by Melissa Haag
“Wolf from the east,” I shouted.
Sam jumped up, colliding with the beast in the air. The wolf he’d been fighting, lunged for him. I gasped. Clay dove forward, swiping his claws across the wolf’s face. More gore. More blood. The air was thick with the smell of it.
“They’re almost here,” I shouted, still watching Isabelle and Bethi’s sparks.
A hand touched my shoulder, and I glanced at Olivia. Dots of red painted her hair and face at an angle.
She wasn’t looking at me, but at Jim who still fought Blake.
“They need to hurry.”
I barely heard her over all the snarls and barking.
Pain erupted across my thigh. I gasped. My hands groped for whatever had hurt me but encountered nothing but unmarred jeans.
With horror, I looked up at Clay. He faced two Urbat. Saliva dripped from the elongated muzzle of one partially shifted man. The same man whose claw-tipped fingers of one hand were wrapped around Clay’s throat. The claws of the other hand were buried deep in Clay’s leg. The second man held Clay’s straining arms.
“Sam!” I yelled.
Sam twisted and swung out, raking his own claws down the back of the one holding Clay. The distraction freed Clay but cost Sam.
I watched in disbelief as a hand suddenly emerged through Sam’s front. His shocked gaze shifted to me.
“No,” I breathed, heart pounding. This couldn’t be happening again.
The hand pulled free, and I watched the man who’d raised me tip forward. I rushed to catch him, his weight bringing us both to the ground.
“No, Sam,” I said, looking at the hole helplessly. I pressed my hand against it and started to cry as the blood continued to pool around my fingers.
His expression shifted to guilt as our gazes held.
“There were twelve just in your senior year,” he rasped, his breathing labored.
“Twelve what?”
“Men I killed. They hid in the shadows, waiting for you to leave work.”
Blood colored the corner of his mouth. I looked around, desperately seeking someone who could help me. Everyone fought, though.
Sam’s hand touched my cheek, drawing my attention back to him.
“I waited, too. Every night. Made sure you got into your car safely. Made sure they never came back.”
All those years…he’d protected me by doing more than just giving me a place to stay. Pain squeezed my insides, making it hard to breathe through my tears.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“I don’t want to die with you still doubting me. Seeing you Mated to one of ours was the best way to keep you safe. I never meant to hurt you, honey.”
Tears streamed unchecked down my cheeks.
“Don’t. I’m sorry. Don’t go. Don’t leave me. Please.” I begged, and I sobbed.
“I love you, Gabby. You’re the daughter I was lucky enough to find. Will you do something for me?”
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Comfort Winifred when I’m gone.”
How could I when we’d all be dead soon?
I brought his hand to my lips and nodded anyway.
ISABELLE…
Carlos slammed on the brakes, opened the door, and pulled me out and up into his arms. We were running before I drew a breath. I looked over his shoulder and saw Grey carrying Bethi and Luke running beside them. The three of them let us get a fair lead, but not enough though. Not enough for what was waiting ahead. I could hear the fight echoing off the towering rock walls.
“Close yourselves off,” I warned. “Bethi, we need you. Don’t let me take a thing, or I swear I’ll never let you get high again.”
“I’ll be tighter than a virgin on prom night. Promise,” she yelled back.
Despite the dire situation, I almost laughed.
“Keep your warped-self safe.”
We came up from behind. Those Urbat pushing forward, wanting a piece of the fight, fell to their knees with my first pull.
I pushed out right away, not letting the emotions sit inside me for more than a heartbeat. There were too many. I glanced back at Bethi, who gave me a cool thumbs-up.
“I’m good,” she yelled. “But our friends aren’t. Start kicking some ass.”
I looked at the fray and saw groups of werewolves dotted within the mass of Urbat. In the center of it all were Charlene, Olivia, and Michelle. Blood soaked their clothes. Michelle looked like she’d thrown up on herself. Around them, their Mates and the Elders fought frantically. Some of the outer mass of Urbat saw us and turned.
I patted Carlos’s shoulder, and he set me down. Grey set Bethi down a distance to my right. She had her knife out and in her hand a second later.
“Bitches give stitches. Who’s first?” Bethi yelled.
The Urbat snarled and charged toward us. I pulled and pushed, watching the Urbat fall like dominos. Those smart enough to block themselves off, Luke and Bethi finished. Carlos watched my left as we moved forward slowly. Grey protected us from any who attempted to go wide and circle around.
“Blake Torrin!” I yelled. “You took something from me. Now, I’m going to take everything from you.”
The fighting slowed, and the Urbat backed up. Two wolves fought in the center, not far from where the rest stood.
“Shields,” I yelled.
One of the wolves jumped away, shifting before he landed. The dark-haired man had cuts covering his bare body from head to toe. The other wolf shifted. Jim looked like shit. Pissed shit.
“Isabelle, so good to meet you at last,” Blake said smoothly. “There’s no need for you to use your powers, my dear. We both know what will happen. And despite what you think of me, I don’t want any of you damaged.”
“Then back off.”
“Certainly.”
He stepped away from Jim. The men around him took a few steps back, too.
I strode forward, pulling ever so slightly as I approached the group. I noticed Gabby sitting on the ground by Sam. Tears had washed clean paths down her cheeks. I couldn’t look too closely, though. I didn’t want to see why Sam’s chest was so bloody. I couldn’t afford to go back to that night.
Bethi and I joined the other Judgements. I could feel Carlos behind me. As I reached out with my right hand to take Bethi’s, Carlos put his hands on my shoulders, giving me whatever support he could.
Bethi held her hand out to Gabby while I reached for Michelle with my left hand.
Sam nodded slightly to Gabby, who wiped her eyes and stood. She clasped Bethi’s hand as Michelle clasped Olivia’s.
“Oh,” Blake said. “I forgot to mention, I invited a few more to our party. Wouldn’t want this Judgement ending on the wrong note.”
Twenty-Four
OLIVIA…
Blake’s words sent a chill through me.
The Others swirled around us in a frantic frenzy as a strip of weak darkness appeared in the center of our circle. I didn’t know what it was, but it felt hungry. We needed to hurry. Ignoring Blake’s ominous comment, I clasped Charlene’s hand as Michelle did the same. Immediately, a string of light drifted from Charlene, the end floating toward the dark line, and Charlene’s grasp tightened on mine.
“The Judgement can’t be made alone. There’s a reason we’ve Claimed mates. Thomas, hold Charlene,” I said. “It’s starting.”
Thomas wrapped his hands around her from behind. Light ignited in the canyon. Strings from every werewolf floated from their centers to an Elder and from the Elders, a single thread floated to Thomas. I couldn’t see what emerged from Thomas’s chest, but I saw the thread from Charlene turn into a cable.
The rest of my sisters’ chosen companions stepped forward and held them.
“Mimi!” a childlike voice screamed.
“Uncle Gregory,” another voice yelled as a wolf howled.
Michelle jerked, as if hit, and tried releasing my hand.
“Do not let go!” I yelled. “Everyone will die if we fail.” I was r
elieved when Isabelle and Emmitt both held tight to Michelle as well. She wailed and screamed as did the children.
Winifred, who still stood with the werewolves protecting us, snarled and leapt into the Urbat, the fighting starting anew.
Blake laughed. “I’ll make this choice even easier for you, Michelle. I’ll kill all the werewolves so there’s only one way you can vote to save your brothers.”
My heart hammered and my palms grew sweaty as the dark strip grew wider, and the Lady stepped out.
Bethi swore.
The Lady looked right at Charlene.
“Only you can bring balance. Feel your sister’s connection, just as you can feel all the connections through Thomas. Use it.”
Everyone around us stopped. Urbat and werewolf alike. I could feel Charlene’s influence in my mind, touching my link to Blake because of her physical connection to me. I wanted to weep as I finally understood why the Lady said I must remain Blake’s until the end.
“The time for Judgement is at hand,” the Lady said. “How will you bring balance to the three races?”
Tears ran down my cheeks, and my hands trembled.
“I will give the werewolves courage to continue on until the next Judgement.”
I turned my head toward Charlene.
“I will give them Strength,” she said.
“I will give them Hope,” Gabby said.
“I know you want me to say I’ll give them Wisdom, but how? I don’t feel wise. I feel bat-shit crazy, thanks to you.”
The Lady stepped toward Bethi and smoothed her hand along her cheek.
“Daughter, you are more Wise than you know.”
Bethi exhaled slowly.
“God, that feels good. I will give the werewolves my Wisdom. Thanks for giving me back my sanity.”
“I will give them Peace,” Isabelle said.
Michelle made a small sound between a sob and a hiccup.
“I will give them Prosperity. They deserve it.”
The Lady turned to me and held out her hand. Behind her a shadow slipped from the darkness.
“What the hell is that?” Bethi asked. The Others moved around me, caressing my skin. I shivered.
“The Judgement has been heard. Payment must be made,” the Lady said.
I nodded and turned to Jim.
JIM…
My heart ached as Olivia looked at me. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Not yet. Not ever.
“I can’t pay alone,” she said.
The pale hand she held out trembled. Finally, I understood my purpose and why the Lady had chosen me. Because, I’d always had the courage to do what needed to be done.
“Good,” I said. “I wasn’t ready to let go of you.”
I touched my hand to hers. The grey things that floated around her moved toward me.
CHARLENE…
“No!” I wailed as the grey things reached out toward Jim. At the same time I yelled, I grabbed my son’s will.
His abrupt stop surprised Olivia. She turned toward him, obviously confused. But only for a moment.
“Charlene,” she said, looking my direction. “Don’t do this. If we don’t fulfill our end of the agreement, the Judgement can’t take place.”
I looked at my baby boy. Then at Emmitt and Michelle and the rest of the people I loved.
“I understand. Just, not Jim.” I exhaled slowly. “And, not you, either.”
Thomas gave my shoulder a squeeze.
I am with you, he sent me. Always.
I knew he was. He always had been and always would be.
“Olivia, take care of our boy,” I said.
“Mom, no,” Jim managed to gasp out, a testament to his strength of will.
“Jim, honey, every Mom wants to stay and see their babies have babies. But, sometimes, we just can’t. I have to go. I love you. I love all of you. This started with me; it should end with me.”
Before either of them could protest, Thomas scooped me up in his arms and ran. Just like we did our first summer together. The memory held me as we sped into the void.
Through Olivia, I reached out and found the one will that had driven the werewolves to near extinction. As the void closed around us, I shattered Blake’s will and Thomas kissed me hard.
OLIVIA…
The Others swarmed around Thomas and Charlene and took their first payment. Jim yelled and rushed toward the void just as the veil sealed itself. A blast of something rippled outward and knocked all of us onto our backs.
Breathless and stunned, I stared up at the cloudless blue sky. Only a few wisps of grey floated there.
I blinked, and the grey disappeared. I blinked again as my skin prickled. Color. I could see color. How?
I sat up and looked around. Really looked. People. Their dust coated and bloody faces. Their expressions.
A man fell to his knees near me. His big, memorable shoulders shook. Not far from him, a girl rolled to her side then scrambled to a white-haired man lying next to her. The way she moved was familiar, too.
“Sam!” she yelled, shaking the man. “Sam!”
I knew that voice. Gabby. Further away, someone wailed, a keening sound the made the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight. A woman with white hair released two small boys and ran toward the fallen man. The way she moved. The power and control. I knew her.
Winifred cried so uncontrollably, I had to look away. In that glance, I saw the rest of the group I’d come to know in just a few short days.
Beside me, Isabelle stood and looked at the Urbat getting to their feet. Some of them growled at her. None of them made a move, though.
“Blake’s dead,” she said. “Judgement is over. Go home, assholes.”
“And don’t forget, the humans know you exist now. Good luck with that,” Bethi said, sitting up.
I moved toward Jim, still on his knees, and reached out to set a hand on his shoulder.
He jerked at my touch then set a hand over mine. Two little boys came barreling his way. He caught them in his arms and held them tightly until they wiggled their way free to run toward Michelle.
“Dad! Paul!” Henry yelled. Like all the other werewolves, he was bleeding from different spots.
He rushed forward to another young man, who leaned over a still body.
“Gregory?” Jim surged to his feet and rushed forward, leaving me alone.
I looked around, studying this group of people I’d only known a few days. Gabby and Winifred cried over Sam. Michelle and Emmitt sat on the ground and hugged the two boys. All four of them cried. Luke had an arm wrapped around Bethi’s shoulders while she gave the retreating Urbat an angry scowl. Isabelle leaned against Carlos, her nose bleeding.
“Let’s go for a walk,” he said, softly.
“No. I might need it.”
“You won’t,” I said.
I glanced at the fallen middle-aged man near us. While the others cried, I wanted to smile. For the first time since as long as I could remember, he wasn’t in my mind. Blake was gone. Dead. Finally.
“Without Blake, the Urbat have no clear leader. It will take them time to regroup. But it won’t help. The werewolves will prosper this time around.”
“You sure?” Isabelle asked.
I nodded, and she leaned closer to me.
“Holy shit. Your eyes are blue.”
“Are they?” I asked, unable to stop my grin.
“What does that mean?”
I shrugged slightly, my grin fading.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I wasn’t supposed to live. Do either of you feel different?”
Bethi looked at Luke then jumped up on him, wrapping her legs around his waist.
“I’m not tired!” she shouted. “Fuck, yeah!”
Isabelle chuckled and shook her head before looking at me.
“Nothing’s seeping in. I can still feel your emotions. Bethi’s joy. I can pull it if I want, but it’s like I actually have control now.”
I glanced at Michelle.
>
“Michelle, do you see anything?”
She glanced up over the head of a small boy, and her gaze grew unfocused.
“Stock market numbers. Tons of them. There’s no pain with them, though.”
“Jim?” Gabby called. “There are people coming. Humans. A small group.”
I looked around at all the dead.
“What do we do?” she asked.
“We embrace our future,” I said.
* * * *
MICHELLE…
We sat in the front row. Winifred stood by Sam’s closed casket, her hand resting on the wood. Lined around him were the boxes of ashes for every werewolf we’d lost. There were so many. Charlene and Thomas had neither a casket nor an urn. They had a large picture on a board. They stood together, smiling at the camera as two wolf cubs ran around their legs.
I felt Emmitt’s pain and wrapped my arms around him.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are.” He turned to pull me against his side and put a hand on my stomach.
“Are you feeling any better?”
“A little.” Learning I was pregnant just after the fight had brought too many emotions. Mostly regret that Charlene and Thomas hadn’t known.
“Good,” he said. “I want this to be the first of many.”
“Says the guy who isn’t kissing the toilet every morning.”
He kissed me softly.
“Excuse me,” a man said, close by.
I pulled back, blushing. It probably looked horrible, kissing at a funeral. The man didn’t look like he was judging, though. His face bore some new scars along his neck. He held out a hand to Emmitt.
“My name’s Anton. I knew your mom and dad a long time ago. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you for answering the call,” Emmitt said.
“I made the mistake of not joining your father’s pack years ago. I don’t want to make the same mistake with you. If you’ll have me, I’d be proud to belong.”
That had been happening constantly since the fight ended. Grey seemed surprised that Emmitt accepted each request. I didn’t understand why. Emmitt had been groomed for a leadership role since the day he was born.
