“You’re doing well,” Aunt Rose said as they gathered up the materials they used during practice.
“Thanks. I’m starting to get a hang of this,” Gail replied, picking up a blanket and folding it. Once finished, she looked around on the ground. She felt as if she was forgetting something, but she didn’t know what.
“Everything okay?”
Gail looked up at her aunt. “Oh, yeah. Just… I think I forgot something.”
“No, we got everything,” Aunt Rose told her, then smiled. “Besides, if you forgot, then it can’t be that important.”
Gail laughed. “Right?” They went back inside when she looked back behind her, sure sh
Thankfully, hiding from her aunt was easy. She remembered her aunt had insisted she go rest, so Gail could stay in her room with the excuse she was taking a nap. To be on the safe side, Gail had laid down with her back facing the door. She checked her phone, a little disappointed she had nothing from Joel, but also worried. She tried to call Elijah, but again there was one ring, then to voicemail. Did Joel’s brother have her blocked? Did Joel ask him to? Was he still feeling the effects of the spell, or perhaps, he didn’t want to talk to her now that he got what he wanted and was with his people now. She put the phone away and decided to take that nap. The training her aunt was putting her through exhausted her. A knock at the door woke her aunt. Aunt Rose walked in and smiled at her. “Hey, sweetheart, you’re still napping?”
When Gail had to fight to keep her eyes open, she pulled into a hotel. It was time for some rest. She didn’t want to get into an accident. With an alias, Gail checked in and went to her room. Not even bothering to get undressed, she fell into the bed and almost instantly was asleep. The familiar nightmare came for her again, and as the last time the wolves disappeared, replaced by the shimmery elfin woman. She looked just like the last time. Pale, straight white hair, ageless gray eyes, and dressed in a light gray dress with light radiating from her. “Please, help my children,” she pleaded, just like last time. Gail shook her head. “I can’t help them, lady. I can’t help anyone.” “You’re the only one who can,” the woman told her. “Without you. They’ll be lost forever to the madness the witches inflicte
After her breakfast, Gail got on the road again. She had a few more calls from her aunt, but she ignored those. Thoughts of Joel wouldn’t leave her during the entire drive. It shocked her that he really wanted to be with her. Whatever was between them wasn’t just some one time thing, and she couldn’t be happier. Now all of this has to end so they could be together.A snag of indecision filled her when she thought of going back. Gail wasn’t sure she wanted to live so close to her aunt or the coven. Honestly, the more distance she put between her and them, the better she was feeling. Would Joel consider coming to her when everything was over? Or was being an alpha going to force him to stay there?With a shake of her head, Gail would think about all that another day. First, Joel needed to save his people, and she needed to find a pla
Gail stared at her aunt, horrified. She was not only the one behind her parents’ death, but she tried to drain Gail too. All these years of putting her trust in her aunt, all those years of lies. She couldn’t believe it. “How could you do that to me? A child entrusted to your care, and I did trust you!”Her aunt scoffed. “Oh please. I told you it didn’t work, so it’s not like I actually drained you.”Was she serious? It didn’t work so all good? “Oh, gee! Is that all?” Her aunt must have gone insane at some point.“You don’t understand, Gail,” Aunt Rose told her. “It wasn’t fair!”In that, Gail agreed with her, but she didn’t think they referred to the same th
Joel stared at the phone as it rang. Like all the other times, it eventually went to voicemail. Unlike all the other times, Joel wouldn’t leave a message. He disconnected the call and still stared at the phone, worry gnawing at his stomach. It had been two days now. Two days with no word from Gail. Not a call, not a text, nothing. Something was wrong. “You okay, man?” Henry asked, walking up to him. “I’m worried about Gail.” “Who? Oh, yeah. The witch. What’s wrong with her?” “Yes, the witch and I don’t know what is wrong with her. She hasn’t called me in a few days now. I’m worried.” Henry chuckled. “You sound like you’re back in high school, wondering if the girl still likes you.”
“Look at the mess we have here,” Aunt Rose said as she looked around the hotel room. “You should clean it up while I refresh myself in the bathroom.”“Yes, ma’am,” Gail said in an even, unemotional tone. She turned and picked up a chair that had fallen in the scuffle with her aunt. Next, she made the bed and picked up the clothes that had fallen on the floor.Once Gail finished, she continued cleaning until her aunt returned and said, “Okay, enough of that, Gail.”Gail stopped and stood stiffly with her hands by her sides, waiting for her aunt’s next order.Aunt Rose looked over her with a speculative look. “Let’s see how far this will go. Come with me.”
“Wait,” Joel’s mother called out to him. She hurried behind him, trying to catch up.“What? Why?” he asked, stopping and waiting for her.“If something did indeed bad happen to her, then you shouldn’t go off running in blindly,” she told him. “And you most certainly shouldn’t go alone.”“I doubt the alpha would help me find her.”“Oh, there is no chance of him helping you there,” his mother agreed. “However, there is your brother and your friends.”“Elijah?” Joel repeated skeptically. “He thinks I’m being stupid worrying about her. I should focus only on the pack.”
“What do you think he’s going to do?” Elijah asked as they drove back to Christopher’s territory. “The witches are on the move,” Joel told him, his stomach twisting with worry and fear. Gail was under another spell. Was it her aunt or was it the coven? Was there even a distinction between the two? Had her aunt always been working for Ricinius and biding her time until Joel was no longer there to protect Gail? “How can you be so sure?” Lucas asked from the back seat. “I’m sure because Gail is missing. If she had gone back willingly, Gail would’ve never left that house. She understood the other witches would drain her. Gail would’ve stayed. They have her and they’ll drain her so the leader can steal her power and use it against us. We need to act before they do.” “Or p
The order of the alpha soured the party for Gail, so she left her plate and go back inside. Where was she going to go? She had about twenty-four hours to figure that out. Going back through the house to her room, Gail thought about her plan to go east. Perhaps she should keep that plan. It was better than nothing, anyway. She almost reached her room when she heard Joel call her name. He hurried up to the stairs, toward her. “Hey, you okay? Why did you leave the party?” She knew Joel wouldn’t have liked the warning the other alpha gave her. So she gave him a small smile with a nod. “Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just wasn’t feeling very festive.” “Right,” he said, walking over to her. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with the talk you had with Christopher, would it?” Gail’s ey
Gail woke up in a strange room. Her heart raced with panic until she noticed a note on the nightstand next to her.Gail, don’t freak out. You’re in Alpha Christopher’s pack house. When you’re ready, just tell the first person you come by to get me. Love Joel.She smiled as she read the note and looked around the room. It was minimal, but tastefully decorated. Perfect for guests, she assumed. Throwing back the covers, Gail got up out of the bed and looked at the window. She expected to be surrounded by woods, but she saw a neat little neighborhood. It reminded her a lot of the cul-de-sac she lived in before Ricinius blew up her house. By the sunlight, she assumed it was early afternoon.Still wearing the clothes she had been before, Gail ventured out of the room. Sounds of a party greete
“No,” Aunt Rose said, lifting her chin. “I’ve worked too hard, made too many sacrifices for this. You will not ruin this for me!”“You’re insane,” Gail said, not only to her aunt but to herself in an attempt to ease some of the pain of her aunt’s betrayal. “Whatever you are trying to do, you’re going to do it without me. I’m not your slave or your pet.” When Gail took off the leather from her wrists, her aunt screamed and threw her hands towards Gail.The wave of magic knocked Gail off her feet. She hit the floor hard, knocking the air out of her. The threads of magic that formed the charm tried to weave together again, but Gail called up her magic and with the boost from Joel, she tore through the remnants of the charm. Getting up, Gail ripped the bands of leather off her wrists. &ld
Pain thrummed through Gail. Her head pounded as if someone had hit her over the head with a hammer repeatedly. Sweat ran down her face, pebbled all over her body, but she was cold. So cold the blood flowing from her nose felt hot against her skin. Joel’s resistance surprised her. After how easy the first alpha had been, like snuffing out a candle, she expected Joel to be the same. But he fought, and at first it gave her hope. Maybe he might stop this. Perhaps he was strong enough to break the charm.As they fought, Gail realized that the only thing that would break was her. Before all this, using her magic always exhausted her. Gaining control over her magic and all that practice didn’t change that. Despite the magic and life Gail stole from Ricinius, Gail had used most of her energy already. Controlling Ricinius’ werewolves, fighting with Joel had been too much. He was really a true alpha, but the charm wouldn’t allow her to giv
“Everyone, but Joel, took a collective step back as Christopher laid where he’d fallen. Ice slid through Joel as he stared up at Gail. He had no idea how she did it, but Rose was controlling her like Ricinius had controlled the werewolves. How could Rose do something like this? To her own family? He looked over at Gail, searching for something that would tell him what kind of spell her aunt had her under. As soon as he saw the braided leather on both her wrists, he knew that was it. If he took those off Gail, would she be free of the spell? That sounded like it would be much easier said than done. “How could you do that to her?” Joel demanded, tearing his eyes from Gail to Rose. “She’s your niece. You were supposed to protect her!” “She is protected,” Rose said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Gail will nev
It took much more time than Joel would’ve liked for Christopher to organize his people and get them moving; and then their numbers weren’t even close to what Joel suggested he take with them. With what was left of Joel’s pack and what Christopher was bringing, they were only twenty-five strong. From what he’d seen from the attacks on Gail and her house, Ricinius had a lot over twenty-five.He tried to convince the alpha to bring more wolves with them, but Christopher was completely underestimating the threat of the coven. When Joel tried to push the matter, he only reinforced the alpha’s stubbornness. Afraid to make things worse, Joel dropped it and left the pack house with the others. They left in six cars. Joel, his mother, and friends got in one car together.“This isn’t good,” he told the others as they
Gail sat in the passenger side car of her car as her aunt drove. Aunt Rose wrinkled her nose as she sat down. “I don’t see why you clung to this vehicle so much. It’s a piece of junk.” Her aunt smiled over at her. “But that’s all about to change. You’ll see, Gail. You will be living life more fitting of your station.” Though she could only sit there motionless, Gail would’ve scowled. Fitting her station? It seemed like her aunt had been reading too many of those periodic romances.
“What do you think he’s going to do?” Elijah asked as they drove back to Christopher’s territory. “The witches are on the move,” Joel told him, his stomach twisting with worry and fear. Gail was under another spell. Was it her aunt or was it the coven? Was there even a distinction between the two? Had her aunt always been working for Ricinius and biding her time until Joel was no longer there to protect Gail? “How can you be so sure?” Lucas asked from the back seat. “I’m sure because Gail is missing. If she had gone back willingly, Gail would’ve never left that house. She understood the other witches would drain her. Gail would’ve stayed. They have her and they’ll drain her so the leader can steal her power and use it against us. We need to act before they do.” “Or p
“Wait,” Joel’s mother called out to him. She hurried behind him, trying to catch up.“What? Why?” he asked, stopping and waiting for her.“If something did indeed bad happen to her, then you shouldn’t go off running in blindly,” she told him. “And you most certainly shouldn’t go alone.”“I doubt the alpha would help me find her.”“Oh, there is no chance of him helping you there,” his mother agreed. “However, there is your brother and your friends.”“Elijah?” Joel repeated skeptically. “He thinks I’m being stupid worrying about her. I should focus only on the pack.”