Chapter 1 #2
A small sob had me turning sharply. There were two children in the bedroom, and neither of them seemed to notice my presence, confirming that it was a memory for sure.
I had no idea how it was possible I was doing this… Then again, Dakota could read my mind, so maybe it was because of his magic.
One of the children, the younger and smaller girl, was openly sobbing and clinging to a young boy that had to be her brother—they looked far too similar.
My eyes widened, realizing that the young boy was Dakota. He was maybe only twelve at most, his stoic expression and the numb way he was staring out the window creating the illusion he was far older. He held the weight of the world on his shoulders, bending his back.
“She’s not gone,” the girl whimpered. “Tell me she’s not gone.”
Dakota didn’t answer as he tightened his arms around the girl, both of them wearing black formal attire. The creak of the door opening had me turning to find a man standing there, his height and appearance very similar to the Dakota I knew today.
Was this his father?
“The wake is beginning soon.” The man’s voice was cold and distant, and the girl broke into fresh sobs.
After a long moment, the man left, and Dakota urged his sister to stand, using a tissue to dry her tears before walking her towards the door.
I watched them leave, and the slam of the doors closing jolted me from the memory.
“Fuck.”
Dakota’s curse was a welcome relief. He was okay.
My mate was okay. Thank the Goddess. Tears welled in my eyes as I opened them, finding a pink glow surrounding us in a protective shield.
I didn’t hesitate to lean forward, and he snatched me up in his arms. I melted against him, and I could hear him murmuring something, but I felt dazed and almost high on power, unable to focus on anything but the relief of him being here with me, awake and not bleeding.
“Effie, you have to pull your magic back.” Ryder’s voice was hard and unyielding, urging me to submit. I didn’t think he was even doing it on purpose—not like the full Alpha commands Julian used—but I still felt compelled to give Ryder what he wanted.
“Don’t tell her—”
“I don’t want them to remember what she’s capable of,” Ryder hissed, interrupting Julian. “They are going to wake up soon, and if she’s surrounded by a pink fucking glow, they are going to put it together that she healed them and tell Hastain.”
That name was like ice water being poured over me.
I pulled back from Dakota as my magic receded back through my veins, disappearing beneath the normal connection with my wolf, as if it had never been there to begin with.
I let out a sharp exhale and met Ryder’s gaze from where he was crouched down, staring at me with concern.
Next I looked to Julian, who stood nearby with a foot on the other bitten’s chest, power running off him in a dangerous, intoxicating pattern.
I could feel that Coffin was there, looking through his eyes, and I tried to not call to him.
Instead I moved my gaze to Reamann, who was lying nearby, shifted back in human form with all his limbs. How had he healed?
Tore used his boot to turn him from me, pulling my attention to Weylin and the other men unconscious on the ground. Everyone was silent, even Caedmon, who was vibrating with aggression from the fight.
I blinked, drawing in a deep breath before I asked, “I healed them?”
“Yes.”
No. That wasn’t right. Confusion and frustration created a complex mix of emotions in my head as I found myself rubbing my throat anxiously.
Why would I have healed the men that wanted to hurt my mates?
My wolf instantly broadcasted the image of them in that cave, causing me to pause my movement, and it clicked together for me.
“I didn’t want you to get in trouble again.”
My words were soft and carried in the cold breeze as the clouds shifted and revealed the moon once again, causing Caedmon to let out a vicious noise.
I stood and walked towards him without fear, wanting him to shift back so I could calm him.
The others watched, worry emanating from them, but didn’t try to stop me.
I turned back to all of them and said, “I called out to you…and it worked.”
“It will always work. We will always show up,” Tore promised, his voice rough.
I swallowed down my emotions and turned into Caedmon, placing my hand up, which he met with his own massive claw.
The size difference caused me to marvel as I met his eyes, feeling at peace with the connection between us.
For just a moment, the world seemed to freeze, and the moonlight shone against our joint hands, making me smile.
The way his energy wrapped around me possessively was something I craved more than I realized.
“Caedmon, we need to get her out of here before they wake.”
Ryder’s words were enough for Caedmon. I let out a surprised squeak as I was suddenly lifted into the air and pulled against him.
He charged away from the clearing, taking me away from them and into the forest. As I looked back at my mates, I was left with the feeling that this night was about to get much more complicated.