“Thisis for Sylvia.” I grabbed her by the waist and thrust her up into thehelicopter blades as they cut into her neck and ripped her head clean off of herbody. Dropping her on the ground, I stared at her headless corpse, and for asecond nothing happened. I actually had a fear that her head could somehow bereattached. But then the grey color of her skin turned black and she crumbledinto ash.
Iwas covered in blood, mine and hers. Spinning around in shock, I saw that Kaiand the pack were taking out all of her vampires. I slowly walked forward a fewfeet and then fell to my knees.
“Balance,”I whispered.
‘Laylais dead. It’s safe.’I told my allfemale pack as the adrenaline rush made my hands shake. I did it. I actuallykilled Layla. Something that started so long ago had ended. Kai and I wouldnever have been able to have true happiness as long as she hunted for my blood,for my child’s blood.
Thesound of spinning wheels behind me forced me to turn. Coming from the thickforest, was a group of black quads driving out of the trees. RAIDOS. The blackarmy fatigues they wore brought only bad memories.
WhenI saw what was in their hands my stomach dropped. No!
‘Getout! Get out of the building!’I frantically sifted through the pack bonds to see if anyone else was leftinside. Spinning around, I glancing at the scene before me. Sylvia dead on thelawn, Kai, Max, and the others locked in battle with the vampires that keptspilling out the open facility door. Most of my female wolves were fightingwith them.
Iquickly searched my pack bonds again; Chelsea was still inside. One of thevampires caught up with her and was fighting her in a small utility room.
Sadiewas still inside, too, and I couldn’t reach her. She was unconscious inside theroom. NO!! I sensed Karissa was the only one left inside with her. That was threeof my wolves inside the building. Karissa’s wolf nudged Sadie to try to wakeher.
‘Shiftand get her out now! They are going to bomb the building,’I roared at Karissa with Alpha power.
‘No,I’ll wipe her memory if I do!’Karissa whined.
Shit.She was right, she would have to shift to human form to carry an unconsciousSadie. ‘It won’t matter if you’re both dead! Pick her up and run!’I commandedit. I slammed Alpha power over her body. Forcing her to shift. Her bonescracked as her human form took shape. She hadn’t been human in so long shealmost forgot what it was like.
Aclicking noise forced me to turn around as RAIDOS released the RPG launcher atthe building and it felt like time stopped. It sailed through the air and whenit hit, it exploded, sending glass everywhere and the building burst intoflames. My body hit the ground with the force of the blast and I was stunnedinto silence by the ringing in my ears.
Fumbling,I stood and ran at the side door. “No! Sadie!” I screamed as tears ran down myface.
Kaiwas shirtless and bleeding as he ran up behind me, grabbing me by the waist andstopping me.
“No,let me go! My pack!” I wailed as Kai pinned me down.
Earland the militia took off after RAIDOS, pushing them back into the thick trees,guns snapping out bullets around me. This is what it must be like to be in awar. So much death and destruction you didn’t even know where to look.
Suddenly,I felt all of the fight go out of me. I had used too much power to kill Layla,Sylvia’s death, forcing Karissa to shift, it all had drained me. I prepared forthat feeling; that awful feeling you get when someone in your pack dies. It’s likehaving an organ cut out. I had felt it with Devon and never wanted to feel itagain. The pain hit me, Chelsea; she was dead, her essence ripped from the pack.Oh God, as an Alpha it hurt so much more. She burned alive, taking the babywith her and I burned too. My skin, my hair; it tingled with pain as my heartached from the sudden loss of her.
“No!”I screamed as Kai held me tightly. Even though he held me close, he felt sofar. I needed to be pack with him again, to feel him inside my head. I bracedmyself for the loss of Sadie and Karissa. The pain of losing three wolves mightkill me.
Butit didn’t come. A banging noise drew my attention to the side of the collapsedbuilding. Karissa was naked, in human form, carrying an unconscious Sadie inher arms. They were covered in black soot and Karissa’s leg bled freely. She coughedas she fell to the ground, letting Sadie spill out of her arms.
Ichoked on a sob as I ran over to them and Karissa quickly backed up. “Don’ttouch me!” she shouted as Kai moved to give her a shirt.
Hefroze, arms out. Brett skidded to a halt at Sadie’s feet and picked her headup, slapping her face gently. She was breathing steadily but out cold.
Karissaturned and met my eyes. “Her life is ruined. I’m so sorry.” Tears spilled overonto her cheeks.
Brettlooked at me in confusion.
“Youdid as I asked. If you didn’t, she would be dead. I am the Alpha and I gave anorder. You saved her life.”
Poorthing, she would never forgive me for this; for the responsibility of takingSadie’s memory. There wasn’t any other way. Brett put his hand out to shakehers. “Thank you for saving her.”
“Don’ttouch me,” Karissa cried and began shifting to her wolf.
“What’sgoing on?” Kai roared picking up on the unusual situation. It was so weird notto be able to communicate with Kai in my head, even though he was right besideme. He felt so far.
Icleared my throat and held my head high. I would not let Karissa feel bad forthis. She did the right thing. I would rather be alive with no memories of mypast than dead. “Karissa has a unique gift. When in human form, she wipes a person’sentire memories if she touches them.”
Ibraced myself for the bitchfest from Brett. He stared off into the woods for along moment and then at Karissa’s wolf. “We will make new memories. We can dothat, because of you. Thank you,” he said.
