Chapter 1

Lisa

I stood in front of the mirror, looking at my left eye, the one that changed the day I absorbed Lacey’s power.

It wasn’t the only thing that changed.

Now, a darkness lived inside me. It made me change. Think differently. Act differently. Some days, when I stared too long, it felt like the eye staring back at me wasn’t mine at all… like something else was looking out through it, waiting.

That day flashed inside my mind, the deep worry for my best friend as the strange light burst through the greenhouse. The way the air sparked with power and made all of my hairs stand up. The urgency that ran through me, making me run as fast as I could directly towards the power, like it pulled me. I had no choice but to obey it to make it there before the best friend I had loved like a sister my entire life was gone forever.

I remember the dread on Lacey’s face as I stepped through the doors. She didn’t want this for me any more than I wanted it for myself. I knew that. I remember how my heart clenched as the power came barreling directly towards us. The way it felt like every nerve in my body was set on fire as the power crashed into me, stealing my consciousness.

I remember the worried look on my mother’s face as my eyes slowly peeled open, and the guilt written across Lacey’s face. In that moment I didn’t feel the darkness that had entered me. I felt something inside of me, but it hadn’t been awakened. Tori’s voice entered my mind as she explained the prophecy, why the power called to me, why I had no choice but to run to it, because even before Lacey knew the power she held it felt my deep love for her and her for me. It somehow knew long before we did that I would do anything to protect her.

I would do it all again even today knowing the pack would hold it against me, look at me like some evil being even though I was still just me. So that she could live the life she had always dreamed of.

Lacey had always held enough power to protect herself when people thought she was dangerous.

I didn’t.

I had only ever been able to use the power I held when I was with Lacey, feeding off the power she was using. And while Sydney and I taking a piece of the darkness from her made them fear her less, it made them fear us more.

Memories flashed in my mind, the day the darkness first stirred. Lacey was kidnapped by her first love, the boy we grew up with, somehow turned into a monster instead of a man. When we realized Lacey was gone my heart felt like it may burst out of my chest. Everyone flew into a panic. We searched the woods for hours not able to find a trace.

I felt something stir deep in my mind that day, it’s dark claws wrapping around my mind, but it seemed to bring comfort, make me strong, confident until it grew. I remember the whispers about it sucking the pureness from my heart. While Lacey was taken every time she used her power the darkness inside me only seemed to grow until even I began to fear myself. Only Sydney and my mother looked at me the same.

I stared in the mirror, my memories making my mind loud, my eye dark and swirling a window to the darkness hiding in my mind.

I adjusted my dress, pasting a smile on my face and pretending that little sliver of resentment didn’t exist, just like I did every day.

The council was hosting a party tonight.

Of course I had to attend, considering I was on it. Me, Sydney, Lacey, two elder wolves, and two elder witches. A perfect balance, they said. A symbol of unity.

The day I became part of the council played in my head. Lacey in front of all the packs as they surrounded our pack lands completely, there were thousands and it felt like so many until we became certain that was every werewolf left on this continent. And they would all fit into one pack land. Our numbers were still at least a decade away from recovering, though at least more babies were being born.

The wolves insisted that they couldn’t answer to just Lacey, that they wouldn’t fall under tyranny. Shocked faces covered the crowd when she offered the council idea, and someone suggested she be on it. She said yes but only if Sydney and I went on it with her, that we were different pieces to the same puzzle and balanced her. I know this was never what she expected the council to be, it just evolved over the years until

It felt more like a performance.

I didn’t even think tonight’s party had a real reason. The elders had insisted on holding it. Ever since rumors of a resistance started they made us host these stupid things once every few months. Show off some power. Let all of the power-hungry mongrels kiss our ass, hoping to gain favor.

It only pissed me off.

I would much rather be at the hospital, helping my mom and our pack. Since Lacey stabilized the council and made everyone feel safe again there had been quite the baby boom, keeping me busy in the profession I wanted.

Well… when the women weren’t too afraid to get care from me.

Like I would somehow pass the darkness to their baby.

I sighed as the door cracked open and Sydney walked in, looking stunning as usual.

We wouldn’t see Lacey until the party today. We used to try to get ready together most of the time, but she and Fin had been so busy with the kids that I didn’t see her as much anymore.

She spent most of her time making sure Kate had everything she needed for the baby, kissing her head one hundred times, and still showing up late to everything.

I couldn’t help but smile a little.

I was so happy she was finally getting the life she deserved… even if making it possible for her to do so made mine a little different than it was supposed to be.