My wolf was right. No reason to cry over someone who condemned himself to death when he chose to move against my family, my mate. “Some people never learn.” I shook my head, and then I started running again. “I don’t know where I’m going.”
Keep running straight. I think I hear something up ahead.Nix nodded forward as I ran. I heard whimpers long before I wasclose enough to do anything. I pressed myself to run fast, but Nix pulled me back.Go slow. Don’t get yourself killed.I slowed down, and the scent of blood grew thick again. The whimpering I heard grew louder as I pushed past a bush.Oh, goddess, no.Nix’s voice had me slowing.
What is it?I whispered in my mind. I crept closer to the whimpers, and I heard a deep chuckle.
“Come on, be good.” A dark voice called out, and the whimpering turned to sobs.
It’s, it’s…Nix threw her head back and let out a mourning call.
It was Megan’s scream that had me freezing.STOP!
What?
If you push through that bush, you are as good as dead. I can feel it.Megan shook her head.Circle the clearing to the right. But move silently. Any sound will draw his attention.
I can’t keep going slow, you two. I need to save Ternen and Alannah.
I know, but just do as I said and we can.Megan looked to Nix, who was still calling to the moon. But I was on the move. I slowed further, picking my foot placement perfectly to make zero noise.
“Now.” I heard jingling, like metal hitting metal.
Can you cast magic in your mind?Nix finally turned back to me. Her voice was full of sorrow but urgent.
I don’t know. Why?
Just try Amy. We need to move quickly. Deaden the sound. Hurry!
I focused on my magic, and the words. I whispered them in my mind, and I felt the spell snap into place.There.
Run. Now Amy. Straight into the clearing.
I listened to my wolf and ran through the bushes. I stumbled through and had one second to see the scene in front of me before I screamed and dove with my claws fully extended.
The male rogue had his pants undone, kneeling on top of Alannah, fighting her clothes. He had one second to register what was happening, and another to run. He pushed up and screamed like his life was over as my claws ripped through his ribs. The snap of bone ricocheted around the bubble I had created as blood flew.
His mouth coughed up blood, and he looked at me with surprise. “You. You found us.” He coughed more blood as the light faded from his eyes. I tossed his body to the side before I looked down at him. I noticed two wounds, the one I did on his chest and one lower…on his groin.
I heard a choking sound, and I turned to see Alannah sobbing, clutching at a rather sad-looking appendage. I dropped into a crouch at her side and grabbed it from her hand. “Hey.” I tossed it behind us. “Hey, I got you.” The wracking sobs overtook her body. “I found you.” I grabbed her hands. Then, I leaned against her stomach. I heard the sweet song of strong, healthy heartbeats. “Your pups are safe.”
I pulled back as she continued to sob. She wouldn’t look at me. I tried to turn her head, but she kept turning away. Finally, I turned and looked, and my heart shattered.
She refused to look away from Ternen, and his lifeless eyes stared back at her.
I blew out a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, Alannah.” I straightened her clothes as much as I could and then I bent down and picked her up. I turned away from the bodies and started back to the cabin. As soon as I stepped out of the clearing, Alannah started to fight.
“Put me down.” She kneed me in my side as she fought, and I dropped to the ground.
“Fuck.” She ripped herself out of my arms and ran over to Ternen. “Alannah…” I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “He’s gone.”
She dropped and laid her head on his chest. “I know.” She started to cry as she tugged his blood-stained fingers around her side. “I know.” She closed her eyes for a second. “But I can’t live without him.” She shook her head as she cried. “He was my everything.”
I walked over, my heart in my throat as I watched her mourn the life she no longer had. “I know. But everyone is still in danger at the cabin, and we can’t stay out here.” I dropped down beside them. “You have a pups…his pups to take care of.”
She shuddered. “I can’t leave him here. I can’t leave, walk away and leave him to be eaten in the dark by animals.” She looked at me with eyes full of sorrow. “Please don’t ask that of me.” She pulled his arm tighter. “I just want to feel his arms around me again.” Tears poured from her eyes. “I want to turn back time to this morning. When I woke up in his arms and he got up to make me breakfast.” Her hand drifted to her stomach. “He was so happy about our pups.” She hiccupped. “Can you do that?” She turned to me. “Can your magic turn back time?”
I shook my head slowly. “I am powerful…but I am not a god. I can’t bring anyone back from the dead.” She sobbed again. A broken sound that was sprinkled with her hiccups. Her pain was so raw it shot me right back to my death and the pain I felt then. I pressed my hand on top of hers on her stomach. “I know this hurts. This kind of loss rips out your heart and tosses the pieces to the wind. You don’t see the other side of the cavern that was once filled with all the love you two had. But I need you to think of Ternen, and your pups.” I felt the babies kick at our hands. “Your pups want to live. And Ternen fought tooth and nail and gave up his life so that you three would live.” She screamed up at the sky. “You are allowed to feel hollow. You are allowed to feel angry. But you are not allowed to give up.” She turned and snarled at me. I just smiled down at her. “You can hate me too if that helps. But he would want you to get up and survive.”
She glared at me as her tears fell down her temples into her hair. “I won’t leave him.”
