[Asher’s POV]Pained faces surrounded me, letting out cries of despair as their boney fingers clawed at my skin and clothes. Despite my attempts to back away, I found myself stuck entirely, unable to move, only able to endure what was happening to me."Help us.""Do something!""It hurts!"Their cries continued to echo, becoming damn near deafening."Asher…"What was that? That voice wasn’t like the others. It was so gentle and something about it calmed my heart."Hey, Asher..."Gasping, my eyes flew open as I sat up in bed and stared at a bare wall that was barely illuminated by a dim light. Just a dream... Another fucking dream of the damned. The same dream that haunted me ever since the darkness began to claw at me and try to escape.I let out a long breath and slowly sat up, letting the cover that was beginning to wrap around me fall to my waist."Hey," Leah’s soft voice murmured as a warm hand touched my chest. "Are you okay? Your heart's beating a mile a minute. ""Mmm."Was I o
[Leah’s POV]"I’ve got to go help him!" I gasped, beginning to make my way towards the door. "Please, stay here and watch Arabia!""Are you nuts?" Thia demanded. "What do you think you’ll be able to do?""I don’t know, but I can’t just sit back and do nothing!"As I spoke, I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my car keys. The place in my chest that had been burning moments prior was still radiating pain throughout my entire body, and I knew that Asher was suffering. There wasn't even time to think about what I was going to do. If I had to, I was going to burn every single one of those bastards to the ground!"Keep an eye on Arabia!" I repeated, rushing out the door.‘Ian,’ I called as I jumped into my car. ‘I need you and Deon to help me!’Before I could even get the keys in the ignition, the kitsune brothers appeared with looks of curiosity and concern on their faces."What’s going on?" Deon asked from his place in the backseat."Asher’s in trouble!" I responded, slamming on the gas and
[Leah’s POV]"Get your fucking hands off me!" I snarled.Whirling around I found that I was once again alone and let out a growl of frustration. I had to admit, this Kelvin character was really starting to get on my last nerve. All this warning me to stay away from Asher. What exactly was the relationship between them?"I need answers." I sighed, making my way to the car and hopping in.By the time I reached the kitsune siblings' house, Thia’s car and even Haidan’s were out front, and I could feel strong magic pressing against my skin. What the hell was going on in there that required so much?As this thought hits, my heart lurches, and I quickly make my way inside and up the stairs towards where I can hear all the commotion."Leah?" Thia gasped as I reached the room where Asher was in. "Stay back.""Why?" I demanded. However, Thia didn’t need to respond as a low, agonized growl escaped the room. "What’s wrong with him?"I didn’t need to ask who was making the noise. I would recognize
[Asher’s POV]"Due to that, I can’t help but wonder why you’ve gotten yourself mixed up with him." Ian muttered, fixing a confused gaze on me."It was to help me." Leah offered, gently squeezing my hand. "He was determined to help free my lycan."The room around us grew quiet as all eyes fell on me. Shit, I was already exhausted from the effects of the fire and ice poison, and now I was going to have to voice my reasons for being involved with Kelvin."Stop it." Leah snapped, once again coming to my defense. "Now isn’t the time to show judgement towards what Asher did. What we need to focus on is figuring out a way to kill Kelvin so he can be free. ""Kill him," Ian chuckled. "If only that bastard was capable of being killed. Have you ever heard of the thousand year war?""The war that occurred during the Dark Ages?" Haidan asked, seeming to grow interested. "Are you saying Kelvin was involved in that?""That’s correct." Ian confirmed. "Along with his mate, Selena."I could feel a chi
[Leah’s POV]Pain radiated through me as I collapsed to the ground, trying to catch my breath. What the hell was this and why wouldn’t it stop? Was this some type of sick joke that Kelvin was playing or…"Help her!" Asher’s worried voice rasped as he appeared by my side. "Don’t just fucking stand there and watch.""I’m…fine…" I panted, feeling something in me beginning to stir. "However... I believe..."Before any more words can escape me, my fingernails start to extend into claws and hair begins to spring up along my arms. I was…shifting? I was really shifting into my lycan, but why?"Leah?" Asher gasped from his place beside me. "How?""It had to have been Kelvin." Ian responded.Letting out a growl of pain, I continued going through the motions of shifting and everything about it felt like the first time it happened. At least the vomiting had stopped, but why was this happening and how? "Why would he break the curse?" Thia asked, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Wouldn’t
[Asher’s POV]I remained in place, watching as Leah tried to fool everyone into thinking that she was okay with the current situation she was in. It was both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking to see. Especially when I could feel her worry and frustration through our bond. I couldn't even begin to fathom having to wonder if I would ever be able to be human again or if I would have to live my life as a monster. And I was sure it was much more upsetting given that Arabia was still so young.Standing, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. It was almost like hugging her as a human, since in lycan form she was still petite. I wasn't sure if this was how big she would be, or if she was this little because she hadn't been in this form since she was sixteen.‘I’m fine.’ She sighed, relaxing against me. ‘Don’t worry.’How was I supposed to not worry? She was trapped as a lycan, and if we couldn’t find this mutans stone, there was a possibility she could spend the rest of her lif
[Asher’s POV]By the time night fell, the Kitsune brothers led the way through the busy streets of the Inbetween’s black market. We had managed to easily arrive here without a portal thanks to Ian and Deon’s ability to teleport anywhere and everywhere. Now, it was just a matter of finding what we came here for."Do you know what this jewel looks like?" I asked Ian while examining the stalls that we passed by. "Or are you going in blind like the rest of us?""Maybe," Ian admitted sheepishly. "I have a general idea of how it should look.""Then how should it look?" I demanded.I wanted to find this damn jewel as quickly as possible so I could get back to Leah. Despite her wanting to come along, we just couldn’t risk letting her walk around in her condition. She would draw too much attention to herself.After a few bouts of stubbornness, she finally gave in and stayed back with the twins and children. Amazingly, Arabia wasn’t afraid of her, but I guess despite Leah being in her lycan for
[Thia’s POV]I stared straight ahead as Antoine and Ashton helped their packmates send off the deceased. Beside me, Haidan remained stoic as silent tears made their way down her cheeks and dripped onto her brown hair that hung over her shoulders.My heart broke for all of them. Whereas I didn’t grow up in this pack and therefore didn’t have that connection, they were all connected. Maybe in the past that would have bothered me, but now I was happy that they all at least had one another still.Reaching out, I wrapped an arm around Haidan’s shoulder and pulled her closer."Thanks," her shaky voice sighed, as she relaxed into my side.Nodding, I kept my gaze on the lake ahead and the rafts that were slowly drifting towards the middle, where the warriors that gave their lives would soon leave this earthly plain. Once all were set asail, Ashton and the others lifted bows and arrows from the ground as Antoine went around lighting the tips."Ready!" Ashton called, lifting his blazing arrow t