44. Ava
No. This can’t be real. I must be dead. There is no explanation.
A smirk covers Julia’s lips as she stops in front of me, a freshly manicured hand on her hip. “Well, well…” Her voice echoes around the derelict room. “What do we have here?”
I remain silent, flicking my eyes between hers sharply. My pulse pounds against my neck, and I clench my hands together to stop them from trembling around the chains.
She bends down to my level and analyses my face. “A human,” she exhales with a sour laugh. “That makes this a thousand times better. I thought Jaxon’s mate would be a warrior, an Alpha’s daughter, or a legacy. But no, she’s nothing but a worthless human with no strength whatsoever.”
What’s going on? My head spins.
“What do you want from me, Julia?”
Her eyes flare at me. “Ah, I’m relieved you know who I am. Jaxon talks about me, huh?”
My jaw clenches at her patronising tone. The drugs that pump around my system are forcing bile up my throat, but I push it down before I show how weak and terrified I am. I’m tired of being the fragile girl who needs saving.
“Jaxon said you died.”
“I did,” she sighs and inspects her blood-red fingernails. “Well…that’s what he thinks. This has been going on for three years too long.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “What is going on? I don’t understand what’s happening here.”
Julia throws her head back and releases a loud cackle. “Oh, Ava,” she coos. “How stupid could you be? You think I was Jaxon’s first mate? I wasn’t his mate at all.”
I blink in confusion. “What?”
“I had a spell cast on Jaxon and spent years trying to infiltrate myself into his life, family, and pack. I had myself killed in front of him and the make-belief spell left his poor heart broken.” Her evil lips curl into a smug smile.
My arms begin to tremble. No. This can’t be real.
Julia’s eyes flicker over my face slowly. “Oh! And don’t think I forgot about you. I couldn’t have you getting in the way of my mission. I had a spell cast on you, too, and then I directed you to the vilest creatures to ever exist. I hoped they would break you, but they didn’t. You had to run straight into Jaxon. That’s why I had to intervene.”
I lower my gaze and tell myself not to throw up. She had something to do with my capture from Lucien? Fuck. Fuck. I release a low grumble, and she continues to laugh at me.
“Ow, look how cute you are when you get angry. No wonder Jaxon fell head over heels for someone as pretty as you.” She leans forward to drag one of her talons across my cheek. “But I’ll give it to you, I’m surprised you survived that hellhole. I’ve seen the way they treat women, and I know it’s not pleasant.”
My wrists tug at the chains. “Fuck you.”
Julia gasps. “Now. Now. That’s no fun, is it?”
“Why would you do this?”
“Because revenge is best served ice-fucking-cold.”
I pull back and shake my head. “How could a spell be powerful enough to mess with a true mate bond? The Moon Goddess cannot be manipulated.”
Julia cackles unattractively. “Witches are incredibly powerful. They’ve been crafting for centuries. There is always some kind of loophole, and I’m lucky I found my way in. It took me a while to find a witch who had the abilities to find you through Jaxon’s soul—even if none of us knew who you were. I convinced him it was fortune telling; instead, it was a con to get inside that heart of his to find you.”
My throat burns from the dryness. How is that possible?
“The second she sensed you, she bound you to Lucien by false pretences. It took weeks. Weeks. But it was worth every damn second.” Her eyes grow darker. “I even had to chance my luck by taking a sample of his hair for the ritual.”
I clench my jaw so tightly it creaks. “I don’t believe whatever Jaxon did made you do all of this and waste years of your life.”
“Do you know what I had to sacrifice for those spells? I had to give up my wolf, and I didn’t do that lightly.” She takes a fistful of my jacket and yanks my face to hers. A whimper falls from my lips. “You are not in any position to judge. You didn’t lose what I did. We don’t forgive and forget; we get even. Now, we’re finishing with you.”
Before I can say anything in response, she raises her fingers and backhands me across the face. The blow was so quick that I didn’t have a chance to blink. The taste of copper fills my mouth, and I stare at her through my hair that’s fallen over my eyes.
“The drugs should be wearing off now. Mindlink Jaxon and tell him you’re at the derelict building up on High River Way. Tell him to come alone, otherwise, I’ll gut you the second he goes back on his word.” Her nose twitches. “And I know he’ll do anything to keep his precious human mate safe. I know exactly how protective he is.”
I shake my head. “No.”
Those icy-blue eyes harden at my simple statement. “Excuse me?” she roars before smacking me again. I groan, my head falling to the side. Her werewolf strength stings, but I’m not going to let Jaxon end up in this mess. It’s a trap. She’ll kill us both. I know we’re not alone. Those two big guys from the market are most likely hanging around and possibly more. “Do it now, you stupid cunt.”
Her hand fists into the back of my hair as she scrunches up her face in pure disgust. I grunt in pain when she tugs at the roots, ripping some of the pieces from my scalp. “I said do it now,” she yells as blood trickles down my chin. “Or I will make this worse for you, for everyone. You don’t want me killing Lucy, Sebastian, and Kayden. All I want is Jaxon. So mindlink him. Now!”
Jesus. I trust she’s crazy. I also trust she’ll kill anyone in her path to get to Jaxon. My jaw aches from how tight I’m biting down. I’ll never live with myself knowing the rest of them got hurt.
I push into the bond that’s been masked by the drugs in my system. Jax…
Baby, where the hell are you? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Tell me where you are, please.
My eyes hold Julia’s stare. I don’t know if you’re going to believe this, but it’s Julia. She’s got me. She’s still alive. She’s wanting revenge.
Fuck. Are you okay? Are you hurt?
Yes.
To which question? Fuck, Ava. Don’t do this to me. Are you hurt?
No. I’m okay. She wants you to come to the derelict building by High River Way. She says to come alone. If you don’t she’ll kill me. But it’s a set-up. She’ll kill us both. She has other people here, too. She’s insane. Don’t buy into it.
Jaxon scoffs, but it sounds like he’s about to lose his mind. If you think for one damn second I am not coming to get you, then you’ve got another thing coming.
She’ll kill us both.
No. She’s not going to stand a chance. I promise. Hang in there, baby. I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, and I am sticking by my word. You hear me?
My lips tremble. I wish he was here now. Yes.
I tilt my head towards her. “It’s done.”
A look of triumph covers her face before she grabs me by the throat and shoves me. My skull hits the pillar behind with a loud whack. I breathe through my nose, but I don’t release a sound. She studies my face and then pouts before standing up, her fingers pressing to her mouth as she whistles.
The two men from the market step in, followed by two more. I flick my weary gaze between the five of them. “Let’s roughen her up.” Julia taps a finger against her lips. “We want Jaxon to be in the worst pain possible.”
My throat clenches in fear as they crowd around me. The first punch knocks me onto my side, and I feel the coldness of the ground scraping against my cheek. All of the adrenaline in my body masks the pain, but when the next blow comes, I wheeze in misery.
I despise the sound of Julia’s heinous laugh. She stands back and watches the show with her arms folded over her chest, those dark eyes lighting up with amusement. I spit blood from my mouth onto the ground only to be punched in the stomach.
My body folds over, and I groan, tears releasing from my eyes.
I take hit after hit until I’m numb and non-responsive to their violence. Julia whistles again, and they back away. I shudder and glance up at the wicked woman through hazy eyes.
“Think that’ll do.” She smirks. “For now.”
My ribs ache when I attempt to move, and blood invades my tastebuds. Bruises are already forming across my arms and legs. “Aw, come on,” the largest man grumbles. “We barely got a chance to see her break.”
Julia rolls her eyes. “She’s human, Pike. If we do any more damage now, we risk killing the pathetic being. We’ve still got the main act to come. I know you’re hungry for some real blood.”
“Bones and limbs more like.” Pike flashes her a grin through his tangled beard. “This better be worth it.”
“Don’t worry.” Julia pats his shoulder before focusing her eyes on mine. “It’ll be worth all of your precious time. Jaxon losing everything twice? It’s like music to my ears.”