They arrive at the exact time, but I remain hidden behind the foliage. I can’t wait to see who the big, famous Cooper Bretton is. Or at least, who he was… Rumour has it that he made decisions that earned him the distrust of his family. I smile at that thought. There you have it, one hell of a chief...

Cristian approaches and whispers in my ear:

"Who are these women with them?"

I don’t answer. I do not need to. The leader of the North Carolina vampire clan knows I have no idea. But they smell good… If we weren’t here for talks, I would gladly bite into one of them. At this thought, I bite my lower lip. My canines pierce it. Blood flows into my mouth. It excites me. Suddenly, Bretton isn’t my main curiosity anymore. The smell reaches me. I want to smell it more closely.

"Let’s go," Cristian says, motioning for my four acolytes to follow him.

I nodded, eager to comply, for once.

Our steps are light. Vampire faculty. Far from those hulking dogs that you can hear approaching from miles away. The three facing me do not impress me. But these girls… These girls! Wolves? No… Or maybe one of them…

The smell becomes more powerful. I hide the intense emotion that transcends me behind a placid face. My fists clench.

Which? Which one excites me so?

This question is circling in my mind. Then I see her. She. Her head is raised, expressing a dignity which, I confess, is indifferent to me. Her smell…

Cristian and Cooper start discussions that I know are useless. But I don’t listen to anything. No, nothing. Because the look of this woman strikes me. If my heart was still beating, it would race at the sight of this vision.

Her two friends tighten around her, noting my interest, which I find harder and harder to conceal. My canines pop up on my lips again. A sneer reaches my pale face, my tattooed arms crossing over my chest. I raise my head in defiance but don’t take my eyes off her.

I want her.

A melody resounds under my skull with peroxidized hair.

Soon my fangs will sink into her neck.

Say goodbye to your friends, little bird.

Your relationship with the wolves will soon be over.

I smiled inwardly, my glacier-coloured eyes fixed on her horrified pupils.

I can’t let you escape me.

So come, let me welcome you...

… My little bird.

END

WITCHES OF WOLF CREEK: BLOOD

EMERALD LOUNGE

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WITCHES OF WOLF CREEK: TRUTH

WITCHES OF WOLF CREEK: BLOOD

WITCHES OF WOLF CREEK: FURY

When Sixine, Elinor & Neeve hid among the wolves they were unaware that their actions would upset the laws of the shadow world

Now under the threat of a witchcraft trial, each of them is looking for ways to get out of it. But the consequences to their friendship and their loved ones will torment the three women, while an even greater danger awaits them... Wolves, Vampires, Sorcerers. None has ever mixed? None has ever betrayed? And if they jeopardize the safety of all, would it be wise to transgress rules that have preserved peace for centuries?

Discover the second volume of this paranormal trilogy.

✭✭✭✭✭ VISIT EMERALD LOUNGE ✭✭✭✭✭

All of our spells are ineffective. Emerald-coloured nebulae spring from my fingers and wrap around those of Sixine. Our concentration is at its maximum in the middle of the pentacle that we have drawn with chalk on the ground. Despite the moonstone in its centre, despite all our incantations, we cannot locate her.

"Elinor, reveal yourself, in night and day, in shadow or light. Show yourself…"

But nothing.

Nothing.

The very essence of Elinor is gone. Sixine and I open our eyes. Our pallor expresses our concern. Levenach warned us. Sorcerers still threaten us. My heart beats hard in my chest when, suddenly, Six and I have this revelation: Eli cannot be dead. No, that we refuse to think about. So the solution is quite different. Cooper!

"She’s gone back to the wolves!"

We said it simultaneously as if the light had suddenly illuminated our minds. I repress the desire to say out loud "How stupid we are!", but it is not time to blame ourselves for being so stupid, for having drained all our mystical energy, when it is the first thing that should have come to mind… Sixine and I exchange a knowing look before she closes her eyes again and concentrates.

"Uh… what are you doing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Hush."

OKAY…

Her face twitches. She inspires. Expired. His eyelids lift.

"SO?"

"Jaxson is at the apartment. Let’s join him."

"And?"

"He’s going to accompany us to the cave."

Not stupid. I have no memory of the path we took. Without our wolf flair, it’s hard to go back. And with the amount of energy that we have just stupidly released.

But Jaxson is the key. I throw myself into Sixine’s arms. She’s a genius! She blushes a little and pushes me away, making me understand that we have to go. We need about ten minutes to reach the loft running. As soon as we open the door, I put on a bewildered face and suddenly close my eyes. Jaxson is naked. No, seriously, as much fun it was with Tyler and Emmitt, it bothers me that every time Jaxson comes back to the loft, he’s not wearing any clothes. He’s my girlfriend’s boyfriend! And then, it’s not as if he didn’t have a pair of buttocks to die for! I open one eye to ogle them discreetly and say to myself that fortunately, he goes through the back of the building. Our neighbours are old people who no longer see anything, otherwise we would have been unmasked a long time ago.

Jaxson places a chaste kiss on Six’s lips before saying:

"Follow me."

He transforms into a wolf with a lot of cracking bones and unsavoury noises, then rushes up the stairs that lead to the back of the building.

We need about thirty minutes running before arriving at the cave. I’m sweating. Six is on the verge of attacking us. I put my hands on my knees and catch my breath.

"She better be here or be dead!" I say. I couldn’t forgive her for the calories burned. I only ate a salad!

"Do you miss my cooking, Northern Neeve? How’s the smart one in the gang, the vegetarian wolf?"

I turn around and find myself face-to-face with Lyle.

"Lyle!" I exclaimed.

I jump up and throw myself into his arms. The old wolf was the nicest of all during our stay in the cave. With… Masha. At that thought, I recoil and remember what our adventure cost the pack. Lyle hasn’t forgotten it either, but that doesn’t stop him from smiling at me.

"Where’s Elinor?" asks Sixine dryly.

It’s true that she doesn’t know the cook, except by the dishes that were served to her in her dungeon. Not the same atmosphere on Six’s side, therefore.

Lyle doesn’t answer and turns his face to Jaxson who has retained his lupine form. His eyes narrow.

"Are you in such a hurry to meet death, Jaxson?" declares the old wolf. "Considering the consequences of Cooper’s decision for the pack, I thought you wouldn’t be crazy enough to come back here. This territory is forbidden to you, you forget that?"

Six turns pale.

"He’s right, go away," she told him.

Jaxson raises his muzzle. His gold-rimmed pupils express a sorrowful glow that breaks my heart before he disappears into the forest. He left everything, lost everything. For her. For us. And it’s been a long time since I understood that this young wolf underestimated the impact of his decision. Sixine knows it too, even if we never talked about it. It doesn’t take a fortune teller to understand that she’s no longer the successful lawyer she once was.

"You came back!" says the deep voice of a man emerging from the cave.

Emmitt. Tyler follows him a few feet away, a smile plastered on his face. I can still see Emmitt’s hand stretched out towards me, and mine, hesitantly, moving towards it, then backing away.

"I’m here for Elinor."

A silence follows my remark. Tyler’s smile fades as a voice rises behind him.

"Well, I’m here, girlfriends!"

Holy shit! Eli...

My friend walks gracefully. Her long white hair blows in the wind, surrounding a face where two water-green eyes are haloed by a circle of gold. A scar seems to be slowly disappearing on her neck. Bitten. Wolf. Elinor has become a witch-wolf. She was marked!

Six remains speechless. But I don’t know if she realizes what I have just understood. I know from the cousins that a being marked by an Alpha wolf inherits the power of transformation.

"What… what did you do, Eli?" asks Sixine, terrified.

Elinor approaches and takes me in her arms with a big smile, before grabbing Sixine’s and curling up around the two of us. As soon as she pulls away, I realize that I’ve never seen her with such a happy expression on her face. Eli is happy. She even radiates.

But Six, flabbergasted, takes a step back.

"You didn’t… Jaxson told me that… But you didn’t…"

"Now is not the time to talk about it," Eli replies, oddly sure of herself. "We have an important appointment to make."

Oh yeah? What is this story?

Cooper in turn comes out of the lair and walks towards Elinor. His arm wraps around her shoulders. His lips land on a cheek that immediately tints. The love that I read in their eyes overwhelms me. Their bodies come closer as if they wanted to blend into each other. "What meeting?" says Six sharply.

"Talks with vampires," Cooper says without taking his eyes off Elinor.

I am always amazed by this feeling that overwhelms me while observing them. As if they were about to merge. Speaking of merging… Yeah… that’s the look of merging I see in Eli. Oh there, there, the rascal…

"We are not available!" responds Six to the Alpha.

"Uh... Six," I whispered in her ear, "that’s the deal we made, remember?"

"We didn’t agree that Elinor would turn into a wolf!" she asserts. "We did not agree that she would choose them." A trial is coming, and she spawns with a pack of wolves!"

"And you, Sixine, who do you hang out with?" Elinor retorts. "Do I need to remind you of Jaxson’s existence?"

Six swallowed. Of course, she has no lessons to give her. Admittedly, the moment Eli chose to join the pack is not the right one. It’s true that she could have waited for a while, but what’s done is done. No point in arguing. I won’t take it anymore, after everything we’ve been through. No. This story almost cost us our friendship. So I decided that if my girlfriends want to mess with the wolves, well, let them!

At that thought, my eyes turn to Tyler and Emmitt. They don’t take their eyes off me. A tiny smile crosses my face, immediately followed by theirs. Then I remember their attack, and my injuries, and mine disappears and turns into a pout that tells them that I’m still sulking for an indefinite period.

"Let’s go," says Cooper who, with a wave of his hand, invites us to follow him.

My eyes leave those of the cousins, but the two hasten to surround me with their presence for the entire hour of the journey.

"You smiled," Tyler said.

"A twitch on my face," I replied.

"You came," Tyler remarks.

"For my girlfriend."

"You miss us, Neeve. Admit it."

As we set out on the path that leads to the meeting place, I remember the warmth of their bodies. Of their kisses. Of their tenderness. Sex… Hell, yeah, I miss them! But they attacked me and hurt me. I disgusted them, and I still remember the sour emotion when my heart broke, when they were about to kill me, all because I’m a… witch. So yes, Cooper and Eli are paving the way for diversity, but no, I’m not going to forgive them for not having the same open-mindedness as their Alpha! I quicken my pace and walk alongside Six, who remains silent until we reach our destination.

Vampires… My heart drums loudly in my chest as we wait, in a moonlit glade, sheltered from the darkness.

The office with a view of the forest has never been so full. My main lieutenants stand in front of me, erect, motionless, silent. They don’t take their eyes off me. They know that the moment is crucial.

We are going to meet Cristian Coman, the leader of the North Carolina vampire clan. And the least we can say is that his reputation precedes him. He’s a notorious old pervert, and the number of his crimes committed during the previous two millennia would make the devil himself dizzy. We must remind him of the terms of our ancestral agreements, the main one being: not to hunt near Wolf Creek.

As I speak, my mind wanders. As soon as I realize it, I try to pull myself together, to focus all my attention on what awaits us. Our future depends on these talks, as well as the sustainability of the Bretton pack. It is also an opportunity for me to reassert my authority.

Mine say nothing, but I feel the weight of their eyes. Why did I let those three witches go? Why did I release Jaxson, rather than put him to death as he deserved? As required by our traditions? Like it was my duty to do it?

Since the departure of the girls and my brother, I have multiplied the marks of authority. Too much, probably. Misunderstanding gradually gives way to reproach in the hearts of my wolves. It’s not good. I need to put this situation right. Hoping the other packs in America didn’t catch wind of my bullshit.

Once again, I force my thoughts to refocus on the present. I get up and go around my large cluttered desk, to get closer to mine. Let them feel the strength of my presence, the weight of my authority. I’m an Alpha, damn it, their Alpha! But my gaze meets Jake’s, and I struggle not to look down. Between us still hangs the spectre of Macha.

As I am about to speak again to detail the security device that we are about to deploy, the door opens wide. At the moment, I don’t see who dares to disturb us like this, because the intruder is hidden by the tall silhouettes of my Betas. But with the murmurs that rise, I understand that there is something abnormal. Immediately, I move forward and make my way.

No, not that…

All my resolutions are shattered. My body and my heart double my reason, faced with her lunar beauty, her pale skin enhanced by a little black dress. Isn’t she cold, dressed like this? It is dark, after all, and she’s not a wolf.

"Get out."

In a heavy silence, my wolves comply. Some are dragging their feet a bit, but they end up leaving us. I can finally see Elinor, her haggard look, her too-bright eyes, her fevered cheeks...

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask her, in a voice that is too hoarse.

In me, the desire is already there. Powerful and devastating.

She sucks the air in small gulps, and does not take her eyes off me. What if she was sick? Or injured? If… she had relapsed again? But she replies:

"I don’t know."

I frown. What does that mean?

Suddenly, she starts crying, taking me completely by surprise. Faced with this surge of emotions, my breathing stops. I have only one desire, to take her in my arms. When she finally looks at me, I stop thinking. I join her and hug her.

"I’m here," I whispered in his ear.

But what am I saying? It’s madness, all this! But Elinor clings to me, and I feel the warmth of her tears through the fabric of my shirt. She tries to move away, but with a jerk, I bring her back to me. We bump into each other, stay like that for a moment, panting.

Then I feel her hand reaching for the back of my neck, lowering my face to her, moaning at her upset expression. Her fingers grip my collar. It’s stronger than me, I’m still getting closer. So she can slide her other hand through my hair, and her closed fingers pull until our foreheads meet.

"Mark me," she whispers.

No! I throw my head back, I must not give in. I must not give in. But isn’t it already too late? No wolf has ever managed to prevent an imprint. And if I mark her, she would become...

But Elinor is not a wolf, she is a witch!

"Mark me," she repeats again, and the sound of her voice is pleading this time.

"I…I can’t."

"Why?"

"You are not… You would become…"

"I don’t care. I don’t care."

She takes me by the hand to draw me to the bench that occupies a corner of the room. Does she know how much she tortures me?

"Elinor…"

"Yes?"

"Listen."

She freezes, but her gaze is stormy. She doesn’t seem to want to wait. Me neither, but I have to tell her this…

"I love you. I felt like this the second I saw you. I have only thought of you since that moment. I…"

She stands on her tiptoes and brushes my lips with hers. A hot shiver runs down my spine. Finally, I find the use of my hands to undress her. Her white skin appears under the fabric. The dress falls to the ground, like a black, poisonous flower. My fingers caress her flesh. I will give in...

As if to reassure me, she finally speaks, shivering against me.

"I’m imprinted too, Cooper. I don’t know how it’s possible, I don’t know what will become of us, but I can’t live far from you. The past few weeks have been agony."

Overjoyed, drunk with desire, I carry her in my arms, gently laying her down on the seat. I kneel beside her, gorge myself on the vision of her body, her long hair cascading over her breasts, her eyes so clear, so transparent… And above all, above all, I see her white throat, her supple neck, and I hold myself back so as not to bite her too quickly. Don’t mark her too quickly... make sure that this moment lasts forever.

I lean over her, seek her lips, find them and drink from them. I feel that she slips her hand between us, she undid my belt. My hips contract. In one smooth movement, I take off my shirt, never letting go of her lips. She draws me to her, her hands roam my body and leave me no respite.

Taken by the brutal desire to possess her, I feel her arch under my weight. She welcomes me, and I slip into an unfathomable abyss, an abyss from which you never really come out unscathed.

"Mark me," she moaned, throwing her head back.

So I plunge my face into the crook of her neck, and I bite her. My teeth pierce her skin and I squeeze. I groan under the meteoric rise of desire. I want her. Completely and forever.

I feel his nails on my back like claws lacerating my flesh, and the song of her pleasure rises to my ears, fills all the space, and the rumble of my vocal cords joins her in a perfect counterpoint.

The metallic taste of her blood fills my mouth.

She is mine.

The fire crackles in the hearth of Castle Mona. My refuge, my home.

I’m snuggled up on a large sofa with sagging cushions, and buried under a mountain of throws. Still, I’m frozen. The cold seeps into my veins, into my bones, into my soul.

But what is happening to me?

Sighing, I get up and walk to a narrow window. Through the window, I see the moon. It is full again. My fingers tighten on the cup of tea I’m holding. I bring it to my face and the white curls rising from it warm the tip of my nose.

But it’s not enough.

In this ancestral setting, this residence which saw the birth of generations of Mona, little has changed. My family has always respected traditions. Our laws. When I returned, my parents welcomed me with open arms, but I could tell in their eyes that they didn’t understand. In the eyes of Liv, my sister, it’s something else entirely. I read boundless admiration in his eyes. An admiration that wasn’t there when I was just a teacher at Wiccard Academy.

The Wiccard… I tried to resume my post, but in vain. Rediscovering this all-too-familiar environment, forcing a smile in response to Lise-Ann’s pettiness, bending my neck before a Levenach who was both contemptuous and evasive… I couldn’t. I quit.

Even staying with Neeve and Sixine in the loft is beyond me. They remind me so much...

Say it. Say it, finally admit it. Free yourself from this weight.

But I shake my head. My phone is ringing. It’s Six. I pick it up and hold it to my ear. But the words don’t come out. My gaze remains riveted on the moon, and I see only him. Even though the Bretton Pack Alpha is on my mind, I refuse to say his name. However, these few letters whispered aloud would fill the emptiness of my heart, I am sure. But I can not. That would be yet another betrayal. I hang up without a word.

Inside an inlaid wooden console to my right, I know my father stores his best bottles. All I had to do was reach out, open the little door, and grab one of them. I could also go up to my room, I used to hide boxes of anxiolytics everywhere. In case.

Temptation makes my heart beat erratically. Will I give in?

In me, the pain is so sharp that I would like to scream. And I wish that howl was that of a wolf.

Cooper.

It’s funny to be here. It had been a while since I had returned to my parents’ mansion, preferring the modernity of our downtown loft and the company of my friends to that of my strange family. Besides, I don’t like leaving Jaxson alone, too. He’s never been very far lately, between our roommate, where the girls welcomed him with open arms, and the forest that surrounds the mansion and so close to the loft; I rarely need more than a few minutes to find him.

The difficulties we had gone through had woven a powerful bond between us. While, on the one hand, I hoped never to have to suffer the company of wolves again, on the other, his proximity had become indispensable to me, almost vital. Yet, day by day, from exploration to wandering, he changed. From the euphoria of finding himself again, he went on to uneasiness, without really being able to explain it. Forced to present himself as a human on the streets of Wolf Creek, he only seeks to surrender to his lupine nature whenever possible, trying, I suppose, to regain some of what he has lost. Of his pack, he has nothing left but painful memories. His exile has made him anonymous in a crowd that must never know his true nature. He must lie and camouflage himself from humans, blend into their mass and get lost in them.

I tried to ease his pain, tried to replace what he lacked. Despite my efforts, it isn’t enough. Although I don’t understand why, the loss of this fierce pack has almost extinguished his flame, which flickers dangerously in the tumult of his despair. More and more, he is drowning in nostalgic outbursts, unable to glimpse a future. From the boreal gleams of his eyes, there remain only timid virid and dull sparks.

No matter how much I cover him with attention and passionate kisses, nothing seems to help him or stir up his desires. Far from his family, he is unable to regain his footing and it isn’t a little witch like me who can change the situation. Our relationship is just a dead end.

Frustrated, upset and helpless, I felt the need to distance myself, to find myself, instead of carrying him at arm’s length, and even against his will. He claims to love me, to regret nothing and yet, everything in his attitude betrays his imposture. The truth is crystal clear: we didn’t imprint. Only loved. It doesn’t seem like enough for him, but it was for me.

I need calm. I find, between the old stone walls of the Shadwe mansion, a silence that no longer exists elsewhere. Amid the dusty shelves overflowing with leather-bound books, I taste a form of serenity and tranquillity, nonetheless tinged with apprehension. It is not only to take stock of what binds me to Jaxson that I have come to hide here: the coven has decided that we will be prosecuted, Eli, Neeve and I, for having violated the fundamental rules of the communities. The court library is comfortable, but it doesn’t have any of the books I need. Whereas here, the intangible history of our world is stacked ad infinitum.

I sit down at the big desk, put down the heavy pile of books I’ve just selected, and light a small lamp that gives off a shy glow. No need to illuminate the room more, the moon is responsible for investing the space with its silvery rays. Through the window, I observe the sleepy park, bathed in a supernatural light and, perhaps, a bearer of hope. I return my attention to the code of the Shadwe World, open to the articles of law, the content of which I know without even having to read them, and leaf through the grimoire of the jurisprudence of the American covens, hoping to find a precedent that would be favourable to support our defence. But I can’t find anything. Absolutely nothing. Isn’t there any sorcerer who has ever broken one of those damn rules, like we were forced to? Guess not. Or their case could have been hushed up and maybe him along with it…

"Oh, there you are!"

Neeve tumbles between the shelves and stands in front of me, panting.

"Neeve? How are you?"

I don’t really know why I’m asking her this question, but I know the answer: since our altercation with the wolves, she’s taken great pains to deceive us, but she’s not at her best. Between the reaction of the cousins and the loss of her job, she struggles to find a balance in her life. Being alone in the loft this weekend shouldn’t help her.

"I absolutely have to talk to you."

"Talk to me? About what?"

"Levenach. I saw Levenach."

OK. And?

"It’s not over, Six!"

What is she talking about?

"What is not over?"

"We are still in danger."

"I don’t understand. We’ve blasted those who meant us harm, so who’s after us again? Be clearer, at least! You can see I’m busy!"

"If someone kills us as planned, the damn trial won’t matter! I tell you they’re after us, Six! The leader of the sorcerers who wish us harm was not in the forest during the attack! Levenach says we have to leave Wolf Creek immediately!"

Where does he get this information from? It’s completely insane!

"Look, I’m trying to save our ass, and believe me, it’s far from simple," I say firmly. "I’m not going anywhere until I figure out how to do it. We need a reinforced concrete case, otherwise, the result will be catastrophic, you know that, right?"

"I trust Levenach," she insists.

"And I trust you. Him, on the other hand…"

It’s impossible, all this machination, who else could have fomented these attacks? For what purposes? I have no doubt that she is convinced of it, but as far as I am concerned, I am convinced that this threat is much less real than the condemnation which hangs in our faces. I can’t desert Wolf Creek until I clear us. Who knows, the investigations might reveal more about the circumstances which pushed us to take refuge with the wolves.

"We need to tell Eli," she continues.

"Eli? For what? Don’t you think it’s already complicated enough for us right now? Besides, if she extended her stay with her parents, it was precisely to get a little distance from it all, to refocus…"

Elinor could hardly be more isolated than at Castle Mona. Even if I easily understand this need for solitude, I miss her. And the prospect of forever being separated from her and Neeve, because of this stupid lawsuit is heartbreaking. I have to find a solution and get us out of this!

"That you refuse to take this threat seriously is up to you. She has the right to know and to act knowingly."

She’s not wrong. And I can’t protect Eli forever anyway.

A long sigh escapes me.

"OK. I’ll call her."

I dial the number and activate the loudspeaker.

It’s ringing.

Only the immutable tone breaks the heavy silence that surrounds us. However, we promised ourselves to ALWAYS answer the phone, since our return from the lair. Useful precaution, given what we have experienced in the past two months.

But what the hell is she doing?

I hang up and dial the number again. Neeve’s cheeks went from red to livid with dread.

It’s ringing. Again. And again. And again.

Eli picks up.

But she doesn’t answer.

A month has passed since we left the cave. We’re not going to lie to each other. I’m breathing again. After those few weeks, my heart was bruised by the reaction of the cousins to the revelation of my nature as a witch. I got back on my feet. I kinda miss it, by the way, being a wolf. Lyle’s little dishes too. Bland salads found their way back to my plate.

I found my family, too. I still remember my mother in tears throwing herself into my arms, and my father hugging me in his. The concern in their eyes when they saw me bruised, hurt. My brother was upset when Sixine, Elinor and I climbed the steps of the coven, where a whole battalion of sorcerers had come to welcome us. Well, "welcome" is probably not the right word to use. Apart from Foris, Mona and Shadwe, no one was really happy with our return. The rumour had spread. Three witches had made a pact with the wolves to save their lives. The second part of this sentence could have softened the most embittered hearts, but that is not at all what happened. On the contrary...

After the family outpourings were over, we were immediately ushered into the coven amphitheatre. Eli, Six and I had to stand in front of a packed room; Levenach and Luthor Mona led the assembly. It took them a long time to silence the cries of the outraged crowd. Some sorcerers have claimed our heads; others, the stake. Despite his status as the leader of North Carolina’s sorcerers, Luthor Mona struggled to contain the most strident. Then Lord Raven, his Virginia counterpart, a handsome man with greying hair – and Sixine’s uncle – spoke up:

"I find you all very sneaky to demand the death of these three young women, while each of you should rather wonder about the identities of the sorcerers who led them to consort with our enemies.

"What do we know about them?" finally asked a sorcerer.

"Unfortunately," Lord Raven replied, "we can’t investigate without the bodies and…"

"Yeah, it may be because this whole story is a big lie!" shouted one of our detractors, immediately acclaimed by his peers.

At that moment, I regretted that the girls and I had reduced our enemies to a pulp; the forest animals must have been picking their teeth with the bones of their skeletons.

"You dare to question the declarations of the heiresses of our oldest lines?" thundered Lord Raven.

At these words, the words of invective turned into whispers. Eli’s father looked distraught. Which was not at all reassuring from one of our leaders. That’s when my brother raised his voice.

"Are you kidding me?!" he shouted. "We’re in a small town. Most of you have known Elinor, Sixine and my sister since they were born. Do you really believe that overnight, they would piss on our laws to mess with wolves? Seriously?"

Well said, Mark! Without a doubt, he managed to capture everyone’s attention. A smile stretched the features of his handsome face; his expression was proud, under his brown, slightly curly hair. Feeling his wings grow, he continued:

"They protected themselves from a mysterious threat and decided to be kidnapped by wolves to better hide their tracks. It’s not like they slept with the wolves!"

My gaze drifted to Eli and Six. We didn’t need words to understand each other. Eli has the Alpha under his skin, Six is dating his brother, who has been pretending to be a human since he’s been squatting in our apartment, and there’s me. But, I have to admit, that’s not quite the version we delivered to the coven. If I’m to believe the suspicious eyes that have been cast on us since our return, we’ve done well to keep quiet.

Since then, I have had no illusions: it would be impossible for us to claim again that we only played a role during this whole affair. Because the truth, we know it. Each of our actions was sincere and cost us a lot. My ego took a hit. Eli has taken refuge in the Mona castle and Six freaks out every day that Jaxson’s true nature is discovered. Not to mention the fact that the latter is not at his best since he left his pack. He spends his time transformed into a wolf and hangs around all day long in a nearby forest, to finally find Six in the evening, exhausted. It’s not easy to leave your family… I know something about that.

Seeing my family again pumped me up. I missed them so much when I was locked in the den. It made me realize how much I need them, how happy I am in my house nestled in the heart of the forest, with my dad, my strong-willed mom, and my crazy brother. I even found my little nursery, my trees, and my streams… happiness! Well, almost… In the meantime, I discovered that I was fired from my job for flimsy reasons. And as if it weren’t enough that an entire community was suspicious of us, the coven gave in to the revolt of the sorcerers, which had still not calmed down several days after our return. It didn’t take a week for our detractors to get what they were screaming for. Eli’s father’s hold on the coven is no more, and despite Lord Raven’s help, the sentence has fallen: the girls and I will be judged.

It was Levenach who stopped by my parents to tell them there would be a trial. The date is still undetermined, but the prospect that Eli, Six and I will be condemned scares me. In the den, I told myself that if I ever got back to my normal life, I would fight so that wolves and sorcerers could get along. That I would strive to shake up traditions so that the two clans get to know each other. The welcome my fellow men have given us has dashed this hope. And I have a hard time accepting it.

So, like every day since Levenach’s announcement, I quietly stay in the loft, in a sullen mood. Eli is still with the Monas, and Six with her family for the weekend. It’s the last day of the full moon, and Jaxson has left the apartment.

"Neeve…"

I turn quickly and find Levenach near the couch. My eyes widen when I discover his crumpled face, the circles that adorn his eyes a translucent green. He is even paler than usual and looks worried. Despite our differences and our common past, a painful point crosses my chest. I don’t like to see him like that. So I walk over and put my hands on his sunken cheeks.

"Lenny, what the hell is wrong with you?"

He pushes my hands away and stares into my eyes.

"I believe that…"

"What?"

"That it’s not over."

"Eh?"

He pulls back a little and nervously runs his hand through his dark hair. He is unshaven, tired. His austere and intractable air is shaken. I grab him by the arm.

"What are you talking about, Lenny?" I inquire, suddenly anxious.

"You’re still in danger," he says in a dull voice.

Bewildered and perplexed, I watch him for a long time. I shake my head, refusing to understand what he’s trying to tell me.

"The sorcerer who wished us harm died in the forest with all his clique. We managed to get them…"

"It wasn’t him," he asserts.

"What?! Who is it then?"

Levenach turns away from me as if hiding his face so that I can’t read what is overwhelming him in his features. But I wouldn’t let go of his arm, so I tighten my grip and force him to look me straight in the eye.

"Damn it, spit it out, Lenny. What do you have? What happened?"

He still refuses to look up at me.

"Eli, Six and you are still under threat."

"It’s been a month since we came back and nothing has happened to us. What makes you say that?"

"I know, that’s all. I believe you should…"

"Should what? Hide? That’s out of the question! We are on trial because we wanted to save our lives by hiding among the wolves. And we couldn’t hide, you see!"

"Neeve!"

Levenach shouted and he was never the type. He grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me saying:

"You must disappear!"

I pull away quickly and push him back.

"No, damn it! If you’re right, we’ll fight. We’re not going to leave. I’ll not leave my family or my friends. That’s the end of it!"

His gaze becomes almost pleading, then turns into a strange expression. I don’t have time to say anything as he grabs my neck in his hands and brings his face a few centimetres from mine. I feel his breath spread over my cheeks which colour immediately. I’m barely breathing I’m so surprised.

"I do not want…"

"What?" I murmur, no longer understanding anything.

His lips approach slowly. My eyes widen. Levenach? Then my memories come back to me and I push him away, panting.

"No!" I shouted.

He remains planted in the middle of the living room, arms dangling, looking dejected. A second later, he teleports away and I still don’t understand what got into him.

My heart is pounding. Tears drown my pupils. My breath is jerky. So I rush to the entrance, put on a pair of sneakers and leave the apartment. I run and run again. Tears overflow and roll down my cheeks. Levenach… I reach the forest that separates me from the domain of the Shadwes. The moon has completed its cycle. Distant wolf songs reach my ears. I’m still running. A flood of images crosses my skull and breaks me. My thoughts collide. Eli can’t get over our stay with the wolves. Sixine tries to live a relationship doomed to failure. A woman jumping out of a window. A battle against sorcerers. A trial. Levenach, Levenach...

"Neeve of the North!" Suddenly a voice that I know only too well calls out to me.

I stop dead in my tracks and turn around. In front of me, they are there. Emmitt and Tyler. Their ebony-skinned bodies glisten with sweat. Their muscles bulge as a result of their transformation. They show up naked in front of me, and I swallow in front of these two who protected me, pampered me, perhaps a little loved, to finally attack me. That last thought sets me back. I turn around, ready to resume my run.

"Stay!" cries Emmitt. Please."

I stop. The quavering tone of his voice touched something inside me. I bite my lip and face them. I remain silent as they approach slowly.

"Talk to us, Neeve," Tyler pleads.

They both stop a stride away from me. I still don’t say a word. My thoughts repeat to me:

They hurt you.

They attacked you.

They don’t like you.

"We miss you."

Emmitt’s voice is soft. He stretches out his hand and leaves it suspended in the air. My eyes land on it. Will I take it?

Slumped in an armchair that now seems too big for me, I contemplate the assembly of wolves facing me. A cacophony of voices rises from it, hits my ears, and spins my mind towards too-dark thoughts.

I can’t – anymore – think calmly. What Alpha am I to my pack if I am unable to make decisions for the good of all? How can I protect them, if I’m not strong enough to bear the sacrifice?

The conversation I had earlier with Sixine comes back to me with force, like a masterful slap, a gulp of cold wind in winter. Make a deal with witches and even take one as a mate! What madness! How would my wolves react if they found out that I imprinted on Elinor? It’s incomprehensible, even to me. Especially for me, who has always been rational, organized, and respectful of our ancestral laws. Tyler, Emmitt and Jake suspect it. I know it. But the pack. The pack…

We don’t mix.

Again and again, those words swirl around in my mind. My deepest conditioning is screaming at me not to give in to temptation, my heart and my insides are begging me to run to the jails to mark, finally, this strange creature that has entered my life, like a tornado destroying everything in its path.

Suddenly a few knocks ring out on the heavy monumental door of our lair. How I would like to be in my office rather than here… Only the view I have from my private quarters is able to soothe me at this moment.

But I nod to Jake to go open it. I close my eyes and massage my eyelids with my clenched fingers. I am tired.

"Cooper! We bring Elinor to you. She has something to tell you."

I dare not open my eyes. Will I manage to control the emotions that agitate me when I face this woman, this… witch? Slowly, I raise my head. I have to take responsibility for my decisions.

"Alright. Get out."

Only a dumbfounded silence answers me. It is quite unusual for an Alpha to exclude his pack from the common den.

"GET OUT! EVERYONE, IMMEDIATELY."

I spoke in a cold, authoritative tone. My wolves froze, before silently heading for the exit. All cast curious glances at Elinor. They don’t understand. How could they, if even I struggle to analyze my reactions?

The Falck cousins also leave, looking upset. The battle against the three witches left traces in them. Of all my people, they are the only two, with Jaxson perhaps, who can understand what is happening to me.

I still don’t move. I wait. I know Elinor is going to speak. For now, she stands straight, facing me, chin up. She wants to look sure of herself, but I can see that she is shaking all over. Am I scaring her? At this thought, my heart starts to beat faster.

"Cooper, I came to tell you my decision about your... offer."

Now even her lips are quivering. Her eyes drown in tears. I would so like to be able to join her in two steps to take her in my arms, to tell her how much…

But no, I answer her in the same formal tone as before.

"I’m listening to you."

The look she gives me tears me apart. It is heavy with reproaches and disappointed hopes. If she only knew how I contain myself.

"I will stay by your side…"

My breath stops, and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest. What did she say? Did I hear correctly? But she immediately resumes:

"On two conditions."

Obviously. I raise a hand to allow her to continue. As if she needed my approval.

"I stay, but you will free my friends, as well as Jaxson."

No. She asks too much of me. How could I cope with all this in front of my pack? How can I justify that, as a chief, I free witches, pardon my brother and take a foreign girl as my companion? Impossible.

I sigh, and massage my face with my hand. When did my life become so complicated?

When I look at Elinor again, her sad, haggard look shocks me. I suddenly realize that it’s not just me in this business. She has just given herself up to me, while she grew up under the weight of the same laws. What does it mean to her to agree to become my companion, to leave her friends, her family, and her life forever... To know that she will no longer be able to return to her family, at the risk of a death sentence. If I mark her... Just thinking about it, a growl rises in my throat. She would become a wolf. She would be mine forever. And life as she knows it will definitely be out of reach. Because there will be no going back, neither for her nor for me. The strength of her sacrifice moves me. Her strength overwhelms me.

Finally, finally, my body agrees to give in to my impulse, and I rush to her side. How is it possible to be so attached to a woman you barely know? Yet everything about her touches me.

"Elinor…"

When I’m only a metre away from her, I stop. What if she didn’t really want me? After all, I demanded her presence as a companion. I didn’t ask her what she wanted. Does she see me as a tyrant? If she only knew… Of course, I have made extreme, brutal and violent decisions, but never with a light heart. What I’ve done, I’ve always done for my family, for my pack...

But isn’t that how the worst monsters justify their crimes? The small voice of my conscience whispers to me. I shake my head and hold out my hands to Elinor. Provided she takes them… But no, she doesn’t move, lets the tears run down her cheeks and her gaze anchors in mine.

I can’t. I can’t bring myself to this. I can’t put her through a life of submission. She doesn’t deserve it.

Suddenly, a dam gives way inside me. I will not be guilty of the worst ignominy. I will not be the one who will have my brother executed, I will not be the one who will make my lover unhappy, I WILL NOT BE A TYRANT.

"Go," I whisper, and even to my ears my voice sounds too hoarse, broken.

"What?"

The surprise I see in her eyes overwhelms me. She really expected me to make her my thing… How ironic, when I’m the toy of my love for her.

I cross the last metre that separates us, hug her, and plunge my face into her hair. When I feel her stiffen against my body, tears well up in my eyes and sting my eyelids. I poke my nose even deeper into her neck so she wouldn’t notice. Her neck... Once again, the desire to mark her there came over me. But no, if one day I have to mark her, it will be with her full consent.

"I’m releasing you," I finally said, pushing her away. "I release you, your friends and Jaxson. But I ask you two things in return."

"Yes," she said in a very small voice. "What do you want?"

She looks like she’s about to collapse. I thought that I was giving her the gift of a life of freedom and happiness…"

"Your help in the conflict between us and the vampires. And the guarantee that my brother will never set foot in this den again, on pain of death."

"But an alliance between us…"

"Wolves are pragmatic, I’ll manage to get them to accept. And if this isn’t the case, we will remain discreet. Go. NOW."

But she doesn’t move. Why is she hesitating? Wasn’t that what she wanted, after all?

"Go," I repeat.

With a last sob, she turns on her heels and runs away.

What is she up to, Sixine?

I trust him, but… We all have faults in our qualities. Six is passionate and impulsive, and we’ve seen where that can take us.

However, she acts, at least. While Neeve and I wander around in this sordid jail, with no more ideas than that to get out of this absolute mess.

I can’t define the emotions that have been driving my friend since she woke up. She suffers from her physical injuries, that’s obvious, and displays a cranky smile. But I know that there are other bruises, elsewhere, in her heart and on her ego, which weaken her.

And me? Me? I don’t know where I am either. My exhausted mind keeps replaying the past few weeks, over and over, like a tape that we would rewind to infinity.

I want this whole thing to stop. We have suffered too much, and we have dragged innocent people into our misfortune. Granted, we hadn’t asked for anything either, but was that reason enough to involve the Bretton pack? Does Cooper deserve to have to manage us in addition to his responsibilities? Does Jaxson deserve to die on the decision of his own brother? And Masha...

The serene, smiling face of the young wolf passes before my eyes, reddened by the tears that keep flowing. Her kindness, her infectious joy for life, and the simple way she was about to make room for me in her pack. But on this vision are superimposed the devastated features of Jake, upset with grief and despair, beside the dead body of his friend.

All this reminds me that nothing has been cleared up between Cooper and me. This attraction that we feel for each other… And, earlier, in the bedroom, when I felt his emotions so strongly that it took my breath away.

But how could we still clear up anything? It was already complicated when the girls and I concealed our origin from the pack, but now that everyone knows our true nature...

No, the best thing that could happen to us is if Cooper agrees to let us go. Get us out of this jail. But I know his dilemma. Spare witches who tricked him? Impossible.

With a heavy sigh, I sit down on my bed. The springs squeak under my weight as I lean back against the damp oozing wall. I take my head in my hands, and grab my hair. I want to scream. Everything is too confused inside me.

"Neeve…"

"Mmm?" `

But noises resound and interrupt my confession. The door at the end of the corridor opens, and Sixine comes crashing down on the concrete floor. Behind her sounded Jake’s contemptuous laughter.

"I’ve brought your friend back. Are we good? No one wants to try their luck anymore?"

At our silence, he laughs again, before leaning over our friend, grabbing her by the hair, dragging her down the hall to our cell.

"Stand back," he said, waving his wrist. "And if you get the urge to be clever, remember that I have this."

With a triumphant gesture, he shows off his protective stones. If they are all equipped, we will never be able to use our magic to escape.

Keeping silent, we comply and we move against the back wall. I clench my fists, and I feel Neeve do the same. We can only understand Jake’s desperation, but here he clearly takes pleasure in making Sixine suffer.

As soon as he has closed the door of our cell, we rush to our friend.

"Six, how are you?" Neeve asks her.

Sitting on the cold floor, she rubs her scalp, grimacing.

"My hair hurts."

From the cell next door, Jaxson’s voice rises, worried.

"Girls, how are you?"

"Yes, yes," says Sixine. "We’re okay."

As for me, I contemplate my two best friends, and my heart swells with a new emotion. I am so happy that, whatever the circumstances, we manage to find each other.

"Girls…"

"What?"

"I love you, you know."

These simple words make both raise big, serious eyes to me. The sparkling grey eyes of Sixine, and the hazelnut jewels of Neeve.

I return my attention to Sixine, who suddenly seems to be agitated.

"Six…"

"I have something to tell you, girls."

Surprised, I nod my head to encourage her to continue.

"I made a proposal to Cooper. I offered him our help in his conflict with the vampires, in exchange for our freedom and Jaxson’s life."

My heart beats wildly. Did Alpha Bretton agree? Would that be a good thing? If so, we would be betraying all our laws. One does not mix. One does not betray.

"And?" I asked, in a trembling voice.

"He refused."

A wave of disappointment washes over me. I fall heavily on my buttocks.

Damn, it’s a mess in my head...

"But …" continues Sixine in a low voice, "he made me a counter-proposal."

"Go ahead, Six, spit it out, we can’t take it anymore," Neeve groans.

She’s not wrong. It was then that Sixine fixed her gaze on me.

"He wants you. As a companion."

My heart is torn. Surprise? Of joy? Of fear? Sadness? I don’t know, but a silly smile blooms on my lips.

"Okay," I said simply.

But inside, it’s devastation. A hurricane of conflicting emotions. A heartbreak. But do I have a choice? Can I refuse the sacrifice that Cooper demands of me and thus condemn my friends, my sisters, to a terrible fate, perhaps to death? No, no, I can’t do that.

"Eli, are you okay?" Neeve asks me. "You know very well that we haven’t asked you to accept. And that we will never let you do anything against your will. Do we agree?"

"I just need... to think a little."

I get up, turn on myself, and go back and forth between the bars and the wall.

Not far from me, I hear the girls talking in low voices. I know they’re looking for a new plan, a way to get the three of us out of here together, and with Jaxson. But they won’t find anything, I know that. Cooper will be ruthless, and his entire pack has protective stones. The Bretton Lair is a maze, and the wolves know the forest inside out. No, there are no other solutions.

So I try to convince myself. To find reasons to stay. Or reasons not to return to Wolf Creek. Take my life back? Go back to the Wiccard? See that little plague of Lise-Ann, her neat braids and her white socks? My drunken evenings and my little pills? I push far from my mind the idea of seeing my parents, and my sister, the desire to hug them as strongly as possible, to tell them that I love them with all my heart, that I am sorry for all the trouble I caused them... I convince myself that I have no future in Wolf Creek. I’ll get lost, that’s for sure… I’ll drown in this everyday life that has never suited me, I’ll sink into the deep malaise that’s been mine for so long.

Whereas here… The withdrawal was extremely violent, every nerve fibre in my body still vibrates at the memory of this suffering. But since then, despite recent events, I have never felt so much like myself. So strong, so sure of myself. And I like it. I love this new Elinor, this true, full and complete Elinor. This Elinor feels life flowing through her veins when… Yes, when Cooper enters the same room as her, when Cooper approaches her, broods over her with his golden gaze, and strokes her with his powerful hand. Even if he behaves like a tyrannical bastard.

Suddenly, I stop pacing. My decision is made, I will stay and thus save my friends. I know what I have to lose if I decide to stay with the Brettons. My family, my friends. Everything that has made up my life until today.

But was I happy? No. And today, I know that I deserve to find my place and a certain form of happiness. I’m not going back to my slump. I will stay among the pack, where the life force shines even under the earth, where the moon is celebrated every month.

The urgency to share this awareness overwhelms me.

"I…I’m going to stay here."

"What do you mean by that?" sniffs Sixine, wrinkling her nose.

"I’m going to stay and become Cooper’s companion."

"What?" Neeve shouts as she jumps to her feet.

Sixine said nothing. She looks pensive, and I wonder why she doesn’t react more.

"I… I was unhappy at Wolf Creek, you know that, don’t you? So maybe here... I don’t know."

"Nice to know," Neeve quips.

"Honey," I said, taking her hands. "It has nothing to do with you. It’s just… I don’t know, I felt out of place. The Wiccard, the sorcerer kids, that damn Lise-Ann…"

"All your bullshit rings false, Eli."

"I know."

Sobs block my throat. It’s so hard. I force myself to continue:

"I... There’s no other solution, and you know that too. You both know that."

"Yeah, well, it’s a bit much to want to become the companion of the Alpha of the pack, given the shit you gave me for the Falck cousins…"

I caress her cheek, as gently as possible.

"And I apologize for that, Neeve. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. You were right. These laws that are imposed on us… They are not natural. We are magical creatures, and we shouldn’t be separated by superstitions."

Neeve’s eyes fill with tears shining like diamonds. She wipes her nose with the back of her sleeve and gives me a faint smile. I know she will take over. She’s probably the strongest of the three of us when it comes to accepting the trials that life throws at us.

I return my attention to Sixine.

"Six…"

But she shakes her head to shut me up and hugs me tight.

"You are so brave, Eli. And maybe later we can…"

"Hush," I tell him. "Everything in its time, don’t you think? And I’m not one of your lost causes, okay?"

"I never saw you as a lost cause."

"Not even a little bit?" I tried to joke.

But my attempt at humour falls flat, so I resume:

"I have to see Cooper."

"Eh?"

"I need to see Cooper now. I will negotiate Jaxson’s life, as well as his freedom.

Sixine shakes my hand to show her gratitude."

"Thank you," she breathes.

I give her a curt nod, get up and grab the bars of our cell. The silver immediately burns my palms.

"Oh!" I yelled with renewed enthusiasm. "Someone there? I want to see Cooper Bretton."

But it’s not Jake who opens the door to the jail. No. They are the two colossi, Tyler and Emmitt. They take a few steps down the hallway, heads bowed. Like two kids caught at fault, they waddle on the spot, hands behind their backs, eyes shifting.

Neeve, who was standing next to me, snorts and returns to her bed.

"Neeve," Tyler whispers. "We want you to know… we want you to know we’re sorry."

But Neeve still doesn’t react, and the silence stretches out, painful and uncomfortable. Finally, I intervene.

"Take me to Cooper. Right away."

I barely recognize my own voice. Never in my class have I shown such authority. With a pitiful nod, Tyler complies and comes to let me in. He must be really shaken, because he doesn’t even have the reflex to grab me and lets me pass in front of him with a sure step.

When I pass Emmitt, I say:

"Hey, boys, cross out Neeve. She exceeded her own superstitions for you, and you only hurt her in return. She will never forgive you."

I find it hard to open my eyes, my eyelids weigh so heavily… My body is nothing but pain, and when I imagine myself moving, I have the terrible impression of being frozen, a prisoner of my swollen flesh. Is that possible? To suffer when one is dead?

My eyelids finally opened in a dimly lit room. It’s not so bad, even if it doesn’t tell me much more about my situation. In the half-light, I can make out flickerings of varying intensity, as if traversed by an electric current: protective stones. A tangle of malachites, emeralds, turquoises and shungites, the perfect mineral combination to absorb the magic. Impossible to use my powers in their presence, an old trick of wolves to ward off spells from sorcerers. This is certainly what explains my sorry state.

A few rustles break the sepulchral silence, there, right next to me. A threat? With painful effort, I turn my head and find that Elinor and Neeve are lying there, on basic beds, perfectly parallel. There is something reassuring about this order in the chaos of our lives, all the more so now that I recognize the room that welcomes us: our jail. All these setbacks to return to square one. Joyful.

I sink. Again.

I can still see this room, with the dim lighting, almost warm, if we disregard the bodies of my friends stretched out by my side. In a dazzling flash of suffering, sounds, and flashes come back to me, buried memories that rush to the portal of my unconscious. Why do I have to remember?

After a few quick knocks, Cooper walks in and spontaneously walks over to Elinor’s bed. I close my eyes; apparently, these two have things to talk about. I don’t want to interfere in their already complicated conversation. Between their icy words, a silent debate is palpable, a kind of tension that I have trouble understanding.

"I sentenced Jaxson to death."

What?

Everything that happens to Jaxson is my fault! How could I be so stupid? It was obvious that when his peers understood, they would punish him for helping me. So now that the wolves know that I’m also a witch...

My heart races, my muscles tense painfully under my bruises, and in spite of myself, a few tears escape from my eyes. My surroundings blur, I can barely make out the voices of Cooper and Eli anymore. When he slams the door on leaving the room, I understand: my friend’s tearful apologies weren’t enough to convince him.

I suddenly opened my eyes. We haven’t left this room. Have we ever? Maybe this was all just a stupid nightmare. Yes, the wanderings of my sick mind...

And yet, a wave of despair washes over me.

It’s all my fault.

If only I had stayed still, I would be alone in this cell. If I had waited as agreed, the girls wouldn’t be lying next to me. If I had pushed my thinking a little further than this immediate need for freedom… We would be in a better position. And Jaxson… wouldn’t count his last moments!

"Six?"

Eli’s arms tighten around me. It hurts. Not just physically. I’m so sorry for messing up like this!

I cling to her comforting arms. She’s there. And I feel that she doesn’t blame me.

"Sorry," I blurted out.

"It’s not your fault. None of us would have stood in your place. This place is… dismal."

"I didn’t want…"

I choke on my sobs. What can I say anyway? Nothing of any interest. It won’t help us any more.

I feel Elinor pull away a little. Neeve’s lacerated and trembling arms add to this unexpected embrace.

"We’re here, Six," she breathes in a soft and enveloping voice. "We are here. All three together."

The arms of my friends embrace me and support me. Little by little, my sobs become less frequent, until they completely stop.

"Feel a little bit better?" Eli worries, slapping a kiss on my forehead.

I nod my head, my nose running.

"What will happen to Jaxson?" I ask, my heart tight and ready to let myself be swallowed up by distress again.

"They’re going to execute me in an hour or two."

Jaxson! He’s with us! In the cell next door...

"You’re here!" I cried between two grunts of pain. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry."

"I regret nothing."

How can he say such a thing? He’s going to die because of my bullshit!

"I knew what was coming, Six. One day or another, my position as Omega would have cost me my life. And my closeness to Cooper – however relative – wouldn’t have changed that."

"How can you accept this? It’s unfair!"

"This is how it is. I told you. I’ve lived in this pack forever. I know the rules, and I don’t regret having bent them."

"Because of me…"

"For you. And if I had to do it again, I would do it again. I’m glad I tried, but I wish you had got away with it."

"You sacrificed yourself for me while ignoring my secrets."

"Now that I know them, I’m even more proud of them, because…"

A silence. I feel him hesitate. Then as if lowering his arms, while death awaits him, he says:

"I would have liked a life with you, Sixine."

Why must the only time in my life where someone declares his love for me, it is a convict – through my fault – with whom no future is possible? If we escape this nightmare, the guilt of killing him will haunt me forever.

The door slams loudly, bouncing off the stone wall and making the hinges scream in slow agony.

It’s Jake entering the hallway, a tray of food in his hands.

"Poor thing," Neeve breathes, oddly sympathetic.

"For what?" I ask. "What’s happening to him?"

"Masha, his companion, was killed in the attack," she explains to me in a whisper.

So he too must be angry with me. Like all the others… Besides, it’s obvious, as written on his face puffed up with grief, the menacing expression of his jaw confirms it to me. He stares at me. If it wasn’t for those silver bars between us, he’d cut my throat, I’m sure. Without a word, he slips us the dishes, omitting to distribute any to Jaxson.

Jake backs away, his vindictive gaze still locked on mine. He is now only a metre from the door.

"Hold on."

He seems surprised to hear me calling him that.

"What?"

"I request an audience with the Alpha."

"He’s busy."

"I don’t doubt it for a moment, but it’s important."

Still staring at me, he grabs the doorknob and slams it so hard that the shock ripples through my bones. How to attract Cooper’s attention from these dungeons?

"But what the hell are you doing?" the girls ask me.

"I don’t know, but I have to try. Do you trust me?"

OK. It’s a bit bloated to ask this question after all I’ve done, but I need their consent in this last-ditch attempt to get us out of this mess.

On these words, the door opens on the fly, and Jake appears again in the frame.

"Come here. The Alpha is waiting for you."

I didn’t expect him to come back so quickly! I give the girls a confident look and follow in his wake as he opens the gate. Jaxson sits up suddenly and looks at me, worried. I can’t explain to him what I have in mind, it’s too late. Without stopping, I slide my fingers over his, careful not to touch the bars. I feel them shudder and walk away, determined to carry out my plan.

We cross the deserted and silent corridors as if after the terrible tumult that has affected us all, everyone had returned to their apartments to collect their thoughts and think about what’s next. Jake’s bracelet jingles on his wrist. The same combination of stones as installed in the dungeon. They have thought of everything...

"He’s there."

With these few words, Jake throws me into a surprisingly bright room. It has a huge bay window, dug into the cliff and offers a grandiose panorama of the forest bathed in sumptuous colours, from the lightest yellow to the darkest red through all the shades of orange. The majesty of a sunset without even having to go outside. It’s a strange change from our underground cellar.

Behind a desk crumbling under piles of files stands Cooper, from behind.

"What do you want from me?" he says in a weary tone by way of greeting.

"I want to make you an offer which I am sure you will understand the benefits."

He growls halfheartedly, his face still turned the other way. It must mean that he authorizes me to continue my demonstration.

"I’ve heard of your pack’s difficulties with vampires…"

"Jaxson," he cuts me off before sinking back into silence.

"Never mind. In exchange for our freedom and Jaxson’s grace, I pledge to help the wolves in their fight against the vampires.

He remains silent. Is something escaping him or is he having fun watching me struggle?

"The powers of three witches in the service of the pack of Bretton, recognize that this is a great opportunity," I tried to convince him.

He then turns to me. His features are drawn, his skin pale, his gaze absent.

"Is that your offer?"

"That’s it. Believe me, you would have to be crazy to refuse."

"I must be then …" he sighs. "No, I can’t accept this kind of deal, especially from a creature that has already tried to fool me!"

"It’s just a matter of ego, then?"

"Wisdom. Jake!" he finally said. "We’re done."

I was no more convincing than Eli on this one. Yet I was convinced that it would interest him. I hoped so, at least. I have no more cards to show. What am I going to tell the girls? What about Jaxson? Once again, I fail miserably, and terrible consequences lie ahead. Will Jaxson still be there, for that matter?

Jake’s hostile grip tightens around my arm. He pulls me unceremoniously towards the door.

As he is about to close it, Cooper’s voice rings out like a clap of thunder:

"Hold on."

Surprised, Jake lets go of my arm.

After an interminable silence, he starts.

"It’s my turn to reveal my counter-proposal."

Does he think he’s negotiating a contract? What could he require of us that we’re not already offering him?"

"I accept your proposal if Elinor stays with me and agrees to become my companion."

What?

I stare at him, in disbelief. He’s testing me, that’s all I see. Jake’s attitude shows that I’m right, he too is amazed.

I don’t want to submit the idea to my friends. But do I have any choice if I want to save Jaxson?

My heart is racing, I don’t see how we’re going to be able to get out of this. I glance at Sixine, just to my left. Her haggard look and the multiple cuts and bruises that cover her naked body make me doubt her ability to take them on.

I watch Neeve, too. I don’t know what to think anymore. We didn’t have time to explain ourselves. I hope that, whatever the words we exchanged, she knows that she can always count on me. But her eyes filled with tears, fixed on the Falck cousins… Damn, if she really fell in love with them, I can’t even imagine how devastated she must be.

Suddenly, a wolf appears out of nowhere, bumps into me and rolls me to the ground. Tiny pebbles cut my flesh, and my head bounces off a bare root. My skull is throbbing excruciatingly, and waves of pain are spreading through my head. Reflexively, I wipe away the hot, metallic-smelling blood running down my cheek. Cries of rage and pain ring out all around me. Fear twists my insides, mixed with a feeling that I can hardly define. Regret? I don’t know, I barely understand how and why things got to this point.

When I finally manage to look at something tangible, it’s to see the chaos that reigns around me. A chaos dominated by the tall and massive silhouette of Cooper. He remained in his wolf form. He doesn’t move, and his immobility freezes me. Why doesn’t he intervene? He can’t let us be slaughtered like this! Slowly, he turns his muzzle towards me, his pupils shine with a golden lustre that overwhelms me.

But the looming carnage reminds me of my priorities. Sixine howls, and I see Jaxson, once again transformed into a wolf, interposing between them and his pack. The fight is bloody. Our unexpected ally doesn’t hesitate to use his fangs and claws to protect my friend. His body, covered with a thick brown coat, moves with agility, strength and precision, jostles its adversaries, lacerates them with a blow of its paw, and tears off ears and tails, in a brutal outburst.

But how long will he last like that, facing a whole pack? We cannot remain inactive if we want to save our skins.

Still tottering, I stand up, ready to divert the attention of the wolves on me, in order to relieve the pressure on Jaxson and Sixine. I scream to tear my vocal cords. And that damn Alpha still isn’t moving...

A first wolf rushes at me, I dodge it, ready to use my powers. After all, it’s no longer a secret. Sorcerers found us, and wolves saw us through. Might as well defend our lives with everything we have.

I reach out, and throw a luminous ball, blindingly white, at my opponent. He wobbles for a tiny second, his form quivers, hesitating between human and wolf, like a kaleidoscope gone mad. Eventually, it stabilizes, and the naked body of a broad-shouldered man collapses at my feet. I only have time to see his eyes wide with terror, another wolf attacking me from behind.

I turn around, and launch a new ball of magic, with the same success. These small victories intoxicate me. What if we could get away with it without killing anyone, anyway? And without dying, maybe...

A cry of despair rang out not far from me. Who? It’s Neeve! She is cornered by the two cousins. It is a completely different dance that is announced for her now. Before my amazed eyes, while I send opalescent balls on everything that moves, she turns into a wolf. Her eyes are blazing and her fangs are dripping with thick drool.

"Neeve!"

With an angry growl, she turns her prick-eared head toward me, giving me a warning look. Don’t get involved… OK, she doesn’t want my help. It’s between her and them. But there is still something I can do for her. I concentrate as hard as I can, drawing all the necessary energy deep inside me. I know very well that I am mortgaging my chances of survival because this spell will drain my last strength.

I concentrate all my magic in my hands, its light blinds me, and for a moment, silence falls on me. Then I spread my arms as far as possible, screaming. A large dome unfolds around Neeve and the cousins. I give her the time she needs to kick the ass of those wild beast.

But I am paying a high price for this initiative. An unknown wolf hits me head-on, and I fall forward. I get up in a jump, ready to sell my skin dearly. I push down on my knees, lower my head, and hit the beast right in the abdomen. But he’s too strong, he scratches me, I scream, and then he gets up too, and goes on the attack. In his pupils, I see a promise of death.

I won’t admit defeat, even if I am out of breath, that my muscles burn and paralyze me. I want to fight again. Expel this rage in me. I can’t die now, not after recovering my lucidity, my strength, my powers. I want to live. And I want my friends to live too.

I don’t know how I dodge my enemy’s new charge. At least, I believe it, because a sharp pain suddenly grips me. He got me. I raise a trembling hand to my side, and bring it back smeared with blood before my eyes. Everything is confused.

Slowly, like a dream – a nightmare – I fall to my knees. My hair slides over my moist neck, offered to the bite. I already feel the warm breath of this wolf on my skin. I can already feel his sharp teeth, my vertebrae cracking, my skin tearing… I couldn’t even be sure that Neeve and Sixine were okay. A bitter bile floods my mouth, and peaks at the corner of my tight lips on a cry of despair.

As I await sentencing for breaking our most sacred laws, a beastly roar rings out, tearing the bubble of my misfortune. I open my eyes, finally. The pain pulses in my stomach. I’m badly hurt.

To whom do I owe this respite, which can only be short-lived? Because I don’t even hope to make it out alive. We have lost.

Cooper stands wild and furious over whoever was about to slit my throat. Spasmodic tremors shook his thick red fur, darker than Neeve’s, and he groaned steadily as if the rage inside him could never end. His sparkling gaze, of pure gold, is trained on me.

It is this vision that I carry into the darkness that overwhelms me.

When I emerge from my unconsciousness, I am back in my room. My chest is bandaged, but already the fine gauze is stained with fresh red blood. Damn, I hurt...

But I am alive.

With a sudden start, I sit up, wince under the onslaught of pain. Where are Neeve and Sixine? It’s not going to start again! Never again will I accept that we are separated against our will!

But I realize that my fears are unfounded. Two other beds have been brought into the huge room, transformed into an infirmary for the occasion, and my friends are lying there.

I observe Sixine. Her grey complexion and her heavily darkened eyes make me guess her exhaustion. Neeve… Difficult to determine her state, so much of her body is covered with large scratches. The Falck cousins did not spare her. My fists clench at the thought of what they did to her.

I don’t have time to think about our situation any further, because there’s a knock on the door. I raise a surprised eyebrow. I didn’t think we could be entitled to so much respect in this damn den...

"Come in."

My voice is hoarse, and my vocal cords hurt. My whole body hurts me. My heart too.

Cooper enters. His expression is indecipherable. I would like to tell him that I am grateful to him for saving me. For saving us. But the words get stuck in my throat, choking me and suffocating me. I feel heavy, burning tears rolling down my cheeks, and their salt awakens the pain of my facial wounds.

"What do you want?" I say.

In silence, he comes to sit beside me.

"You hurt us," he says. "You can’t imagine how much."

I note the "us" in his sentence. Yet, to see him, it looks like he’s angry with me for hurting him.

"You too," I replied, suppressing the emotion that gripped my throat.

"Why did you come here?"

His tone is cold, almost detached, but I can feel the distress inside him. How? Suddenly, it’s like I share his feelings. Anger, frustration, worry… despair.

"We had no choice. It was that or…"

"The sorcerers who attacked Sixine and Jaxson?"

I nod my head. There is no longer any point in lying, in concealing. I am responsible for all this carnage. Might as well take it.

"Why would sorcerers attack their own?"

"We don’t know yet. An investigation is underway. We have witnessed… a tragic event, and they want to silence us."

"So you figured the Bretton pack was the best place to weather the storm."

It’s not a question, so I don’t answer anything. My hand rests on the white sheet, just inches from Cooper’s large, strong hand. I can’t explain it to myself, but I want him to take me in his arms. I want to tell him that I feel his grief, that I’m there for him, as he was there for me during the battle. Damn, what’s happening to me?

"Cooper, I…"

"I sentenced Jaxson to death."

"What?"

"I have no choice, Elinor. Because of you…because of who he is. He knew about Sixine. He chose to protect her, he broke our laws. It’s not the first time, and I can’t let this pass any longer at the risk of… Even I shouldn’t have protected you. If this is known…"

I remain silent. In me, pain and anger mingle in a maelstrom of emotions. Guilt, too, tears my chest from the inside. But are these really my own feelings? I feel Cooper’s grief emanating from him in tumultuous waves. I could get lost in it, drown in it. Then, moved by an uncontrollable impulse, I brush against her thigh, while silent sobs agitate me.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry…"

The look he gives me tears me apart. I throw myself against him, into his arms, which tighten around me as if never to let go again.

But there is still a question that must be answered.

"What are you going to do with us? Cooper…"