if not hours, away from death?
The answer is yes. I can. I will open this door. I won’t run because lurking beneath all the sorrow is anger, and that emotion is behind the wheel right now.
Ares gave me something to grasp onto. He gave me hope by telling me I can save Hunter, and that alone gives me the courage to open this goddamn door.
Sucking in a breath, I open the door, and when it shuts, I notice eight sets of eyes are on me. I look at Khari, and he looks up into the loft, letting me know they took Hunter upstairs. I slowly make my way up the steps, and I see Kora, Ciera, and Lydia taking care of him.
Ciera glances over at me, then comes over and wraps her arms around my shoulders. “We’ve made him as comfortable as possible.”
“Let’s give them some time alone with him. We’ve done all that we can here,” Kora says, coming over and giving me a sad smile before walking away with Ciera.
Lydia sits down in a chair next to her son. “Apollo told us that he doesn’t think our link will work. He says that Hunter is in there, but he can’t communicate using our normal ways. I just hope he can hear us.” She sniffs. “He also mentioned that there is a way to save him. I already lost my husband, but I’m not about to lose my son.” She stands abruptly, glancing over at me. “I trust that you will save him. I’ll let you have a moment alone.”
She comes over, enveloping me in her arms, and it takes everything in me not to break down. We stand there for several minutes, each holding back tears for the sake of the other, trying to be strong when we both know the tears will fall anyway.
I look down at Hunter’s body; he looks peaceful. Just like he’s sleeping, and I keep hopi
ng that he’s going to open his glowing blue eyes at any second and smile at me, revealing those dimples that I love so much. But he’s not going to, not until I bring back his soul. I believe that the soul is what makes you…you. And Hunter’s soul…it’s caring, warm, loyal, protective, funny. It makes up everything that I adore about him. I’m standing in the same room as him, but without his soul, it feels like we’re a million miles apart.
I vaguely hear the others downstairs talking about the trip down to the Underworld to get him. I know I should be down there, yet here I am, staring at the man I love. Tears threaten to spill over as I walk over and sit down on the bed next to him, grabbing his hand. As much as I want to let out all the pain I’m feeling right now, I hold it all in because I feel like I have to be strong. Be strong for Lydia, for the pack, for Hunter. I know it’s okay to let it out, and I will. Just not here, not right now.
I open the link. I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but I’m hoping that you can. No secrets, remember? I suck in a shaky breath, then lean over, resting my forehead against his. I know I need to be strong, but I can’t right now. I need you in my life. I never really felt like I had a purpose in this world until I met you. I found myself the day that I found you. I love you, so if you can hear me, hold on to that. Because I’m bringing you home to me.
I kiss his lips softly and lay his hand gently back down. I meant what I said, but I just can’t be in this room right now. I need to get out. I need to let it all out. I get up and go over to our closet and pull out his red flannel jacket and put it on, choking on a sob as I inhale my favorite scent of cedarwood and ocean.
I promised him I wouldn’t hold in my emotions and shut down again. As much as I want to shut it all off, I won’t. But I need air. I need a few moments to just deal with this. I know I won’t be okay making that trip down to the Underworld if I don’t let myself feel. When I reach the bottom of the steps, all eyes turn to me. Everyone either gives me a sad smile or won’t look me directly in the eyes. When my gaze meets Bennett’s, a tear slips free, and I quickly wipe it away.
I feel the tug. I’ve got you, Blondie.
I nod and quickly walk out the front door, letting my feet guide me down to our bridge in the woods. Once I’m closer to the edge of the woods, I open myself up to heartache that’s been clawing its way through my chest.