by Melissa Haag
I decided to go for it.
“I think I’ve figured it out already,” I said. “My purpose.”
“Oh?” Her voice was faint.
“I’ve been asking myself, ‘why me,’ since the moment I saw you. Not because I regret our connection, but because the timing and the likelihood felt too set up. Mom’s a Judgement. Michelle’s a Judgement. What are the chances of me feeling the pull for the last one? And why after I became an Elder? You’ve said the Lady influences things. I think she influenced this. And why else pair a Judgement with an Elder of the werewolves but because I need to decide something on behalf of my people? The question that remains is what decision is it that she wants me to make?”
Her black gaze swept over my face.
“No, Jim. The question that remains is how much do you love your people?”
I didn’t answer, sensing it was rhetorical.
“You saw my back and understand what happened. I bargained with the Others. For their help, I paid with my flesh. That is my gift. I see what waits beyond the veil. I know what will come if the Judgement is not complete. And only I can complete it.”
My grip on the wheel tightened as I listened. I had to be misunderstanding.
“What are you saying?”
“I am Courage. I know my purpose. I am the sacrifice. The payment to complete the Judgement.”
I shook with rage. The road blurred as I fought the change. Hair sprouted on my arms. Olivia said nothing as I braked and pulled over.
Olivia would die? No. She was mine. The Lady gave her to me. I didn’t care if that meant an unfinished Judgement.
Pain shot through my chest. Gasping and struggling to breathe, I broke the steering wheel.
“Jim.” Olivia’s hands settled on my back and smoothed over my shoulders, leaving a chill under my shirt.
“I am yours. She chose you because only you have the strength and foresight to see what needs to be done. Do you love your people, your world, enough to help me fulfill my purpose? Because I can’t do this without you.”
In my mind, I railed at the Lady, hating her for placing Olivia in my care, for letting me touch her, taste her, love her. Why give her to me just to take her away? My throat closed with the increased pain. Grey crept in from the peripheral of my vision. None of that mattered as much as the possible absence of Olivia in my life after the Judgement. None of the pain hurt as much as that thought.
“Think of your mom. Of Emmitt and Michelle. Think of the two little boys you’ve left behind. Think of them, Jim,” she said, reminding me of my responsibility.
I realized in that pain-filled moment, either way, I would lose Olivia. If I tried to prevent the Judgement, we would all die. The pain began to ease as I understood.
After a few moments, I drew an unsteady breath. A few more slow breaths removed the grey from my sight. Sitting up, I looked at Olivia. Tears wet her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Jim.”
She was going to die, and she was trying to comfort me?
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her like there would be no tomorrow because there wouldn’t. When we finally broke apart, she was gasping for air just as much as I had. I set my forehead against hers and let her scent wash over me.
“Tell me what I need to do to help.”
“For now, just stay close. And don’t tell the rest. I’m afraid they might try to stop it.”
OLIVIA…
Jim straightened away from me and focused on getting us back onto the road.
Resuming my silence, I waited and pretended each turn of the wheel wasn’t bringing me one step closer to my death.
The Others raced outside the car. The barren landscape slowly changed, providing them with rock formations to swirl around and inspect. I wanted to ask Jim to talk to me, to describe what he could see. But I could still feel him shaking through the seat.
Since the day the Lady told me to bite Blake, she’d explained my purpose. I’d grown up knowing I would die, just like every other creature on the planet. The only difference was that I knew when and how.
As much as his shock and anger at hearing the news upset me, it also warmed me. He truly did care. I hoped it would be enough to see the Judgement through.
“The others are already there. We’re close. But they’re closing in,” Jim said, his voice still low and raw.
“Who?”
“The Urbat.”
“Will we make it before they do?” Blake felt closer, but not yet close enough for concern.
“We will but Isabelle’s had to stop several times because of riding with Bethi. Winifred says that Isabelle ran into several Urbat groups already.”
“The fighter,” I said, mostly to myself. If any of us had to face a group of Urbat, she alone would survive.
“She’ll make it through without our help.”
“What about the rest?” he asked.
“Blake’s too smart to risk any of us. Forcing Isabelle will mean that she uses her ability around Bethi. No Judgement can be made if any of us die.”
The steering wheel groaned again.
“Except you,” he said.
“Except me,” I agreed. “But only at the right time.”
Sweat coated my palms, and I casually wiped my hands on my thighs. The sweating had started the moment we’d walked out of the restaurant. The moment I’d realized I’d eaten my last meal, felt my last sunrise, and had my last drink. It was the only thing I couldn’t seem to control. I could suppress my fear and keep my pulse steady, but I couldn’t seem to stop sweating.
“How long until we get there?” I asked.
“We passed the sign for the park several minutes ago. Winifred said they parked their cars to the side and went in on foot. It shouldn’t be far.”
I watched the road ahead. The Others raced back and forth, swirling around the first car as soon as it came into view. My stomach flipped wildly as they stretched out to cover the long line of stationary vehicles.
As soon as Jim stopped, he told me to stay put then jogged around the front of the car to open the door for me.
“The ground’s too rocky,” he said. “I’ll carry you.”
Safely in the cradle of his arms, I traveled toward my end. The Others swirled in a dizzying frenzy, sensing their time was near. They outlined our path, the towering pillars that guarded it, and the men standing on top.
As we passed, the men jumped down from their perches.
“Are they werewolves?” I asked softly.
“Yes. They will follow us in to keep us safe. The first of the Urbat are here now and closing in.”
He sped up, and I closed my eyes. With my ear pressed to his chest, I listened to his heartbeat and tried to enjoy each second.
Courage, the Lady said. You’ve had it since the beginning and will keep it until the end. The world will know your sacrifice.
I tried to let her words console me. I’d never doubted that the world was worth the sacrifice until I’d met Jim. Until I’d felt his lips on mine. I knew I had no choice, but I regretted we hadn’t had more time together.
Jim ran into a vast canyon. People milled about in the center. Jim approached a group standing slightly apart from the rest and set me on my feet. He didn’t let go, though. He threaded his fingers through mine and held me close.
“The Urbat will be here any minute,” Gabby said. “Isabelle and Bethi are just behind the final wave coming from the north. There are more coming from the east who will arrive around the same time.”
I could feel Blake drawing closer now that we’d stopped moving, and I turned my head in that direction. The direction from which we’d come.
“Bethi and Isabelle will arrive after Blake,” I said. “He won’t hurt them. He’ll focus on us, on killing the werewolves, until they get here. When they do, he’ll let them pass because he knows Isabelle will self-destruct if he tries something. Once she’s with us, though, I don’t know what he’ll try. As soon as she’s here, we need to make the
Judgement as quickly as possible. Did Bethi and Isabelle discover the answer?”
“She thinks you only need to hold hands,” Winifred said.
The answer has been given and understood, the Lady said. This time, my daughters will not fail.
The Others wailed their displeasure so loudly, I winced and brought my free hand to my ear, not that it helped.
“What’s wrong?” Jim asked, pulling me protectively into his arms.
“The Others are upset that we have our answer.”
Twenty-Three
JIM…
I didn’t give a shit if the Others were upset. So was I. Olivia trembled in my arms. The idea of losing her tore at me.
Mom watched me with a critical eye.
“James Greyson Cole, I know that look. Every time I’ve seen it, something bad happens not long afterwards. What did you do?”
“I haven’t done a thing, Mom.” Just lost my heart to a girl meant to die.
Olivia sighed and lifted her head to look up at me. I brushed a loose piece of hair away from her face.
“Will you keep your promise?” she asked.
“I will.” I would help her die to save the world.
She turned her head to look at my mom.
“He hasn’t done anything. He now knows the price that needs to be paid to complete the Judgement.”
Mom’s eyes narrowed then widened with understanding.
“On the side of the road, when those things took your skin, you said you had the courage to be the sacrifice. Courage to do what you must to save not just one race, but all of them. We thought you were talking about what had just happened.”
Olivia shook her head slowly, and Mom’s gaze pinned me. Tears welled.
“No,” she breathed. Mom knew. She understood what losing Olivia would do to me. It would kill me.
With desperation in her eyes, Mom looked at Olivia.
“There has to be another way,” she said. “Why you?”
“Why not Blake?” Michelle asked.
“This is what I was born for. We all have roles to play in this. Paying the price to change the future of this world is mine,” Olivia said.
Mom opened her mouth to say more but was cut off by a chorus of distant howls.
“It begins,” Olivia said.
“Defensive circle,” Winifred called.
Mom grabbed Olivia’s hand.
“You’ll stick with me, Olivia.”
I gave her hand a squeeze and released her. Together, Mom and Olivia moved toward the center of our group. Dad moved to my side, and the rest spread out around Mom, Gabby, Michelle, and Olivia. Wolves I hadn’t seen in ages nodded to me and stepped around us, creating another barrier of protection. Henry stood in their midst. All were willing to give their lives to save our race.
I watched the various entrances to the canyon. Urbat, in their skin and in their fur, came pouring in. They greatly outnumbered us.
A hand touched my back.
“I need to be at the front, Jim, or too many will die.”
“He’ll try to take you.”
The howls and snarls grew in volume. The ground vibrated beneath my feet.
“Where?” Olivia said, “There’s nowhere to go. My sisters are here. He won’t do anything to me.”
I reached for her hand, and Dad grabbed my wrist.
“Is this a risk we can afford to take?” he asked.
“Endangering all these werewolves is a risk you cannot afford,” Olivia said. “Blake wants this. He wants to thin your numbers. We need to prevent that until Isabelle and Bethi get here.”
Dad released me, and I pulled Olivia forward.
Be careful. Winifred’s worry touched my mind along with her message.
Always.
“They’re coming from all directions,” I warned Olivia as we wove our way through the hundreds gathered to protect us.
“This is the direction Blake’s coming,” she said. “Keep going.”
The Urbat were less than one hundred feet away when we broke through the werewolves defending us.
Olivia immediately stepped in front of me. I set my hands on her shoulders, ready to toss her back to safety.
“Father!” she yelled. “Do you remember how it felt?”
All but one of the Urbat before us stopped abruptly.
From within the ranks, Blake continued to race forward, already in his fur. His enraged howl echoed through the canyon. The moment he cleared his men, Blake skidded to a halt while shifting to his skin. The sight of him made my hackles raise, and I knew he felt the same about me as he paced restlessly back and forth between us and his men. His gaze swept over Olivia before his eyes settled on my hands where I held her.
“Mutt. You’ll die for what you did,” he said, looking at me.
“Father, you’re focused on the wrong thing. Like always,” Olivia said. “I didn’t mean what you felt last night. I meant what you felt days ago when the Others wore you like a coat.”
He paled and stopped moving.
“What do you mean?” he half-growled.
“How do you think you ended up in Charlotte, North Carolina? You had no plans to go there. I needed you out of the way so I could accomplish what you never would have. The Judgements are finally all together. Well, almost. And, the time for the Judgement is near. Your attempt to manipulate the outcome has sealed the fate of it.”
“You will suffer,” he said softly.
A low growl escaped me.
“I will,” she agreed. “But not by your hands.”
“Then there’s nothing left to say,” he said.
Chaos erupted with his grin.
The Urbat behind him burst forward. Before the first of them placed more than a single step, I gripped Olivia’s waist and heaved her up and back over my shoulders.
“Dad!” I yelled, not looking away from Blake.
“You’re first,” he snarled, already partially shifted.
I burst into my fur at the same time, ready to meet Blake head on.
MICHELLE…
In the center of the silent sea of bodies, we stood on a slight rise. My left shoulder pressed against Charlene’s and my right against Gabby’s. Back to back, we watched the Urbat. My stomach twisted. Spotting familiar faces among their overwhelming numbers prodded the threatening nausea. All those dinners…
A wave of reassurance swept through my mind, and I glanced at Emmitt’s strong back. I sent my love and gratitude in return and focused on the sound of Olivia’s voice. Whether from anger, fear, or adrenaline, I shook at the first sound of Blake’s. The way Olivia spoke to him didn’t match the vision I’d seen or the way she’d acted since she’d found us. Something had given her courage to stand up for herself. Probably Jim. He was good at that.
The thought barely entered my mind when Jim yelled, and Olivia went sailing through the air at us.
After that, time seemed to slow.
Thomas jolted forward to catch Olivia. The surrounding Urbat lunged at the werewolves protectively encircling our defensive circle. Howls and snarls flooded the canyon, echoing and creating a frenzied din.
I tried not to let any of it distract me from my purpose.
“Urbat are climbing over the werewolves to the east,” I yelled to be heard.
Thomas set Olivia near us, and I reached out to hold her hand as I continued to watch north, west, and east.
“More coming from the east,” Gabby yelled. “Five minutes away. Heaviest concentration is to the north.”
“The south is struggling,” Charlene called.
“Sam, help the east,” Winifred said as she burst into her fur and leapt over us to help those defending us to the south.
“How far away are Isabelle and Bethi?” Olivia asked.
“Ten minutes. Urbat climbing over the werewolves to the south,” Gabby yelled.
One of the Urbat, jumping from head to head, caught my gaze and grinned. The grin disappeared when the owner of the current head on which he
stood, gutted him from below. The Urbat fell into the mass of moving bodies.
My line of sight became clearer as more men shifted to their fur. Blood bathed both sides within minutes. The werewolves didn’t give an inch, working together to maul, maim, or kill any Urbat that tried to go over or through them.
Despite their steadfast determination, our numbers began to thin. The Elders fought fiercely. Sam moved from place to place, killing any in his way. Jim struggled against Blake. Both sporting various cuts and slashes from the other.
The Urbat grew smarter and started pulling the werewolves from their positions and throwing them to those further back, clearing paths toward the center. To us.
I glanced at Emmitt’s back again as he fought the first who’d already found their way close. We were losing.
GABBY…
Like locusts, the Urbat horde swarmed over the men attempting to protect us. The sight paralyzed me with fear and brought me back to that night in the field. The moonlight had hidden so much. Now, I saw everything. Blood everywhere.
One man turned, and I saw he had an empty eye socket and half of his face ripped off. I gagged and looked away, focusing on the sparks moving closer. Isabelle and Bethi were near. We needed them both desperately.
Clay backed toward me. His stitches had been removed last night. That didn’t help me feel any better. A wolf, only three men away now, went down under a sudden wave of Urbat. How long until they reached us? Something wet hit the side of my face. I reached up and wiped my cheek, sparing a brief glance at the bit of tissue on my palm. Beside me, Michelle threw up, likely hit by the same thing.
We were going to die. No. Not us.
I looked at Clay’s broad shoulders and fought not to cry.
I love you, I thought at him.
And I love you, he answered.
A sense of peace and warmth settled throughout my mind.
You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, I sent. I’m sorry I didn’t see that sooner.
We’ll be fine. You’ll see.
A wolf leapt over the remaining men, aiming right for us.
