She stands, sending her chair screeching back from the desk. “I won’t let you and that animal undo all my hard work!”
My heart drops into my stomach. I scramble out of my seat and make for the door. The knob freezes to a chunk of damn ice seconds before I can grab it. “Let me out!” I pound on the door, but nobody answers.
“They can’t hear you,” Ms. Cartwright singsongs, lips stretching into a smile that only widens when I press myself flat against the door. “This room is sound-proofed. Now, stop kicking up such a fuss. It will only make the procedure hurt worse. I’d hate to hear you scream so loudly. Again.”
She did it. She’s the one who took my memories, and she wants to do it again. Fuck! I can’t let this happen. I’ve got to see Lyall again. We’re supposed to have a future together.
“Please. Don’t do this. We’ve never even done anything to you!” I speak loudly, hoping someone, anyone, will hear me despite whatever spell she’s cast.
Ms. Cartwright’s lip curls into a sneer. “You haven’t. But your father did.” Her voice thickens, and tears fill her eyes. “He killed my son. My Gerard.”
As scared as I am, I can’t help but feel her pain down to my core. I hate that my father caused so much suffering. “O-oh. I’m so sorry.”
“He was visiting some wolf bitch he was sweet on the day your father attacked the village. I told him, Iwarnedhim, that those animals were beneath us, but he wouldn’t listen!”
And there goes my pity. Fuck her and her bigoted ass. “I’m sorry for what happened to your son, Ms. Cartwright. I am. But you’ve seen my memories. You know I had nothing to do with the attack, so just let me go.”
She shakes her head, curls flying around her face. “Someone has to pay for what your father did.” Chest rising and falling fast, she thrusts out her hand. “Come here, boy. This will be quick and painless, but only if you don’t struggle.”
Fear and despair thicken my throat. She’s smaller than me in height and build, but her magic gives her the advantage. No matter how hard I fight, she’ll likely win. I’ve got to try. For Lyall.
I lift my fists and channel every ounce of desperation and terror into a shout as I rush her. My feet leave the ground, pressure clenching at my waist. The room spins around me, and I slam into the wall so hard, the breath goes out of me.
She scoffs as she kneels before me. I try to struggle, but I can’t lift my arms or legs as freezing cold paralyzes my wrists and ankles. They’ve been frozen into blocks of ice. Ms. Cartwright places her hand at the base of my skull.There’s a tingling in the back of my head, and a wave of dizziness makes the room lurch.
I’ll never see Lyall again. She’ll take away the truth and leave behind nothing but lies. Lyall’s pack will be torn apart. I’ll go through the rest of my life with a hole in my heart, never knowing the love that’s been stolen from me.
“Don’t do this.” Tears spill down my cheeks. “Don’t take him from me. Please—”
A flash of light sears my eyes. My ears ring as an explosion rocks the room. It takes several seconds of blinking before my vision finally clears. Someone’s kneeling over me, but they’re wearing trousers, not a knee-length skirt.
“…ren? It’s… right… safe, darling.”
That English accent is familiar. I’ve heard it somewhere before, haven’t I?
“Soren?” Warm hands touch my face.
No!
I thrash, trying to bat them away. “Get off me! Get away!”
“Helena’s out cold. You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.”
The man leaning over me has brown eyes and hair the color of polished gold. He’s undeniably familiar, and then it hits me. “You. Lyall knew you. You were there in the park.”
Arlo winks. “Memorable, aren’t I?”
I huff a laugh and slump back against the itchy carpet. “After that entrance, yeah, damn right you are.”
“I love to make a scene. What can I say?” There’s a flare of heat near my ankles.
I look down and nearly lose my shit when Arlo melts through the ice binding me with a freaking live flame in his hand.
“Don’t move!” Arlo snaps, like my reaction to having fire inches from my bare skin is completely unreasonable. “Unless you want to lose some leg hair?”
I close my eyes, dreading the moment he’ll slip up and roast me, but it never comes.
“Thank you,” I say, exhaling in relief. “I thought nobody could hear me thanks to whatever spell she cast.”
