“Oh Evie!” Grace whined.
“I can’t swim and you all know it,” I huffed.
“Come on Evie!” Josh encouraged. “You’ve taken the leap and had a drink, now you have to swing from the rope into the lake. It’s tradition and you’re not allowed to graduate until you do.”
“Has he already started drinking?” Hannah laughed.
“He may have enjoyed a few on the way here,” Trey admitted.
“Listen,” I stood up and my head danced dazedly. “I don’t even float. I literally sink.”
“What if I was there to catch you?” Aiden asked behind me as grazed his fingers along the back of my leg.
“Yes!” Grace cheered. “Then you won’t drown.”
I looked at Aiden and chewed on my lip as his words resounded through my ears. What if I was there to catch you? He gave me a small smile and got up from his seat.
“Come on Evelyn,” he murmured.
“Yeah come on!” Trey whined dramatically.
“Alright!” I gasped as excitement and fear hit me together. “Fine!”
“Woo!” Lucy whooped as she stripped off her clothes, revealing a tight black bikini underneath.
Everyone began shedding their clothing and the whole time I removed mine, all I could picture was myself flying into the water and not being able to come up again. But Aiden would be there and I knew he wouldn’t let anything hurt me. He’d catch me the moment I went under. He was always going to be there to catch me…My eyes drifted to his as he stood in his gray shorts, his toned chest on full display and I took great pride in the fact that that beautiful man was my mate.
“Evie,” Grace whistled. “When did you buy that and why wasn’t I there?”
“You look like a sexy sailor!” Hannah grinned at me.
It was still a one piece, but it was a little more dressed up than the bathers I used to wear. The bottom half was navy blue and the waist area was overly exaggerated by steel studs that looked the buttons on high rise jeans. The top half was white with blue horizontal stripes and it dipped dangerously low at my breasts.
We all made our way over toward the rope where everyone seemed to be having a great time jumping from it. Aiden’s hand went to my back and I looked up at him with raised brows.
“Where have you been hiding that?” he mumbled as he thumbed the material.
“Do you like it?” I asked coyly. His eyes flashed amber and I took that for my answer, brushing up against him as we came to a stop.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he asked through grit teeth.
“No,” I said innocently. “I can’t have you dead, you’re supposed to be saving me when I fly from that death trap.”
“Alright!” Lucy shouted. “Make way people, we have a rope virgin about to take her leap into adulthood.”
Cheers erupted—mostly tipsy or drunken ones and Aiden grinned as he brushed past me, taking the rope in his hands. “Meet you in the water, baby!”
He flung from the rope so confidently and was airborne only for mere seconds before he released with a loud shout, cannon balling into the lake with laughter and cheering following his splash into the water. When he sprung up we all clapped and my hands shook slightly at the darkness of the water. How was I supposed to see if I did get stuck?
“The moment we’ve all been waiting for,” Lucy announced. “Evelyn Wright takes to the rock, preparing herself to take the plunge!”
“Drum roll!” Trey shouted.
I stepped onto the rock nervously as everyone made a huge ruckus attempting their own sound of a drum roll. The rock was hot and I stood on the tips of my toes as I grasped the rope between my hands, taking a huge breath as Hannah began a loud countdown.
“Three… two… one…go!” Hannah shouted.
I squealed as I shut my eyes but before I could jump I stopped myself and gasped as my heart thumped. “I can’t!”
The crowd groaned and Trey hooted loudly as Aiden called for me in the water.
“Come on Evelyn!” Aiden shouted. “You can do it!”
“Oh no,” I whimpered as I tightened my hands on the rope. I was both excited and petrified as everyone began laughing and shouting. “Oh no, oh no…”
The moment I sprang into the air and wrapped my legs around the rope I knew that there was no going back. When Trey gave me a hard push and I went flying, the wind whipping past me and for a moment I felt free… before I realized I had to let go.
“Let go Evie!” Grace shouted.
A piercing scream escaped my lips as I released the rope and held my body the way I watched everyone else, before I went splashing into the water, my screams being drowned as water filled my mouth. The water was cold and I seemed to be sinking before a set of large hands found my own and began pulling me up.
I broke to the surface coughing and spluttering and to the sounds of clapping and whistling. Wiping my eyes, I found myself grinning at Aiden as I was assaulted with pure exhilaration.
“I have to do that again!” I laughed.
Later that night as everyone gathered in their own respective social circles, the seven of us gathered around our own fire, well and truly into our stash of Wolfsbane and doing our best to cook our food in our debilitated state. The laughter and happiness around me was intoxicating and the joy on everyone’s faces filled my heart to the brim.
I never truly realized how much I loved these people, all of them.
Eating poorly cooked burgers and reminiscing loudly, I’m sure the noise we made overshadowed the sounds of everybody else. It was a comfort to know we were so far out into the woods that the human authorities wouldn’t be able to bust our party. The Falls was a well-kept and well-known secret that was respected by everyone.
Conversations of the past soon turned to dreams of the future and I pulled Aiden’s jacket tightly around me as everyone began spurting out their true dreams. The courage to admit their truths relying heavily on the Wolfsbane we had all been consuming.
“Let’s take a walk,” Aiden whispered into my ear as he set our plates and drinks down on the floor. He offered me his hand and I took it dazedly, no one even noticing our departure as Aiden led me from the party and the noise, into the darkness of the forest.
“Why are we walking?” I giggled before I stumbled on a rock and fell into Aiden’s back. “Ow!”
“You’re so drunk,” Aiden laughed as he scooped me up bridal style. “How do you feel right now?”
“Great!” I said loudly before I spluttered out more giggles. “What a lovely night! Look at the stars! Everyone seems so happy and great!” Aiden chuckled but continued walking, using his perfect vision and I found myself pouting when I realized I couldn’t do that.
It wasn’t fair.
Aiden put me down and I looked around, noting we were still at the lake… but on the other side. I could see the glow of various fires across from us, but the laughter and chatter were near muffled by the distance. How fast had he been walking to get us here?
“Woah!” I said loudly as I looked at the moon reflected on the lake. “Look at that!”
“I know,” he laughed before he sat down against a tree and pulled me down with him. “I just want to be alone with you for a while.”
“Aw,” I crinkled my nose at him. “Aiden.”
He shook his head with a small laugh. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been there enough for you lately.”
“You’re always there for me,” I frowned slightly as I straightened at his words.
“Not enough,” he grumbled as he pulled at blades of grass. “If it’s like this now, what’s it going to be like when I’m Alpha?”
I felt myself slowly sobering as this conversation progressed. My happy, light hearted buzz seemed to evaporate. “When you’re Alpha you make the decisions… not your dad. You’ll decide how much of your time goes to the pack and how much comes to the family.”
“The family?” Aiden looked at me with a small smile.
“Yes…” my gi
ggling returned and so did the buzz. “We’ll have a big family.”
“Really?” he asked as his arm encircled my waist. “How big?”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “More than two though.” Aiden was silent as he stared at me and I felt myself flushing from his staring. “What?”
“I love you,” he said simply. “Sometimes I can’t believe how much I love you and how insanely lucky I am that you’re the one who’s going to be by my side as my Luna and my mate.”
Heck, I thought as my body warmed.
“Keep talking,” I encouraged with another giggle.
“Enough talking,” he muttered before he pulled me toward him and brought his lips down on mine. Our kiss was a little less controlled than usual, but we were both intoxicated. I found myself straddling his hips, my hands on his neck as his own glided their way down my back and over my backside before he gripped at my thighs.
After feeling so much distance between the two of us it was nice to have the feeling of his warm flesh under my hands and to feel his hands on me. His soft lips that caressed my own left me breathless and when his lips left mine and landed on his mark it only made me feel more drunk, my head spiraling into a wave of out of control dizziness.
Aiden stiffened beneath me and his lips left my neck as he stood up quickly, pulling me with him as I clumsily stumbled, my head rushing from the change in equilibrium.
“Aiden?” I whispered.
“Sh!” he hushed as he shut his eyes, seemingly listening further away from here. Whatever he was listening for, I suddenly heard as well. Heavy feet crashed through the forest, cracking sticks loudly and Aiden growled lowly in his chest before whoever was making all the noise broke into the space.
Sam!
“What are you doing out here?” Aiden growled and I swore that if he was a wolf, his hackles would have risen.
“I was running with Karla,” Sam explained as he gasped for breath.
“In human form?” Aiden pressed. “Where is she?”
“She got called from a patroller—everyone has been trying to contact you. I was sent to find you.” Sam straightened as he finally caught his breath. “It was a cluster of rogues four hundred miles north from here. They’ve been rounded up. They were here for Evelyn.”
“What?” I gasped as Aiden stiffened.
“What for?” he asked tersely.
“They had an injured friend… he was dying.” Sam looked at me with a solemn expression. “They wanted her to save him.”
“I can help,” I said quickly. “If he’s not dead yet I can—I can do something—”
“No Evelyn!” Aiden told me as he stopped me from walking. “It could kill you.”
“It’s too late anyway,” Sam said quietly and my heart ached in my chest.
“What’s the point?” I whimpered quietly as I stared into Aiden’s eyes. “Why do I have this power if I can’t—if I can’t do anything with it? What’s the point?”
“Hey,” Aiden grabbed me by the shoulders. “Don’t do this to yourself okay? You can’t help everyone—you can’t do everything for everyone.”
“Then what am I supposed to be doing Aiden?” I asked desperately. “I have all this power and I don’t do anything with it and everyone tells me not to use it. Why?”
“Look,” Sam broke in and we both stared at him. “I’m sorry but the Alpha wants you Aiden. I can get Evelyn home.”
“You aren’t going anywhere with her!” Aiden snarled as he turned away from me.
“I’m not going home,” I said loudly before Sam could open his mouth. Aiden turned to face me and I walked backwards. “I’m going back to the party. I’ll see you later.”
“Evelyn,” Aiden started.
I shook my head and turned away and began walking in the direction we came, following the noise back to the party. I was relieved to hear no one following me and I allowed myself that moment for the tears to fall and my heart to ache for those poor people who’d had that moment of hope, only to lose it in an instant. I was useless.
Completely useless.
Yes, The Shadow purred. Completely useless.
∞
This course was becoming tiresome and I was losing all hope that I’d ever make it past Aiden and the others. They were too quick for me and they always managed to get the upper hand. Coming off the back of my win with Blair had only upped the pressure of having to do better today—to get further than I had gotten before. I could already feel myself starting to crack and I hadn’t even run three miles yet.
My feet seemed heavier today and I felt like I was making more noise than usual. My footfalls echoed so loudly through my own ears that I knew with their wolf hearing they would have to hear me coming. They were going to be ready for me.
No, The Shadow whispered. Today we don’t lose. Today we teach them who they’re dealing with.
What? I stopped running as my blood chilled. What does that mean?
It means I’m tired of being ignored, witch. Today I’m in control.
No, my heart sped up as my skin prickled.
I’m going to show you what you’re capable of. I’m going to show you who you really are and I won’t stop until you admit the truth to yourself.
What truth? I demanded.
Oh look, It whispered. Our first victim.
Trey skidded to a halt in front of me and his head cocked to the side. “Evie, why are your eyes like that hey—”
My hands shot out on their own accord and I didn’t even have to touch Trey. I lifted him effortlessly into the air and tossed him back down to Earth like a ragdoll.
“No!” I screamed as I sprinted over to him.
No. The Shadow sprinted over to him… I realized to my absolute horror that I was standing on the outside of my body, in no control whatsoever. Trey was gasping and writhing on the floor as my figure stood over him, hands hovering above and casting some sort of cruel and evil torture onto him. I ran straight at myself, but as I got close enough I hit an invisible barrier and rebounded backward, landing on the floor.
My own figure turned to look down at me and I gasped as I stared at myself. My eyes pitch black and a sadistic sneer on my face. It’s that easy, The Shadow told me as It stared down at Trey’s lifeless form and I came to the shocking realization that Trey was dead and when a tortured scream echoed through the forest I knew that Grace was feeling that loss.
Stop! please stop! I beg of you!
“Evelyn!” Josh came into view and he stopped in his tracks as he looked from Trey’s body to me standing over him. He couldn’t see the real me, trapped behind this barrier of Hell. He thought that black eyed demon was me.
“Josh!” I screamed as loudly as possible as I tried to get through. “Josh get out!”
“Evelyn,” Josh’s face looked horrified. “What have you—”
His voice was cut off as he clutched at his throat, the same moment my hands—The Shadow’s—hands raised into the air, clenching its palms. Josh gasped as if he were being strangled, choking and gagging loudly as he clawed at his throat, his eyes going red as well as his face.
“Stop!” I cried. I tried using my magic, tried pushing down the barrier but I felt nothing. I had nothing running through me… there were no vibrations or feeling of power… it was as if I were empty.
Josh’s head titled to an awkward angle and the moment his eyes went lifeless, another shattered scream bounced through the forest and The Shadow started laughing darkly. The skies turned black and the wind picked up, roaring so loudly I had to cover my ears. I watched myself contort and grow into something so ugly and so evil that it petrified me, left me shaking to my core.
That wasn’t me, no it’s not me.
This is you Evelyn, The Shadow stared at me through my own eyes and I choked a sob as I clapped my hand over my mouth. This is what you are, deep down inside. This is what you do.
You do this, not me.
“You did it to me,” a cold voice ghosted through my ear and I
cringed at the familiarity. “You did it to many of us.”
I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. “No.”
“You did,” he taunted.
“Stop.”
“You will end up killing everyone you love Evelyn,” Jonah laughed darkly. “I’ll be waiting here for all of them.”
“Evelyn?” Aiden’s voice shouted out over the wind and Grace and Hannah stumbled up behind him.
“Trey!” Grace screamed. “What have you done?”
“No!” I cried. “It wasn’t me!”
The wind disappeared and the darkness wilted away and I found myself reattached to my body and in control. Jonah had gone and I was in charge again… but Trey and Josh both lay dead in front of me and the people I loved most in the world stared at me in fear. My own mate backed away a few steps when I stumbled forward.
“Stop!” I sobbed loudly. “It wasn’t me!”
“Stay away from us!” Hannah screeched as she flung her arm out, blasting me backward. “I will kill you for this, I will end you!”
“Please help me!” I wailed.
“Evelyn!” Aiden shouted at me.
Oh help! I sobbed internally as I clutched at my head. Oh Josh… oh Trey.
Look at what you’ve done, The Shadow admonished. Oh Evelyn.
Evelyn, a gentle voice ghosted in my ear.
“Can I get you a glass of water?” a new voice broke into the mayhem around me and I peeled open my eyes in surprise.
I stared dead ahead at the tops of other people’s heads, all sitting in rows ahead of me. The small window beside me showed I was still in the air and on the way to Ohio. My mouth was dry and my hands shook as I looked beside me and found Aiden sleeping soundly beside me, a small frown on his face.
That hadn’t… it had been so real… my chest began to ache as breathing became hard and I swiftly exited my seat, shoving past the air hostess and stumbled my way into the toilets, locking the door and sealing any sound before I screamed loudly into the basin, panic and despair hanging on every nerve in my body.
I hadn’t killed Josh.
Trey was still alive.
My mate wasn’t scared of me.
I heaved loudly as I backed into a corner and clutched at my waist, trying to keep myself from falling apart. It hadn’t been real… none of that had happened.
Wolfsbane: The Wolf Within Page 14
