by Sara Snow
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Axel
They had been standing there for ten minutes before I noticed they were moving. First, it was Reika, when a small crease appeared between her brows. Then it was Natalie, with the way her hand had begun to twitch.
“Something’s wrong,” I said as I narrowed my eyes.
“They’re fine,” Olcan replied as he got up from his seat. However, he didn’t approach them, and as I did, he held his hand up to stop me. “Small movements are nothing to worry about. We don’t know what they are seeing.”
Natalie and Reika’s heads suddenly flung forward and then backward, their eyes wide open and as white as clouds.
“Is that normal?” Xavier yelled as he stepped forward, and Mathieu stood up as well.
“No,” he said to Xavier as he placed his hand on his shoulder, “something’s wrong.”
Both women began shaking, and my heart skipped a beat as Ruby began to shake as well. “No fucking shit something’s wrong! How do we stop it?” I ran forward, not waiting for someone’s response. Just as I reached out to grab Reika’s arm to pull her away from Ruby, Olcan grabbed me and pulled me back.
I didn't have time to be impressed by just how quickly he had gotten to me. I was more worried about Ruby and the way her eyes were now fluttering.
I flashed him off me. “If something is wrong, we need to pull them apart.”
“If we force them apart, we will do them more harm than good. We might kill them.”
I made a face and turned back to the shaking women. This was all new for me. My pack doesn’t have an Enchanted, and while I’ve educated myself about them, there was still a lot I didn’t know. My father never saw the need for an Enchanted.
“Mind links can be complex,” Olcan said as he began circling them, his hands clasped behind his back. “Sometimes it’s not just a link between minds. Right now Reika and Natalie aren’t just seeing what’s inside Ruby’s mind, they are in her mind. Force them apart and their either their minds break or,” He looked at me, and I clenched my fist at the smile on his face. “they die.”
“And you’re smiling because?” Xavier asked.
Olcan shrugged, “It’s fascinating.”
“Fascinating! Something is wrong with her!” I yelled, and Olcan arched a brow, that annoying smile on his lips still.
“So, you’re worried about the human after all?”
My lips formed a thin line. “If she dies, if all three of them die right now, won’t that be a problem?” He returned to his seat and sat down. There was no trace of concern or care in his eyes, not even for Reika. What kind of man is this? I turned away with my fingers rubbing my temples when I heard gasps.
I spun around as Reika and Natalie suddenly pulled away from Ruby as if she was the sun’s surface. They both hunched forward, their hands on their heads as they began groaning in pain.
Mathieu grabbed Reika as Xavier made a dash for Natalie who looked dangerously close to fainting. Ruby was no longer shaking, but she was just standing there. I hated that my heart was racing, that I wanted to know if she was okay. When she finally started moving, I rushed forward. It was as if time was moving in slow motion as she began to sway and then fall. I reached out to her, her red hair covering her face as she fell when Xavier appeared and grabbed her just before she plummeted to the ground.
I watched him move her hair out of her face. She was saved from falling, so why was I so pissed all of a sudden? Why did I want to rip him limb from limb as he gently held her cheek and began calling her name?
“I-I don’t understand,” Reika said to herself as she held her head.
“What did you see?” Olcan asked, and she turned to stare at him. She looked like she had seen a ghost as she then looked down at Ruby in Xavier’s arms.
“What is it?” I urged her on, and she shook her head and winced.
“She- I- I saw Elder Lovette,” she whispered, and my eyes widened along with Olcan’s and Mathieu. Olcan got to his feet slowly, his eyes flashing black as he looked at Ruby and then at Reika.
“Are you certain that…”
“Yes,” Natalie replied as she lowered herself to the ground. “She’s telling the truth.”
Reika staggered and was caught again by Mathieu, her eyes becoming teary. This was not good, not good at all. If this was true, my problems weren’t about to end, they were just beginning! “Why does a human have a memory of an Enchanted, of our Grand Elder Lovette?”
All eyes fell on Ruby because no one had an answer. I could see it in Xavier’s eyes, the spark of doubt that I’ve felt for Ruby this whole time, and I sighed and left the room.
Chapter Eight
Xavier
Reika released my hand while Axel removed his hand from her shoulder. I watched as a thin glowing string unwrapped itself from around my arm and Axel’s and Ruby’s as well. It vanished into thin air as she gently laid Ruby’s hand on her stomach, her eyes still closed as she slept soundlessly.
It’s been half an hour since she had fallen unconscious, and as the time stretched on, I became more and more anxious. Reika and Natalie had to be given the time to eat and replenish their strength. The rest of us - Olcan, my dad, Axel, and myself–have had to sit and wait to find out what had happened.
I spent the time trying to understand what Reika had meant about Ruby knowing one of the most well-known and beloved Enchanteds. My mind was straying and creating insane theories. There was one question that I just couldn’t get out of my head: what if Ruby really wasn’t sent by our goddess? What then? Was she truly my mate, or was this all some kind of elaborate spell or evil trick?
“Well?” Olcan asked, and Reika got to her feet rather shakily. Performing the spell she just did so soon after what happened with the mind link had severely weakened her. I turned and walked away once she was on her feet because my heart was in my throat waiting for what she might say in response.
“It’s real,” she whispered. “I can feel their bond. It’s not a spell.”
I glanced at Axel and found him already looking at me. If Natalie had known how to do this, or if we had even known this could be done, we would have done it from the start. It might have eliminated any reason for Axel to send word to the Council.
I glanced over at Olcan, who was now looking at Ruby thoughtfully. I wondered why the spell wasn't completed before Reika tried to see into her mind. Wouldn't it make more sense to find out if our bond was real to begin with? Because if it had been fake, it would’ve given Olcan and Axel the ammunition they needed. I suppose trying to invade Ruby's privacy came first on the Council’s list of priorities. I shook my head. I suppose I had no right to be judgemental when I had forced Natalie to do the same thing once before.
“When will she wake up?” I asked as I turned around, and Reika shrugged.
“I don’t know. What happened was extremely taxing on Natalie’s body and mine, so just imagine what it might have been like for her. Forcing her awake isn’t a good idea, so we’ll just let her sleep.”
My eyes darted to Olcan and caught the way he narrowed his eyes at her. Reika failed to notice because she was busy staring down at Ruby on the sofa. Natalie was sitting across the room with a cup in her hand as she stared out the window, her legs crossed lotus style.
“And what exactly happened just now?”
Reika looked Olcan’s way before turning away to sit down. My dad entered the room at that moment and gave her a cup of tea before sitting down as well, a solemn expression on his face.
“You said you saw Lovette,” he said as Reika blew on her tea, his baritone voice filling the room. “What exactly did you see?”
Natalie looked away from the window as the darkness outside started to be chased away by dawn, and Reika glanced her way for just a second. I frowned when I noticed how she held her forehead slightly to somewhat shield her eyes from Olcan while taking a sip of her tea. The look that passed between Nathalie and Reikawas quick and all but imperceptible, but I was sure it
meant something.
Despite my suspicions, I remained silent as she reclined in her chair and inhaled deeply. "Even with the two of us in there, we were only able to make a small crack. When you guys mentioned a wall in her mind, I had expected the normal defense mechanisms humans use to suppress memories. But there is an actual mental barrier within her mind. A strong one. And it was definitely made from magic.” She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I was only able to get a small glimpse of what is behind it and what I saw…who I saw, was Lovette.” She opened her eyes and stared sternly at Olcan. “She was in tears, distraught about something, but that’s all I saw before Ruby started to force us out.”
Olcan made a sound of frustration. “How did she force you out? You’re both strong Enchanteds. She’s a frail human girl. So, we still know nothing and now have more questions than before. What will it take to break through?”
“A witch is needed for this, and a strong one. Powerful magic was used to create the block in her mind, and only powerful magic will be capable of bringing it down.”
“I thought you Enchanteds were like witches,” Axel said, and I had to stop myself from laughing. This is the future alpha of the Bluewater Pack? I had heard rumors that they didn't have an Enchanted among them, but I hadn't believed it. The Bluewater Pack has always been peculiar, right down to their practices and rituals. I could not deny that they’ve all been trained well, though, both from what I’ve heard and from fighting Axel myself.
“They are like witches, yes, but they have limits that witches do not,” my father replied.
“I’ll ask Willow to help,” I said, but Olcan immediately shook his head. “No. The Council will find a witch,” He got up and walked over to Ruby. He stood above her for a moment before walking away, his hands clasped behind his back. “How is it possible that she knew Lovette? It makes no sense.”
Ruby groaned as her head turned from left to right. She raised a hand and held her forehead, and Natalie smoothly joined her on the sofa.
"Hey, take it easy," she said as she helped Ruby into a sitting position. "How do you feel?"
Ruby inhaled deeply, a deep crease between her brows as she looked around the room. “Like I was attacked by a wild animal,” she said as she stared at Axel as if she suspected that he might have been that wild animal. He narrowed his eyes in response. “What’s going on? What happened?”
“You forced Reika and me out of your mind, just like you did the first time I did a mind link with you."
“So, it didn’t work then?” She asked weakly, and Natalie shook her head. She looked at Reika and frowned. “There is something, though, isn’t there? What is it?” She looked my way. “What were you guys just talking about?”
“We saw something, yes,” Reika replied, and Olcan crossed his arms over his chest.
If he was going to find a witch to break through the barrier in Ruby’s mind, did it mean he was planning on staying here longer? Or would he force Ruby to leave with him? Neither of those options sat well with me, not with the way he kept staring at her as if he would happily open her skull himself to see what’s inside. Ever since Reika had said what she had seen inside Ruby’s mind, he’d become increasingly agitated.
My father cleared his throat and slid to the edge of his seat. “When I did my background check on you, Ruby, I found nothing about your parents and no record of where you actually came from. I just know that you were left at the hospital when you were born. If you know anything at all about where you’re from, can you tell us now?”
“And no one thought that was odd and decided to press her for that information from the start?” Axel asked.
“That’s not odd, Axel. Haven’t you ever heard of an orphan? Believe it or not, I’m not the first human to grow up without their parents” Ruby snapped at him. “No, I don’t know my parents or where I’m from. I was in and out of foster homes my entire life.”
Olcan uncrossed his arms and buried his hands into his pockets. He tilted his head to the side like a curious dog. “Do you know a woman named Lovette?”
She looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head no. “I don’t know anyone named Lovette. Why? Should I?”
“No. She’s a Grand Elder for the Enchanteds. The same way wolves have a Council and Witches have High Priests and Priestesses, a Grand Elder is the most powerful of the Enchanteds. They often lead very sheltered lives because of this power.” Ruby started to look confused, and my dad continued. “As I’m sure Natalie has told you, Enchanteds have lived with a lot of discrimination from other wolves for years due to the fact that they can never transform. However, there is something special about them that only a few outside of the Enchanted know - they are all descendants of our goddess."
“What?” Axel and I yelled in unison. I looked at Natalie and Reika for their reactions, but neither looked surprised at all. It's not like I doubted the existence of our goddess, but hearing something like this was blowing my mind. “Are you being serious right now?” I asked my father, and he nodded. “Why is something this important not widely known? So, you’re telling me Natalie is related to our goddess?”
“Yes. The Council banned that information many years ago.”
Axel hung his head and laughed. “Of course they did.” He pinned Olcan with a glare, “If other wolves found out there were actual descendants of our goddess living among us, they would demand the Enchanteds have a seat on the Council. Maybe they’d be the Council. Why listen to other wolves when we can listen to the children of the goddess that created us?” He shook his head. “But the power you Council members have would then be nothing compared to,” he looked at Ruby and I was surprised to see awe within his eyes, “a demigod. Wolves deserve to know this.”
“They will never deserve a seat on the Council,” Olcan said through clenched teeth, his face turning slightly red. “Even though Enchanteds are wolves, they aren’t pure wolves. They are a different species. The Council is for pureblood wolves only. That’s why the Enchanteds formed their own faction. Enchanteds play an amazing and honorable role in our society, despite the fact that they aren’t pure wolves. The Council has worked hard over the decades to stop the discrimination. Keeping this a secret isn't for the purposes of oppressing anyone. It is for the Enchanteds’ own safety. Demigods invariably end up being used, abused, hunted or killed for their powers. Why do you think demigods from other cultures are kept a secret or hidden? It’s a sad fact that we cannot count on people’s better natures to keep our precious resources safe. ”
“I’m sorry but what does all of this have to do with me?” Ruby asked, and Olcan turned to her, anger now in his eyes. I stepped closer to her.
Grand Elders worked closely with the Council, so I understood his anger and confusion. He had lost a friend when Lovette had disappeared. All wolves had grieved the loss.
“Lovette gave up her post as Grand Elder suddenly and vanished.” His jaws clenched. “Her body was later found, and to this day, no one knows exactly what happened. All Enchanteds that show a strong connection to magic are appointed Grand Elder because they have the strongest connection to the Goddess. Because of this they don't…mingle, with anyone outside of the Council or even their own people. Even under those circumstances, contact is limited. How do you, a human girl, with no people and no past, have a memory of our revered Lovette?”
Ruby frowned and looked away. “I-I don’t know. I don’t know anyone named Lovette.”
“Do not lie to me!” Olcan roared. Mathieu swiftly got to his feet and placed himself between Ruby and Olcan. Axel and I stepped forward in unison as Olcan’s breathing became labored, his eyes now black.
“Olcan, control yourself. You know she knows even less than we do.” My dad said to him. “Yelling at her won’t miraculously help her to remember things that were sealed away from even her.”
Olcan took a deep breath and straightened his spine. Everyone watched as he cleared his throat and ran a hand down his shirt as he cal
med himself. “I apologize for my outburst.” He looked at Mathieu and then me. “It’s clear Ruby isn’t just an ordinary human girl after all, in more ways than just the fact that she is a human mated to two wolves.”
He sideglanced at Axel, whose jaws clenched in response. I didn’t trust either man, but Olcan even less so than Axel (and that was saying something). I had a bad feeling about how things were going to turn out forRuby with the addition of yet another unexplainable mystery. One that I, too, wanted answers to. Her knowing Lovette didn't have to mean something bad, but in what capacity could she have possibly come to know her? And why had Lovette been crying in the memory?
“So, Ruby met Lovette presumably sometime after she stepped down. Even so, correlation is not causation. Just because they had a relationship does not mean Ruby is the cause, directly or indirectly, of Lovette’s demise.” I pointed out. Who knew my college Research Methods class would ever come in handy while trying to save my mate’s life? Olcan’s face twitched from the anger he was trying to contain. I could feel his dominance rolling through the room and poking at my flesh like needles. “You have no idea what the Grand Elder did after she left. You don’t know everywhere she went and all the people she met.” He didn’t seem pleased to hear that, but he said nothing. He knew I had a point.
"If we knew everyone she had come into contact with after she left, everyone would be a suspect in her death until proven otherwise," Olcan said through clenched teeth, and Ruby got up and turned her back to everyone.
She stood there for a moment before stepping away, her face in her hands. Her hair was a tangled red curtain around her, and my finger twitched, yearning to feel one silky strand. If it wasn’t for Axel’sgreed and his stupidity for involving the Council, Ruby and I would be so much closer now. Instead, I have to watch her deal with all of this from a distance.
I looked in Axel's direction where he rooted himself close to the door. I frowned because his eyes were glued to Ruby. They didn't hold the same indifference I've come to expect from him when it comes to her, and a stab of jealousy gripped my heart. Despite everything he's said, I know he's feeling the need to take her into his arms and protect her, the same way I am.
