I find myself thrown to the ground face-first, getting a mouth full of dirt. I spit it out and stand to my feet, knowing I’m looking for Sloan. ‘Ugh, she’s fast,’
While I continue to walk towards Sukie’s cottage, I force myself not to turn back to Amelia and Paisley. If I see Paisley’s face one more time, I know I may lose my courage to die for the man I love. As I look ahead, I see Sloan and Luca standing by the door to the cottage. They both turn in my direction when I slowly walk up the sidewalk, stopping a few inches away. “What are you doing, Luca?” I questioned, folding my arms across my chest. He looks at Sloan then back to me. “I can't let you do this, Chloe. It’
I squint against the sudden intrusion of light and see everyone standing around me. “Did it work?” I ask them, but no one answers or even acknowledges me. I reach for Malachi, but my hand phases right through him. I realize my body feels light and airy, but I sense something lying behind me. I turn around, and suddenly it all makes sense. My spirit hovers above my physical body. It still lies on the chair, but this time lifeless. I want to enjoy our success, but in seconds I’m ripped away towards the sky. I reach o
I stand there looking at Luca before Sukie, and we look at each other. “Who’s coming?” I ask, puzzled, looking back at Luca. He simply stares between Sukie and me. “The coven. They must have found us by doing a locator spell,” he explains, and my stomach sinks with worry. “We have to tell the others,” I declare while turning to walk back to the cottage with Sukie and Luca following behind me.
The wind rushes through my fur as I sprint through the forest with Sloan and Luca at my heels. I glance back and see Sloan is right behind me, but Luca is lagging to keep up. I stop and turn to him, allowing him time to catch up. He stops to catch his breath beside me, and that’s when I realize how much taller I stand over him. Since I can’t communicate with him in wolf form, I use my head to motion towards my back, but he doesn’t understand. Sloan sighs heavily next to us.
All I see is rage as I run through the forest chasing after Blair. I effortlessly leap over tree limbs before I come skidding to a halt, digging my paws into the soil when I lose her scent. I pause a moment, with my snout in the air, taking deep breaths to catch Blair's scent. I know she couldn’t have gone too far. My nose twitches to the right and I swivel my head in the direction she went. With a wolfish grin I use all my power to sprint after her.
We walk back towards the cottage when I stop Malachi. “Stop here,” I tell him. He looks down at me, lifting a questioning brow. I move my gaze toward the tree where Luca’s lifeless body lays, and Malachi nods, letting me down. “Please get Sukie and Cypress for me and bring Paul back with you to help take Luca back to the cottage. We need to lay him to rest properly,” I tell him softly. Malachi kisses my forehead, rubbing my shoulder before pulling away. I watch him walk toward the cottage, leaving me alone with Luca.
It’s been several months since Luca’s death and it’s finally starting to get easier. I’m still struggling with the way I told him how I would always choose Malachi over him. I was telling the truth; I would never give up my life with Malachi and Paisley, but it just doesn’t feel the same without Luca here. There was an unexplainable emptiness in my life that I knew nothing but Luca could fill. I only hope he knew how much he meant to me. I can’t help but get lost in thought with everything that has happened since
As I stand there, watching Benjamin walk into the woods, I realize I've been so selfish. This whole time I have been so consumed with grief I have been neglecting the family I fought so hard to protect. Malachi and Paisley deserve better than this. “Thank you moon goddess for giving me another chance at this life with my wolfman” I say aloud, looking to the moon as I place my hands together in prayer. With a newfound purpose I turn on my heels and head