I walked into the room and dumped everything on to the table. I organized everything in a way I liked, insuring it is visible from the chair and then covered turned to Ronnie. “Is there anything I can use to cover this with?”“Here.” He walked around the corner and pressed a panel in, causing it to pop out. Hiden behind was a cabinet filled with cleaning supplies and towels. I raised my eyebrow, and he shrugged. “What? It gets messy here.”I laughed and grabbed the towel that he was handing over and covered my tools. “Have Beck meet you at her cell and bring her down here.” I walked with him out of the room. “I’ll wait out of sight until you mind-link me. Then I will come in.”“Why do it like that?” Ronnie closed the door behind me and I walked around another corner, leaning against the wall to wait.“Because. I want her to think she has a chance, and then to have it ripped from her.”“But why?” Ronnie kept pushing it until I gave an answer.“Because the faster she loses hope, the les
She shifted, fur sprouting on her arm with claws slashing through the binding on her hand. But I grabbed her hand and slammed in back down to the arm of the chair and tsked again. “And where do you think you are going?” “Let me go!” She screamed in my face, trying to shift completely. “Well, that isn’t going to work for me.” I stood and slammed her struggling arm back on to the arm and unraveled the rope in my hands. “I was trying to give you an out, Aurora. I really, truly hoped you would have been smart enough to take it. But I guess you want to see how long you will keep up the act.” I wrapped her in the silvered rope, her skin hissing and bubbling from the contact as I wound it around her arm and the chair. She started to scream, and I hushed her. “Stop. Goddess, stop. You can’t do this to me.”“Oh, but you are wrong there. You poisoned the alpha of this pack, and that made you a traitor. Once my father has a clear mind, you will be banished, and if he never recovers, then this
I jerked to face her and the glow was gone, but as soon as I turned my head and faced Ronnie, I could see a faint glow around a chain on her neck. I pulled the pliers, and she screamed and passed out. Ronnie rushed over, but I slapped a hand over my mouth. “What’s wrong?” Ronnie started to hover, and I doubled over and started howling in laughter. “What?”“Is she really insane?” Beck whispered to Ronnie, which just made me laugh harder. Tears were streaming down my face when I looked up at Ronnie, who was still hovering over me and Aurora. “Amy, talk to me.” Ronnie knelt and grabbed my face, but I was still trying to catch my breath. “She.” I started, but I coughed as more laughter bubbled up. “She fainted.”“We see that. Most she-wolves can’t stand torture Amy.” Ronnie grimaced.“She probably passed out because of the pain of you ripping out her nail.” Beck tossed out.“But I didn’t.” I raised the empty pliers and her untouched hand. “She just fainted. From fear.” Both men froze
“Give it back.” She screamed and leaned in trying to bite me since her hands were tied. But I just pulled my hand back. “Why would I do that?” I flipped it around in my hand. “It’s beautiful, honestly. Where did you get it?”“I got it from my mom.” “Really? Why was she sorry?”“What?” Aurora looked confused and shook her head. “She wasn’t. She got it for my birthday this year. Give it back.”“When is your birthday?”“What?” Aurora shook her head. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?” “Her birthday is December.” Beck answered me and I tilted my head. “I’m a gamma. My primary job is to protect the luna. Since we don’t have a luna, I keep track of the wolves trying to become the luna. That includes their birthdays.”“Why?” Ronnie looked back at Beck and he shrugged.“I want to be a few steps ahead with the next luna.”Ronnie faced him fully. “Beck, you know he won’t be with any obe else.” The man just shrugged.“Just in case.”Ronnie shook his head and turned back to me.
Nix? I called out in my mind.I’m trying to rein it in, but she pissed me off. Her voice was low. I watched her shake herself, but she was still riled. Megan trotted over to her and rubbed her side down Nix’s. I watched as my one wolf calmed my other one, and when Nix finally nodded, I opened my eyes to see I had shifted back.I rubbed my arms, and Ronnie ran his finger through his hair. “Please don’t shift until your father has been fixed. I don’t think I could keep up with Nix, nor keep her in check.” Ronnie shook himself before heading back upstairs. I could still make out Aurora’s screaming, but we headed all the way back upstairs. “What about the tools?”“Beck will grab them.” I nodded and headed up the stairs while Ronnie closed the door behind us and he called back up to me. “Amy?”“Yeah?”“You, ugh, you have a knife in your back pocket.” Confused, I patted my pocket, and sure enough, I had a small knife I had grabbed from the room with the tools. I pulled it out and flipped
“Hold his hand out.” I pulled it out far enough, and Ronnie looked at me. “What?”“Hold his right hand out now.” My father was screaming. “What the fuck are you doing? Ronnie, if you fucking listen to her I will kill you,” He snarled. His aura tried to come out, but it didn’t reach us.“What the hell?”“Your dad spelled this cell so that he couldn’t make us release him. He wanted to make sure he wouldn’t be a danger to the pack.” I nodded and braced myself. I pulled his hand out as far as I could and nodded to Ronnie. He wrapped his hand around his arm. Once he was settled, and he gave me a nod, I let go. I wrestled his hand open, and I pulled the knife from my back pocket.“Amy, what are you doing?” My father fought harder, slamming Ronnie’s back against the bars.“Do you trust me?” I fought to hold his hand straight as I brought the knife closer.“Of course. But what are you doing?”“If I’m right, what I am about to do will not be pretty, but it needs to be done.” “What are you
“Alsh firmate alite.” The fire ball flew from my hands and exploded against the dry wood. It caught, and soon the fire was burning through the wood quickly. I fed more wood, bigger pieces into the fire, and waited for it to catch. I wanted to be sure that this was going to be burning for a while before I moved on to the next step. Once I was sure that the fire was good, I flipped back to the page I needed. I read the entire page twice before I put the book back on the ground. I pulled my mother’s necklace out of my pocket and my father’s skin. I prayed to the Moon Goddess that I was right before I tossed both in. “Ista nox luva sit nu.” I slowly repeated the word three times, and I watched as the fire flared and turned pink. I hoped that meant I was right before I sat back on my heels. Now I just had to wait. I fed the fire and watched as the necklace slowly melted away, and nearly gagged from the smell as the small bit of my father went with it. I let the fire go until I saw ever
The sun was breaking over the trees as I broke out of the forest. I didn’t realize that the burning took so long. It took the entire night. Megan’s voice sounded tired. I nodded as I ran into the pack house and up the stairs. I needed to see him for myself before I believed he was truly back to his normal self. I made it to the landing, and I was hearing the pack house wake up, but I was only focused on one thing.“Dad?” I slammed into the office and skidded to a stop. My father was there, sitting behind his desk. He looked like he was normal, but that didn’t mean he was. Ronnie was slumped in his normal chair and they both looked up to where I was panting in the doorway.“Yeah pup.” His smile made me burst into tears. “You scared the crap out of me, old man. I thought I had lost you.” I ran into his arms as he stood and he wrapped his arms around me.“I’m sorry Amy. I should have listened to you sooner. I wouldn’t have hurt you if I had.” He pulled back to look at the faded bruises
He knows. Nix’s words were soft, her eyes fully focused on the man in front of us. What are you talking about? Megan turned back to us. He’s scum.Nix shook her head. Look at him, Megan. Truly look, and push away your hatred towards Brandon, Vince, and well, all the male population. Megan snorted but turned back.What am I looking for? Megan sighed, but focused. I stepped closer, trying to see what she was seeing.Nix was focused on Rick. Look at his skin. He is sweating, he’s pale, but his eyes are focused. His hand… She trailed off.He’s clutching at his neck. Megan tensed beside me. “What happened first, Rick?”He turned his haunted eyes back to us. “What?”Megan sighed as she crept closer. “What came first? You working with Vince? Or Abby getting branded?”“Does it matter?” He slammed back against the wall and dropped to his ass. “It changes nothing.”“It matters.” She growled. “It matters to me, and I know it will matter to Amy.” “Why?” He dropped his head into his hands. “It
I waited until Vince pulled out the needle and I jumped up, growling. I let my hackles rise and I lunged for Vince, but he danced back and slammed the door shut. His chuckle was infuriating, and I lunged, hitting the bars on purpose. I yelped and jumped back from the searing pain of silver. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Everything is silver in here.” Vince wagged the key in front of me. “You will just have to be a good girl to get let out.” I nearly gagged, but I lunged again, testing how hard the bars were. They bent a little, making every man jump back. I yelped again and slid against the ground, showing the burns to Vince. “Stop!” I pulled away, slowly, weakly, growling softly to show I hadn’t given up yet. Nix rolled on the ground. You are really selling this, Amy. Vince is eating this up for sure. Megan shook her head. But don’t push it too far. A wolf cornered would fight, but a weaker wolf would stay away from the silver after this. I nodded. Oh, I know. That was the l
Nix and Megan pressed against my side. What are you saying? It’s poisoned…poisoned how? Nix leaned in, trying to see it closer, but we were stuck where we were. The power that their traps were pulling from me it was transferred to this rune. The quickening. It says it right in the name. It converts your power into physical strength and speed. Like I was doing with our power, but this is for a person who doesn’t have magic. Okay…I don’t know what’s wrong still. Megan leaned against the barrier and I laughed. Do you see the line that cuts through the rune? Both of my wolves focused on the rune that was bobbing in and out of our line of sight as he ran. Yeah. Nix finally said. The part that looks infected?Yes. That’s exactly what it is. A poisoning. It breaks the limits on the rune and pushes power into the person. Normally, the person will hit a wall. The wall being that their physical body can’t go any faster or it hurt them, it will break down their bodies. Like poison.So you’re
I heard a chuckle and then a soft whispered. “Slepta noir sha dineh por clotin.” Then the world went dark. Amy, stay awake. Nix called me, but I couldn’t move. Everything was heavy. I felt like I was snuggled under the best blanket in a dark room. Amy! Megan called after me, but I was snuggled deep into slumber. A few more minutes, guys. I called back to my wolves. I heard them both growl. What is the point of having magic if we fall victim to it? Nix growled, but Megan just sighed. It wasn’t an attack, like Verity said it was a gentle spell to put her to sleep. We are still awake, and if anything happens, I’m sure we can force her awake. But there is a bright side.What’s that? Nix sounded doubtful, but open to listening.Amy will be rested and fully recharged. Then we can figure out what the actual fuck happened. Like, how did Rick catch us?I felt my wolves settled near me. And I rolled to touch them. I wanted to wake up. This seemed like something important. Something was wro
Vince turned to look at Brandon. He looked at its stumpy fingers and shook his head. “Why would you bring up the brotherhood in front of the wench?”Wench? Is he trying to be a fucking pirate or something? Nix snorted and rolled her eyes. Vince is stupid.But I watched him. Something was off in the way he watched us. Ever since I ripped off his cheek. I think…I think he likes us, Megan. She snapped her head to mine and then gagged. Absolutely the fuck not. She shook her head. But Nix watched him. I think she is right, Megan. Everytime he says something, his eyes flick to us. He is looking for our reaction. She gagged again. No, you two have to be wrong. We ripped off half his face.I think…I think he likes us because of it. The thought made my stomach clench. Sick fuck. “Wench? Dad…common we all know she is going to be dead soon. So why does it matter?” Brandon snorted as he passed me, kicking out, but I jumped up and snarled. “I would watch your self Bran. She is feisty. She alr
I sat still. I knew I couldn’t run away without being caught, so I would sit, watch, and wait. I was going to hold back on any magic use until I was somewhere else. Since Rick said the forest was covered in magical traps, this was once I was out I would be safe. I just needed to get out first. Rick narrowed his eyes. “You aren’t going to come quietly, are you?” I just settled on the ground. I wasn’t stupid, but I wasn’t going to just fall in line, either. He chuckled and turned to Morgan. “Watch my son. Don’t let him get close to the wolf.” Morgan nodded, but Vince was already turning away. “Rick, come with me. You can carry me back here with our shit and the pup.” Rick’s eyes tightened again and then he nodded. He smiled. “Yeah. Poor thing has to survive another week.”He shifted and left the clearing while Morgan and Brandon glared at me. “Are you seriously still going after Amy’s mom?” Brandon sagged against a tree. “I mean, I get it. She’s hot. And the power of the women in tha
Vince yelled as he tossed me to the ground. Morgan kicked me as soon as I hit the dirt, chunks of grass and twigs flying, the swift kick to my stomach sending me into a tree. I yelped as my shoulder broke, along with a few ribs, but Vince just looked at me with surprise as a chunk of his face slowly knitted itself back together. I looked at him through hooded eyes, but I watched with satisfaction as his cheek slowly rebuilt itself. Blood poured from his left side of his face. The lip hung loose, cut adrift from the portion of his cheek. I ripped away. His teeth were visible, and the surprised look in his eyes made the slow healing a little easier to deal with. Brandon looked at his father with wide eyes. “Are you okay?” He went to move closer, but that was the moment I spat out the hunk of meat I had in my mouth, as if his blood was poison. Vince didn’t look away from me. I sat up and wretched, like I was going to vomit. His blood and bits of flesh clung to the inside of my mouth.
I heard them all shift and start after me. One after the other, I heard a growl and then charging feet. Even Rick, who knew I was going to be out here, was charging after me. Rick, fucking Rick.Why would he want me to see all of that? Megan’s words were ragged. She was waning, but Nix was pushing her body to the brink. I think he needed us to see that. Maybe this started as a couple of friends, and he thought they were joking. Or it was a what if, and then he fell in love with Shelly?Nix panted but hummed her agreement. I think it was probably in the middle. He thought they were just assholes joking around with the women they were using, and then he found his mate. But he didn’t want to let go of his friends. Until his pup came back branded. Megan finished, and Nix agreed.I feel bad for him. Her words made us stop. But Nix pushed on. This about it, you’re trying to stay loyal to your friends but faithful to you mate and you think that witchcraft is probably fake and then suddenl
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