“It’s not Aliya.”Lucas sounds adamant.“She doesn’t mingle with anyone especially wolves. She has a particular hatred for shifters. She won’t give one wolfsbane.”“What if Valerie stole it?” I ask.“Stole it?” Lucas give me an amused look. “Do you know how protected Aliya’s home is? Only sprites and faeries are allowed entrance. Aliya is protected by the forest itself. Nobody can invade her home. Valerie got it from somewhere else.”But who?I wrack my brains. Usually Others live together in some sort of harmony, humans being their biggest enemy. Or at least they used to. The witch hunt that began was a vicious one. Witches are the strongest of all the existing Others since they have a direct link to nature. When they were targeted, wars erupted amongst those who wanted to protect the witches and those who wanted them wiped out from existence. This was centuries ago so when I had learnt from Lucas that a coven had existed in harmony with a wolf shifter pack
“Lucas,” I swallow and Lucas snatches the book from me.After a brief moment, he finally says, "Aside from losing your shifting abilities, you've not suffered anything else.”“My healing has slowed down,” I murmur, pointing to the angry looking gash on my forehead. “But you’re not experiencing any fits of rage or madness,” Luca points out. “The bond between us is suppressing everything. Your healing might have slowed down but it's still faster than what humans have.”I come down on hearing that. He's right. Taking a deep breath, I look at Lucas, “We found nothing here. So what do we do now?”“We return home,” He replies, putting his hands on my shoulders. “And we figure out what to do.”“What about the records in the pack archives?” But even as I say that, I know that there's nothing related to wolfsbane in them. Lucas just pulls me to my feet, “We will figure it out. Don’t give up so easily.”His support makes my heart feel full and when he turns, I say
Valerie immediately stopped in her tracks and she makes a sobbing sound, "why are you acting like this? I know a lot has happened but I'm so happy to see you."As if I’ll buy that crap.“How are you still alive?” Hunter demands, his voice cold. I always wondered how I would feel when I see him face-to-face but aside from disgust, I feel nothing.“That's hardly any of your business,” I narrow my eyes. My wolves surround me and one of them begins to howl, a call for battle and I place my hand on his neck, calming him.Lucas is already on his way. I can sense his anger and worry.He might not know what's going on but he’s not going to take any chances.Valerie frowns as she sees my interaction with the wolves, and her voice is hesitant and wary, “those are wild wolves. How are you controlling them?""Wouldn't you like to know?" I say, scathingly. “Maybe the wolfsbane you gave me had some other side effects.”Hunter growls, “Enough of your ugly lies-““O
I feel a sense of stark relief on seeing Lucas who bares his teeth at Hunter who has gone still.I look over them and I see a shocked look on Valerie's face, especially when Lucas wanders over to me, standing next to me and I put a possessive hand on his neck.I give her a cold smile.I can tell that she expected me to be broken and desolate, still wanting scraps of Hunter’s affection. I can see the rage in her eyes that despite how I suffered, I'm standing tall and proud, with the most powerful member of the back standing by my side. Hunter watches us for a few seconds and then he transforms. Lucas follows suit.“what is this?!" Hunter snarls at Lucas. "You said you had to finished the job.”Finished the job?I see no sign of the man I had once loved and I let out aa shuddering breath. Lucas wraps his arm around my waist and sneers, “I never said anything. You assumed. I decided to make Sarah my mate.”Hunters face turns pale and Valerie's mouth falls open
Lucas glances at me and then says, “Even if she does have her mating ceremony, she will stay here with me while we wait for that event.”Valerie makes a clicking sound of disappointment, “That's not how this works. She has to live with her family before the mating ceremony.”I don't know what the two of them are planning but I don't want to leave Lucas.“You’re now a part of this pack again, Sarah,” Hunter says, coolly. “I hope you don’t disappoint us again with your actions.”“I don't want to be part-“Lucas squeezes my shoddier, forcing me to fall silent. “If she has to go back to the pack, then I’ll come with her,” He says, calmly. I see the rage in Hunter’s eyes as Lucas his arm around my waist, yanking me into his chest in a possessive move. “You-“ Hunter takes a step forward, angrily and Valerie intervenes, her voice sweet as always but her eyes hard.“I'm afraid that's not going to be possible,” She said. “You’re the pack hunter. Other packmates are
I didn't want to return to the pack.However, Lucas told me to trust him which is what I did.I don't know what Valerie and Hunter are planning but a few days later, they arrive, to bring me back to the back and this time by force if need be. As Lucas had predicted, he had been sent on a mission and he wasn't home. But the surprise really came with my entire family showed up to escort me back, my father at the forefront. I had seen Hunter’s anger at being out maneuvered and Valerie’s dismay but they had had no choice but to let my family escort me. Whatever, while holding their gaze, I had crouched to the ground and told my wolves to run which they did.The fury in Hunter’s eyes had been satisfying.However, I wasn’t welcome back to the pack with open arms, just as I had expected.It’s been four days since I returned and the hostility is suffocating. Pack mates who had once been so close to me, now give me cold glances or simply pretend I don’t exist. This is
“I have nothing to say to you,” I walk over to the armchair and sit down, refusing to let him see my fear at being alone with him. Hunter ignores me, “How long has this thing being going on between you and Lucas? He was obviously courting you while we were together. Why else would he mate you so quickly?”His voice is hard and I narrow my eyes at him, “Why do you care? You banished me, remember? You and Valerie had made that perfect little plan of yours.”I can see the anger in his eyes and he hisses, “There was no plan! You’ve been harassing Valerie for a long time now! I saw the marks on her body where you hit her! Despite everything, she still protected you-““Marks?” I echo, a mocking laugh on my lips. “She’s a wolf, Hunter! You of all people know about our healing abilities. What marks are you talking about? And I never touched that girl!”I see his face falter but I ignore it.I get to my feet, “I don’t even care. I just want to leave this hell hole. I don’t wa
I don’t have a plan but I know I need to get out and figure out something. When I open my door, there are no guards there. I don't know why I expected Hunter to put somebody to watch me. Despite everything, he's very confident in his plan.But if I leave right now, in the middle of the day, he will hear about it.So I decide to wait till dinner time when everybody would be in the common room. So I pack up a few essentials and wait. I can't look like I'm leaving. It has to seem like I'm just going for a walk to stretch my legs.Not surprising since shifters do need to run. Now, I may not be able to shift, but I still have the desire to feel the earth between my feet and just run.I time my escape very carefully.I’m counting on the fact that the spell Lucas has had put on me to prevent my scent from being tracked is still working. When dinner time arrives, I slip out, quietly, without my shoes. I have them in the small backpack slung over my shoulder. It takes me