We ran for hours. I stayed well away from the pack house and the dead caves. Nix and Megan kept me company as I worked through everything that was bouncing away in my head. Megan laid her head on my lap as I sat against the tree that I attacked earlier. “Do you think they are still looking for us?” Her question was soft.“Probably not.” Nix called back. “I haven’t heard anyone in a long time, and they probably figured we needed space.”I shook my head. “They have to keep a low profile. No one can find out they are still alive.” I ran my fingers through her fur. She cocked her head to stare up at my face with one eye. “How does no one know the pack is alive?” She twisted, getting to her feet. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I have no idea how no one has figured out that the pack survived.”Nix slid to a stop. “I’ve never thought about it until right now. But Megan is right. You would think someone would have checked, right?”I snorted. “Hubris.”“What?” Both my wolves s
Megan stared at me for a second before she nodded. She ran to the clearing, and I heard the telltale sound of a vacuum. I shut my eyes as I banged my head off the tree, whispering to myself. “So fucking stupid.” I felt the tears burn behind my eyes again and I pushed up from the ground and whirled to face the tree. I punched it over and over, screaming my anger. “So fucking stupid.” Megan made her way back over to me as I pummeled the tree. “Amy?”I just kept hitting the tree. But the tree never splintered, never broke, and that pissed me off even more. “FUCK YOU.” I punched harder, waiting for the blood, the pain, but nothing came.“It won’t.” Megan called out.I whirled. “WHAT?” “The pain…it won’t happen.” Megan nodded to the tree. “That tree isn’t real, Amy.”“W hat the hell are you talking about?” I dropped my hands to my sides. My chest was still heaving from attacking the poor tree. Megan just stared at me. “You’re mad.” She shifted closer, her words throwing me off. “Of cou
Thoth ripped his mask off, and my breath was stolen from my lungs. The pain in my ears faded as I stared at the side of his face. You have got to be fucking kidding me. The room was completely silent except for the crackling from the mask and the yell that fell from his lips. I stared at him for a second longer before my anger exploded. “You fucking bastards.” I whirled on my father. I felt my eyes shift, and my fangs dropped so fast my lip started top bleed. I pointed in his face. “You fucking knew it was Rowan, didn’t you?”My father paled. His eyes danced between me and Rowan. “Amy…”I turned to Ronnie. “Did you know?” Ronnie looked around the room, but refused to meet my eyes. I laughed, but it was just full of my pain. “Of course you did. You are his best friend.” I turned back to my dad. “Any other secrets that you want to fess up to while we are here, father?” He winced at the name.A new thought twisted my stomach, and I pulled my phone from my pocket. My dad tried to reach
My father and Chris broke off and started to have a deep conversation in the room’s corner, while the rest of us waited. I looked at Ronnie to find him already watching me.“You okay?” He settled next to me in my father’s seat that he had just vacated. “You look sad…what happened?”Thoth turned. “What happened with Rick and everyone last night? Were you able to save his pup?”I sat back so I could see both men and nodded. “It was hard. But I was able to save everyone.”Ronnie furrowed his brow. “Everyone? I thought only the kid was sick.”I shook my head. “It was a lot more complicated. But I managed.”Toya’s father leaned in. “Toya said you almost died.”My father’s head snapped around. “What did you just say?” I looked up, and he turned to Chris. “We can talk about everything once this is all handled. But I will help.” My father stuck out his hand, but he was already back to staring at me. Once they shook, he turned back and Ronnie got up out of my father’s chair, letting my father
Someone scoffed. Then Chris crossed his arms. “Why would you help us become stronger? You are just making us a bigger threat to you.”I smiled. “Are there big pack wars still I haven’t heard about lately?”The question confused the men. “What?”“Are there big land disputes that you will kill for?” I tossed another question.“Of course not.” “Has the king stopped mediating any disputes between clans?” My words sounded confused.“You know he will still intervene.” He sounded exasperated. “Then why would your growth scare us? Any dispute me might have will be mediated. Land will be assigned by the King. But if we are being really honest here, Chris and I try my best to be honest. Then I will say this. I am descended from the goddess. I have magic, a wolf and a Lycan. No one in your pack has a chance of standing up to me one on one. Pack against pack, our pack is bigger and better trained.”His jaw clenched. “See this is what I was saying.” Chris pointed at me. “She thinks she is better
The goddess shook her head. “You saved yourself.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then she turned to the others. “You are all devoted to my path, or the path of my sisters or brothers.” She looked at Toya’s father. “Your daughter has done well, and will be rewarded if she survives the final battle.”He swallowed, instantly alert. “If?”The goddess gave a sad smile. “I cannot see the future. I just lay the path.”Thoth shifted, and she turned to face him. “Hiding behind a mask cannot change anything.” His head snapped up.“Me?” His voice, confused. She chuckled. “Who else is wearing a mask but you?”Thoth scratched his head. “No one.”“Exactly.” She walked to him and leaned down. “You hide yourself to protect yourself. But you are only keeping yourself away from what could be. You are hiding away, and I am worried you will miss your chance. If you don’t confess the truth. All of it. Then you will miss the thing you want most in this world.” Thoth swallowed. “But w