“Liar.”
“Liar!”
Aric’s words reverberated in my mind as I raced farther up the mountain.
“LIAR!”
My thighs burned, but I pushed on, forcing my legs to move faster. The forest became a blur as some of his last words rang through my head.
Hours passed before my legs finally gave out. I collapsed on a bed of thick ferns, screaming until my voice turned to roars, roaring until my throat burned with the acid from my shriveled stomach. My body was done, beaten physically and emotionally into submission.
And yet it was all my fault.
I’d never mourned my parents’ deaths, though my tiny heart had beat because they’d given me life and a love without prejudice. My sisters were young, Emme barely five. They sought me out to help them through their grief. How could I be selfish, when they needed my courage so desperately? When our foster mother died, again there was no time to wallow in my emotions. I had family to take care of and support. So instead of tears, cement and steel took over my soul, building up the walls I needed to survive.
Then Aric came into my world. He demolished my barriers with his kind words, his protection, and his touch. Like a fool, I allowed him into my heart and into my bed, permitting the happiness he bestowed on me and begging for his pleasure. I should have known better. Freaks like me didn’t get a happily ever after.
I swayed to my feet, covered in dirt—empty, numb, and once again alone.
The return trip took hours, although I scarcely noticed. I stumbled up my front steps on wobbly legs, barely managing to stay upright. When I pushed open the door, all eyes locked on me.
Emme appeared out of her mind with worry. She tripped over her feet as she hurried toward me from the kitchen. “
Taran met me with a glare, and her phone glued to the ear. “It’s okay, baby,” she muttered into the phone. “She’s back now . . . No.
I expected my sisters’ stress to morph into anger. Instead they regarded me with pity. I scoffed. Their fury would have been more welcoming.
Shayna approached me slowly. “How are you, Ceel?”
My expression didn’t waver. “Hungry.”
Danny rose from the kitchen stool and walked over to me. He sighed before taking my hand and leading me to the table. I followed him almost blindly, looking at everything without really seeing.
My sisters dispersed one by one, busying themselves in the kitchen and piling a week’s worth of food in front of me. I ate until I thought I’d burst, but somehow I still felt barren on the inside. Without a word, I headed upstairs to finally shower.
I returned to work the next day, embracing the distraction the stress of my job provided. Shayna had been calling me out sick, claiming I had the stomach flu. By the way the other nurses reacted when they saw me, it seemed no one doubted my fake illness. “Oh my,” I overheard one of my coworkers whisper. “Celia looks like hell.” She was right. But slowly my appetite bounced back, helping my physical self to rejuvenate and to camouflage my vacant spirit.
I remained unusually quiet, not wanting to talk to anyone, including my sisters. And while I had started to run again, it was more from a desire to be alone than to return to something I’d once enjoyed. I ran midday in the busy streets of Incline Village, instead of early morning along the desolate Tahoe beaches, deliberate attempts to thwart a potential attack, and to avoid seeing Aric. The Alliance believed the Tribe had abandoned the area. The absence of local activity suggested as much. But after I’d been jumped by evildoers galore, no way was I taking any chances.
Aric had returned for his belongings one day while I was at work. I’d come home to a half-empty bedroom, his key on my dresser, and his aroma lingering. Instinctively I took a deep breath, only to be sideswiped with memories induced by his scent. My head spun with images of our time together. I toppled back, clinging to the dresser for balance until my eyes finally focused upon the key.
I stared at it for a long while, wondering if Aric had hesitated, felt regret—felt
The
“It’s probably some kind of internal spell, or curse, to ensure Tribe secrets and loyalty,” Danny rationalized. “I think the wereraccoon knew what was happening. From what Koda has said, the Tribe’s recruiting methods are very cultlike. They target
“You think he was trying to warn me?”
Danny nodded. “You or Aric. Based on the picture Liam found, the raccoon realized you knew him. Why else would he have run to your house?”
It made sense. I’d scared the raccoon off a few times, but I’d never given him a reason to want me dead. In looking back, he’d seemed so feeble and frightened. It would have been easy for someone like him to get in over his head. “He didn’t reveal anything, though. Not one word. Why would he just explode like that?”
Danny removed his glasses and cleaned them against his shirt. “Look at this way. If you planned to take over the earth, would you risk leaving any trace of evidence that could possibly implicate you? Or warn the good guys?”
I honestly never thought to make the world my playground. Yet I knew what Danny meant. “No. I guess not.”
I shuddered. It was a frightening time. The world as I’d known it had become a hellish nightmare almost overnight. Not only did humans continue to disappear, but many powerful witches had gone missing, and
The wolves never discussed the details of Alliance missions, but my sisters and I knew their assignments were explicitly dangerous. After all,
“Get the hell out of my house!” Taran screamed.
Gemini’s tone carried the hurt Taran’s words had caused him. “Taran, tell me what’s wrong.”
“Just leave. You’re going to do it anyway. You might as well do it now!”
I hurried down from my bedroom, confused and worried about what could have caused her to react so
