by Anna Santos
The words left my mouth without a lot of effort even though my heart raced and my hands trembled.
Cedric’s voice filled the space as he sang another sad rock song. Nostalgia weaved its way into my soul as Jacob’s arms reached down, and he brought my body against his.
I swallowed my tears and talked against his ear. “I don’t want you to die. You do whatever you need to do to save me, save my brother, and make this world a safer place.”
His hands pressed harder against my ribs, but he didn’t say anything.
“Promise me, Jacob.”
“I’ll do everything it takes to bring you back safe.”
“And I’ll do anything to come back to you.”
Tears fell from my eyes as the words sung by Cedric touched the depth of my heart and made me realize that I didn’t want to let go of what I had. I had found a new family and someone to love with all my heart and soul. I had new friends and a bright, happy life ahead of me. I would do whatever it took to keep it.
Later in the night, after our stroll in the woods, Jacob took me to a special place under the palace, deeper than the catacombs and sacred to every one of the gargoyles and angels.
“For more than thirty years, I've been living an endless night until I found you, and you brought back the sun and the possibility of being free from my curse and having an eternal soul,” Jacob spoke softly, caressing my face and hair and gazing at me as if I were the most precious thing in the world. “I'll dedicate the rest of my life to you. These thirty days under the sun if we only have that. But, until my very last breath, I'll protect and care for you.”
Shivers ran down my spine at his words. “I have opened my heart to you, Jacob. I'm willing to love you. I don't want you to disappear.”
With a smile, he asked, “Are you ready to enter the most sacred place of this realm?”
“Yes!”
“This is where we honor the ones who have ascended. My parents' tombs are here. We light candles to keep their memories alive. It's been awhile since I’ve come here. But, since I have feelings again like any human would, my heart misses them dearly, and I wish they were here to meet you. They would like you, I'm sure.”
“I'm sure that if they ascended, they know that you have me now.”
“I hope they do. It pained Mom to leave me behind.”
I kissed his lips to ease his pain.
He smiled at me. Then, twirling me around, Jacob let go of my hand and opened the heavy wooden door.
The place felt cooler than the rest of the divisions we had been to. The air felt moist but clean, odor-free aside from the wax from the burning candles. But, I wasn't ready for the size of that room under the palace, and leading to the core of the mountain. Small carved holes in the stone were aligned along the walls, honoring each angel who had ascended. Some candles were lighting that dim section of the palace.
I looked around with an open mouth. The ceilings were so tall that they were barely visible. There was no fancy decoration or luxurious statues. Only cold stone and an altar where candles were burning and dried flowers were scattered on the floor.
Jacob led me to his parents' tomb, and we said a prayer. Then, I let him kneel in front of their pictures. He needed to cope with his loss. I had no idea what it was like to be overwhelmed by repressed feelings. Jacob had a huge and beautiful heart.
I stood beside him, my hand resting on his shoulder to comfort him.
Chapter Eleven—This Is War
The plan was simple: contact Simon and set up a meeting, so he would free my brother and take me in his place. Half of the plan was already set in motion. My former mate already believed I was gullible enough to trust that he would keep his end of the bargain. He had texted me the coordinates where the meeting would take place. All I had to do was escape the angels and go to him.
The real plan was to lead Jacob’s men and the combined forces of the werewolves’ packs to the place where he was keeping his prisoners and the arsenal. So that they could attack him, secure the prisoners and the weapons, and end his mad quest in creating a powerful army of werewolves capable of subduing vampires, angels, and anyone standing in their way.
In his thirst for power, Simon had created powerful enemies in a matter of days. Attacking peaceful packs and murdering innocent people would do that. Not to mention the amount of destruction that psychopath left behind. He burned houses and forests down. He had cannibalized other wolves and humans. These actions proved that he had gone mad and needed to be stopped.
Our only fear was that Simon might have a mole in our ranks and our plan might not work if someone leaked any information to him.
The previous night, Jacob and I hadn’t slept in the house. We had rented a hotel room near the meeting place. It would serve as my safe place to teleport to in case I was in grave danger. Jacob had a phone there for me to contact him. And, we had woken up early to go over the plan and meet the rest of the entourage for breakfast. A team of angels who worked for the private security company had taken care of the car I was driving. Meaning, they had installed more tracking devices and hidden cameras.
I should be feeling scared, petrified, but I wasn’t.
The wolves and the angels had booked the entire cozy hotel, and we were in the dining room, sharing breakfast with the rest of the Alphas. My mind was far away from what they were discussing. Happiness was bubbling inside my stomach as I recalled the events of the night I had with Jacob in the hotel’s bedroom. We couldn’t sleep. How could we? We were sharing the bed, but we didn’t plan for it to happen. It simply happened. And it had been perfect. Making love to Jacob was—indescribable. There wasn’t a single particle on my skin that didn’t feel the sizzling sensation of having been loved and kissed. My stomach clenched every time I remembered the sound of our breathing, moaning, and kissing when our bodies were making love. Desire crippled my ability to fear what was coming next. All I wanted was more time with Jacob.
“I say, blow his brains out on sight. We just need to place a sniper in the right position and call it a day,” one of the Alphas said as he punched the table.
It startled me. Jacob’s hand gripped mine tighter as his other hand caressed my back.
“We can’t risk it. His men might kill the prisoners, and we need to find where they are before attacking,” another Alpha spoke.
I had no idea what their names were, but they looked older as if they were in their mid-forties. They were both tall and broad-shouldered. Their raven hair was trimmed short, and they both wore upland hunting pants, shooting shirts, and upland vests.
“Simon’s hideout may be miles away from here. This can be an elaborate trap to get us here, so he could attack our packs near Paris,” the first Alpha shared his thoughts with the rest of us.
I drank from the glass of orange juice next to my untouched muffin.
“Camille managed to postpone the meeting to midday. We can only attack at night,” Jacob said.
“It’s really brave of you, lass. But, you might not be as important to him as you might think. This can all be a trap to lure us out of Paris,” the same Alpha spoke, giving me his attention.
Michel, my angel bodyguard from the time I explored Paris with Jacob, spoke from the other side of the table. “I don’t believe that Alpha Simon is as intelligent as you give him credit. His GPS might have been off when he called Camille, but we were able to pinpoint his location to a twenty miles radius.”
“Yet, he wants Camille to meet him far away from that location and closer to his former pack territory,” the Alpha said.
Alpha Jerome got up from the table he was sharing breakfast at with his Beta and Delta and pulled a chair next to the other Alpha. “Soren, we don’t have a perfect plan, but it’s the best plan we’ve got. Using Camille as bait is our best chance to find your family.”
My eyes widened, understanding why he was so impatient.
“He also has my brother, Alpha Soren,” I said. “I may not be important to him, but I wounded h
is pride when I escaped. He wants to punish me.”
Alpha Soren fiddled with his spoon. “What will happen if he decides to kill you instead of taking you to his new home? Have any of you thought about it? I don’t even know if my daughter is still alive. He killed her husband, and she’s pregnant. But, placing you in danger, little lass, doesn’t make me feel better.” Alpha Jerome placed his hand on Soren’s shoulder. It wasn’t enough to calm him down. “It’s best to kill the bastard, grab his men, and torture the location of the prisoners out of them.”
“What’s your daughter’s name?” I asked him.
“Ariadne.”
“If I see her, I’ll tell her that you are coming for her,” I told the older Alpha. “Now, excuse me. I’m feeling restless. I need some fresh air.”
I left with Jacob on my trail. More than fresh air, I needed to talk to Jacob before I was alone in a car, driving to meet Simon’s men. I was sure that he wouldn’t risk meeting me himself. Even if Alpha Soren’s plan struck me as really appealing, I knew that Simon was going to delegate the meeting up with me to someone else. Someone he could spare if I betrayed him and brought the angels to him.
I stopped in front of the elevator.
“The balcony is that way,” Jacob informed me.
“I know, but I don’t want to spend the next hour in the lounge with those impatient Alphas,” I said as I brushed my clothes off. I was wearing jeans and a warm sweater, nothing fancy or appealing. The weather was cold and moist. I breathed deeply. The thought of seeing Simon again terrified me.
“So, what do you want to do?” Jacob asked as the doors opened, and we entered.
I rose on my tiptoes, lacing my arms around his neck as the doors closed. “I need you to calm me down again. The effect is wearing off.”
I don’t think Jacob understood right away what I wanted to do with him. But, once the realization hit him, his lips crashed over mine, and he teleported us directly to our bedroom, next to our bed.
It would take me nearly two hours to go from Lyon to Annecy. However, that wasn’t the place that Simon wanted me to meet him at. The town of Saint-Priest was the fourth-largest suburb of the city of Lyon. Simon wanted me to go to the Cemetery of the l’Egalité, in the Rue de L’Egalité.
For a couple miles, I thought I was being followed. Then, I blamed it on my nerves. But, every time I saw a biker parked on the side of the road, wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses, I thought of Simon’s pack.
I drove slowly, following the GPS directions as I appreciated the quiet neighborhoods and the green spaces. Soon enough, I closed in on my destination. The cemetery was enormous. Next to the Pompes Funebres was a way in, but I wasn’t to go there. My instructions sent me to a secondary road which led to the back of the cemetery. On my right, there was the cemetery’s wall with a pathway of trees. On my left, there was an empty field and more trees. Vegetation, mostly. At the end of the road, there was a building that looked like a factory, but it was decrepit and looked abandoned.
It was the weirdest place to meet. Simon must have been toying with me, making me waste my time.
I parked the car and looked around. No one was in sight. Then, I received a text with a new address: Château De Saint-Priest, same street.
I remembered seeing the castle. I had to go back. The castle was huge and there was a parking lot. It was hard to miss. However, Simon was toying with me. When I arrived there, I received a new address. And for more than half an hour, I circled around the town, hoping that he’d had enough and actually showed up.
I was driving down an empty street when a blue pick-up truck cut in front of me, and I hit the brakes before I hit it. My heart was pounding when a van pulled behind my car and men wearing masks came out. Before I could react, they were opening the door and pulling me out.
I screamed and tried to kick them, but one man grabbed me from behind, and I felt something stinging on the back of my neck. Before I could fight back, I passed out.
I remembered feeling cold and sitting up while fighting to breathe. Water rolled down my face and hair, damping my sweater. My head felt as if it was going to explode when I blinked several times to focus my vision. There was someone seated in front of me. It was bright and there was an orange glow surrounding that person. Then, I realized that someone was seated on an armchair in front of a huge fireplace. After rubbing my eyes and cleaning the remaining water, I saw Simon.
He didn’t smirk. His lips were pursed, his eyes narrowed, and his hands were resting on his legs. He leaned forward as if he was analyzing me.
“I almost didn’t recognize you. You look different. You colored your hair and…you look almost pretty. Though, you smell differently.”
Simon got up and circled me as I followed his movements in silence.
“Did you really think you could escape?” His eyes changed to orange as the beast inside of him took over.
Far behind, three of his men were against the wall, watching what was happening. Folding their arms, they sneered, probably hoping they would see Simon beat me up.
“Answer me!” he ordered, his spit leaving his mouth with the intensity of his rage. His foot drew back and propelled forward, hitting my stomach.
I leaned forward, trying to protect myself.
He kneeled in front of me, grabbed my hair, and pulled my head back. Growling close to my face, he continued, “After my lesson, we’ll have a little fun. I think you’ve missed me. I missed you. But, I heard you were sleeping with an angel. Is that true? Did you betray me?”
“I’m not your mate.” I snapped at him.
He pulled harder. “You are still my property! You and your filthy brother. Did you think I wouldn’t find out that he helped you escape? Do you know who told me where you were going?”
“Who?” I really was curious.
“Your dear mother, and I didn’t even need to hit her. She came to me. Do you know what I did to her and your father?”
I shook my head as I tried to gulp, but his hand was too tight on my hair and pulling my neck back. It was hard to breathe.
“They were so eager to please me. Why can’t you be more like them?” His terrible breath made me nauseous.
“Did you kill them?” I asked with difficulty as I tried to move my head.
He grinned. “They looked surprised when it happened. I killed your mother first and let your dad watch. He didn’t put up much of a fight. I don’t think he liked that old hag much.”
I didn’t even blink with his attempt to upset me.
“Don’t you hate me for that, Cami?”
“No. I should thank you for that. They didn’t like me.”
Simon let go of my hair and stepped back with analyzing eyes.
I breathed deeply and tried to comb my fingers through my hair. “You think you tricked me, that you are so smart for making me leave the comfort of my safe house to meet you. But, I knew that you wouldn’t keep your word.”
“Then why did you come?”
“I wanted to come. I want you to release my brother,” I told him nonchalantly as if I wasn’t shaking all over with the cold and fear.
It was still daytime. I had no idea how long I had been out. I needed to know the time, and I needed to stall.
“I want to talk with you in private. Tell them to leave,” I said as I got to my feet and smoothed my sweater down my stomach.
Simon arched an eyebrow as his men began to smirk as if I had said something amusing.
I quirked my brow at him. “You want to wage a war against the angels and the other packs. I can help you with that. As long as you accept me back and release my brother.”
“Accept you back?” He released a laugh that made his body shudder as he rested his hands on his stomach.
I saw it coming the moment his arm moved and the back of his hand flew in the direction of my face. I was stronger, faster, and wasn’t going to let him hit me again. I grabbed his wrist and stopped his slap. My strength matched his, and I think he underst
ood that when he blinked. He was caught off guard with my action.
“Let me see my brother, and I’ll tell you where you can attack to catch the angels off guard. You have no idea of the amount of treasures they have there. We can be rich beyond our dreams.”
Simon’s arm relaxed at the mention of wealth. I continued to tempt him. “I have been to the Vampire King’s headquarters. I know where the angels live. I know where they work. I even know a way into their realm.”
“You are trying to trick me.”
“If I wanted to trick you, I wouldn’t come alone.”
“I followed you around and caught you when you least expected it.”
“I ran from the angels. I miss my pack. I miss you. You are my mate. We can restore our bond and be together. Let me prove to you that I can be your Luna.”
Simon smirked, his ego inflated. He grabbed my face between his fingers. “You look hotter now. I like your blonde hair. Did your angel lover teach you new tricks?”
“They don’t believe in mating before marriage.”
“Of course they don’t!” He laughed again. “Tell you what. I have an important meeting that I have to go to. Daniel will take you to where your brother is. You’ll see for yourself that he’s alive. And then, when I come back, I’ll get you so we can discuss what you can do for me regarding the angels. My associates will be extremely interested in knowing more about them and about a way to enter their realm. Don’t disappoint me!” he growled against my face.
Acting intimidated, I lowered my eyes and nodded. The back of his hand connected with my cheek. The intensity of the blow stalled my breathing.
“Next time you try to grab my hand, I’ll kick you senseless,” he threatened before spinning around and walking to his men. “You two come with me. Daniel, take her to the barn.”
Chapter Twelve—Thierry
Daniel unlocked a wooden door to the barn and shoved me inside. The foul odor hit my nostrils immediately. It was dim and my boots stuck to the damp floor. It smelled of manure and rotten bodies. However, the frightened and dirty faces of the people staring at me made me lean back against the door. I didn’t know if they were friendly or were going to attack me. No one talked until they parted a way for a young woman to walk towards me from a dark corner. She was tall and slim, with long dark hair and brown eyes.
