Flower Moon Rising (Lupine Hollow Academy Book 1)

by Quinn Arthurs

  Chapter 23

  Alarick

  “No!” I screamed, as she plunged past my grasping hand. Those soft blue eyes, filled with tears and horror, met mine for a moment. Tears streamed freely from them, the drops nearly hovering in the air around her, before she hit the ground with a sickening crack. My wolf howled in my head, completely frantic as he clawed to the surface, forcing the change on me, and I didn’t fight him. He was faster than I was in my human form, and better able to manage the steep hills of this part of the forest. I shot past Shannon, Chann, Zev, and Fillian in panic as I darted through the trees, and they were quick on my heels as my wolf continued his mournful howling.

  I pushed to the surface as the scent of her blood hit me, driving my wolf mad. I gasped as the shift worked over me, moving as quickly as I could to clear the remaining trees and get to her.

  “Fuck,” Fillian swore, kneeling next to her broken body. Her eyes were closed, her face pale, though I could hear the stuttering beat of her heart. Blood pooled on the ground around her, her arms and legs sprawled in awkward directions like a ragdoll.

  “Heal her,” I demanded, reaching out to stroke a finger down her cheek, afraid of hurting her more. Shannon was sobbing beside me, keening as she rocked back and forth, her gentle hands stroking down Penny’s bloodstained braid. “One of you call my father,” I ordered, addressing the twins. “Have him send for a med chopper.” Chann hurriedly placed a call, rapidly whispering into the phone, unable to tear his eyes from her broken form.

  Fillian grimaced and placed his hands on her chest, his eyes glowing a bright bronze as he called on his strength. Chann and Zev sat near her angled feet, each stroking gently as though they couldn’t help themselves. I understood, my own need to touch her, to try and do something to ease the agony she must be suffering, rode me and my wolf hard.

  Her eyes cracked open on a moan, the sound causing blood to spill from her lips. Shannon sobbed harder at the sight and I swallowed hard. “Hey, pretty girl,” I cooed at her, hoping the soothing tone would help put her at ease and relax her enough for Fillian’s healing to take effect. “Hurts,” she gasped, her eyes unfocused.

  “Hurry, Fillian,” I encouraged him, frantic now.

  “He’ll fix you up,” Chann assured her, his voice breaking on the words.

  Fillian swore as more blood drained from her, her heartbeat stuttering under our hands. “I’m trying. Tell me that med copter’s close,” he pleaded. I’d never seen this man frazzled and fear bit into me, my wolf clawing and tearing, causing patches of my skin to shift into fur as I fought against the change. My wolf wouldn’t do her any good right now. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold her with us,” he admitted, his voice too low for her human ears to catch, strain clear on his face. His hands began to shake and I knew he had to be drawing on every ounce of power he had to keep her heart beating. Every pulse, though, simply pumped more blood from her body and onto the hard, dry ground.

  “Can’t you at least stop her bleeding?” Shannon begged him.

  “I can’t. My power has limits, and with her being human… I’m doing all I can.” His words trembled and my heart dropped into my stomach, nausea nearly knocking me over.

  “It’s okay,” Pixie slurred. “Luna’s safe.” The words were so quiet, even my hearing could barely pick up on them. “I’ll get to see my mom again.”

  “No!” Chann pleaded with her. “You can’t leave us.”

  “Sorry,” she breathed out, her eyes sliding closed as she once again succumbed to unconsciousness.

  “Where the fuck is the chopper?”

  “I don’t know.” Zev shook his head with tears in his eyes as he stroked a hand down his brother’s back. “There must not be one close.”

  My wolf paced, desperate, his pained howls racking me as the scent of her blood and Shannon’s sobs drove him crazy. The moonlight reflected brilliantly against her pooled blood, a silver sheen over the crimson. “She can’t die. She can’t. We have to do something. Anything.” My words were frantic as I stroked over her face and neck, heedless of the warm, sticky blood that collected on my hand.

  “Anything?” I whirled with a snarl, throwing my body between Pixie and whatever new threat had approached us. A female I didn’t recognize stood behind us, bathed in the light of the full moon. She wore a dress of swirling silver and gold, and her white-blonde hair was done in a series of braids, hanging down to her waist. Her gray eyes were soft and sympathetic as she studied us.

  “Why are you on my territory?” I snarled at her, wanting to turn back to my friends, but unwilling to when this unknown threat stood here.

  “Easy, Alarick,” she soothed in a voice like an icy breeze through wind chimes. “I can help your friend, if you are willing.”

  “How?” Chann implored, anguish in every syllable as Pixie’s heart stuttered again.

  “Magic is not without a cost,” she whispered, her gray eyes glowing the brightest silver I had ever seen. “I cannot do anything if she dies, so you must make your choice swiftly.”

  “Selene?” Shannon breathed, shock ringing through the name.

  “Hello, daughter.” The goddess smiled at her. “I have not walked the Earth since the death of my mate, but I have gained a little strength over the years. She injured herself for one of my moon-blessed, and I owe her for that. With the Flower Moon overhead, I can heal her, but only for a little longer. It is not free, however, I have to draw from each of you,” she warned gravely, her silver eyes catching each of ours in turn. “You must choose quickly.”

  “Choose what?” Zev asked, nearly as confused as me.

  “Whether you are willing. All of you must be.”

  “If you draw from us, you’re certain you can heal her?” Fillian demanded. She nodded, the motion calm and resolved.

  “Completely. But I cannot know what the cost of this spell will be. You must all live with the choice, whatever comes. Are you willing?”

  “Yes,” Shannon choked out without a second of hesitation. “She’s my friend. Yes, of course.”

  “I’m willing,” Fillian rumbled softly. “I’ve never met anyone as strong as she is. She doesn’t deserve this.”

  “I will,” Chann agreed quickly, nearly tripping over the words in his rush to get them out. “I don’t care what the cost is. I can’t lose her.”

  They paused, waiting for my answer, and I nodded as my wolf growled at me for hesitating even a moment. “She’s my pack.” To me, it was that simple. She was mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect. Whatever it may cost me.

  Zev’s voice shook. “I… I agree.”

  She turned her gaze to him, cocking her head. “You hesitate?” I whirled on him, my lip curling up in a snarl.

  “I’m not comfortable with not knowing the cost,” he admitted, lifting his chin in defiance even as I growled at him.

  “Zev?” Chann gasped his brother’s name, his eyes wide as he stared at him. Zev held up a hand, stopping whatever abuse we were about to throw at him.

  “But I’m not willing to let her die just because of my own reticence. She’s our friend.” The word seemed almost painful as it passed his lips. Her heart stuttered again and Fillian groaned, and I pleaded with Selene.

  “We all agree. Fillian can’t keep her here much longer. Please. Heal her.”

  “She needs a drop of blood from each of you. It must touch her skin,” she instructed, as we extended our claws to draw blood from our fingertips, “then leave your hands on her.”

  I readily sliced my claw into my flesh, blood trickling between my fingers as I placed my hand in hers. Shannon’s blood dripped onto Pixie’s other hand as she grasped it tightly. Chann and Zev both slid their hands onto her calves and Fillian, unwilling, I think, to release his magic until Selene’s took hold, laid his hand on her collarbone. Our blood mingled with hers as light flared from Selene, washing over us all. The heat of it burned and a tugging sensation pulled at me, drawing something from me into Pixie as she lay sti
ll and silent between us. Her eyes flew open and she gasped, her back arching from the ground as she screamed a long, unending shriek as the silver light flowed into her, absorbing into her skin. As the glow disappeared, she relaxed, her eyes closing again, and panic ate at me until I realized her heartbeat had steadied.

  “Take care of each other, my children,” Selene murmured with a smile, as she leaned down to lay a kiss on Pixie’s forehead. “You will need to be strong for what is to come.” The moonbeams sought her out, an unerring spotlight that swallowed her up until she disappeared.

  “Well, fuck me,” Chann stated succinctly.

  “Later.” Pixie’s quiet voice had us jolting, causing a cry of utter relief to slip from my lips. “Sleep first.”

  Epilogue

  I stretched, almost groaning in relief at how good I felt. I paused, thinking hard, my head still fuzzy from sleep. What had happened? I could hear whispering voices nearby and confusion washed over me at the familiar scene. It was so similar to what had happened when Rhiannon had… Rhiannon! Memories came rushing back all at once—the fight, the fall, the pain. The excruciating, agonizing pain as I felt myself slipping away. I’d been ready to die, I realized. Although I would have missed my new friends, missed what could have been, I was just happy in the moment I was able to save Luna and she hadn’t been subjected to the same injuries I had been.

  Remembering the agony and the wounds that should have killed me, I stretched again, more cautiously this time as I assessed each injury. I was still tired, my body heavy with the exhaustion that plagued me, and my eyes felt stuck together as I fought the urge to dip back into the sleep that my body desperately craved.

  “Penny?” Alarick’s voice was hesitant and I grumbled, not wanting to wake up despite my curiosity.

  “It’s okay, Pixie,” Shannon assured me softly. “We’re all here. You can rest more if you want to.”

  I shook my head, still disconcerted over the gap in my memories. A light flipped on nearby, the warmth of it washing over my eyelids. I felt confident hands on my head, and Mr. Cole’s deep voice rumbled, “You need to stay in bed. Your body’s been through quite a shock.”

  I struggled for any control, the lack of it desperately bothering me. It was scary not having full command of my body. Something soft brushed up against me, and I wondered if Chann or Zev was here in their shifted forms. Contentment washed across me as more hands stroked and patted me, and I soaked in the relief and affection they offered. Struggling hard, I managed to pry my eyelids apart, taking in the gathered group. Alarick, Shannon, Chann, Zev, and Mr. Cole all crowded around my bed, touching me in some way as they looked me over. I blinked, letting the blurriness fade from my eyes.

  “Thank Selene,” Chann breathed out. “We’re so glad you’re safe.”

  I shifted, trying to pull my feet up, but my body objected to the movement, and I pulled my hands forward to lever myself from my prone position. I froze, shock paralyzing me in place as I stared. There, where my hands should be, were a pair of multi-colored paws. Werewolf paws. My paws, I realized.

  “Ready to run with the pack? My wolf can’t wait to meet yours,” Alarick whispered, his eyes glowing a brilliant blue.

  The End – For Now

  Sneak Peek! Here’s a look at the upcoming Fae Witch – Book 2 of the Faerie Wars Series.

  The Fae Witch

  Fae Witch Teaser Chapter

  “What do you mean we’re under attack?” I gasped out, though my words were muffled by another explosion and the droning pitch of the Hold’s alarm. “I thought the Hold was protected!”

  River squeaked as a framed painting dropped from the wall, the wood splintering as it hit the floor with a crack. The ground was covered in colorful pillows that had been scattered around the room, the slashes of brilliant hues rocking against the wood of the floorboards. Blossom wrapped an arm tightly around her, though Reed’s magic still prevented any debris from hitting them.

  “It is!” Blossom whimpered, her skin nearly white, drained of its normal golden tone.

  A roaring, echoing crash resounded around us, so loud it made my ears ring and my teeth ache. The windows on the edge of the room began to shake as the tone rose in pitch, the glass vibrating rapidly until, with a sharp crack, it shattered, blowing glass against us as my guardians swore vividly. My energy was still low, but I wasn’t about to let them do all the protecting, and I fumbled in my pockets, trying to find any stone I still had on me. I wasn’t as strong as they were, but I wasn’t helpless. The wavy edge of my obsidian rubbed against my thumb and I clenched it hard. This stone had called to me, directing my hand. Half of it was rounded and the other jagged, making it perfect for either offensive or defensive spells. Whatever was coming, I was prepared.

  Blossom was sobbing quietly under my arms, her body curled tightly around River who was whispering soothing nonsense to her partner. Magic I didn’t recognize flowed through the window in sparks and waves of brown, winding and weaving around the room in swirls. Silver light flared from Onyx, and though the unknown magic wove past him, it didn’t seem to stop in its quest. “What the hell is that?” Terran snapped, as the magic moved closer to him. Green light pulsed from him in a wave, deflecting the muddied magic once again.

  My hands glowed with light as Reed’s water blade lashed through the shield he kept over us, striking at the magic, but with no effect. “It’s a tracker,” he explained with an oath. “It’s why it’s not being affected by the attacks.” It inspected the edges of Reed’s shielding before, with a brilliant spark, a piece of it slid through. Reed groaned, grabbing at his abdomen, and staggered as though that blow had been agonizing. Despite his pain he threw another wall of light around us, attempting to make the strands of magic detour in their observations. Another blast rocked the room, making all of us wobble on our feet and the crystal lamps fall from the walls to shatter in chunks and pieces across the floor.

  I rubbed at the obsidian, picturing us being covered by a second shield, an impenetrable, undetected wall hidden behind a mirror. “Reed!” The word escaped me without permission, and I pushed harder, letting the obsidian’s cloaking coat him as well. He sighed slightly as it passed him, and I hoped it helped relieve a little bit of the pain he was clearly feeling, if the harsh lines digging into his face were any indication. This close, I was able to see that the magics weren’t truly a muddy brown, but a mix of different shades of yellow, orange, blue, purple, and maybe even more colors than that, all woven tightly together, pulsing and receding.

  “Not just a tracker,” he clarified, attempting a smile, though his lips were too tight for the motion to be believable. Sweat peppered his pale skin, sticking his red hair to his forehead as he lashed out again with his water blades, joining Terran’s deep green magic, and Onyx’s silver, though none of them seemed to have an effect on the combined strands.

  To Be Continued….

  About the Author

  Quinn Arthurs is an international bestselling author of reverse harem books. She drinks far too much coffee and is a complete nerd—jumping from one crazy fandom to another. She believes in the magic of the written word, which is why her stories tend to involve the paranormal, so she can bring the crazy worlds in her head to life, even if just for a short while. You can stalk her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/arthursassembly and https://www.facebook.com/quinnarthursauthor/, on Instagram at @quinn.arthurs.author, and on Twitter at @QuinnArthurs6

  Also by Quinn Arthurs

  Liked what you’ve read? Other books by Quinn:

  Phoenix Rising Series:

  Born of Embers

  Hidden in Smoke

  Spark of Intent

  Forged in Flames

  Blaze of Wrath

  Jeweled Wings Series (complete):

  The Valkyries’ Princes

  The Valkyrie’s Queen

  The DeWitt Sisters:

  Sliding Into Love

  The Faerie Wars:

  The Guardian

&nb
sp; Fae Witch (Coming Soon)

  Lupine Hollow Academy:

  Flower Moon Rising

  Strawberry Moon Climbing (Coming Soon)