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Chapter 9
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The Great Wolf Chapter 10
Fallen leaves crushed beneath Amerie’s boots. The calls of crows filled the air around her. She was getting close to the small house where Kierian had brought her. Before she forgot, she pulled out her phone and sent Everett a quick message asking for a rain check. He responded quickly, saying he had planned to suggest the same thing when she got to work but had just heard she was taking the day off. He told her to feel better and promised to update her on the search efforts, then Amerie pocketed her phone. If she didn’t know any better, the forest would seem a peaceful place. Sunshine warmed her face. The trees blocked a gentle breeze that caused the high and thin branches to sway slightly. The occasional squirrel darted across her path, no doubt preparing for winter. She’d seen no evidence of an Embertaur. There had also been no sign of the white wolf or black eagle, both of which she’d grown so accustomed to seeing that it felt odd to not. She stepped into a clearing with tall
The Great Wolf Chapter 11
She kept her eyes closed for a moment, feeling the soft grass with her fingertips. The sun warmed her from head to toe. Birds chirped lightly around her and she smelled sweet wildflowers nearby. A nearby stream bubbled and gurgled. Amerie slowly opened her eyes. She once again found herself by the same small forest stream, it’s water sparkling and reflecting the patches of lupine. A bouquet of wildflowers sat beside her. A woman sat on one of the rocks by the stream with her back to Amerie. Her hair was long and silver. Two small braids wrapped around the crown of her head, and the rest fell in loose waves down to her hips. She wore a flowy white dress that sparkled in the sun. Amerie got to her feet slowly and approached her. The woman’s face was angelic. Her pale skin made her look almost fragile, but the war waging in her purple eyes said otherwise. Pink, full lips parted and smiled at Amerie. “You’ve had quite the past couple days, child. Come. Sit and rest for a moment.”Ameri
The Great Wolf Chapter 12
Bright white light blinded Amerie. She raised her arm in front of her face and grimaced. Firm, cool ground was against her back. She heard the muffled voices of the three trying to wake her. An annoyed moan escaped her. The flame in her chest had sputtered out as Asteri brought them back from whatever that place had been. “Open your eyes slowly,” Kierian instructed. Amerie didn’t want to, but she obeyed. The sky was once again free of clouds. Their three faces hovered above her. Apollo and Kierian looked mostly annoyed, but Mae’s expression was only filled with curiosity. Apollo smirked. “If you’re done napping, we can go back inside now.”Amerie’s fist connected with his nose before she knew what she was doing. His eyes widened in shock as blood began to drip. The other two stared at Amerie with open mouths. “You left a lot out, cocky bastard,” Amerie snarled. “What the hell? You ran outside and passed out! Didn’t exactly give me a chance to tell you more!” Apollo shouted. “You p
The Great Wolf Chapter 13
The cavern was bathed in silver flames. The other three ducked, but quickly realized there was no need. An invisible barrier protected them from the heatless flames. They stared in awe. Amerie herself was hovering above the water, encased in a shell of sparkling crystal with flames dancing on its surface. Her eyes burned white and her hair fanned out in every direction. A roar escaped her, shaking the cavern. The echo of the roar died out. The flames slowly withdrew and the crystal casing around Amerie faded into nothing. She slowly lowered to the water, halting as her feet touched the surface. Her eyes remained glowing white as she took a step, the surface rippling where her foot landed. Billowing, white material glittered as it wrapped around her delicately. She took another step, water again rippling. The stars in the depth of the pool burned brighter with each step. She finally reached the gravelly ground by the water’s edge. The delicate white material stilled, it’s cape and tr
The Great Wolf Chapter 14
Amerie awoke from a dreamless sleep to multiple text messages. She set her phone down without opening any of them just yet. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, earning a lick on the face from Milo. Throwing open the bedroom curtains, she was excited to see the world blanketed in pillowy white snow and a few snowflakes still falling. She padded over to the kitchen to start her coffee pot and let Milo out. Her yard was covered in prints of all kinds, but her eyes went straight to the wolf prints, large enough to be Apollo. No other wolf prints littered the yard, so she seemed to still be safe here from Embertaurs for now. Picking up her phone, she began to open the string of messages. The group message for the rangers informed everyone that Matt had come home. He had been found by a hiker and brought to a small medical center in the mountains then driven to a doctor near home when he was conscious. Or so the story said. Blaze was asking if she’d gone on the date with Everett. Amerie r
The Great Wolf Chapter 15
Asteri snarled down at Apollo in his human form. Her icy blue eyes burned bright and cold, immense power glistening in their depths. Clouds parted slightly, a single beam of golden light falling on Asteri and making the tips of her black fur shine with silver. “Classic Celena,” Asteri mumbled to Amerie in their shared mind.Apollo’s eyes widened with recognition. He moved to step toward Asteri. She growled at him, forcing him to take a step back. Kierian and Mae began slinking closer, awe and wonder plastered on their faces. Apollo’s face was pale, as if he’d seen a ghost. Kierian seemed to notice his ghastly expression first and slowly stepped closer while keeping an eye on Asteri. She huffed at him to continue. Kierian placed a hand on Apollo’s shoulder. “What’s going on? You feeling okay?”“No,” Apollo replied through clenched teeth, then gestures toward the black wolf. “This is Asteri.” Her ears twitched slightly at the mention of her name. Apollo continued, “The Spirit visited
The Great Wolf Chapter 16
Amerie felt Celena’s presence as the group stepped back into the large clearing. Apollo, Mae, and Kierian stayed back near the trees as Amerie neared the center. “Show me what you’ve got,” Apollo challenged. Amerie stared at her hands, unsure what to do. Every time her powers had manifested she’s had no control over them. She had absolutely no idea where to start. “Believe,” Celena whispered on the breeze. “Close your eyes and focus on the flames within, then will them to become anything,” Asteri urged. Amerie closed her eyes. With a deep breath, she focused on the forked flames in her chest. Sparks danced on her fingertips but she struggled to make anything more of them. Someone walked over to her, snow crunching beneath their feet. She opened her eyes to find Apollo standing in front of her. “You’ve only relied on anger before, haven’t you?” Amerie didn’t reply. She didn’t have to. He sighed. “We don’t have time for you to sit here making tiny sparks all day.”He looked down
The Great Wolf Chapter 17
Amerie made it to the restaurant five minutes early. Sounds of silverware on plates and low chatter filled the air. Music so low that it was barely audible played on a loop. A large fish tank sat behind a full bar near the back of the restaurant. Amerie’s stomach growled. Part of her wishes she hadn’t skipped breakfast for this early lunch, but she didn’t want to risk pushing back the time and having to rush to change and freshen up for her date later. As she followed the hostess back to a booth, she met eyes with Mae sitting across from Kierian. They held no recognition in their eyes looked away as if they were strangers. Picking up the menu, Amerie attempted to hide her nerves. She sat with her back to the table where Mae and Kierian sat, both of them with clear view of the open side of the booth so they could identify any signs of magic. Amerie shifted in her seat, anxious about what they’d find today. Blaze and Brynn walked in shortly after she sat down. Amerie waved them over
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The Great Wolf Chapter 55
She knew those eyes. Had gazed into them for months, wondering why she did not want for more with their owner. Had watched the light leave them as his blood soaked her hands. A sob escaped her as her gaze fell on the bright white scar sliced across the beast’s dark abdomen. The dragon rumbled and dipped its enormous head to her in greeting. Dark wings scraped the ceiling of the cave sending small pebbles tumbling down and splashing in the shallow water. The beast was nearly too large for the outcropping it had tucked itself into, but it made no effort to move despite being free of chains. A spiked tail flicked in anticipation. “This is Vinterion. He was meant to be Everett’s dragon.” The gentle sympathy on Asmodeus’s voice did nothing to dull the pain of the loss. “The scar?” she whispered, her eyes tracing the thin line that perfectly mirrored the killing blow. “As rider and dragon, they were connected. The only thing that saved Vinterion’s life was that they had not yet met, so
The Great Wolf Chapter 54
Through the darkness she fell, and fell, and fell. She could feel him nearby but saw nothing beyond the spinning shadows and stars as they enveloped her. Amerie squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach churning from the endless tumbling. She wanted to cry out for him, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Just when she was sure she was moments from breaking into pieces against the ground, two strong but delicate hands caressed her face, a hand on each cheek. The nausea subsided, replaced by a sense of unease and alertness. Muffled whispers echoed around her. She opened her eyes and bit back a scream. It was not Asmodeus’s face she saw, but a faceless queen with a crown that looked as if it had been plucked from the night sky. Golden brown waves framed the Queen’s pale, blank face. Orange and gold light danced along the waves of the Queen’s hair making her glow. Heatless flames encircled them, blocking out the swirling darkness. The flames whispered to Amerie, called to her. “P
The Great Wolf Chapter 53
She didn’t want to be at the pack house. She didn’t want to listen to Mae screaming at Charlotte to get over her obsession with Apollo. She didn’t want to listen to Theo begging Laney not to fight again. She didn’t want to see Kierian’s eyes boring holes in Apollo’s head for not letting him go after Blaze. She didn’t want to see Brynn pacing, scheming for a way to sneak over to the camp.But most of all, Amerie didn’t want to hear the cries of those who had lost a friend or family member on that battlefield. No. She wanted to tear through the camp, burning every horrible creature alive. She wanted to pluck the captives from the grip of death and terror and lead them unharmed from the ashes and smoke and deliver them back to their homes. She wanted to see the flames dance in the depths of Asmodeus’s eyes. Apollo spoke to those gathered, ensuring them that their loved ones had not died in vain. His voice was soothing and confident as he told them more about the Ancients and the truth
The Great Wolf Chapter 52
Asmodeus had been there. He’d said it had all been for her. Then Everett died. Blaze disappeared. Pack members were killed.How could this be for her? Anger filled her entire being. She watched the blurred trees as Asteri sprinted through the forest, a white wolf matching pace with her. Apollo.Had the Ancients removed Everett as a way of forcing her closer to Apollo? They knew she would be stronger when she was with her counterpart. Did Everett really die as a part of their games?She didn’t want to sulk in the recesses of her mind anymore. She wanted to see them burn. Every last one of them. Asmodeus had been part of this latest scheme. He’d burn too, and his shadows would turn to ash in the wind. The new part of her was silent, observing and waiting. It felt like a lost piece of her true self, but a veil still separated her consciousness from it and shrouded it in mystery. She could feel the power and strength emanating from behind that veil. A voice older than the skies whispere
The Great Wolf Chapter 51
Someone was yelling, but they were far away and their voice was faint. Amerie ignored them. It didn’t matter. Everett was dead. Something fell in front of her, warm and wet. Everett was dead. Her body was hot. That same person yelled again. She couldn’t save him. “Amerie!” Whoever shouted for her was still so far away. She couldn’t open her mouth to call out to them. All she tasted was ash. Her throat was so dry and sore. A strange hiss sounded from nearby. It didn’t matter. She was the Great Other, but even that didn’t matter. Her powers didn’t matter. She couldn’t save him. Everett was dead. She could feel Asteri pushing her to move but her legs wouldn’t. Something soaked through the bottom half of her pant legs where she knelt on the ground. All she could see was Everett’s blank face, eyes unseeing. Asteri pushed again. Amerie didn’t fight. She fell deep into her mind, wanting to wake up from this strange nightmare. Four black, bloodied paws hit the mud just as a serpe
The Great Wolf Chapter 50
Amerie was covered in blood and she couldn’t tell how much of it was hers. Screams, yelps, hisses, clicks, snapping bones, and the tearing of flesh rang out across the clearing. It was a nightmare. She’d lost sight of her friends shortly after the start of the massacre but didn’t have the luxury of pausing to search for them. She sprinted for a gray wolf that was struggling against two winged beasts. One with a serpent’s head struck the wolf’s flank, eliciting a high pitched yelp from the canine. Amerie shot arrows of flame at the beast, nailing it in all four eyes and effectively blinding it. The other beast with a head similar to a frog growled at Amerie and turned toward her. The wolf took lunged for the beast’s neck but missed as the beast spun, knocking the wolf on its side. Amerie let a ball of flame fly, but she was a second too late. The beast splayed its paws to reveal razor like claws nearly four inches long, bringing them down on the wolf’s chest and splitting it open. Th
The Great Wolf Chapter 49
Asteri burst through the trees like a shadow of fur in the sun, panting hard as she threw herself at the pack house ahead. She shifted when she hit the front steps and gasped to catch her breath. Just as she reached for the door, it was thrown open and she met Apollo’s wide golden eyes. “Beasts,” she managed to say between gulps of air, “coming this way.” Another gasp. “Ambush.”Apollo pursed his lips and gently grabbed her elbow to pull her inside, wrapping her exposed body in a gray blanket.He guided her to a bench in the hall and motioned for her to wait. Amerie attempted to concentrate on slowing her breaths but she knew the beasts were approaching. There had to be nearly a hundred of them closing in. She finally calmed her breaths enough to focus on listening for who was in the house. Blaze and Kierian were giggling in a room up the stairs. Everett talked on the phone about the town riots, likely to his deputy that she’d met at the nature center. Knives thudded against a wooden
The Great Wolf Chapter 48
The sun rose on a sparkling lake, painting the sky in hues of lavender and pink. Amerie sat perched on a boulder along the shore, watching as the forest shifted from nocturnal creatures to those that sang with the sun. Though spring was around the corner, the bite of the winter air remained and ice and snow still clung to the landscape. Amerie sighed, her breath forming a small white cloud in front of her before vanishing. Today was the day she was meant to face Asmodeus in the clearing. Today was the day the Ancients planned on her eliminating what she’d been led to believe was the biggest threat. Asmodeus had stood at the edge of the forest before the sun fell the day before, likely awaiting her answer to his offer. She had met his gaze and held it, letting tension and unanswered challenge hang in the air between them for a moment before turning away without a word. She’d walked back inside without a second look, not even turning when he had called out her name. She couldn’t. If h
The Great Wolf Chapter 47
Amerie chewed on the inside of her cheek as she sat opposite of Apollo, his words sinking in to her and everyone else. Mae stood leaning against one of the bookshelves to the left. Kierian sat in a chair to the right, leaning forward with his thumbs under his chin and fingers pressed together in front of his mouth. His eyebrows were drawn together as he considered everything that had been said. Brynn shifted uncomfortably on her feet beside the door. Her sister had not showed up this morning— likely working the store. Everett sat leaned back in the chair to Amerie’s left, lightly scratching the stubble along his jawline. “Eight people,” Everett murmured. He shook his head, not bothering to lift his gaze from the floor as he added, “They’re calling for a hunt. They want to see the Wolf Man strung up in the town square.”Amerie’s eyes flitted to Apollo. His face was hard and his golden eyes looked ready to burn through armies of Embertaurs and beasts. He was not bothered by the fact th
