ZACK This bond was completely taking over my senses, making me pull her close to inhale her wild berry and honey scent. I was happy that she was returning the favor. I slowly but reluctantly helped her back to bed. “You should probably take it easy.” She shook her head. “We have to find her. She has completely lost it and is tapping into the magic beyond her control.” “That was the plan. I just needed the proof. You,” I said, pointing to her. “Now I can bring Alaia back to the Elder Witches and-” “No,” Mirja said firmly. “You tried that before, and look at what’s happening. If she has found a way to access the power in my family’s grimoire, this is beyond the council. She has to be stopped.” “What do you suggest?” I asked, knowing the answer. I knew eventually, it might come down to eliminating the problem, but it was still hard to come to terms with it. Alaia was still my little sister. At that moment, Harry entered the room with a glass of water and gave it to Mirja.
ISABELLA I nervously watched George examine Victoria. I was fortunate to get James to bring someone to see her. He stood beside her bedside as I paced back and forth, watching them through the window. James kicked me out after growling at George numerous times for touching Victoria. It was more Jas than me, and she refused to listen. Ever since that night, I have been convinced Alaia had something to do with this. On the other hand, Isaiah believed her when she said she healed Victoria after Nas attacked her. Nas supposedly knocked her out before she could fully heal her. I just didn’t believe it. That girl doesn’t have a good bone in her little body. Then, finding out Zira was with them and suddenly disappeared, I really lost it. I had another huge fight with Alaia and Isaiah that still ended up with me looking like a jerk yelling at two people who had just lost their baby. Now, I could barely look at Isaiah without feeling a bit shameful. So, I kept to myself and watched ov
ISABELLA My mother stood with her hands placed in front of us. She stared at me, waiting for me to continue. I thought about everything that had happened this past year, but I wanted to start at the beginning for her. Start where this all began. “I knew I was gay when I was thirteen, maybe even before then. It may have been the day you pulled me away from Lana’s sleepover, which she totally kissed me first, by the way. I remember you being so furious with me. You kept saying, ‘Oh, what are people going to think?’ and ‘What will they say?’ You looked at me like I was a…a…freak. Like something was wrong with me. You made me feel like it was the worst thing in the world. So, from that day, I kept that part of me hidden. Just to please you, and it was killing me inside. I didn’t even notice until I met someone who didn’t look at me like you did. Zira and her mother accepted me without a second thought, and you know what, Mother. Their acceptance hurt even more than your displeasure
ISAIAH I had to share this news with someone who would feel the same as me. So I hurried to my office with Isabella at my heels. I ran for an hour without stopping when I found her scarf. Besides, Devon didn’t mind being out. He hadn’t gotten over the fact that Elaine hadn’t surfaced in the past few months and was getting oddly suspicious. I decided to see what Alaia had to say. According to her, Elaine hadn’t spoken to her in a while, keeping herself hidden. Devon, of course, didn’t take the news so well, so I had to get him focused on something else. “Where did you find this, and why didn’t you call when you first found it?” Isabella asked, holding up the necklace and the scarf. “I lost my phone on the way back, but that’s unimportant. I found the necklace on the cliff the night she disappeared. The coat and the scarf were found near the riverbank, which could have meant she was alive when that happened. She has to be alive, Isa. I just know it.” “Zira’s alive?” Isabella
ISAIAHWe both started to walk out of the room when Isabella’s phone rang. She looks at the screen and back at me. “It’s Zack,” she said, picking it up. I used my werewolf’s hearing to listen to the conversation. “Bells, I’m glad I caught you. I tried calling your brother, but it’s going straight to voicemail. I need to talk to you both, and it can’t wait,” Zack said urgently. Isabella noticed me listening and switched to her speakerphone. “Zack, he’s right here. We can both hear you. What’s going on?” “It’s about Alaia,” Zack started. “She’s been playing us all from the start. She’s why the rogues attacked the pack and tried to kill Zira.” I couldn’t believe my ears. “How do you know this?” “Because the person who had front-row seats is standing next to me,” Zack said before another voice chimed in. “You have someone in your custody. Nas, right?” The woman asked. I looked at Isabella. I was still trying to wrap my head around the first bit of information. “Yes, he’s here,”
ALAIAThe sounds of beeping machines were all around me as I tried to focus. There was a constant throbbing in my head. “Elaine? Are you there?”She said nothing, but I could still feel her emotions. Her heart was heavy, making me feel just so. Something was wrong. I should be happy. Zira was gone. Victoria won’t be speaking any time soon or ever. I had Isaiah all to myself. We were going to have our own little family. So why was I feeling so…so empty right now? On cue, Doctor Callie walked into the room. “Luna, you’re up?” Doctor Callie walked in and sat near my bed. “What happened? How long have I been out? Where’s Isaiah? What’s this pain I’m feeling?” I kept throwing questions at her until she stopped me. “Luna, breathe and slow down. We’ve been over this every day now. A few days, you had a procedure and-” I pushed her away from me. “Procedure? What procedure? What happened?” Doctor Callie hesitated, and I was starting to get pissed off. Doctor Callie lowered her head. “Ma
ALAIA My heart beat so fast that I had to hide in a room before they noticed me. I smiled at the thought that James still made me feel this way. Granted, it wasn’t like the bond of a mate, but it was damn close. The night I saw him, I thought I was delirious from the pain and somehow dreamed him up, but no. He was there, and now he is here. So close. It wasn’t a coincidence that the moment I lost something was the moment he returned to my life. The moment I saw him, everything changed for me. I was reminded of what I really wanted. It was him. It had always been him, and no one would stand in my way this time. To change things, a person has to act, do something, and make certain sacrifices. I made the necessary sacrifices. Now, it is time to act. I could hear them talk about Victoria. They sounded hopeful, so I needed to act fast. I needed to find a way to get to Victoria alone. As much as I wanted to stay and see him one more time, I made my way back to the packhouse. There w
ISABELLA We left the dungeons in time to hear a small explosion. We all looked around to see where it was coming from. I looked at Isaiah with a horrified expression. “That was the pack’s hospital.” Victoria. I quickly went to the hospital, praying to the Goddess for Victoria’s safety. But, unfortunately, half the building had collapsed. Pack members were running out as I made my way through the crowd. Most of them crowded around Isaiah, looking for directions. “Isabella-” “Do what you have to do. I’ll go ahead.” I knew what the title Alpha entailed as I ran through the part of the building still standing. I could hear Isaiah yelling instructions to help anybody who was not injured to help those who were. Instead, I focused on making my way to Victoria’s room. I stopped at her door…well, the space her door used to be. There was a huge hole where her room was. My heart was pounding in my chest, thinking the worst. Then, as if to answer my thought, I felt a burning pai