Chapter 39

Chapter 39
CHRIS'S POV
            "Get away from me," I snarled.
            Killian had sent me one of his supposed healers as if I was some sick pup that needed attention. But I was okay. I just needed to be released and allowed to return to where I belonged. Instead, I was stuck in a cage, being coaxed by some middle-aged female shifter to come closer so they could look at me in the eyes and see something.
            They didn't need to look in my eyes. They didn't need to look at anything. They just needed to get the fuck away from me and let me out of this cage so I can see Sam. Smart, beautiful Sam. Her name felt like a vice grip on my heart.
            I ran to the bars, gripping them and screaming at the healer, "Let me out of here before I tear your fucking head off!"
            She backed off, her eyes wide. She turned towards the guard who had stood neutral beside her until now but kicked at the bars. "Get the fuck back. You act like that, and I'll send her away, and you can die in that cell."
            Die? Why would I die? I gripped the bars, glaring at him. The healer didn't move to come nearer, still sensing that I was on the edge of another outburst. When I didn't move to scream again, she came closer. "Just let me look in your eyes. Please."
            I glared, fixing my eyes on hers as she gazed into mine. Concern crossed her features. "This is forbidden."
            The guard piped up again. "What is?"
            "We should tell the Alpha."
            The healer leaned in to whisper to the guard, who shot me a pitiful look and nodded, leaving us alone. Suddenly, I was okay with being left alone with the healer. What was going on?
            The healer leaned against the wall, staring at me. "I have some questions for you if you wouldn't mind answering them."
            "It doesn't seem like you want to share information with me, so why should I share anything with you?"
            "I will. But right now, I need to learn more before I can help you."
            "You can help me by releasing me so I can go home. Going home would help me."
            A door slamming interrupted us, and then a pissed-off Killian was there. "Did Keith tell me right? He's..."
            The healer nodded. "I'm afraid so."
            "How did he get enchanted? Did he give you a name?"
            She shook her head. "I was about to start questioning him now, but he's being a little difficult."
            Killian turned towards me. "I can't let you die on my watch. If you want to go and die on your own, that's fine. But on my watch, you will not die. So answer Essie's questions so we can save you. Who is the witch who enchanted you?"
            "Witch? Enchanted? What are you talking about?" I asked.
            "Chris, don't be so ignorant. It's a little weird how you're feeling right now. Your body is breaking down because you're not near her. This is why we forbid this sort of magic from being in our pack. It's dangerous."
            I shook my head. "I've never been near a witch before I came into contact with your pack. So if anyone enchanted me, it would have to be one of your own."
            Killian hit the bars. "Why would anyone of my pack bother with you? Just tell us the name. We have to know her name to break this. Don’t you see we're trying to help you? Or would you rather rot from the inside out?"
            I stepped up to the bars. "Let me go home, and I'll be fine."
            "So it's someone at home. You have a witch there. Who is she? What name keeps crossing your mind now that you can't seem to get enough off? Which name is gripping your heart?"
            Sam. Beautiful, perfect Sam. But Sam wasn't a witch. She was a rogue, thrown out by her pack when her parents died because she had no status. She was innocent. "She's not a witch."
            Killian smirked. "So you admit there's a name."
            "If I tell you a name and it doesn't work, you'll shut the fuck up?"
            He shrugged. "We'll see."
            "Samantha."
            Killian nodded to the healer, who stepped up to the bars. "I'll need to touch you. Is that okay?"
            I grimaced at the thought of another female touching me but nodded. She placed her hands on my cheeks and closed her eyes. She whispered words I didn't understand, but a warm pulse radiated through her palms. I felt warm snakes entering my mind.
            I closed my eyes, trying to let them wrestle what gripped me, but when what held me didn't release, I felt her warm touch increasing. It became hot. Almost unbearable. She was fighting it and pushing, pulling. I gripped the bars, willing the darkness to part. I groaned, the pain becoming too much. And then the pain was gone, but the darkness remained.
            I opened my eyes to see her staring at me sadly. "It didn't work."
            I had felt it. There was something there. I hadn't been sure before, but now I believe it. "Why didn't it work?"
            "Her name...we don't know her real name. You can't undo a witch's curse without her real name."
            I looked at her frantically and then at Killian. "But it's Samantha. That's the name that I can't stop thinking of."
            Killian now looked at me with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, Chris, but that's not her name. She must have been using a fake identity."
            I stumbled backward. No. Sam wasn't her name. She put a curse on me. And now I was going to die because of this?



SAMANTHA'S POV
            "I can't believe you're making me return to Blackmoon," Zeke whined.
            "Shut up and eat your jerky," I snapped.
            "How are we going to get in without them noticing us? I still don't get the plan to rescue Vivian and Chris."
            I chewed on my piece of jerky. "I know Killian. I have something that he wants. I'm going to talk to him. And I'm going to trade that thing with him for their freedom. Then you three, when you're free, are going to head home. Then I'll follow."
            Zeke sat up straighter from where he'd been leaning against a log. "We're leaving you behind?"
            "Just for a day or two, maybe three tops."
            "I don't like that. Why would he want you to stay behind? What are we trading?"
            "Me."
            He threw down his jerky. "That is not happening. And why would Killian want you?"
            "I was supposed to marry him. I'm not going into all the details—it's not like you will remember this anyway, after a quick zip I’ll do—but I ran away."
            "When were you supposed to marry him? And a quick what?"
            I sighed. Sometimes, playing with people's minds was annoying. No one really understood me. Maybe if I had stayed at Blackmoon and focused more on making friends rather than chasing demons of my past, I could have had a real life. But no, the sins of the Father must be punished.
            "Don't worry about it, Zekey Poo, just come here."
            I held out my arms to him, motioning for him to crawl into my arms. He eagerly crawled to me. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him. I rested my chin on his head, closing my eyes. In another life, he would have made an excellent mate. I leaned into his ear, whispering the words I needed to.
            He went limp for a moment in my arms and then was sitting up. "Are we ready to go?"
            This was too easy.