by Sara Snow
I could hear whispering voices, and a chill went through my body.
“Yes, I can hear you.” I didn’t recognize my own voice as it was deep and contorted. I sounded possessed. I tightened my hold on the blade handle, blood soaking through my blouse. “I did as you asked.” The whispers echoed through the room, and my head bent to the side. “Yes, I know, but I had no choice.” My head bent to the other side, and I sighed. “I understand.” I listened to the whispers, to my new instructions, and my body jerked as I felt the feathery touches of a hand caress my cheek. “But there has to be some way to...” The whispers grew loud, and I winced, more tears leaving my eyes to hover above me. “Okay, I understand.”
The dagger in my chest vanished, and my hands fell to my sides. I gasped as I fell forward and then started to cough as air filled my lungs. The pain in my chest was gone, as if stabbing myself had just been a bad dream, but my body was shaking uncontrollably. I pressed my cheek to the cold ground as the images before my eyes started to clear, and I knew my eyes had now returned to their normal color.
I laid there for a moment, my energy completely depleted. The pain I had felt as I thrusted that dagger into my chest was nothing compared to what I had just seen.
I’m not sure exactly when I dozed off, but when I woke up, I was lying on my back, dried tears on my cheeks making my skin feel stiff. I felt strong enough to get up, so I made my way to the bathroom. I removed my bloody top and touched a finger to my chest. There wasn’t even a scar.
I’m glad that was the first and last time I’d have to do something like that. I felt like I had been hit by a bus. I soaped up my rag and began scrubbing at the dried blood on me. The water was scorching hot, but I barely felt it. I was too lost in my thoughts.
Had I really just killed myself?
“Natalie?”
My hand froze where I had been washing my legs, and I stood up straight.
“Yes? Did you do it?” I asked Reika through our mind link.
“I did. They’re asleep, and neither will wake until the morning.”
I turned the tap on full blast and stepped under it. “Good. Now all they need to do is survive.”
Chapter Ten
Ruby
I packed immediately after getting to my room and stashed the backpack under my bed. I had a suitcase packed and placed by the door just in case Olcan decided to stop by and check up on me. He’d see that I was ready to leave. I just wouldn’t be leaving with him.
All that was left to do was for me to wait until midnight to meet Xavier outside, but waiting was harder than I thought it would be. I spent the time pacing back and forth in my room until I got paranoid that someone might hear me moving around and wonder why I was so excessively active late at night.
I laid on my bed after that, twisting and turning until I settled on facing the window. With the moon’s light shining down, it appeared unusually bright outside. While it looked beautiful, I was worried. Xavier wouldn’t be able to shift tonight, which made both of us vulnerable. I know he would still be incredibly strong, but nowhere near his best.
Natalie said she would take care of everything, whatever that meant. I was trying to put my faith in her and not worry. That is really hard to do when you are used to something always going wrong. That was my childhood in a nutshell, and my young adulthood wasn’t shaping up to be any better so far, that’s for sure. I wasn't sure why it was still surprising to me that Olcan wanted me dead. I had no doubt going to Romania wouldn't have been a vacation but being killed wasn't in my plans. Considering that Reika had confirmed for him that the mate bond was real and mates are protected by law…but hey, who am I kidding? The Council was the one making all the rules. They can change them, or even break them, as they see fit. Who would even know about it to challenge them on it?
Axel was the other person I wanted to castrate. Why wasn’t he tearing Olcan a new one for talking about killing me! That’s another thing I should stop being surprised about. Axel isn’t Xavier, and he’ll never be Xavier. I might be mated to him, but the connection is barely there. The only time I had even felt something towards him was during our drive here when he had opened up to me about wanting to be a good alpha. He was like a parent that would do anything to provide for his kids, and that at least I could understand. Conspiring with Olcan was something I couldn’t, wouldn’t forgive him for.
The hours went by agonizingly slow, but eventually, I was standing in front of my door with my backpack on. My hair was wrapped into a bun, and I pulled my hoody over my head while I zipped my sweater to my throat. Not for the first time tonight, I wished Xavier could shift. I'm sure we could cover more ground with me riding him.
I reached out and held the door handle, my hand shaking as I opened it slowly. I didn’t make a sound, but I continued to move slowly, opening it just enough to slip through and taking my time to close it quietly once more.
Whatever Natalie planned to do, I hoped she had already done it. I wasn't about to go running through the house to test it out. I was sure it took twenty minutes at least to make it outside. When I finally did, my heart was pounding out of my chest. I gratefully inhaled the cool night air.
A shadow appeared from behind a tree at the forest line, and my heart skipped a beat until the shadow waved at me. I narrowed my eyes and when I realized it was Xavier, I dashed towards him. I threw myself into his arms, and he kissed the top of my head before taking my hand and leading me into the forest.
“We made it out,” I whispered to him as he stared at the house. I bit my lip as the muscles in his jaws clenched. He threw his hood over his head and turned. “Are you okay?” I knew I was a stupid question to ask. He was about to run away from his home, his father, and his pack. I just didn’t know what else to say.
“I will be, once we get far away from here.”
He took my hand, and we started walking briskly. We stopped from time to time for him to listen to the forest. Even though his hearing was ten times better than mine would ever be, his heightened abilities weren't at their usual level because of the full moon. We were still in his pack’s territory and running into another wolf wouldn't be good. With our backpacks on our backs, it was clear that we were running away and not just going out for a late-night stroll.
“I wonder what Natalie had to do to ‘take care of things’,” he said as he avoided walking in a pocket of moonlight beaming down through the canopy of trees above.
“Why?”
“We made it out and made it this far. Council members are like royalty, which means they are stronger than even alphas. Their senses are heightened to the max, so I’d expected old Olcan to be on high alert tonight. He’d be the first hear when someone so much as coughed in bed, much less when two people got up and left the house.”
I moved a tree branch from before my face. "Natalie's different, stronger. Whatever she did, it worked." Despite how briskly we were walking, I knew he felt like we were moving too slowly. He was going at this pace just so I could keep up. "Have you ever met any of the other Council members?" I asked as I picked up the pace to show him that I could go faster. Yes, I was tired, but knowing what I was running from was motivation enough to keep me going.
“No. Olcan’s the first Council member I’ve met. Council members don’t usually make appearances like this. They send representatives.”
I didn’t respond, and we kept walking until Xavier suddenly stopped. “What?” I asked, and he pressed a finger to my lips.
He pointed his head to the sky and inhaled asI started looking around us. Despite the moonlight, the forest was still too dark for me to see much. I wanted to ask him what he was hearing or smelling in the air but kept my mouth shut. I had grabbed a knife on my way out of the house, and I removed it slowly from where it was tucked into my left sleeve as Xavier turned his back to me and positioned himself protectively in between whatever he sensed and me.
“Come out. I can smell you,” he growled, and my heart fell to my feet.
&
nbsp; Fuck, they caught us!
I remained behind Xavier when I heard leaves crunching under feet. Hell, noo, I'm not going back, not without a fight! I stepped out from behind him, my knife in hand.
“Axel?” I looked him up and down with my knife still raised, and he looked down at the blade reflecting the moon’s light. His eyes flicked up to mine and the corner of his mouth arched a little before Xavier growled and it fell away. They stared at each other for a moment and Axel rubbed at his nostrils and shook his head.
So Olcan sent him after us. How theatrical.
“Did you really think I couldn’t smell you standing outside the door?” He asked before his eyes slid to me once more, and I glared at him.
"So, you knew I could hear you talking to Olcan about killing me? Yeah, that makes me feel so much better. I get the message, Axel, you care that little about me.” I widened my stance. “I’m not going to Romania.”
He shrugged. “Good. I’m glad. ”
“What?” I asked, shocked at his response.
“Why are you following us?” Xavier added, and I finally noticed the backpack Axel was carrying.
“None of this was what I wanted,” he said, and I scoffed.
“Yeah, you just wanted to get rid of the Blackmoon Pack," I snapped at him, and to my surprise, he nodded. This man clearly has no shame.
“Yes, I wanted to get rid of the Blackmoon Pack, but not like this. All I’ve wanted is to be allowed back onto this land. It’s big enough for both packs to co-exist comfortably. All I’ve ever wanted is a better existence for my pack.”
“Yeah, I heard you’re Alpha now,” Xavier replied, a growl in his voice. “What’s wrong with your father?”
Axel’s face morphed into one of anger. The last thing that needed to happen right was another fight between these two. "That's not important right now, is it? I'm not here to take you guys back, okay. I’m coming with you.”
Xavier laughed, and I lowered my knife. Axel, however, remained serious as he waited for Xavier to realize he wasn't kidding. He wants to come with us? Why? He started all of this because of his duty to his pack, and now he is ready all of a sudden to make himself a fugitive and leave them behind? Yeah, I didn’t believe him either.
"We don't need you to come with us, Axel. I think you've done enough. So, you want me to believe that you’re suddenly willing to leave your pack to follow us? The Council will be coming after us and you.”
“I don’t blame either of you for not trusting me, but believe it or not, I’m on your side.” I laughed. and he stepped forward. Xavier immediately held his hand out to block me. Axel stepped back, despite the growl that had left his lips. “I’m already on the Council’s radar now, and my pack will be as well if I return to them.”
Neither Xavier nor I said anything, and he sighed and held his forehead. This was the most words I’ve ever heard from his lips. If he was acting, he deserved an Oscar.
“Trust me if you want to, or don’t. but I’m on your side. No matter what you both think, I don't want to see you die, Ruby. None of the three of us asked for this, but this is apparently how it is going to be. Fighting it, and each other is only making all of our lives worse."
Xavier’s hand dropped after blocking me to adjust the strap of his bag on his shoulder. I couldn't tell if he was buying what Axel was selling, but I was (despite my better judgment). Maybe I'm stupid, but why would Olcan send him and only him to take us back? Then again, it's not like he could send Reika or Mathieu. I felt torn. It bothered me that I was so easily trying to find reasons to give him the benefit of the doubt, considering that this entire mess was his fault. As I went over the conversation between Axel and Olcan in my mind again, I realized I never actually heard Axel agree to my death. In retrospect, I realized, if anything, he had sounded surprised that Olcan had said it.
“Look, Ruby, you are my mate. I’m not good at this kind of stuff. I still have my doubts because you know a Grand Elder and it changes a lot.” He turned to Xavier. “Olcan wants what’s inside her head and if he gets it, he’s going to kill her and everyone that knew about her. We are wasting time standing here and debating this. Besides, the Council will be hunting you guys. If that’s the case, the way I see it, you need all the help you can get.”
"Okay," Xavier replied, and I frowned. I stared at him, surprised he was agreeing. Axel removed his bag from one shoulder and swung it around him to open it.
“What? Are you serious?” I whispered to Xavier, although I knew Axel could hear me just fine. “Okay? Just like that?’
“He’s right. If the Council gets their hands on you, we're all dead–my dad, Natalie, everyone. With Axel with us, he'll be able to protect you as well. That doesn’t mean I automatically trust him. Believe me, I will be watching him." He said that bit loudly, but Axel only kept searching through his bag.
"Here," Axel said as he approached us, three small vials of slightly brownish liquid in his hand. "I had these created by witches for my pack. It masks a wolf's scent. I was able to track you guys all too easily."
“I’m not drinking that. You said it is for wolves.” I pointed out as I crossed my arms. This could be some kind of trick - maybe a sedative that would put Xavier and me to sleep.
“It masks anyone’s scent. You were given it when you were taken.” He took one of the vials, popped it open and drank it. “See? Make no mistake, by morning they’ll be hunting us so our scents need to stop here.”
I didn’t feel comfortable doing this, but what other choice did I have? We had wasted too much time standing here chatting as it was. Xavier and I each took a vial and chugged it. Let me tell you, the taste was utterly repellent, but within seconds, Xavier pointed out that he could no longer smell me or Axel.
We walked on in uncomfortable silence, and I remained close to Xavier's side while Axel followed behind us. After an hour passed, exhaustion began to set in. My legs were dragging and I was slowing down, despite my initial resolve to keep up. Axel and Xavier were still maintaining at the same brisk pace they had set throughout the journey with no outward signs of fatigue that I could see.
"I'm exhausted," I said, and Xavier took my backpack. The weight off my shoulders was a relief, but my legs were still killing me.
"Where are we going anyway?" Axel asked as he removed a water bottle from his bag and handed it to me. I only stared at it before taking one from my bag. I wasn’t ready to trust or forgive him that easily after what he had put me through. Not yet, anyway. Animals and insects of the night sang around me, and I wished I could mute them all. I had to admit that I, too, was suddenly curious about where Xavier was taking us. I hadn't even bothered to ask before we left.
“I don’t know. First things first. I’m getting us as far away from the pack as possible. We’ll put a few cities between us and this place, and then find a town with no wolf packs and lay low.”
Axel stepped around us, his hazel eyes shining oddly bright as he stared at the forest around us. "Okay. Well, I have a safe house, and no one else knows about it. It's about two days' drive from here, though. If we can make it there somehow, we can lay low more safely and take a little extra time to figure out our next move."
“Why do you have a safe house?" I asked as we started walking once more. Axel was now ahead of us and honestly, I didn't mind. I hadn't been comfortable with him walking behind me.
“All packs do. All alphas do. Wolves are very territorial, and not all packs are large. There has to be a place an alpha can go if he’s challenged and he loses. That’s if he survives the fight long enough to make it to their safe house. Don’t you have one, too?”
I assumed that question was for Xavier, so I said nothing as I drank more water. This wasn’t going to go well, I could tell. Nothing good could come from all three of us being together. They both hated each other.
“Yes, but all of those locations are known by at least two others. Olcan will no doubt have them checked out anyway.”
“Well, fortunately
, mine is completely off the grid. We’ll need a car.”
◆◆◆
Axel
A wolf walking almost three hours on a full moon isn’t smart. By the time we made it off Blackmoon territory and found a road and a gas station, we were all exhausted and irritable. Well, I wouldn’t say Xavier and I were exhausted. We were tired and definitely hungry, but Ruby was on an absolute warpath.
Neither of us had been able to speak to her until she had eaten three bags of snacks and drank the two coffees that I got at the gas station. Yes, I said got them there, not bought them there, since it was three in the morning and I had to break in.
Even with limitations of the full moon, Xavier and I had been clearly able to hear her crying in the bathroom. She came out with her face dry and her sassy attitude back to being less than appealing as if she hadn’t just spent five minutes bawling her eyes out. I admired her for it, though. Our situation was one that would drive anyone crazy, and she was keeping it together better than I had expected.
It had been funny to see her standing there with a knife in her hands. I had no doubt in my mind that she wouldn’t have hesitated to use it. It amazed me that she was ready to run headfirst into a fight with a werewolf, despite the obvious futility of such an action. The full moon wouldn’t be enough to keep a werewolf male from incapacitating her, and she knew it. She as brave like a wolf, so I guess it made sense that she ended up mated to one…well, with her attitude, I guess it made sense she was mated to two of us.
Neither Xavier nor Ruby trusted me right now, and I couldn’t really fault either of them for that. I wouldn't trust me either after the additional problems I've caused. I will always regret ever trusting that bastard Olcan. I should have known he had his own agenda. Killing Ruby or Xavier was never what I wanted.
