32
Pruitt
I don’t have time to fall into a sobbing mess on the driveway like I want to. Instead, I watch the taillights disappear down the road and then jump into action. This is all very time-sensitive. I have to make it to the meeting spot before Nicolai and Ryker start the duel.
I march into the house and find Sawyer standing in the entryway waiting for me.
“Are you okay?” he asks. I want to laugh at his question because what part of this situation would make me okay?
“No, but it doesn’t matter,” I respond as I walk past him. “Is she here yet?”
“I had to sneak her in through the backdoor so no one would see her and ask questions.” He follows me as I step back inside. “She’s in the kitchen now. Kody and Gage are on patrol around the house. I’ll go keep them occupied so you two can have time to talk.”
I pause and turn around to look at Ryker’s best friend. “Thank you for helping me even when you didn’t want to.”
Sawyer’s face softens. “You’re welcome. Ryker is going to kill me.”
“He’ll probably think about it.” I smile at him, “But he won’t actually do it.”
“You’ve never seen him truly angry, and when he learns I helped you, he’s going to be beyond mad.”
“And you’re going to let him be mad, and when he finally stops being mad and needs his friend, you’ll be there for him. Just like you’ve always been.” I place my hand on his upper arm and nod at him. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Sawyer leaves to find the other enforcers, and I go to the kitchen to meet with my guest.
Her pitch-black eyes stare at me when I enter the room, her curly hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun today, instead of flowing down her back like I’ve seen it in the past.
“Esme,” I address the witch who sits at the kitchen table. “Thank you for this.”
“It wasn’t a problem, my dear.” She reaches for my hands and gathers them between her own. “I’m sorry this is what it’s come to.”
“When Remington and I visited your shop last month, you told me I was going to have to make a painful decision, but I would know it’s the right choice to make.” I narrow my eyes at her. “You also told me two people were coming for me, one light and one dark, one good, one evil. That was obviously Ryker and Nicolai. Did you know this was going to happen? Did you know I was going to have to leave Ryker?”
Esme sighs, and her dark eyes look down. “I have the gift of sight and sometimes, the things I see are painful and heartbreaking. But I can’t interfere with fate.”
“You knew this was going to happen the whole time?” I pull my hands out of her grasp. “You could have done something to stop it!”
“No, I couldn’t have. I’ve seen many different versions of your life, Grey Thorne, and every time you end up right here—sacrificing yourself for the people you love. For the man you love.” She shakes her head. “I saw this very scene the first time your parents introduced me to you. You were only three, and even as an innocent toddler, I saw the darkness that would intertwine itself into your life.”
“What about after? What do you see after today?” I want to know what else my future holds, what kind of pain and sorrow I’m going to experience from Nicolai’s hands.
“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I’ve never been able to see past today. I’ve tried on many occasions, but every time the only thing I see is you leaving today. After that, it is just white—pure white.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I need to calm down—I need to be strong. “Did you bring what I asked you to bring?”
“Yes, I’ve got it right here.” She pulls a syringe out of her brightly patterned bag and hands it to me. “This has the same effects silver has on wolf shifters, but it will be much more powerful. It will make him unable to shift, and the paralytic I added will make it impossible to move.”
“Will he still be able to breathe?” I don’t want to cut his oxygen off, I just want to make it impossible for him to attack Nicolai or chase after us. The whole reason I’m doing this is to make sure Ryker stays alive. Nicolai warned me if Ryker still ends up attacking him, he’d have his enforcers dismember him and make me watch.
“It won’t affect his cardiovascular or respiratory systems,” she assures me.
“Okay.” I stare down at the syringe in my hand and feel tears build up in my eyes. I clear my throat and wipe them from my face. “This is really happening.”
“I’m afraid so.” Esme stands and gathers me in her arms. “I don’t need my gift of sight to know this isn’t the last time we’ll see each other.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I always am.”
33
Ryker
We arrive at the clearing before Nicolai and his men. I’m actually a little shocked by this. I figured they would have been here waiting for us. A couple other pack members met us here, adding to our numbers. The rules of a pack challenge are that only the two wolves fight, their pack members or allies are not allowed to fight each other before, during, or after the challenge. Once one of the challengers dies, the other wolves are to kneel to the victor. It’s to show acceptance of the fight, a promise of sorts that they won’t debate the results. And even though they shouldn’t end up fighting, it’s safer that more pack members are here.
We stand together on one side of the clearing watching the stars and moon disappear.
“Shouldn’t they be here by now?” Ransom asks as he bounces on his toes.
