Cursed (Howl, #6)

by Morse, Jody

  I’m not playing any games with you, Samara said, leaping forward onto his back, but suddenly his body disappeared into thin air. The dark spirits had apparently concealed him from her.

  Samara turned to the Vyka, who were beginning to crowd in on her pack now.

  I don’t know what my son is doing, but I must apologize for him, Darren Jackson said, staring at Samara. I think if we’re going to fight, we need to make this a real fight, no?

  Colby bared his teeth at his father. You won’t win this so easily.

  Why don’t you try me, son?

  Don’t call me your son, Colby answered, taking the first step forward. He let out a low growl before racing towards Darren. When he was about halfway there, Darren disappeared, just like Josh had.

  Colby spun around in a circle, looking for his father, with a frustrated look on his face. He growled and bared his teeth, but it was no use. Darren was concealed by the dark spirits.

  A few of the werewolves from the Vyka pack started to walk down towards the Tala, but before they had the chance to fight, four werewolves snuck up on them from behind. Pete, Mo, Ben, and Ricky fought them, biting at their necks and pinning them to the ground. Samara watched as one of the Vyka members fell down, lifeless.

  Tala, one, Vyka, none! Emma cheered them on. At that moment, a wolf snuck up behind her and leapt onto her. Hey, leave me the hell alone!

  Samara was about to jump in and try to help her best friend fight off the werewolf that attacked her, mostly because she wasn’t sure how great Emma was at fighting, but before she had the chance, a wolf jumped onto her own back.

  Hello, Samara. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Steve’s mom, the woman said with a canine grin.

  Are you fighting with us or against us? Samara questioned. She really hoped, for Steve’s sake, that his mom was fighting with them, but apparently being biologically related to someone didn’t matter too much to the Vyka.

  My support is with Darren, Steve’s mom answered, eyeing Samara’s neck, as though she were trying to figure out how she was going to get her teeth around it to block off her airway. Before Samara could figure out what to do, Steve came up from behind her and, without even thinking twice, went straight for his mom’s throat.

  Samara watched, in horror, as Steve constricted his mother’s airway and she stopped breathing, slumping to the ground.

  I’m sorry, Steve, Samara said, giving her pack member a sympathetic look.

  Don’t be. My mom should have known if she was going to play shit like that, I would kill her, Steve said, shaking his wolf head. I don’t have time to dwell on it now, though. I need to worry about killing the next wolf. I can cry about it later. He ran towards a group of wolves who were fighting one another and threw himself into the middle of it.

  The breath caught in the back of Samara’s throat. She only hoped that he would be careful. She didn’t want to see Steve get hurt, even though she was proud of how confident he was being.

  Josh appeared out of thin air again, but this time, Samara was quick to act. She charged at him, pummeling herself on top of him until he fell to the ground. He glared at her, his light brown wolf eyes glaring at her angrily.

  She tried to hold him down on the ground, but she quickly realized how much harder that was going to be to do than she had originally expected it to be. Samara was positive for a moment that they were going to shift positions—that Josh was going to overpower her, and she would be the one on the ground below him. But she suddenly felt a shift in his abilities; it was as though a weight was being lifted.

  Samara quickly realized what was happening. The Trusted Ones had surrounded them, and they had warded off the dark spirits. Josh was finally free of any help—aside from whatever help he was getting from the talisman. It was just him and Samara fighting now.

  As she struggled to hold him down, she felt one of her pack members come up next to her. She glanced over her shoulder to find that it was Chris, which made her feel a sense of relief. He lunged at Josh’s neck.

  Josh fought against him for a few moments, struggling to get up off the ground, out from under the weight of Samara’s body. But he finally gave up, and after a few moments, his eyes fluttered shut.

  Samara felt herself squeal internally. Josh was dead. The talisman was free game.

  As his wolf body morphed itself back into its human body, Samara willed herself to turn back into her own human form so she could remove the talisman, which he wore on a chain. She glanced around the woods to see if her grandfather was anywhere nearby, but she didn’t see him, and she knew that she had to act fast. So, she did the only thing she could think of.

  Samara slid the talisman around her own neck and willed herself to turn back into a wolf.

  She stared ahead of her, at all of the wolves who were fighting one another—wolves she loved, wolves she cared about, and some who she’d never even seen before.

  It was time to kick some werewolf ass.

  Chapter 25

  Half of the Vyka members lay dead on the ground by the time Orkos arrived. Samara recognized him right away—and it wasn’t just his white fur that gave him away. There was something about the way Orkos moved, and the stocky shape of his body that let her know it was him.

  An anger that she hadn’t felt for anyone besides Darren tonight flowed through her veins. Orkos was technically her half-great-uncle, but it didn’t matter; it made her sick to know that he had been willing to kill his half-brother and his best friend, and then make it seem like he was innocent.

  Papa, you’re here! Kyana cried when she saw Orkos. She darted over to him excitedly, but Orkos walked right on past her.

  Papa, what’s wrong? Kyana asked.

  I don’t have time to deal with you right now, Kyana. I have more important things to deal with, Orkos replied, a harsh tone to his voice.

  Samara noticed the tears that filled Kyana’s eyes, and she wished that she could tell her everything she knew. It wasn’t the right time, though.

  I’m back to reclaim my pack! Orkos shouted into the night. Show yourself to me.

  Darren appeared into thin air again, laughing. Well, well, Orkos. You’ve decided you want to be the Alpha of the Vyka still?

  Yes, I do. I want my pack back, Orkos replied, lowering his head to the ground. You have one of two choices. You can either surrender it, or I will fight you for it. And I can guarantee you that I will win. I am Joe McKinley’s half-brother, after all.

  There was a round of gasps, mostly from the Tala pack, as they absorbed this new information.

  Papa, what are you talking about? You’re not Joe McKinley’s half-brother, Kyana protested.

  Oh, but I am, Kyana. There are a lot of things you don’t know about me. This is one of them. Orkos chuckled to himself. I’m also not only the Alpha of the Koto pack. I’m Alpha of the Vyka pack, too.

  You were Alpha of the Vyka pack before you offered the position to me, Darren said with a laugh. And I, my dear friend, am not willing to give it up that as easily as you were. If you want it back, the only way will be for you to conquer me. And while you may be related to Joe McKinley, you don’t know how to use black magic the way I do.

  Black magic is not necessary to win a fight, Orkos said, stepping towards Darren. It doesn’t give you any type of advantage over me.

  Do you wanna bet on that one? Darren asked, as he disappeared into thin air again, this time leaving Orkos standing in the middle of the forest, searching for him.

  Why are you talking like a crazy person, Papa? What is going on? Kyana asked, and Samara couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. She couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like to learn that your father really wasn’t a good man.

  I’ve come to kill Darren Jackson, Kyana. Now, please get out of my way, Orkos said, turning away from her and glancing around for Darren again.

  Why don’t you just leave well enough alone? Why would you even want to be Alpha of the Vyka pack, anyway? Luke questioned.<
br />
  Orkos turned around and glanced over at him. Lucas Davenport, isn’t it?

  Luke nodded. Yes, we met back at your den in Alaska.

  I remember. Well, Lucas, I think that perhaps you’re a little confused. I think you need to leave well enough alone, Orkos said. You know, your father did the same thing.

  What do you mean? Luke questioned.

  Many years ago, I got into a pretty bad fight. I was about one step away from conquering a very important pack, but your father decided to get involved, Orkos explained. It made my decision to kill him all that much easier. I’m the one who killed your father, and it looks like family history is about to repeat itself.

  Orkos stepped towards Luke, but it didn’t matter. Luke had already jumped on top of him, biting at his face and neck. Samara could see the anger just fuming out of Luke’s ears, as he did the one thing he had always told Samara he was going to do: avenge his father’s death.

  It didn’t take long for Luke to pin Orkos to the ground. It was actually one swift movement, and Luke was on top of Orkos, locking his teeth around his throat.

  At that moment, Darren appeared out of nowhere and leapt on top of Luke, too. Don’t you dare kill Orkos. I want to be the one to take his life.

  Leave me alone, Luke said, struggling from beneath Darren. I’ll kill who I want to kill. And I need to kill him.

  Samara moved forward, knowing that she had to interfere in this. Maybe Luke could take on one of these powerful werewolves, but there was no way he would be able to handle two of them at once.

  She bit Darren’s hind leg, causing him to turn on her. When he realized who had done it, he beamed a canine smile. Ah, McKinley.

  It’s Davenport, Samara corrected him, biting his leg again, clenching down on his skin with all her might.

  Such a shame. That good name is about all you had going for you, Darren said, which only prompted Samara to lunge at him again, this time biting whatever she could.

  You’re a feisty one, Darren said, but I’m still stronger than you. He moved swiftly, shifting his weight onto Samara’s body. He held her down on the ground with all four legs and went straight for her neck.

  Darren sank his teeth into her skin. She winced, gasping for for air. Samara wasn’t sure how long she would be able to hold her breath, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before she succumbed to the darkness that was beginning to take over her vision.

  As she focused on staying alive, someone jumped on top of Darren, knocking him away from her.

  She glanced up to find Declan’s eyes staring back into hers. He had saved her life. Again.

  Declan? What are you doing? I almost killed her! Darren said, anger flashing through his nearly black eyes.

  I’m not gonna let you kill her, Declan said, stepping towards Samara. I love her, and I will die protecting her if I have to.

  Well, you foolish idiot, it looks like your wish is about to come true, Darren said, flinging himself on top of Declan until they were both rolling on the ground with one another.

  Samara’s breath caught in the back of her throat as she watched the scene take place right in front of her eyes. Was that it? Was Declan really the one who was going to die? She couldn’t bear to watch.

  At that moment, she noticed another white wolf step into the field, which had become more of an arena. He slinked towards all of the other wolves, and Samara knew right away who it was.

  Grandpa Joe.

  Samara glanced over at the two fights that were taking place along either side of her: to her left, Orkos and Luke were still biting at each other and dueling it out, and to the right of her, Declan and Darren were fighting with each other. She wanted to get involved with one of them, to help them out, but she had a feeling that she would have made them worse.

  Before she had the chance to decide, though, a werewolf who she had never seen before in her life bit her in the front leg, sinking his teeth deep into her skin. Samara moved quickly, going straight for the throat, just like Chris had taught her. As the wolf slumped to the ground, she heard her grandfather’s voice.

  Orkos, let him go, Grandpa Joe said. This isn’t really between you and Luke Davenport, and you know it. The werewolf you want to deal with is me.

  Chapter 26

  Samara watched as Orkos stopped mid-bite and turned to look at Grandpa Joe. What? No, it can’t be. You’re a spirit. Some sort of dark magic.

  It’s me, Orkos. I never really died that night. Finn let me live. He helped me escape. He was a true friend, unlike you, Grandpa Joe said. I want to fight you, to let us prove, once and for all, who the most powerful werewolf is. There’s one term that you must agree to, though.

  Anything. I’ll agree to anything. I just want the chance to prove that I’m as powerful as you, Orkos said.

  We do this without using black magic at all, Samara’s grandfather said. Just you and me and whoever else wants to join can join. Does that sound fair?

  More than fair, Orkos agreed. I’m ready to make sure that we get the job done right this time. It’s about time your death became real.

  Papa, what are you saying? Kyana shrieked. Joe McKinley is your best friend.

  He’s not my friend, Kyana. He never was, and he never will be, Orkos said, inching closer to Grandpa Joe. He lunged himself forward, beginning his attack before it seemed like Grandpa Joe was ready, Samara observed.

  Her grandfather was quick to bounce back, though. He stood on his hind legs, and pushed Orkos off his body with his front paws. Orkos lost his balance, staggering, giving Grandpa Joe just enough access to his neck. As he was about to bite down on his neck, though, Darren ran towards them, knocking Samara’s grandfather to the ground.

  Luke took the opportunity to lunge at Orkos. Orkos moved quickly, though—quicker than Luke, even, and he had him pinned down on the ground within seconds. It was like he had gotten a sudden burst of energy.

  Orkos bit down hard against Luke’s chest, making him screech out in pain. After a few seconds, Orkos moved away from Luke, leaving him lying on the ground. His body morphed back into its human form on its own.

  It took Samara a few moments to realize what had happened, but as she watched the blood pour out of Luke’s chest, she willed herself back into her human form. “No, no, no,” she sobbed, lying down on his chest. “Please don’t die, Luke. Please don’t die.”

  Next to her, Declan had changed back into his human form, too. He placed his hand on the small of her back, leaning over Luke.

  “Samara,” Luke whispered. “I’m going to die.”

  “No, Luke, you can’t,” Samara pleaded with him. “You have to stay alive! You have to live for me. Please, Luke.” Her tears fell from her eyes and onto his cheeks. She held her hand over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but it was no use. There was no stopping the blood that continued to pour out, and that realization made her sob even harder.

  “Please don’t die, Luke,” Samara begged again. “I love you. You can’t die.”

  “I love you, too,” Luke said, his voice lower than it was before. He met her eyes, and she couldn’t ignore the fact that he was staring at her the way a person would stare at someone they were seeing for the very last time. “Kiss me.”

  Samara pressed her lips against his, knowing that it would be the last kiss that they would ever share.

  When she pulled away from him and rested her head against his shoulder, Luke mumbled, “Declan?”

  Declan knelt on the ground beside him. He didn’t say anything, waiting for Luke to speak again.

  “Take care of Samara for me,” Luke managed to say, even though it was obvious that he was struggling to get the words out. His skin was beginning to turn paler, and Samara grabbed his hand, trying to hold on to him.

  “I will, Luke. I promise I will,” Declan said, touching his arm to try to reassure him.

  Within a few minutes, Luke’s eyes fluttered shut, and his breathing became labored. Samara kept her head against his chest, sobbing, counting the amo
unt of time in between each breath, until the breaths stopped.

  Some point after Luke was gone, everything went black.

  *

  When Samara woke up, she found herself lying on the couch in her family’s living room. She glanced around, but no one was in the room with her and everything was silent.

  “Mom?” Samara called. “Dad?”

  Her mother burst into the living room and came to sit next to her on the couch. “How are feeling, sweetie?” She pressed a palm against Samara’s forehead.

  “I’m tired,” Samara admitted. “Where’s Luke?”

  Her mom stared at her for a moment before pressing a hand to her mouth and meeting Samara’s eyes. “Honey, you don’t remember what happened . . . do you?”

  Samara sat up on the couch and thought back to the last thing she could remember. She remembered going into the woods to fight the Vyka, and she remembered her grandfather showing up, and—

  It took her a second to remember exactly what had happened, but once the memory came back, she couldn’t seem to get Luke’s lifeless body out of her head. The tears began to stream down her face again, and her mom wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace.

  “He’s gone, Mom,” Samara said through sobs. “He’s not coming back.”

  “No, he’s not, sweetie,” her mom replied. “And I’m so sorry for that. I’m so sorry he’s gone.”

  “Me, too,” Samara said through tears. Pulling back and glancing into her mom’s eyes, she asked, “Did anyone else get hurt out there? Anyone besides Luke?”

  Her mom shook her head. “No, sweetie. Well, Darren Jackson is dead. And so is Orkos. Kyana killed him.”

  “She did?” Samara asked with raised eyebrows, surprised that Kyana would kill her own father.

  Samara’s mom nodded. “Yes, she was so angry at him for what he did to Luke—for what he did to you—that she killed him.”