Chapter 95

VANCE

I walked down the street. A few minutes ago, I was certain that I would know where to look, part of me was hoping to turn a corner and find Eria there, stopping her midway in whatever suicidal plan she had, but after walking for what felt like an hour, it became clear that she was gone.

I stopped, exhausted. The city stretched out ahead of me; everything ahead were houses, empty streets, and no Eria.

"Dammit," I cursed under my breath, kicking a stone just because it was better than staring and doing nothing.

I promised Kael I would get her back, but I was getting her back for me, too.

I couldn't keep my mind from wandering. Eria left because she had broken our promise, stupid girl, I thought, feeling my heart break a million times over.

It was like chasing after her the day she tried to sneak out of the stronghold and search the pack house, just that this time I was too late. No one knew when she slipped out. I should have been keeping an eye on her, I thought.

But it broke my heart to even look at her after what Kael had said.

She had to get married to Alpha Michael's son. How was I supposed to feel about that? Where would I even begin fighting for us? Wasn't it just insane to fight for love when we might not even be alive in a couple of days?

Endless questions clawed at my mind, and I sunk to my knees against a faded wall. I could feel that something was wrong, but the feeling wasn't enough. I had to do something about it.

I closed my eyes, searching for something. I tried to feel her, the tiny thread that was supposed to link our minds, but it seemed to be lost in the sea of doubt that drowned my mind.

I don't know how long I stayed there thinking, but the sun was starting to set when I rose up. I would scour the earth for her if I had to, I thought, clenching my fist in determination. And it made sense to start my search from the Mystic Pack.

It was evening by the time I got to the Mystic Pack. It was more or less deserted, just like the Obsidian Spire was. I stared a long while at the pack house. She had to be here, because I couldn't imagine anywhere else she would be.

I pressed my hands to the gate and watched them open. Without thinking, I stepped inside, heading for the mansion. I felt Eria closer. To my shock, the door opened. Then I realized why. Inside, in the large hall, was a gathering of people. Some sort of ceremony, I thought, straining to see what was going on. I felt my breath run cold as I spotted a coffin at the front, five elders standing around.

A new alpha... And his Luna...

I turned around, my ears picking up bits of conversations from the people around.

I frowned, confused. Then I felt it, like a flying rock. Eria, she was here. I could feel her and also yelling for me to go away.

I couldn't. She was within these walls, and she was in trouble. I dashed blindly into the corridors.

Where are you? I thought desperately.

I turned around and collided with a wall of flesh.

I looked up to see a man dressed in all black, a red coat adorned with chains over his shoulders, his arms crossed over his chest. Behind him was a door, and I felt Eria stronger than ever. He raised an eyebrow.

I stumbled back. What if they captured Eria?

"The party is downstairs," he said, his voice smooth with an accent.

"Party?" I choked on the words. Maybe I didn't know everything, but that looked like mourning to me.

He stepped closer, taking a closer look at me. "Who are you anyway?"

"Nothing... Forgive me." I turned around, back the way I came. I had to be smart. Back in the hall, I waited till the man passed, watching as he climbed the stage and a hush fell across the room.

Without staying back to watch, I darted back to the corridor.

"Eria," I whispered fiercely, pounding on the door.

At first, there was no reply, and then I heard the scrambling of feet.

"Vance?" a small voice asked.

The vulnerability in it made me clench my fist. "Who did this?" I asked, deadly calm.

"Listen, Vance," Eria began. I could feel her pressing against the door. "You have to leave now."

"Fuck, Eria, what do you think I came all the way here for? Why didn't you say anything? Disappearing like that...."

"Vance, listen," she cut in, her voice low and urgent.

"Klaus is going to come at any moment..."

"Who the hell is Klaus?" I shook my head in confusion. I pounded on the door. "Look, I'm getting you out of here..."

"They didn't harm me, not yet. You have to go and report back to Kael. Vance, please trust me on this."

I took a deep breath. "Fine, Eria. What do you want me to tell him?"

"Dominic killed the Alpha, his father. He's going to ally himself and the Mystic Pack with Darian. He believes in some sort of dark prophesy, and Darian is the new order."

"That's just twisted." I nearly gagged on the whole concept.

"Exactly. The war is coming, and they're going to bury Alpha Michael and name his son Alpha on the same day. He wants me as his Luna," Eria continued, talking fast. "They haven't harmed me yet. I can play along until I see my chance to escape. You have to tell Kael."

"The mother fucker." I gritted my teeth. "Isn't there no way I can get you out of there?"

"There's no window, Dominic took Merrick's portal pen from me. I doubt you can portal here, though," Eria muttered. "And Klaus has the key. I think he's being controlled."

At that moment, I heard footsteps approaching from the other end of the corridor.

"You have to go, Vance. I love you," Eria muttered over the door.

Before I could get the chance to say anything back, another man came into view, also dressed in all black, but tall and lanky. His eyes landed on me immediately, no expression on his face.

"The Alpha said that the Luna needs rest. You're not allowed to speak to her, stranger," he said.

I backed away from the door. "The Alpha or the murderer?" I spat, unable to help myself.

He only looked at me, like my words didn't have any effect on him. "I have orders to take the life of anyone who defies the Alpha's orders." I watched as his hands went to the sword clasped at his side.

He did look controlled, I thought, backing away.

I turned around and raced out, through the hall and out into the open.

The doors of the mansion banged as I whirled past. I was leaving Eria behind, I thought, but there was nothing I could do about it. She was right, go to Kael and get back up.

I nearly didn't notice the two guards at the gate, their swords drawn in one hand, and claws extended in the other.

"Shoot." Cursing, I took a step back, feeling around for a weapon.

Someone must have alerted them.

The moon was out now, full and bright... Wait, full?

But Lukas said it wasn't until tomorrow.

"Stand there!" the guards commanded. The air grew colder, sharper.

I staggered back, feeling a familiar, agonizing reverberation through my muscles and bones.

Goddess, not now, I thought desperately, my hands clutching a nearby lamppost as the first wave of the shifting pain gripped me. The beast I had been trying to reach out to all week now came at me in full speed, clawing to be free.

I was barely conscious of my surroundings. Something sharp stabbed into me. I was bleeding. I growled, fangs sharpening, claws out. Pain surged through my limbs like wildfire. I let out a gut-wrenching howl into the night, then I lunged for them.

Perfect fucking timing, I thought, as the beast in me went completely rogue, tearing the men apart before they could shift before sprinting through the gates.

Obsidian Spire, Kael, I thought, cutting short the distance, leap after leap. But I couldn't keep up. My body was too weak for the transformation.

The world blurred around me, everything threatening to go completely dark. I could be anywhere, but something told me I was in familiar territory.

I ran down the streets, knowing the way by heart. The transformation was done, and I was slowly shifting back. I hadn't had a transformation like this in years.

I collapsed on the ground, just at the gates of the stronghold, clothes shredded.

Breathe... But the air was knocked out of me.

I rolled to the side, clutching my side. My hands came back covered in red. The ground tilted around me as I drifted out of consciousness.

I was going to bleed out here....