Chapter 34
Mark
I wake up slowly, the soft sound of breathing mingling with mine.
I feel a weight on my chest, and when I open my eyes, I see her nestled against me.
But it's no longer the human Sandra.
She is in her feline form now, settling on my chest like a cuddly kitten, her soft, smooth fur spread across my skin, her muzzle pressed against my neck.
She must have transformed while we slept.
If I could, I would stay here forever. With her like this, in my arms, without haste, without the weight of responsibilities. Just the feeling of her, warm and calm, giving me an inexplicable peace.
But there are things that need to be resolved.
I cannot continue inside this bubble of happiness, ignoring the reality outside and the dangers that surround us.
With the utmost caution, I stroke her fur, not wanting to wake her, but she is so cute in this form that I cannot resist.
Her soft purrs are the only response.
I kiss the top of her head tenderly and then, very carefully, lift her slowly so as not to disturb her sleep, and place her back on the mattress, where she can continue to sleep comfortably.
I get up slowly, trying not to make any noise. When I stand up and stretch, I take a deep breath.
My ribs, which yesterday felt broken, are less painful today. The feeling of healing slowly creeping through my body is almost torture and relief at the same time. I am no longer as broken as before, but I am still only a reflection of what I once was.
My healing essence, which has always been an unshakeable force, now seems to be crawling inside me, as if learning to walk again.
I walk to the bathroom, and the reflection in the mirror catches my attention. The scars on my arms are thinner, now just a few silver lines, almost invisible on my skin.
I turn sideways and instinctively bring a hand to my torso, to the area where the pain still lingers.
With a quick movement, I remove the bandage covering my side and feel a slight tug.
The reflection in the mirror is honest. My ribs are covered with purplish and greenish marks, traces of a struggle that almost consumed me.
In the centre of the bruises are four deep, long cuts made by sharp claws.
My muscles tense just looking at them. The stitches are still there, holding my flesh together, a reminder that I am not healing properly.
I put the bandage back on, hating to know that I am still weak.
I look away at the tube of toothpaste on the sink. An impulse takes hold of me, and I decide to try, even though I feel like I exhausted my fae magic the night before and haven't had time to recover it.
I concentrate, feel the faint essence pulsing within me, forcing every particle of my magic to create an invisible barrier.
With an effort, the tube rises into the air, floating there, defying gravity.
But the barrier doesn't last long. It shatters in an instant, and the tube falls, tapping lightly on the sink.
"Shit..."
How can I protect Sandra like this?
The only way is to join forces with my people, swallow my wounded pride and ask for help.
Speaking of my people...
I need to know what happened at my company while I was away, how they dealt with the apparitions, if anyone was hurt...
I go down to my home office and turn on the computer, my fingers already moving automatically over the keyboard to unlock it while I call Ted on Bluetooth.
The monitor screen lights up before the call is even answered, and I'm greeted by a barrage of alerts. I open the latest reports and begin analysing the attacks. The phone finally connects.
"Mark, how are you?" Ted's voice sounds hoarse on the other end of the line.
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay in control.
"Let's cut to the chase, Ted. Have we had any casualties?"
There is a brief silence before a heavy sigh.
"There were three wendigos this time, but something was wrong. They didn't attack civilians, they weren't hunting randomly." He takes a deep breath before exhaling forcefully. "At first, we didn't notice, but they advanced straight towards our sentries, as if someone had led them there."
My jaw clenches and my fingers twist, my claws wanting to come out.
"What the fuck?" I growl, feeling my anger rise. "If there was any doubt, there isn't now. It's the same person behind the grimoire and the dark energy. Retaliation for the invasion."
"We think so too. And Mark... these wendigos were stronger than normal. Faster and more resilient. We had no casualties, but almost everyone was seriously injured. The situation was ugly. And something strange happened."
"What?"
"Two of our men were seriously injured, waiting for the reinforcements I sent. But before they arrived, some supernatural beings from outside our team appeared out of nowhere... and eliminated the third wendigo.
"Who?" I stand up, my body tense, on alert.
"I recognised them as some candidates who tried to join our company but were rejected.
" Ted shakes his head in disbelief. "One of them was the cambion with mental persuasion.
I don't know how, but he managed to immobilise the wendigo with his power.
And the other... the lynx shapeshifter. He simply tore the monster apart in seconds.
If they didn't pass the tests, it was because they were weak.
So... how did they do it?
"What the hell?"
"Yeah.
I close my eyes, processing the information as he continues:
"As soon as I found out, I reassigned all the reinforcements to the other two wendigos. Even so, it took us a while to finish them off." His voice becomes lower, tense. "Now there are rumours that those two are part of a new competing security company... and that they're stronger than us."
My lips curl, and my canines lengthen in a frustrated growl.
"They're trying to tarnish our reputation."
"Exactly, but I'm holding down the fort here, so you don't need to worry. Just try to recover and..."
"No, Ted. It's worse than I thought. There's more..."
My mind spins with so much information, making connections.
"My duel with Liam..." I continue, clenching my jaw. "I expected him to cheat. His feud with me was personal. But wolves in general follow the lupine code. After I won, they didn't submit, they didn't respect the hierarchy."
"So they tried to kill you too?" Ted's voice is tense.
"That's what it looked like. At most, another wolf from the clan could challenge me for the title of leader, but instead, they all surrounded me and tried to attack me as a pack," I say, recalling the details of that night.
"The wolves seemed out of control, and you yourself said that the wendigos acted as if they were being manipulated. .."
Ted curses.
"Whoever is behind this knows you well. They knew about your feud with Liam and may have encouraged the duel, taking advantage of the opportunity to weaken you and keep you busy during the attacks. And now this competition coming out of nowhere..."
Rage boils inside me. My claws extend reflexively, the beast inside me roaring to be released.
"And my Kitten..." My voice comes out deep, heavy with concern. "Damn it, Ted, she's been cursed. Not only was she attacked by a wendigo... Who's trying to get to my people? Who hurt my partner?"
"If even I didn't know you had a thing for her, and Ethan didn't tell anyone, it could be a coincidence." His voice tries to sound reassuring, but the tension is still clear. "But it could be connected in some way, yes. The question is: who has a motive to want to take you down like this?
"Lots of people, Ted. Family or friends of those I destroyed to save our community... people who want revenge."
"Mark?" Sandra's sleepy voice echoes from the stairs.
When I look, there she is, wrapped in a sheet, her hair messy from her recent transformation.
From what you've told me, you haven't been in this form for very long.
And I need answers now.
"Who cursed you?" She freezes in place. Her eyes become more lucid when she notices my tone, the urgency in it.
I walk over to her and cup her face in my hands, being careful of her claws.
"Do you know who it was?"
"Yes..." She swallows hard.
"Who? Did they give you a reason? Or was it unexpected?"
"It was a witch..." She lowers her gaze, her face flushed with shame. "The wife of the man who deceived me, and with whom I... almost slept."
My muscles tense, a wave of anger consuming me as I think of the bastard who did this to her. The hatred grows, not only for what he did, but for knowing that someone treated Sandra with so little consideration, as if she were not worthy of all the respect and reverence she deserves.
She senses my tension and looks up at me with tear-filled eyes.
"She caught us together, but I swear I didn't know he was married." She sobs quietly, trying to hide her face in my chest. "His wife blamed me and threatened me to stay away from him. I apologised and walked away, but one night, she showed up in front of my building and..."
"You don't have to continue, my love." I hold her chin firmly, forcing her to face me. "Just tell me her name. Any information that will help us find her."
Sandra hesitates, a heavy sigh escaping her lips before she speaks.
"I don't know her name, but you know her, Mark. Her husband was the supernatural killed by the wendigo that attacked me. He was a rabbit shapeshifter."
"Holy shit," Ted's voice echoes in my headset. I had forgotten that the call was still connected. "We know where she lives, Beast."
"Give me the address, Ted." My growl echoes through the room. "I'm going there right now."
"No way, you're not going alone. Not after you almost died and are still recovering. We need to meet first, plan everything."
My jaw locks.
"Fine," I hiss, holding back the anger and frustration that threaten to overflow. "Meet me at the office in ten minutes."
"I'm coming with you," Sandra says.
I start to shake my head, about to say that it's dangerous, that I don't want to put her at risk, but she cuts me off before I even open my mouth.
"I want to look into the eyes of the person who cursed me, Mark. I want to face that witch. Whether as a woman or a cat, I'm going."
The determination in her eyes is overwhelming. She is a force of nature, so perfect in her essence, and I find myself completely surrendered.
I am incapable of denying my female anything; she has me in her little claws.
"Okay, we'll go together."