by Leia Stone
My time in the Dark Woods had taught me that there was no joy in watching an animal have a slow torturous death. Whether it be a rabbit or a deer, I always made sure to make their end as quick and painless as possible. But for these monsters, I wanted to carve their insides out before their watching eyes, but there was no time.
Leaping to the next fallen man, I cut his throat too. At the same time, I kept whatever power I’d thrown over the Ithaki pressed down upon them so that they were essentially pinned to the dirt, waiting for death.
How dare they cage Astra like an animal? How fucking dare they! I leapt from body to body in a blind rage, using my vampire speed. When I reached the last one, a female, she was crying, bucking against the invisible restraints I held over her. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
“Please,” she croaked. “Have mercy. I have a child.”
The unbridled rage fueling my murder-fest left me like a popped balloon.
She was a mother…
With the absence of my rage also came the absence of my power over her. The second I freed her magical restraints, she lurched forward and slammed her forehead into my nose.
Pain exploded between my eyes as blood spurted over my face in a gush. Blurry tears swam in my vision, and dizziness washed over me as I fell backward off of her and she scrambled to get up.
“Look out!” Astra screamed.
Everything was blurry as I blinked back the tears to clear my vision, just in time to see the Ithaki woman charging me with a knife. My wolf surged to the surface, leaping out of my chest and coming at the woman before I could even respond.
“What the fu—?” The woman’s shout of alarm turned into a wet gurgle as my wolf snapped for her throat, ripping it clean out.
Now that the threats were gone, I scrambled forward and knelt before the cage, my fingers gripping the bars until my knuckles turned white. My wolf leapt back into my body, giving me strength as I peered at Astra.
“Alpha, you came.” Astra smiled at me with her little dirt-caked cheeks.
I was so overcome with emotion that I couldn’t speak for a moment. “I heard your drums.”
“You had a baby.” Astra grinned, looking out of it and spacy. Her voice was weak and breathy.
Not wanting her to spend another second in this cage, I ripped outward until the entire door came off in my hands.
“I did have a baby,” I told her, reaching in the cage to pull her fragile body out. She was too light. Oh God, what had they done to her? “You want to meet him?” I looked down at her as she smiled up at me. “Come on.” I heaved her into a standing position but her legs collapsed.
“I can’t walk.” Astra frowned. “They … didn’t like it when I played the drums.”
A sob formed in my throat, but I swallowed it down. “They’re gone now. No one is going to hurt you ever again. I’m so sorry I failed to protect you.” I wept freely now, no longer trying to hide my emotions from her, no longer able to.
Astra reached up and cupped my chin gently. “You did it. Like I knew you would.” She went cross-eyed and her fingers fell away from my face.
Horror seized me and I shook her.
“Astra! Look at me!” I scooped her in my arms, realizing that she was near death. Running past Rab’s old house, now nearly leveled to the ground, I burst into the old birthing center, taking cover in case there were more Ithaki patrolling this place.
I’d been gone a year, I had no idea what the new rules and territories were. But from the looks of the ragtag group that had greeted me and the blackened crops when I’d come in, this place wasn’t exactly habitable.
I pulled out my water canteen and popped off the cap, putting it to her lips. When I tipped it back, she gulped it greedily, something coming alive in her gaze.
That’s it. Fight.
Next, I pulled out the last two pieces of smoked rabbit meat I had and gave them to her. Her hands shook as she shoved them in her mouth, chewing ferociously.
Were they starving her? Fresh rage boiled inside of me, but I shoved it down.
“There you go. You’re okay now.” I smoothed her hair, which felt matted, and I had to swallow down my anger even more lest it blind my ability to properly care for her.
“I’ve been gone a year … can you tell me what happened?” I asked her, wondering if she was aware enough to tell me what had gone down in my absence.
She grabbed my canteen, drinking more water to wash down the final hunk of rabbit, and then nodded.
“A week after you left, Sage went looking for you. A week after that, the Ithaki raided the village. Rab and a small contingent of others fought, but…” Her eyes dropped to the ground.
“But what?” My body stilled.
She swallowed hard. “But a lot died. And then Rab made the call to get everyone else in the bunker. He forced me to go too, but I ran away before they went in, came back to play the drums and wait for you.”
My heart couldn’t take much more. “Astra, you didn’t need to do that. I—”
She reached out and grasped my hand in a frail grip. “I wasn’t going to let you be lost forever. To come back to nothing.”
I leaned forward, pulling her into a hug, and we just held each other for a few long moments.
“Thank you,” I whispered as we finally pulled back.
She bowed her head deeply. “It’s been my pleasure, Alpha.”
This world didn’t deserve such an innocent and loyal person. I didn’t deserve her. Astra was a Paladin national treasure that needed to be protected at all costs from now on.
“You want to go find the others now?” I asked with a slight smile. “I think it’s time we reunited the pack.”
Astra grinned, and I stood. She tried to stand too, but her legs gave out and I caught her by the elbow. “I can’t walk,” she whimpered.
“Then I’ll carry you,” I told her, and lifted her into my arms. It was the least I could do after everything she’d done for me. Slipping out the front door, I moved to leave the building when Astra stopped me.
“Wait.” She reached out and grabbed a little glass jar.
I thought it might be food, and was grateful she would have more since she clearly needed like two foot-long subs right now, but when she opened it I recognized the blue paint inside.
She dipped her finger into the jar and traced a line with her pinky from the bottom of my lip to the tip of my chin. Then she did two small lines under each of my eyes, and two dots under those.
“Now we’re ready, Alpha,” she told me. I looked up at a reflective metal plate that hung on the wall, and was shocked at the woman staring back at me.
I hadn’t seen my reflection for a year, well not in a mirror.
The blood from when the Ithaki bashed my nose covered my upper lip and chin, coupled with the bright blue paint, and a wild and fierce look in my deep cobalt eyes. I looked like … a female you did not want to fuck with.
Turning back to the open doorway, with Astra cradled in my arms, I stepped out into the open air and gasped at what I saw.
“See. You did it.” Astra gleamed as we both stared at the rich and restored land. The once dry and blackened grass that had covered the village was now a vibrant green. Ferns, junipers, oak trees, all of their leaves were rich and alive. Green vines began to grow right before our eyes, creeping along the trellis that hung above the entrance to the birthing center.
The land could grow crops now, we could fix up the buildings and move everyone back. Joy spread throughout my limbs at the sight of the reward of everything I went through over the last year … but I didn’t have time to hang back and see the land restore itself.
I needed to see Sawyer.
‘Sawyer!’ I tried, realizing that a year without mentally speaking to my mate and husband had made me forget that I could.
I ran across the main road of the Paladin Village with Astra in my arms and waited for a reply.
‘Sawyer, I made it back! Where are you?’
Maybe he couldn’t communicate so deep underground in the bunker?
“Most of the Ithaki left after they realized the land was dead,” Astra told me softly.
I nodded, running out into the open now that I knew no more Ithaki were likely to be here. “Do you know what became of Wolf City?” I chewed on my lip, panting as I ran, trying not to jostle Astra. She was heavier than Creek obviously but still way too light. I was going to watch her eat five platefuls of food once we settled in the bunker with everyone.
Astra shook her head. “Just that it’s common ground now. All vampires, witches, fey, and trolls are allowed to live there and take what they want from there.”
My body seized at her words, and I had to consciously be aware not to squeeze her too tightly in my anger.
Common ground. One of the most territorial species on the planet now had their homeland shared by all?
Over my dead fucking body.
I pumped my legs, putting my feelers out there to try and make sense of these bonds and ties I was sensing. Rab, Arrow, Willow, Luna, Crescent, names I didn’t even know prior to today but now I knew that person, I knew they were pack. They were family. Mine.
Taking a deep breath, I focused on Rab. He felt strong, healthy, a little down, but okay.
‘You did it.’ Rab’s voice suddenly boomed in my head and I faltered, nearly tripping over my own feet.
‘Rab!’
‘Alpha.’
A whimper left my throat at his declaration, the respect in his voice.
‘I told you I would make it, you bastard,’ I teased. ‘Hey, how can we talk?’
‘You’re my alpha. I’m pack. You can speak into any Paladin’s mind you want now, and them into yours.’
Whoa. Like a real wolf pack … Sawyer couldn’t do that.
‘Did Sage make it to the bunker? Is that where you are? Are she and my baby safe?’
I had to slow down, I was getting winded.
‘Yes. She said you were on your way with Astra. Gave us all a shock coming in with a baby… congrats…’
I chuckled. Yeah, it was weird, I’d give him that. ‘Thanks, are my parents okay? Sawyer? Is he happy about the baby?’
Truth be told, I was a bit nervous to just drop the “I had your baby in the woods bomb” on my husband.
‘Everything is fine down here, but it’s not safe for you to just barge into Wolf City. I’m coming with Arrow to meet you at the border and sneak you in.’
I nodded, but something he said didn’t add up.
Rab and Arrow were coming out to meet me, not Sawyer. There was no reality in which Sawyer would know I was back and not come out to meet me. Unless maybe he was with the baby, but why could Rab answer me and not Sawyer?
‘Rab … where is Sawyer?’ I clutched Astra in my arms, noticing that she’d fallen asleep on my chest. Poor thing needed food and rest.
‘Slight complication with that, but I’ll explain everything when you get down here. Don’t worry.’
Okay … as much as I wanted to push him, force him as his alpha to tell me, I also trusted him and he was being very nonchalant … so it couldn’t be that bad.
Right?
Unless Sawyer was in a coma, nearly beaten to death, and that’s why he couldn’t answer me!
‘Sawyer, I’m back,’ I tried again, but got nothing, felt nothing. Our bond was completely shut down.
I realized then that I loved Sawyer so much it hurt. It had reached that point of no return, where if something catastrophic happened to him I would never be the same. Shoving those negative thoughts down, I ran, scouting the woods for Ithaki or vampires.
‘We are at the hedge that surrounds the school and touches the border,’ Rab told me.
‘Hey, Alpha,’ Arrow chimed in, and I grinned.
‘Hey, meet you soon,’ I told Arrow.
Sterling Hill, or what was left of it, was always surrounded by large, leafy, green privacy hedges. They went for as far as the eye could see around the multiacre property. If they were hiding near there, then I’d know about where to meet them, assuming I remembered the way. I’d been running through the Wild Lands, parallel to Wolf City, but I was far enough in the woods that I couldn’t really see where I was in relation to Wolf City. Had I passed Sawyer’s parents’ house yet? Or what was left of it? I felt like I’d been running forever with Astra in my arms. Deciding to risk cutting closer to have a peek, I slowed and peered through the trees. What I saw stole my breath.
I’d found Sterling Hill and … it was gone. All of it. Gone.
The campus where I’d found my freedom, where I’d fallen in love with Sawyer, where I’d gotten to study photography, it was flattened. The only way I recognized it was from the position of the rubble and the parking lots and pathways.
Shadows walked along the paths, and I held my breath when I realized they were vampires. I could tell by the supernaturally fast way they walked. The sun was still high in the sky, which was typically vampire sleeping time. It meant they were taking caffeine pills to stay awake and patrol.
If they smelled me, or my power, we were screwed big ti—
“Alpha!” Rab whisper-screamed.
My head snapped to the hedge nearest me and I broke into a run. Crossing through the final stretch of Wild Lands trees, I burst over the flag line and then out into the open for a split second before running vampire fast into the hedge.
I quickly learned the hedge was an illusion. It was hollow inside, with a chicken wire cage. The hedge was actually creeper vines that grew around the cage so thickly you could barely see inside.
Genius. Whichever alpha had built the bunker had thought of everything, including this escape tunnel.
“Here you go.” Rab held the cuffs Sawyer had given me as an engagement gift, and then took Astra from my arms, stroking her hair and face gently.
I’d forgotten about the cuffs. Seeing them gave me a visceral reaction at first, but then I reminded myself I could take them on and off at will. Slipping them on, I nodded to them.
“We tried to go back for her, snuck out many times, but—” Rab’s voice croaked as he looked down at sleeping Astra in his arms.
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. She needs some fluids and food, but she’ll be okay.”
Arrow bowed deeply to me, Rab did the same, clutching Astra to his chest.
“It’s our honor to have you lead us, Alpha,” Rab said.
Emotion clogged my throat. We were in a six-foot-tall, four-foot-wide hedge. This was not an ideal space for bowing, but they did it anyway.
“Thank you.”
When they stood, they turned and started to walk deeper into the hedge, toward where I assumed the bunker was.
“Where is Sawyer?” I asked again, deciding this time to be more insistent no matter what he said.
“Shhh … will tell you inside. Vampires.” Rab pointed to the hedge wall, and I chewed on my lip.
He was delaying … which meant it was bad.
If Sawyer was dead, I would feel it, right? I mean we were mates, imprinted. I would feel it…
Panic suddenly gripped me.
“He’s alive, right?” I blurted out in a whisper-scream.
“He’s alive,” Arrow answered.
I nearly sagged with relief.
Then what’s the big deal? I wanted to blurt out, but instead I followed them on through the tunnel. I just wanted to see my mom, and my baby, and Sawyer. We ran inside of the hollow hedge for what seemed like forever, until finally the boys stopped. There was a crouched figure up ahead, sitting cross-legged on the ground before a giant set of storm doors.
‘How the hell did Sage find this place?’ I asked Rab.
‘We keep a scout out here twenty-four hours a day. She blew up a fey’s car to create a distraction and the scout saw her and brought her in.’
&nb
sp; Blew up a fey’s car. That sounded like Sage.
I was just glad she and Creek were safe.
As we approached, the scout stood, and I was relieved to recognize someone. Quan, one of Sawyer’s closest friends.
He nodded to me, and wordlessly opened the storm doors, careful to be as quiet as possible to reveal a set of steep stairs.
As Arrow passed Quan, they did a bro fist bump and it warmed my heart to see the Paladin and city wolves working together so nicely. Rab looked back at me and caught me smiling at the two of them.
‘Don’t get excited. Not everyone here gets along. There have been fights to the death, and you are coming into an angry, hungry group of wolves who feel abandoned by their leaders. Prepare to prove yourself, Alpha.’
His words shocked the shit out of me.
Prove myself? I just fucking did that for the past year in the woods, alone. Hungry? Didn’t they have enough food? Sawyer said there was enough for two years or something. I followed him down the steps, what must have been thirty feet, and the storm doors shut above us. When we reached the flat open room, two lights flickered on the walls to reveal a giant, circular airlock.
I was still stuck on Rab’s warning. Abandoned? He said the wolves felt abandoned by their leaders. “Wait, why would they feel abandoned? Sawyer has been here with them the whole time, right?”
Rab stopped, handing off Astra to Arrow. “Get her to medical,” he said, and the vault door opened with a hiss. Through the crack in the door I saw a giant concrete hallway. My mom held Creek, feeding him a bottle, and Sage had her arm around Raven. They were both talking to my dad, waiting to greet us.
A smile pulled at my mouth, and I went to step forward, forgetting all about my earlier question, when Rab stopped me, and let the vault door close again.
I looked up into his deep blue eyes and he took a steady breath. “Alpha, I regret to inform you—”
I put up a hand. “Don’t be so formal with me, Rab. Just tell me. What happened to Sawyer?”
I steeled myself, preparing for some godawful news about my mate. He was paralyzed, maimed, kidnapped.
Rab swallowed hard. “A month after you left, Sawyer was found guilty of murdering the prince of Vampire City, Vicon Drake. He was captured and taken to Magic City Prison.”
