“You can fight this, Noemi,” I say. In the background, Ephyse nips at Cratos, who lets out a ground-rumbling growl of warning. “You can fight this. Resist.”
I’ve failed her before. The knowledge of it lives buried in my marrow, flooding my veins with grief when I’m least expecting it.
I won’t fail her today.
Noemi pulls uselessly against my grasp, eyes wild, and doesn’t respond.
Fuck.
Cratos and Ephyse have moved away from us now, circling each other and snarling. Cratos lets out a warning bark, a sound I know well. It’s the bark he makes before he strikes to maim.
“Cratos, Ephyse doesn’t know what he’s doing. Don’t harm him.”
In the moment of distraction, Noemi pulls a hand out of my grip with force I didn’t know she possessed, slapping me viciously across the face.
I grab the offending hand again, pulling her toward me until our faces are nearly touching.
“Remember, Mimi,” I snap, praying that the harsh tone of my voice gets through. “Alistair Brightbane is inside of Killian now.You cannot go to him.”
A flicker of distress moves across Noemi’s face. Some piece of her can hear me.
I grind my teeth in frustration.
It’s rare, almost unthought of, for a pack member to resist their Alpha’s command. Still, recent events have shown that it’s possible—either due to the corruption in our magic or the Dire Blade’s shattering. That shit stain Jonah and his lackeys managed to close me out.
What could break through to her? What could make herlisten?
It might take someone whose authority outranks Tormun’s, I realize.
Someone like our queen.
“Come quickly,” I say along that bond I’ve sought so hard to avoid.“And bring Anassa with you.”
There’s silence for a moment, two. Then, no questions asked:“Okay.”
Sighing in relief, I refocus on holding Noemi down. Her hands are turning white from my viselike grip. I’m hurting her.
But to let her go—that would hurt her more.
The minutes stretch painfully, but finally, Meryn and Anassa burst out of the castle.
Meryn’s astride her wolf, skipping the stairs to reach us in three huge leaps. She quickly slides down from Anassa’s side. Anassa races off to help Cratos contain Ephyse.
“Force her to resist the command,” I demand, and then soften my tone at the shock in her eyes. “Please. Help her.”
A storm of emotions crosses Meryn’s face, but she nods. She kneels next to us, grabbing Noemi’s cheeks in both hands. Noemi continues to struggle against my hold.
“I am your queen,” Meryn says sternly, steel in her voice. “I command you to resist your Alpha. You are to remain here, in Sturmfrost, by my side.”
While Meryn speaks, Anassa streaks forward and tackles Ephyse. He attempts to toss her off. Anassa gets her jaws around Ephyse’s throat, but holds, not biting yet. Just making the threat apparent.
The fight goes out of Ephyse at the same time Noemi relaxes in my grip. I wait an extra minute to be sure it’s not a feint and then release her wrists and stand, holding out a hand to help her up.
Her look of devastation as she rises is like a punch to the gut.
Not much can scare me. But the idea of Noemi leaving, of being forced to Killian’s side, after everything her father put her through?
I’d never forgive myself.
