197: Harsh Words (Lucky's POV)

197: Harsh Words (Lucky's POV)
Vincar’s hands were resting on Nadine’s body as Wyatt spoke again, “I said you can’t have her. Name your price.”

Silence still surrounded us. For the first time in my life, I longed for the buzzing of the cicadas to become deafening. Anything would be better than listening to a one-sided conversation my mate was having with the reapers that were trying to take my new sister away.

Was Wyatt thinking this through logically? Or was his judgement clouded by the potential loss of his sister? Molpe was in rough shape, and Nadine was clearly in worse shape. Nadine was also somehow separated from her wolf. Would bringing her back now even give us the same person? Was this the right call to make? There may be other times when dealing with reapers may be more beneficial.

A pang of guilt rang through my stomach. This was his sister. Aside from Cillian, she was his only family left. She was practically all he had. And of course he was thinking of the Dominion and being logical— we needed allies and to be strong. Losing Nadine so close to losing several of our other high-ranking friends could be detrimental.

“Deal.”

Within a moment of the word leaving his lips, Nadine heaved in a breath. She looked around for a moment, blinking rapidly. It was then that the screams set in. They were high-pitched and full of stark terror and raging pain. There was something animalistic to them. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as Vincar hurriedly went back to work on her.

Before I knew it, her eyes were rolling into the back of her head, and the silence was back. Vincar’s voice was shaking. “She’s in shock,” he flicked his eyes up to Wyatt, “I sincerely hope you just made a beneficial deal because she isn’t guaranteed to live yet.”

Wyatt didn’t respond. Vincar and the other medic he was with rolled Nadine onto a gurney, lifting her with ease and sprinting toward the edge of the woods. I remained on my knees, staring at the blood on my hands. Reika walked back into view, giving Wyatt a small shake of her head before she returned to me. I barely felt her snap back into place.

“Wren,” Wyatt whispered, “Are you okay?”

I blinked, wiping my hands on my pants. “What deal did you make?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said gently, reaching down to help pull me to my feet. “We need to get to Molpe. She’s awake.”

After I regained my balance, I yanked my arm from his grasp. My eyes narrowed. “I will worry about it. What deal did you make?”

“They said they needed something in exchange but wouldn’t be more specific than telling me there had to be a balance.” he ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair. “I am aware that means someone else most likely died.”

My hands connected with the middle of his chest, right where his heart had been ripped out by Desmond. Wyatt stumbled back, eyes wide. I snapped, “You made a blind life swap? Are you fucking stupid, Wyatt?”

I had been wrong. He wasn’t acting rationally. Making a deal with reapers was one thing, but making the deal he agreed to? He had no way of knowing the consequences of that decision. Who it would cost us. The other wolves that had been patrolling began to return. I recognized Eros and Aksel and a few others from the training ground. All were watching the interaction between Wyatt and I, staying in their wolf forms.

Wyatt’s eyes flashed gold, and I rolled my eyes, shoving him again. “Oh, don’t give me that Alpha King bullshit, Wyatt,” his fingers lengthened into claws, and I scoffed. “Absolutely not. I am your Luna Queen, and to you, I know that means I am your equal. Did you even consider what this could mean?”

“It means Nadine will live,” he stated simply, shrugging. “That was enough.”

I wrapped my arms around my torso, laughing maniacally into the still forest. “And who dies?” My voice took on a higher pitch. “Who dies, Wyatt? That’s the deal you made. So tell me what happens if it’s Vincar?” Silence. “What happens if it’s Cillian?” Again, silence. “Moon Goddess forbid, what happens if it’s Nolan?” Wyatt’s claws disappeared, and he took a staggering step toward me. I lowered my voice, angling my head so that I was sure it wouldn’t carry to those surrounding us. “The Elder Council may have been right about one thing— you might not be acting in the best interest of the Dominion anymore.”

He froze, staring at me. I looked up at the sky, which was still thick with swirling black clouds. Noise still hadn’t returned to the forest. My mate swallowed and turned his back on me, slowly padding back toward the packhouse. Not a word was said to anyone. Eros and Aksel stepped up on either side of me, their fur brushing against my bloody hands.

My eyes stayed locked on the sky. “These clouds mean that Finn is somewhere close. Find him.”