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Chapter 79
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Echoes of the Pack Chapter 80
"Hey Alora." I wrap my arms tightly around my sister, "Hey Ariella. How've you been?" "Good. It's been quiet. Hekate is very busy so there hasn't been much for me to do from what I've heard through the grapevine, she's and the other Goddesses are fighting." She smiles at me and swings our arms around like a pre-schooler, "So why did you call on me?" "Well, I was talking to Dorothy the other day-you know, the nursery keeper. And I was reminded of something she said to me earlier this year," I look up at Ariella and point toward the forest, "I want you to show me where your secret garden is." She rolls her eyes, "It honestly isn't anything, Alora. Nothing like that Healer of yours. But if you want to see it," She sighed and pulled me towards the forest path, "I'll show you." She leads me down the familiar path we take towards the meadow and lake by our house. But as we're a half-mile in, she takes a left and into a bush of holly berries. It's beside the large puddle that I had run t
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 81
Alora. Alora.They reach out to me. Waves of their blood sweep against my ankles. Their cries and pleas come at me like gusts of wind. Not all are sad or bereaved, but all of them want me to notice them. They want me to see them. To hear them.Alora.Their Wolves howl and snarl. So many eyes. So many blank stares.Fingers brush aside my hair and a woman's mouth presses against my ear. Alora.I'm compelled to hear her. Soft...chimes of bells move with her every breath. She speaks to me again, as quiet as the night.Prophet. She says. Come and see."Alora," Jayden grabs my arm, "Stop zoning out-we're lining up." Come and see, Prophet of Death.I turn to face her. Sashi. Her golden eyes pierce me to the core. They hold so many secrets, so much to say...so much to see.She touches my cheek gently, like a siren coaxing a sailor into the depths of the sea. Child of Cecily. Blood of Kaltain. You are in danger.She disappears as Kaizer sweeps me up into his arms, spinning me in circles with a
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 82
My mother has me constricted against her. I can feel her tears seep through my hair and clothes, but I don't care. My dad hugs me too, enveloping me in their pride and love. We all are happy, but we all feel somewhat off. All these years we have spent planning both Ariella and I graduating, and now there is only one.When they pull back, I notice Aiden standing beside them. The man who uses to always been so sullen and intimidating to me now is one of my biggest allies. He grins widely at me and opens his arms up. I don't hesitate."Bien, bien," He kisses the top of my head, "I'm very proud of you girls."Jayden drags me back just then, holding her phone up, "Selfie time!"I quickly smile as she presses the button to capture the photo. Skyler and Kaizer, and Cam and Dom quickly join us. The next few minutes is enveloped in photos, hugs, and congratulations."There's going to be a party at the beach later tonight," Cam whispers to me when her mother isn't looking at us."What time?"Sh
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 83
"Don't worry, we'll behave ourselves."Cam, charming as always, practically wraps herself around Claude. He doesn't react, though the poor rookie beside him is clearly taken by Camilla. He looks ready to faint when she gives him a wink.Claude slips from her hold, "No swimming this time, okay?""Jeez, what are you-my mother?" She rolls her eyes, "Or are you giving us such a hard time 'cause you want us to invite you? You're more than welcome to-be sure to bring the cutie who's riding with you."Again, the rookie's consciousness is questionable."Whatever, just don't complain when you wake up with a hell of a hangover again. I'm tired of hearing Auntie Nic bitch me out for it.""You two are actually cousins?" I look between them as Claude goes back to his car."Yup," She sighs, "Don't know how. He's too straight-laced.""Let's go set up," Hendrick begins to pull me towards the beach but I break away."Claude!" He turns around when I run up to him, "Can I talk to you quickly?"He looks
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 84
After a couple more hours of drinking and dancing, my dark mood has been put aside. I spend the entire night dancing with Skyler and Jayden, slowly sinking into a haze of alcohol and celebration.At some point, Hendrick slinks his way into my good graces again. I want to push him away...but my entire soul is crippled by the mere thought of it."I'm sorry," His voice is low and smooth, like the rhythmic strumming of a guitar."You keep pinching my neck when I'm doing something you don't like-stop that," I jerk away from his fingers as they sweep through my hair, "I'm not your dog, Hendrick.""I'm sorry," His hands creep along my shoulders and I make no move to brush them aside, "My old man does it sometimes with the younger Wolves when they don't listen. It's just a force of habit-""I know you all have your messed up ways of disciplining-but I'm not going to put up with you manhandling me like that. It's not right. We've talked about this before."He nods but I can see that he doesn't
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 85
Kennedy's words echo through my head, and I wince. You know just as well as I do that he's a ticking time bomb."I love you so much. I'm trying so hard to make this work..." I whisper, "Why can't you see that?""I do.""Then why isn't it enough for you," I pull away from him. Tears are building up in my eyes, and I don't want him to see. "For months, I've been putting aside my own things so I can learn more about your world. I just...I feel like we don't talk like we used to. I don't feel like we're as connected as we used to be.""Because we're not connected. We're not on the same page because you're too busy chasing your tail about your sister's death and doing whatever Avianna has you doing. While I'm focusing on being a better Beta for our pack." His words are quiet but the volume of them rung loudly in my ears, "I need you to be what you were born to be, Alora. You're not a Healer and you're not some Rogue-you were born as my mate. Another Beta. But right now, you can't lead your
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 86
I'm surprised that the light is on in the kitchen when I get home. The silhouette of my father is blurry from the frosted glass windows. He's at the kitchen counter, reading. A cup of coffee is beside him, and he wears a thick, knitted sweater and his spectacles.He looks up when I shut the front door behind me, "Hey, kiddo.""Hey," I slip my shoes off and take them upstairs to my bedroom. I change quickly and go to the bathroom to assess the damage.The only thing about having my parents home constantly now is that I have to do a better job hiding my bruises. Which is fine, since most of them I get from sparring or patrols...but this isn't that.I'm hiding bruises that my boyfriend gave me because he snapped.I tug down my sleeves and cover my wrists. My lip is a larger problem. It's bruised and split open, and I'm not sure how I'm going to cover that up. There really isn't a way...but I can't tell my parents how I got it. They won't understand.To be honest, I don't understand eithe
Echoes of the Pack Chapter 87
Orion is in my house.Past the guards. Past the Abregon patrols. He even slipped past me. How had I not sensed him until now?The house is silent.Dread fills me as I walk through my bedroom door. Deep down, I know what to expect-what I'm about to see. But still...I tiptoe around the house...like a mouse...checking each room.He isn't anywhere upstairs. Ariella's room has been left untouched.The air smells stale.The stairs crackle with every step I take. No one is in sight. It's as if he has evaporated into the shadows. I jerk away from every small, white sound. The fridge rumbles loudly. The wildlife outside coo and sound alarms. My heartbeat is deafening....I go downstairs and towards my parents' bedroom. My deafening heartbeat slows. The rumblings of the outside and kitchen fade away. A surprising calm washes over me... should be terrified. I am terrified.I brace myself for what is behind this door.It creaks a hollow scream as I push it open with my foot. In the darkness, I se
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