Yaya canted her head. “We were, weren't we, Blair? We were even close. Do you remember the spells we used to create together, Blair?” Yaya said wistfully. “Magic was different then. The world was a different place then.”
Blair's expression softened and she loosened her grip momentarily on Hayley.
Yaya immediately snapped her fingers and Boris flew into action. Boris scooped Hayley up and zoomed away in a flash.
“Yaya...” Hayley cried. But she was already up in the air, clinging to the handle of the broomstick for dear life. Hayley let out a small shriek and clung on tightly as Boris soared higher into the air.
Hayley turned and saw Grayson and Scott ramming their shoulders against the solid, shimmering air. Boris kept a safe distance from the invisible wall. There was the soft hum of electricity from the wall and the broomstick wasn't too keen to get burned again.
Blair Morgan glanced over her shoulder and flicked a finger at Grayson. Grayson yelled in pain and crumpled to the ground. The hum of electricity died and Boris immediately flew straight down and landed beside Grayson.
Hayley clambered off the broomstick and saw that Scott was desperately trying to revive Grayson. “He's not breathing,” Scott said.
“No...” Hayley pressed her hand to Grayson's chest. “His heart is not beating! Why is his heart not beating?”
Blair was laughing as she deflected Yaya's combat spell with a wave of her hand. Blair pointed at Grayson and flung a bolt of light towards Grayson's body. Hayley screamed a warning and managed to shove Scott aside. She threw herself over Grayson to shield him.
Hayley felt a searing heat invade her body and burn through her nerves. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.
She saw Scott's face. Scott seemed to be yelling something at her, but she couldn't hear his voice. Everything seemed to be happening at once but in slow motion and in silence.
Hayley saw Blair Morgan running towards the house as Yaya hurled balls of flaming light after her. The fiery balls exploded as it hit the walls, engulfing the house in blue flames.
Hayley watched as her house exploded. She saw psychedelic sparks and flames, but she heard and felt nothing. The magical fire burned everything away, leaving nothing but a spiral of colorful smoke.
Hayley felt hands on her and saw faces hovering above her. She recognized some of the faces. They were Grayson's packmates. She remembered seeing these people in the garage and the coffee shop. She knew they were trying to help her, but she didn't care. She tried to swat their hands away. “Save Grayson,” she whispered.
She tried to reach for him but her hand closed over empty air.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Hayley opened her eyes and jerked. She was lying in a big, soft bed and someone was holding her hand.
She made a small sound when she saw Grayson's handsome face. Grayson was holding her hand tightly as he sat at her bedside.
“Hayley,” he whispered her name. His blue eyes were filled with gratitude and relief as he bowed his head and pressed her hand to his lips.
“What...” she said hoarsely. Her eyes widened as her memories came back to her in a rush. She remembered clinging to Grayson's body and hearing no heartbeat. She remembered the unbearable shock and pain she felt when she thought she had lost him. A wrenching sob escaped. “Oh Grayson! I thought...”
“You shielded me, Hayley,” Grayson said softly. “Blair Morgan was targeting me, but you shielded me.”
Hayley closed her eyes and let her tears roll down the side of her face. She remembered the searing pain shooting through her body after she was hit by that bolt of light. She felt nothing after that.
“I can't believe that I'm alive,” Hayley whispered.
“That was a spell that was meant to drive my wolf mad. She stopped my heart momentarily so that she could destroy my mind and wake me again as a maddened, tormented beast. When the spell hit you, the magic couldn't find a wolf inside you. It paralyzed you temporarily but it couldn't destroy you because there was no beast inside you to destroy. You're not a shifter.”
“I survived...because I'm human.” Hayley gave a short laugh. “And I thought that shifters were stronger than humans.”
Grayson smiled. “No, Hayley. Humans are stronger than shifters in so many ways.”
Hayley grimaced. “What happened to...”
“Maybe you'd like to see for yourself,” Grayson said gently.
Hayley nodded and Grayson helped her out of bed. Grayson's bedroom was very spacious and tastefully furnished. She saw a large writing desk at the corner, a computer table and stacks of files on the floor. This was where he did his work. Hayley padded slowly over to the window and looked out.
“My house...” She gasped. There was nothing left of her little house. The ground had been leveled, and she saw construction equipment lying all over the site. There were many men and women in hard hats bustling around. It looked like a big construction project was underway.
“My house is gone! There's nothing left,” Hayley said.
“Yaya blew your house to smithereens,” Grayson said with a grin.
Hayley frowned at him. “You look really happy about that.”
“Well, she blew Blair Morgan to smithereens too. That witch ran into your house and Yaya blew the whole place up.”
Hayley sucked in a breath and nodded. “I remember the blue fire,” she said at last.
“Yes. It burned everything away. Your house, Blair Morgan and Strom.”
Hayley looked out the window for a long moment. She saw Yaya pottering around her garden, tending to her thorny shrubs and bushes. Boris was bounding around the yard, merrily chasing some birds and butterflies. Hayley smiled. “I'm glad Yaya and Boris are all right. I was so worried...”
“Yaya is a very powerful witch,” Grayson said. “No one has ever entered her house. Those plants in her garden look harmless but they will attack anyone who tries to enter.”
“I don't think they look harmless. I think they look really...forbidding,” Hayley said.
“Yaya and Boris came to see you yesterday. They brought you some flowers,” Grayson told her, pointing to a vase of pretty flowers on the bedside table.
“They're beautiful!” Hayley exclaimed. She went to take a closer look at the pretty flowers and chuckled. “But I don't think these came from her garden.”
“Nope. Yaya said she got them from the florist down the street.” Grayson grinned. “She said she's only good at growing plants with thorns and spikes.”
“Roses have thorns,” Hayley mused. “Maybe I can get her a rose bush. You know, as a gift.” After a pause, she went on softly, “Yaya and Boris saved me. I don't know how I can ever thank them enough...”
“You'll have the chance,” Grayson said with a lopsided smile. “After all, they're your neighbors. And...I don't think they're moving anywhere. Yaya and Boris are fixtures in Wolves Hollow. So they'll be your neighbors for a long, long time.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
There was a knock on the door. As Grayson glanced at Hayley, the knocking became louder and more impatient. Hayley could hear voices outside the door but she couldn't make out what they were saying. They seemed to be talking over one another, fighting to be heard above the din. The pounding on the door continued.
Grayson strode to the bedroom door and placed his hand on the handle. “You ready?” he asked Hayley.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
Grayson threw the door wide open and the large group outside spilled noisily into the room.
“Alpha!”
“Hayley! You're awake!” Ari squealed, rushing towards her.
More and more people were coming into the room. They just kept streaming in until they filled every available space in the sprawling bedroom.
Hayley looked around and smiled at the Sentinels. They wer
e all Grayson's packmates, and they had all been so worried about her. Hayley had never been hugged and kissed by so many people in her life.
Scott came up to her and heartily pumped her hand up and down. “You saved our Alpha,” Scott said, his eyes shining with respect and admiration.
“Scott almost died on the spot when you threw yourself over Grayson,” Ari said, nudging Scott.
“I'm his Beta,” Scott said, scowling. “It's my duty to protect my Alpha...”
“I'm his mate,” Hayley answered. She slipped her hand into Grayson's large, warm one. “I will give my life for him. He is my life.”
As Ari hugged her hard, Scott cleared his throat and said, “We'll be rebuilding your house, Hayley, and we have a few designs for you to look through.”
When Hayley's eyes rounded in surprise, Scott went on, “The Red Razor pack owns a construction business. It's the only legitimate business they own, so Grayson thought we should keep the business and expand it.”
Hayley glanced towards the window. “So those men and women I saw working on my house are from the Red Razor pack.”
“They were. They're part of the Sentinels now,” Grayson said.
Hayley fell silent for a while. Then she looked up and said, “I want to redesign the layout of the house entirely. It won't be a residential home.”
The room became quiet as everyone stared at her.
“You're not moving, are you, Hayley?” someone asked at last.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” Hayley answered in a firm, clear voice.
She smiled and continued, “I'm moving in with Grayson.”
Amidst the cheers and happy laughter, Hayley said, “I know that Grayson's house is the unofficial headquarters of the pack. But...”
“But now that our Alpha's mated, it won't be appropriate for us to come barging into his house at all hours of the day and night,” Scott said, grinning. “Are you thinking of building a new...”
“Yes. I'm thinking of building a brand new headquarters for the pack.” Hayley beamed. “I'm thinking there should be spare bedrooms for the kids to nap in and for the teams who need to rest in between long missions and assignments. There will be ample meeting rooms, a games room, a large kitchen and eating area...”
As the Sentinels erupted into applause and hoots of approval, Grayson stopped her and asked quietly, “Hayley, are you sure about this? This is your house, your property. You can keep it as an investment or rent it out. You don't have to...”
“I want to do this,” Hayley answered, looking him straight in the eye. “I am your mate, Grayson. I'll be living in this big house with you. I don't need another house.”
She looked around his crowded bedroom and smiled. “This is my home. And this—is my pack.”
The Sentinels surged towards them, enveloping them in a fierce hug as Grayson held her in his arms and kissed her. Hayley closed her eyes, and the raucous whoops and applause of her packmates faded into the background as she kissed her mate.
She did belong in Wolves Hollow after all. She truly belonged here, with her mate and her pack. To her, Wolves Hollow was no longer a strange and mysterious little town. It was wonderful and beautiful. It was home.
* * * * *
End
About the Author
Natalie Kristen is a writer who enjoys mixing the sweet with the spicy, the light with the dark, the possibilities with the unimaginable. She enjoys exploring paranormal and dystopian worlds, deep desires and inspiring romances. She is hopelessly addicted to coffee, chocolate, reading and writing. She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or visit her blog for the latest news and updates.
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Alpha Next Door (Wolves Hollow Book 1) Page 10
