Drawing on my magic as Constantine had taught me, I cursed the short amount of time I’d had to train with him. If I was the exception, then Iwasthe main character in this damn story, which meant I should be worthy of the role, able to fight my way out of and survive this situation.
There was nogoddessbedamnedway that Jewels was the main character.
Unacceptable. She gave off pathetic power-hungry super-villain at best, and evil nemesis at worst.
Which meant sorting myself out so I didn’t get us all killed.
Icy power spilled from me faster than it ever had before, pure desperation dropping all of my usual reservations. My magic hit the shielding and bounced back briefly, but I didn’t let it retreat. I kept forcing it forward, the scent of sulfur growing stronger, though I got the sense it wasn’t my magic but the reaction of Jewels’ that caused the stench.
“You’ll never be able to destroy my shield,” a voice crooned. “It’s like hitting a metal door with a spoon.” We spun to find Jewels perched in the hallway behind us. “How about I make you a deal? If you stop fighting me and die like a good little wolf abomination, I’ll let your friend stroll off into the sunset. Free as an alpha.” Her smirk grew as she twirled a blond curl around her finger. “At least until the curse kicks in. But then she’ll be in good company with every other shifter in the world.”
My gaze briefly met Kassidy’s, a snarl tilting up her bow-shaped lips. Girl had the poutiest mouth for an angry alpha that I’d ever seen, and the fact that I even noticed meant I was once again trying to disassociate from this moment.
Kassidy snapped me back into focus. “Do not even fucking think about it, Emmeline. You’ll be sacrificing your entire pack.”
I shook my head, knowing Jewels was never going to let me go no matter what, and Kassidy didn’t deserve to die with us. Without taking my gaze from my friend, I told the witch, “Let her walk out the door and I won’t fight youas hard.”
Jewels stole my attention as she shifted forward, staring at me in a creepy way. It wasn’t animalistic like I was used to, but more alien.Robotic. As if parts of her were no longer even remotely human. “Agreed. I didn’t need the extra anyway.”
With a wave of her hand the doors flung open; tingles of magic raced over my skin. I caught the briefest glimpse of the cloudy sky as Kassidy screamed, the brisk air washing into the house, as my friend was thrown onto the patio. I cried out when her head smashed against a support pole, my hands slamming uselessly against the glass, while Kassidy lay on her side, not moving.
“She’ll be fine,” Jewels said, joining me at the door like we werejust two friends taking in the view. “Couldn’t have her running off for help just yet.”
She leaned closer to me, and whispered, “Just the two of us. Now go, you abomination.Run.”
Taking off once more, I headed up the stairs and straight into the bedroom I’d used when I stayed here. Slamming the door behind me, I engaged the useless lock and headed for the window, which was as secured and sealed as the door downstairs.
For a beat, I imagined destroying the two shifters who had lured me here, but my anger at Warrick and Cora was misplaced. They’d clearly had as much choice as me right now.None.Chelsea had been different, as she had the means to tell us what was going on, and chose instead to save herself at my sacrifice.
Heading into the bathroom, I locked that door too and pressed my back against it as I threw my beast at my frozen quintet, attempting to find a crack in whatever interfered with our bond.
My wolf was the only one I could move; the others remained frozen. Even without the curse, Jewels had already figured out how to control the beast—at least on a smaller scale and within her lair.
A bang outside told me that the witch had blasted off the bedroom door, and I backed up from the bathroom door, knowing it would come next.
Jewels cheered when she cleared the opening and saw me pressed against the wall. “I love hide and seek. Want to play again? I’ve got time to kill.”
I hated how confident she was that the dragon twins, whom she clearly feared, would not show up here anytime soon. What had she sent them into?
“You don’t think my boys will get here in time?” I asked, almost failing at keeping my panic hidden. The last time I’d checked in with Hunter, they’d been fine, but that was before I got locked down in here.
She moved her head in that alien way again. “They won’t save you, abomination. I left every witch and ally shifter of mine in that stronghold. They wove a shielding so strong that I knew your alphas would assume I was there. Then it would be too late. Even if they did survive, they’re hours away from here.” When she smirked, it was clear how clever she thought herself.
So proud and insane.
“Not to mention, you’re about to die, so they are too.”
My wolf howled, but shifting wouldn’t do anything. All I could do was stand frozen and stare at her, those words running over and over in my mind.You’re about to die, so they are too.
I was knocked out of my spiral of despair by a blast of magic so potent that pain exploded through every cell in my body. I screamed loud enough to scorch my throat, while skin melted from my bones. If my pack’s life wasn’t on the line, I’d havebeggedfor death.
To my surprise, Jewels eased up before my heart gave out, and I collapsed forward, barely catching myself as I hit the ground. My limbs shook from the aftershocks of pain, though I didn’t feel any of the magic now. Even more, there wasn’t a single mark on my arms or hands. I would have sworn they’d be covered in burns.
“I don’t understand why you hate shifters so much,” I huffed, trying to shake off the residual magic rattling through my body. “You worked with our kind for years.”
Jewels’ expression creased, drawing shadows around her features. “Your race is superior to ours in many ways. Bigger numbers, these nifty little cities to hide out in, all the money and prosperity you could want. Why should you have so much when we have so little? Our numbers dwindle, and covens are all but nonexistent. My family spent decades tied into an accord that mostly benefited shifters. I woke up one day and decided I’d had enough. I’m a patient little witch though, and concocted the perfect plan.”
My legs managed to hold me as I got to my feet, determined not to die lying at hers. “But you might have just destroyed the last of your kind by leaving them to Slade and Talon.”
