Okay, Elise really wasn't going to try parkouring down the side of the house, but she had to try something. She'd already been stuck here more than a day, and she hadn't heard a peep magically from her sisters. What if there was something inside the house blocking the magic?
She wished she could call them, but her phone was probably still sitting inside her locker at the zoo, useless. And of course there wasn't a convenient landline sitting on the bedside table. No one had landlines anymore.
Elise moved before she could talk herself out of it. She crossed to the doors as quietly as possible and eased one open, wincing at the soft click of the latch. She held her breath, waiting for Javi to come bursting out of the bathroom.
Thankfully, his bathroom needs kept him firmly in the bathroom.
She slipped outside.
Oh, the air was nice. Crisp, just a bit cool, not the stuffy heavy sick-room air she'd been breathing in all day. Below, she could see part of the backyard and the edge of the woods. The balcony was nice and roomy, and if it was hers, she'd camp out on it with a book and have a nice time.
But it wasn't hers, and she didn't have time.
She had to assume her sisters were scanning for her, and this was her shot to make it easier for them. She reached deep into herself and gathered as much as she dared before releasing it straight into the air above her and willing it back towards the city.
Hopefully it would reach the coven and give them a clue about how to find her.
Elise needed to go back inside. Javi would be done in the bathroom soon. Anyone could see her if they stepped into the yard. She had no route of escape, and sticking around would just earn her the ire of her captors.
But she gripped the balcony railing tight and couldn't force herself to back away.
Oh god. She was being held captive by werewolves who would kill her if they sensed even alickof magic. The reality of the situation crashed over her. She was in enemy territory. In their freaking home. In thealpha's bedroomand surrounded by beasts who could tear her apart if she made one wrong move.
How was she supposed to heal Cole without her magic? She couldn't let herself think about what would happen if he died.
Even as tight as she was holding on, she could feel the tremble in her hands. She wasn't sure she could walk inside on steady feet.
Just breathe. Just breathe. It'll be okay.
"Hey! What are you doing out there?"
Elise's eyes went wide, and she looked down. A werewolf she'd met briefly this morning—Hugh—was staring up at her with suspicion cold written all over his face.
Oh crap.
It turned out shecouldmove on steady feet. She practically ran back into the bedroom and closed the door behind her quickly, wincing when it was louder than she intended. Was this it? Were they going to kill her for getting fresh air?
They were werewolves. They absolutely might.
Already, she heard fast, angry footsteps in the hall outside. The door to Cole's room burst open. Hugh stormed in, and before Elise could even process what was happening, he had her pinned against the wall, his hand around her throat.
"What were you doing out there?" His voice was icily calm.
Elise could barely breathe. His grip wasn't tight enough to cut off her air completely, but it was close. And she didn't know if she was imagining it or not, but she could have sworn she felt the prick of claws against her pulse. Her hands came up instinctively to jerk at his wrist.
Then Hugh was gone, torn away from her with such force he stumbled backward.
Nico.
He was standing between her and Hugh like an angel of vengeance, breathing hard, his whole body vibrating with violence.
"Don't you fucking touch her," Nico snarled.
Hugh recovered his balance and lunged. His fist connected with Nico's face with a sickening crack, and blood sprayed from Nico's nose in an impressive arc. He didn't even flinch.
Nico swung at Hugh, and then they were really fighting, grappling and throwing punches like they were trying to kill each other.
"Stop it!" Elise heard herself shout, but neither of them listened.
