‘Alpha.’
They all said, one at a time.
“Uhh.” I stared at Artemis for help, but he looked just as confused and shocked as I was.
Movement from the house pulled my attention to my now flaming back porch. A figure stepped out of the fire then. Novus walked out onto the fiery porch of my childhood home completely unharmed. He flicked his wrist at us and suddenly I was flying through the air with Artemis latched on to my arm.
“Hold your breath,” Artemis warned.
“Wha—?”
Before I could ask more about that, we were surrounded by water. We hadn’t fallen in the lake per se, but it seemed Artemis had used his magic to envelop us in it before Novus could throw his next punch. Artemis and I were floating, a tornado of water swirling around us. The ghost wolves gathered at my ankles as I looked up into the Elder Fae’s eyes.
He looked conflicted for a second until pulling a portal egg from his pocket and cracking it open. I had little time to wonder where he was taking us before I was sucked into the green magic and deposited onto dirt. I landed on my butt with anoofand glanced around. We were in some type of mountain cave, looking out over a beautiful green valley.
The wolves had made it through as well and fanned around me instantly, looking around for threats. I couldn’t even process them right now so I stared at Artemis.
“Where are we? Where’s my mom?” I asked, my hair still stuck to my forehead with dampness.
“We’re in the Ether. We can’t stay long or the Fae Lords and Novus will follow us. Morgana took your mom back to Montana. We will meet them there.” He kept glancing at the spirit wolves at my feet with part fascination, part fear. They stood there quietly, like sentinels facing the opening of the cave.
“I… didn’t mean for this to happen. Can you fix it? Detach them or whatever?” I asked as a whimper from one of the wolves came from my feet.
Could they hear me?Oops.
Artemis cocked his head to the side. “I think we will take this to Brayden and see what he makes of it. I’m inclined to keep them, as they seem to be protecting you?”
I looked down at the wolf I’d first severed from Novus. He was peering up at me with bright eyes even in his spectral form.
‘Our souls were trapped with that evil man.’His voice echoed in my head and I froze.‘We were forced to do his bidding, but you set us free.’
Swallowing hard, I looked at Artemis. “Yeah, let’s ask Brayden, but like… if I do need to be rid of them… can you?”
I was totally freaking out about having a ghost wolf pack that called me alpha.
Artemis chewed on the inside of his cheek while staring at the wolves at my feet. I assumed he saw them too and that everyone could, but I didn’t think he could see their cords going into me. That was probably something only I could perceive—myself and Novus.
“I can. Their souls would then be free to cross over,” Artemis assured me.
That sounded good, but maybe he had a point with what he said earlier. Having them linked to me could come in handy when we battled the Fae Lords to free Brayden’s brothers and my sisters.
I tried to put weight on my leg and hissed.
‘I’m sorry.’The wolf who’d bitten me approached with his head hung low, tail tucked between his legs.
Aww man, I was a sucker for animals, especially ones with tucked tails and bowed heads. There was an awareness within my mind. I sensed him, this wolf. His feelings pressed in on me and I was made aware of the shame and regret he felt for biting me.
Whoa. Was this what it was like for Brayden when he felt my emotions? It was kind of cool.
Kneeling beside him, I got into his line of sight. “Hey, as far as I’m concerned, Novus bit me, not you. It’s okay.” Reaching out, I pet his head, surprised when I felt a semi-solid form. It was like petting water, if that were possible.
“That ankle should heal naturally overnight,” Artemis said, “but we don’t have time for that, so let me speed it along.” He knelt before me and placed his hands over my ankle.
I hissed as the pressure of his fingers brought fresh pain to the wound, but just as soon as the pain came, it fled. A soothing balm of coldness radiated through my foot.
“Wiggle it,” he said.
I did, and then smiled. “It’s better. How did you do that?”
