I turned away from my grandmother and stepped back to my body. I looked at her over my shoulder. “What should I do?”She smiled. “Wrap your hand around the chain. It’s can’t hurt you any more than it already has. And follow it to the end. Find out who is hurting you, find out their intention, and save your wolves.” She looked towards my body. “You don’t have long. They are already so very weak.”“I’m afraid.” I whispered, and her smile was sad but firm.“I know. And that’s perfectly fine, but don’t let fear stop you from doing something necessary. Don’t let your fear hold you back from who you were meant to be.”Her words repeated in my mind as I stepped up to my body on the ground. “Okay.” I grabbed my hand around the chain and started to walking. The chain in my hand thrummed. I could feel the intent in its black links. Who ever cast this hex was intent on one thing. Killing my wolf. They would have succeeded if I had only one. But I had two, and thankfully they supported each othe
I was frozen in my spot outside of the light. My words seemed to bounce back to me, almost as if to mock me. “What the fuck is going on here?” I couldn’t stop the words from leaving my mouth again. But I was invisible to those in front of me, so it didn’t matter. Another call went out, but being so close this time, now I understood. It was a normal howl. A call from a shifted wolf, that the walls bounced back, echoes layering onto it, making it sound like some deranged beast. But it was just wolves, a lot of wolves, in the circle of light. And now everything I knew about the dead caves, or thought I knew about the dead caves, seemed to be just the horror stories of a child. There were no dead here, no specters of the wronged flying around these caves. Just a pack of wolves, desecrating the land of the dead. Tombs were smashed open, robbed of anything good, the bones of the deceased thrown about. I walked closer to the light, and I saw one man drinking from a skull. I froze as som
“If I wanted to shatter the spell, I needed to shatter the necklace. But how do you shatter a talisman from so far away?”“Who says you’re too far away? You are right here…” My grandmother walked over. “You might not be able to touch anything, but you still have your power. It’s connected to your very soul.” Her hand came to rest on my shoulder. My power is connected to my soul. I turned away and headed away from the light. I needed to be alone to see if this would work. As I walked, I mentally scrolled to the page in the book I needed. A shatter spell. It was pretty simple. But it had rules attached. It could cause no physical harm. If it did, it would rebound three times stronger back to the caster. So practice was necessary. I picked a big rock, and with a flick of my hand and a quick mumbling of the spell, it violently shattered, sending shards everywhere. Well, that would kill Amara. I turned to the next, but someone had come running, and I froze. “What the hell was that?” The
I felt something move over my shoulder and I dove. “Come back, I’m so cold.” The woman’s whisper sent chills down my spine. I rolled and sprang back up, facing the woman, or the creature the woman had turned into. Her hair was stringy and matted, clumping together in long tendrils that were a mix of dreadlock and braid. Chunks were missing, leaving pale skin it the gaps. Her eyes were sunken down into dark pools of need. She knew nothing else, only need. Lips had pulled back, leaving her teeth exposed, giving her a perpetual manic grin. A dark dress body, once beautifully draped and stunningly jeweled, that now hung off her emaciated body. It was like her entire soul had whittled down to nothing while her dress stayed pristine. The thought was terrifying, knowing that she was looking to take over my body, my life. “Stay away.” I turned and ran as she started after me, moving surprisingly quick. She scrambled over rocks and dips as I ran, but somehow she was quicker than me, moving li
I ran until I felt another tug. Every time I worried I was heading in the wrong direction, or I would hear a howl behind me, I would get another tug and I would head straight towards it. Soon, the world melted away, as it did on the way towards Amara. The edges of my vision wavered. But through the entire time, the lost woman, the lost soul followed, desperate to find my body first.I was terrified. What if she got to my body first?What if I was left to wander this plane, to wither and moan while she walks around in my body like it is a suit to wear, a part to play? I shivered as I thought about what she looked like before she absorbed my life, my vitality. How could anyone live like that?But then the thought hit me: it wasn’t living. It was almost the exact opposite. Stuck waiting until you find an empty shell to take over like some kind of living hermit crab. But instead of just finding a new home, you become a new person. A new face, body, entire life. And do you get new wolves?
“Do you think she is going to be back soon?” Wendy’s voice was soft as she squeezed my hand.Toya started down at my body and raised her shoulder. “I don’t know.”“It’s been so long.” It felt like days had passed since I left my body and started down the black chain leading to Amara. Toya smiled. “It’s barely been an hour.”The truth hit my stomach. An hour. How was that possible? So much had happened in the short time. I stared at the lost soul, listen to her manic laughter as she faded. And my stomach dropped again. I cracked open my eyes to find the two women still clutching my hands. “Amy!” Wendy screamed and dove into my arms. “You’re back.”I smiled and nodded. But Toya, Toya seemed a little reserved. “I read the book while you were gone.” I turned to her and cleared my throat. It felt dry and painful.“And?”“Tell me something only Amy would know?” Her words were measured and her eyes stared into my soul. “Our fathers are still alive.”Toya seemed to glare at me, as if tryin
“Holy goddess.” Wendy’s fingers twitched in my hair.But Toya just nodded. “As I read more about spirit walking, I learned about the Mara.” Toya wiped my arm and caused me to hiss again. “The Mara?”“It means bitter soul. It’s like what you explained. A lost soul, whether they lost themselves while they were still alive, or after they died, and they wander, looking for a life to take over. If you had read more about it all, you would have been prepared.”“Hey now.” I pulled back, but she pushed me back down. “Lay down. I want to check your head.” Toya pushed again and Wendy helped her part my hair. “Amy.” She hissed as she saw the damage.I laid back down, but huffed out my breath. “I read that book, inside and out.” “There were a few pages stuck together. I don’t know why.” Toya tapped a page. “Wendy helped me figure it out.”“I had to use a tiny bit of water around the edges to release the pages from each other. Then I used a blow dryer to dry them again.”“Seriously?” I hissed a
I closed my eyes in disbelief. “Is that bad?” Toya leaned over and whispered. I just nodded. “This isn’t the end. The goddess has a plan.” I told her and I hoped it helped a little with the pain of everything she was dealing with. “She wouldn’t do this to you unless there was a reason.”“I know. And I think this is the reason.” She whispered, her voice growing lower. “Why?”“Because everyday Vince commands me to come to the pack house. To sit next to him and Derek.”“What the fuck?” Wendy’s eye grew wide. “That’s torture.”Lynn sniffled and, for the first time, I could hear how much this was killing her. “It is. But only because he refuses to accept my rejection. Even though my wolf has accepted her fate and is trying her best to recoup, he won’t let the link die. He calls to us, every night. And makes us come stand next to him every day. The bond on my side is shattered, but my wolf is still in pain.” Lynn took a deep breath. “Anyway, I didn’t call you to complain.”“It’s okay if y
Morgan shrugged. “You should have kept your pants on. You only had to keep it in your pants for a few years, and you can’t even do that.” Morgan leveled him with a look. You can blame Shannon all you want, but let’s not pretend she is the only one you’re fucking.Brandon glared at him for a minute before laughing. “True.” He sighed. “But Shannon was the only one Amy had to deal with.”Morgan level him with another look. “Again, it isn’t her fault you decided you wanted to drain Amy of her power. You could have chosen anyone else.”Brandon sighed. “True again, but she is so fucking strong.” He grabbed his dick. “And she is so fucking stuck up. I was going to enjoy draining her.” Rick laughed. Fucking laughed, but when he turned, I saw it. A flash of something in his eyes. He didn’t want to be here. What the fuck is going on here? Megan called back to us, but neither of us knew. “Shut the fuck up.” Vince called back and everyone quieted. “Verity. How fucking long now?”She sighed as s
The world blurred past us. The trees became blurred sticks as we wove in between. Bushes became wider obstacles that we jumped over. The animals, the birds, they knew something was happening, and they stayed quiet and out of the way. Megan passed the borders of the pack lands, she weaved between the border patrols that were following their routes, and others that were just out for friendly hunts. We finally slowed to a stop to catch our breath and to figure out where to go. She looked around. Nix receding back beside me and collapsing. Are you okay? I hurried to her side. Yeah. She huffed and sagged against me. I pushed too hard, that’s all.I cuddled her to my side, holding her up as she caught her breath, and I realized the sun had set. How long did it take us to run here? Nix huffed out a breath. Not long. Around two hours. Why?Why is the sun setting? I looked around and the woods were definitely darker. Megan looked up, and we saw it. She checked the sun, but there was nothi
I drove past the pack members that had lined the street. All of them were waving and bowing, giving my mother a farewell deserving of a luna, not just another pack member. But she has stepped up where Vince’s mate failed. My mom helped with the pups. She made sure they were taught properly. She fought for the females of this pack. And wolves never forgot their debts. I drove down block after block of our pack, saluting to my mother, who wasn’t even here to see it. I waved as I drove past the guards at the beginning of the land, and then we were out. My mother’s body double disappeared, and I called for the jet to get ready to take a flight to the coast and come back. “Who are we taking?”I laughed. “No one.” There was silence on the other end. “Take you families for a vacation to the coast if you like, my gift to you.” I looked at the dash. “I’ll be there in about twenty minutes. Get everyone to the hangar to leave and I’ll transfer you twenty thousand to have a nice weekend. Make s
We made it back to the house and my mother was ecstatic, dancing her way to my room. We shut the door, and she twirled. “Where do I go?” She turned to me and I just gave her a look. “I know I’m going to the cabin. I just mean how? Won’t the pack notice if I don’t leave?”I waved my hand. “I’ll use magic to pretend to drive you away and I’ll leave your car at the airport and run back. Just pack your essentials and we will go over.” I kissed her temple. “But let’s be quick.”“Why?” She sat on my bed and I pulled out black clothes. She just lifted her eyebrows. “What are you going to do? Rob a bank?” I laughed. “I need a shower and descenting spray.” I rummaged through my bathroom, but my mom stood and went into my closet. “What are you doing?”“I put the extra spray in here, foolish girl.” She came out with a bottle. “Now tell me why.”“Rick.” She just twirled her finger. “Rick what?” She handed me the bottle, and I put it on my counter. “When he told me to go home for the day. He to
Vince looked at me, then he turned to Morgan with a raised brow. “Well, then…” He sat back. “There isn’t much of a choice, is there?”Morgan turned to me. “Amy, you can’t be serious. I raised you. I was your dad.” My eyes flashed and Nix was in front in a second. “Repeat those words and I will call the Cath Báis for pure arrogance from you. You barely looked at us when we were a pup. You did everything and anything to take our mother’s time and attention from us. And when I finally shifted, you stole our bonding night.” Nix chuffed a warning call. “So think before you open your mouth again, beta. If you step on my father’s legacy and my mother’s hard work, then I will not hold back. I will rip you to shreds and reunite you with your mate.”Morgan paled. “Nix…I didn’t mean-”“You dodn’t mean to take credit for work you had no hand in. You didn’t raise me. You didn’t pay my way. You didn’t even house me. Amy bought the house. Amy’s money paid for everything for her and her mother. You
The room remained silent for a second, before Vince grabbed the phone and slammed it into the desk, shattering it. But my mom just smirked. “Oh, don’t worry Vince. I have backups.” She crossed her arms. “Now…about my divorce.” The smirk on her face was amazing. But I had to play both sides. “Mom. You can’t let that photo get out. It’s obviously fake. Morgan might do that, but Alpha Vince would never do that.” I pleaded with my mom, but she just patted my hand. “Don’t worry, baby. Whether the photo is real, it’s your concern.” My mom turned back to Vince. “Is it?”Vince looked at me and I could see the relief. He thought I was stupid enough to believe it was real. He still had some standing with me. Brandon stood back up, wincing from the pain. “She’s right. I don’t know what Morgan does in his spare time, but my father would never do something like that.” Brandon crossed over to me and tried to grab my hand. “I will stand up for your dad, because he is my alpha and that photo is ma
Brandon struggled on the ground, but he wiped the blood from his lip. “I don’t even know what Shannon said. How can I tell you if she is lying?”My mother snarled and tried to attack him again. “You fucking son of a bitch.” She swiped at him but I puled her back and just shook my head.I sniffled as I wiped my face on the neck of my shirt, then I turned to face him. “I told Shannon I was stepping back and canceling our mating ceremony because you guys are obviously in love. She was very excited and said that she loved you. That you loved her.” I let a sob out. “That she was pregnant with your pup.” I slapped my hand over my mouth and I turned. I put my face on my mother’s chest and silently laughed. The shaking thankfully looked like sobs. “What?” Brandon looked at Shannon. “You’re pregnant?”She looked down. “I think so.” “It isn’t mine.” Brandon scoffed. “Why are you lying?” He stood. Morgan and Shannon turned their head to look at Brandon and so did my mom. Nix’s words were soft
There was silence in the room as Brandon’s steps faded away. Then Vince looked at me. “Brandon doesn’t want to get between his mate and her sister. So he respectfully stepped away from deciding. So as to not hurt either of you.” I wanted to lift my lip in disgust. He’s fucking pathetic. Megan’s voice was vicious. He can’t even stand by his fucking whore when she needs him. What a worthless male.Nix rubbed her side against Megan. We got away from him this time around. We don’t have to worry about this pup after all of this is over. I tuned back into the office as my two wolves comforted each other. “What?” Shannon looked back at me. “He left because of you?” I could see she wanted to scream, to pout. I shook my head. “I already told Brandon, so I might as well tell you here.” I swallowed and forced more tears into my eyes. Dramatic. Nix scoffed, and I grinned back at her. “I told Brandon today that I realized he was still in love with you, Shannon. Obviously, he still wants to be
We walked into Vince’s office a few minutes later, and everyone was already waiting. Morgan and Shannon were on the left. One chair was empty to the right, and Brandon was standing next to Vince, who was already seated behind the desk, looking stern. “Alpha Vince.” I nodded once and stood behind my mother who took the chair. “Vince.” My mom looked to the left. “I assume you know why we are here.”He nodded. “I did here. But why don’t you tell me?”My mom rolled her eyes. “Im here for a quick divorce and a transfer. I already submitted my request to the King.” Everyone stopped breathing. “You did what?” Vince’s voice was barely a whisper. But my mom smiled. “Did you think I would stick around here?” She chuckled. “My request to transfer has already been approved, my new pack has accepted, and I just have to finalize everything here.” She looked down at her nails. “You had no right.” Morgan screamed. But my mom just swung her head towards him. “Are you stupid?” Morgan blinked slo