But I just don't have time.
I'm covered in Pierre's blood. It cools quickly, and it feels something like battle armor as I turn away from the greenhouse and head down the hall. But when I pass the kitchen, I see him.
The new witch. The one who sucks at shields.
He doesn't react when he sees me.
I'm drenched in blood, and this stoic motherfucker juststares.
I should kill him. He keeps staring. Small, dark skin, black hair, and golden eyes, so bright they're nearly yellow. He's unsettling—which is saying something, considering I'm wearing bits of someone else's blood and guts.
Something in his face twitches, and I take a deep inhale. Maybe my senses are off, too much blood coating my nostrils, but I can't smell him.
He's hiding himself.
A scream down the hall pulls my attention.
I spare him one last glance before I turn and run toward Lily.
When I get to Deidre's room at the end of the hall, they're fighting. Lily has her pinned, she's in wolf form, just like we planned.
But Deidre—fucking Deidre, she pulls a silver dagger from her dress pocket.
And just as Lily's claws swipe at Deidre's neck—enough to draw blood, and it's physical relief when the vial of my blood falls off Deidre's neck—the dagger swipes into Lily. It cuts across her shoulder, then through her neck.
Her wolf lets out a yelp, but it disappears as Deidre slices her throat wide open.
"No!" I roar. "No, fuck! No!" I rage, jumping between them. The vial falls to the ground, and the glass shatters. My hands wrap around Lily's neck to hold the blood in.
She'll live. She has to live.
I turn to Deidre. Her face cuts into a nasty smile. I release Lily and stand, but just as I take a step toward her, ready to end her, she slams her flat, open palm into the smashed vile—into my blood.
"Kneel!" she howls.
And my knees. Fucking. Bend.
I try to push through it, to shake it off, but I come down hard. And then the silent witch comes around the corner, entering the room, taking us in.
"You wanted to be a part of this coven? Build me a shield and an illusion. A strong one. Get us out of here."
The guy looks at Deidre vacantly. Her fingers twirl, giving me a yank, like there's a collar around my neck. I can't help it, I fucking obey.
She says, "We have the omega. He's her mate—" she points to me. "He'll impregnate her and then her blood will be the most powerful element on this entire planet. We have her—I just need your help getting to her. I'll give you anything you want. You can be my second in power. Think of what we can do," she pleads.
He doesn't respond right away, but my answering growl brings her attention back to me. "You didn't think I'd figure it out? I practically gift-wrapped this pathetic she-wolf—all those heats, all that time alone together. There's only one reason a virile alpha like you didn't breed her." She sneers a vicious, knowing smile. "What do you wolves call it? Fated mates?"
The agony of her words tear through me. She still has my blood on her hands, and even though her power against me isn't as potent and it's fading again as my blood dries, I wait. I obey.
Whatever she says convinces the quiet witch. He just nods. Outside, wolves and witches war. I look down at Lily. She's healing, but she's a delta… and honestly, these days, she smells more like…
Fuck if I know. An omega?
She smells different, that's all I know. But she's healing, albeit slowly. She'll live.
My brother will get her out of here.
I follow Deidre, with the other witch at my back, and we file out the side door. After reaching into his pocket, pulling out a pouch full of herbs, the new witch—I guess I underestimated him—slams potent shields into place behind us. We climb into a sedan. Magic shimmers, sulfuric and strong. The forest shifts around us, and as we pull away, the glamour follows as we escape.
