Chapter Thirteen #4
Latoya took a seductive step forward, leading with her chest. “Then why don’t we test that theory?”
Brody sighed with a tilt of his head. “Because you’re Silas’s pity project. And I’m not stupid enough to take what’s his.”
“His?” Latoya exclaimed. “Gross. Silas is like a brother to me. Nothing more.” She reached us, removing Brody’s hand from my body and resting it on her breast. “I don’t think I’d mind too much if we were more.” She smirked. “Would you?”
His other hand snaked from my waist. “No,” he groaned, grabbing her ass.
Latoya’s breath hitched. “Even though I’m a runt, Alpha?”
Brody lowered his head. “It’s still wet and warm, ain’t it?” He pulled Latoya closer to him as he slammed his lips onto hers.
A wave of nausea threatened to bring me to my knees as I watched my sister put on the performance of a lifetime. Her hand dropped from caressing his bicep and began waving toward the door.
I managed a single step before crashing into Brody’s outstretched arm. “Where do you think you’re going, kitten? Your sister promised me both of you.”
And then his lips collided with mine.
His tongue forced itself into my mouth, thrashing around like a dying fish. My stomach churned, and I begged myself not to puke. But maybe I should have. Right in his fucking mouth.
When he lifted his head, his eyes burned with a primal yearning. My matte lipstick had slightly transferred, making him look horrifying. “This is gonna be fun.”
“Let’s make the most of it then, shall we?” Latoya appeared by my side with a blunt in her hand. “I was saving this for when the Moon reached apex, but…” she paused. “I’d rather use it to hear you reach apex, Alpha.”
He smiled. “You sure know what to say to get a man harder than wood, don’t you?” He plucked the blunt from Latoya’s hand and rested it between his repulsive lips.
Latoya pulled the lighter from her pocket.
“Turn on the fan, sis. I don’t want the others to smell what I got and come running for a taste.
” She waited until I was at the switch for the bathroom fan to flick the lighter alive.
“That’s it, baby. One big breath—take it all in…
Then I’ll show you how well I can take it. All.”
Brody choked on the smoke, laughing through his coughing fit. “Fuck,” he called out. “This shit is strong.”
Latoya took a step back, fanning the air in front of her. Was she holding her breath?
My eyes began burning, and my throat dried. My hand shot to my mouth, covering coughs of my own.
Brody was no longer laughing. He was gasping. “What… the… fuck…” He tore at his neck, his nails shifting into claws. “It’s… burning…” he wheezed.
He dropped to his knees, still clawing at his flesh as his eyes bulged in his head.
Then his hands stopped moving, and he fell back, his head slamming against the tile floor with a satisfying thud.
Latoya exhaled and struggled to catch her breath when she turned to me. “You okay?”
I wiped the spittle from my mouth. “I think so.”
My sister gave me a small smile. She turned and walked toward the alpha.
“Was that wolfsbane?” I asked in disbelief.
She nodded.
“Latoya, are you insane? Why the fuck do you have wolfsbane blunts?”
“Like it? I made it myself. Bitches better pray I don’t open my own shop.
” She chuckled, looking down at the alpha.
“I only had one pure wolfsbane blunt, sis—that shit’s expensive.
And you wouldn’t give me more money,” she muttered under her breath.
“It was only for emergencies. You can’t trust anybody these days, especially pureblooded alphas.
” She nudged Brody with her shoe in disgust. “The joints are your regular warlock-approved hit.” She stooped down and shoved Brody with her hand. “Ugh. This strong fucker,” she mumbled.
“Is he dead?”
Latoya rose from the floor, and I smirked at the sight of Brody’s still eyes staring up at the ceiling.
“Latoya, is he—”
“Not yet,” she finally answered, causing my hands to shake involuntarily. She raised her leg and stomped down—over and over again until blood and brain matter covered her shoe and splattered along the bathroom tiles.
I’d turned away, unable to watch, but heard as she’d stopped. “I don’t understand,” she muttered.
“Understand what?” I asked over my shoulder. “Is he dead?”
“Turn off the fan,” she instructed. A few seconds after I did what I was told, she finally answered my question. “He is,” she whispered, “but…”
“But what, Latoya?” I snapped, turning around. “What is it? You’re freaking me out.”
Latoya’s gaze crept up from the floor. A smile slithered across her face, and her hand shot to her mouth. “There are still three hearts beating in this room, little sis.”
My head whipped around. There was nowhere for anyone to hide. No one had been in the bathroom with me when I entered, and only the alpha and my sister had walked in after me.
When I looked back to question my sister, her eyes were no longer trying to meet mine…
They were focused on my stomach.
My pulse raced as I jerked my head in frantic disagreement. “I’m on birth control, Latoya.”
“The pill makes mistakes.”
“I have an IUD,” I stressed.
Latoya let her hand drop from her mouth. She tilted her head and gasped, her smile gone. “Joey,” she whispered.
“Latoya, no.”
“You are.” The smile had not returned to her face. “Is Marcus the father?”
My legs grew weak beneath me. I stumbled to the toilet and lowered the lid, dropping onto it in time to avoid a crash to the floor.
I hadn’t had a period in years; stress could do that to anyone. There’s no way I could’ve known, but …
What the fuck?
No.
I struggled to breathe, flinging my head toward the ceiling.
I’m fine.
Rocking back and forth. Counting backwards from five.
I’m fine.
My sister’s hands wrapped around each of mine. Toya sat on the cold floor by my feet without a word.
Tears stung my eyes.
Breathe.
I managed an empty smile when Toya cleared her throat, and her thumbs stopped stroking the back of my hands. “Joey, do you know what this means?”
I looked at her with a pitiful gaze. “That ninety-nine percent efficacy means shit,” I whispered.
“Right… except… from my understanding, the odds are usually much better when the partner is a werewolf…”
I gasped.
A… werewolf.
A crushing heaviness expanded in my core. My muscles grew weak, and my hands trembled in my lap.
A werewolf.
And the next words Toya spoke made me dizzy.
“Unless the Goddess willed it, sis… Which would mean… you’re fated to be his mate.”
Darkness spread from the corners of my vision. My body stilled, and my sister’s face blurred, until the world went black.
◆◆◆
“She’s waking up,” a frantic voice said. “Sis, can you hear me?” So, it was Toya. Her warm hands caressed my face, giving it a few gentle taps. “Joey?” Her tone hardened. “Mucus, are you done yet?”
“Does it matter? We’re screwed if she can’t do the damn spell.”
When did Marcus get here?
“Well, she can’t right now,” Toya hissed. “So, hurry up, so I can bleach the motherfucker.”
I peeled open my eyes and gasped. “Toya, I can’t see!” I squealed. “I can’t—”
“Shh,” Toya begged. “The lights are off, Joey. And we pulled the blinds.”
I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. “Why are the lights off?” I asked in concern.
“Because your fucking sister decided to kill an alpha,” Marcus grunted. A loud thump came from his direction, followed by the sound of shower doors closing. “Are you sure you can clean this up quickly?”
“Yes,” Toya snapped. “His blood is already on me. Just get my sister out of here.”
My mouth slackened. “I’m not leaving you here. Let me try the masking spell.”
Toya’s hands forced my head to a halt. “I need to give you time to leave. I’ll be fine.” Her voice lowered as if she turned her head. “You sure you got the list?”
“Yes,” Marcus answered.
“And they started the search in the greenhouse?”
“Silas went to the greenhouse. I don’t know about the others once we split up.” His large hand wrapped around my arm. “We need to go now, Joanna,” he urged.
I tried to pull away from him, but the bracelet was still dampening my power. “No, this is—”
“Joanna,” Toya demanded. “Now.”
A shiver snaked down my spine. I nodded and held back a sob when my sister pressed her lips to my head.
Marcus pulled me to my feet and helped me toward the door. I heard the click of the lock sliding free and watched as a sliver of light appeared once Marcus turned the handle.
“Marcus,” Toya called out in a hushed tone.
Marcus huffed and pushed the door to make sure Toya’s voice didn’t give us away. The darkness engulfed us… but I wished I could’ve seen the Alpha’s face when she spoke.
“Protect my sister,” she demanded, “for your sake… and your heir’s.”