Lost Wolf Page 22

  My mother’s mouth dropped and she begged Elsie with her eyes.

  “Death would be better than living here,” Elsie muttered and rose from her chair.

  “What did you say?” demanded Father.

  “I said, yes sir.” She pushed in her chair and stormed into the hall. Her bedroom door slammed shut.

  “You people had better talk some sense into that girl,” Father said. “She’s close to finding herself as an example for the entire pack. I will not allow the world’s ways to pollute the pack. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” we all muttered and went back to eating.

  My heart thundered, not only for how close Elsie was walking the line but also for myself. Toby and I had fallen in love, hard. He was all I could think about, and we wanted to get married, even if it meant running away to do it. I would so much rather live as his wife than under my father’s thumb for the rest of my life.

  Not only was he always a tyrant, but the jerk he’d picked for me to marry was no better. I shuddered just thinking about Franklin. Though not even engaged, he acted like I was his property.

  I avoided him like the plague, using studies as my excuse. But soon, I would graduate and the engagement would begin. There was no getting around it. The alpha picked marriage partners for everyone at birth, and no one dared dispute Father’s decision.

  I was determined to be far, far away from the pack before Franklin had an opportunity to propose. As it was, every time he saw me, he spoke of nothing other than the large home we would own and how well I would keep it, all while giving him a new pup each year for the duration of my fertile years.

  He made me sick. Toby was his polar opposite, kind to a fault and never using his strength to intimidate anyone.

  We needed to make our move soon, which meant I would have to talk with Toby. School was easier, but still tricky.

  The day went by in a blur, and I wasn’t able to get anywhere near him because he was always with someone from his pack or someone from my pack was near me.

  That night, I was woken to a loud clatter, followed by shouting. My father was yelling—that was no surprise—but I couldn’t tell who the other person was. It sounded like either my mother or sister. Worried that he might hit one of them, I climbed out of bed and crept out to the living room.

  A glass vase lay shattered on the floor between my father and Elsie. He was in his pajamas, but she wore her nicest dress and hair ribbon. Maybe even a little of Mother’s makeup that we weren’t allowed to wear. Father said not until our wedding day.

  “Back to bed,” Father commanded, not even turning to me.

  “What happened?”

  “You needn’t worry yourself over it. Back to bed!”

  “C-can I help?” I asked and gave Elsie a look to let her know I wouldn’t leave her alone.

  “Did you not hear me?” he bellowed, finally glancing my way.

  “I—”

  “Fine. Your sister snuck out to the dance. You stay here and watch. It’ll teach you both a lesson.”

  My stomach twisted so tight I was sure I’d throw up.

  Elsie shot me a pleading expression.

  I swallowed. “Maybe we can talk about this in the morning after everyone has had a chance to calm down.”

  “Calm down? I need to take care of this while my anger is still fresh. Why do you think an alpha is given so much power and fury?”

  “To fight off enemies.”

  Father snorted. “It’s sure a good thing women aren’t alphas. Nature got that right.” He turned back to Elsie. “You are going to regret disobeying my orders. Everyone else will learn never to cross me.”

  She turned to me, tears in her eyes.

  He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “You have humiliated me on top of insubordination. What do you think will happen now? The pack will think I’m weak. That I can be walked over and ignored. And why? All because my daughter showed everyone it’s all right.”

  “Father, I’m sorry.”

  He sneered at her. “I’m sure you are, but sorry doesn’t change anything.”

  “I’ll do anything.”

  Father pulled out a long, thick knife from his pocket and aimed it at Elsie.

  “No!” I ran to him and pulled on his arm, keeping the blade from touching her.

  She ran for the door.

  He shook me off and bound toward her. He slid the knife right into her abdomen. The blade stuck out through her back. He pulled it back and replaced it in his pocket.

  Elsie’s eyes widened and her hands reached for the wound. Red oozed over her hands.

  I cried out and lunged for her.

  Father blocked me and held me back, digging his fingers into my arms.

  “Elsie!”

  She opened her mouth, but no words came.

  I turned to Father. “How could you?”

  “Let it be known that this is the fate of anyone who dares to defy me.”

  My sister crumpled to the ground.

  I turned and struggled to free myself from Father’s grasp. He only clung to me tighter.

  “Elsie,” I cried.

  Her face had paled and she stared at me with eyes nearly vacant. The pool of red around her grew bigger.

  Then her eyes shut.

  I screamed.

  Chapter 32

  Victoria

  My father stared at me, his eyes wild and crazy. “Go to your room and pack your things. Tomorrow morning, you’re marrying Franklin. No more school—it clearly corrupts young minds. I won’t have that for my pack any longer. We’re forming our own school.”

  “Father…”

  He let go of my arm and shoved me toward Elsie. “I won’t make another mistake again. I’ve given you children too much freedom, and that is over. Right now. Prepare for your wedding.”

  I flinched, ran to my room, and got dressed. I packed quicker than I’d have thought possible, but it wasn’t to be with Franklin. No, I was nothing more than a means to an end to him. A maid and pup-producing factory.

  Toby cared about me. He wanted what was best for me, even though it meant he would lose his position as future alpha of his pack.

  I packed one bag and sneaked out my window. In the background, Father screamed at my brothers about the upcoming changes. No more wrestling and acting like brats.

  As quietly as I could, I slid out of the window and landed on the ground. I closed the window and crept toward the woods. If anyone saw me sneaking away, they would report it to Father right away. I took the longest way possible to Toby’s village, again being as careful as possible not to be seen. Everyone knew I was the rival pack’s highest daughter.

  One wrong move and… I winced just thinking about the decapitation.

  I found the alpha house and crept around trees and bushes until I got to Toby’s window. I threw a pine cone against the window, hoping he was in his room, and alone.

  His curtain moved. An eye peeked out from a small opening.

  I waved. He held up one finger and then the curtains closed.

  My pulse was on fire. So many things could go wrong, yet I was left with no other options. Not when I would be forced to marry Franklin in a matter of hours.

  Toby came around the house. “What’s going on?” he whispered. “Not that I don’t want to see you, but my father’s preparing—”

  “We have to go now.” I couldn’t bring myself to think about Elsie, much less talk about what had happened. Not even with Toby—not then.

  “Right now? We were going to plan—”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to explain anything. It’s now or never.” I glanced around to make sure no one was watching us.

  Toby took a deep breath. “Are you in danger?”

  I nodded. “I have to leave with or without you. I’d prefer with you.”

  “You think I’d let you go alone?” He shook his head. “Let me grab some things.”

  “Okay.” I leaned against a tree while he ran back
inside. It took him a while to come back out. I started to fear something was wrong, but finally, he ran out with a pack slung over his shoulder.

  “Sorry about that. My father started questioning me, but I convinced him I just needed to get outside on my own.” He took my hand in his and we ran deeper into the woods.

  “Where are we going to go?” I asked.

  “There’s an abandoned home a few towns over. I thought we’d start out there. I’d hoped to set it up first, but I’m sure we can make do.”

  “As long as we’re together, I don’t care if we live in a swamp.”

  He squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  We ran through the woods for several miles before I heard something. It sounded like half a dozen sets of feet running in our direction. “What was that?”

  “Hopefully just some wild animals.”

  “You don’t think one of our families are after us?”

  “I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but can you go faster?”

  My father’s angry face popped into mind. “Yes.”

  We picked up our speed, but the running only grew closer.

  Horse hooves.

  I turned to Toby, panic-stricken.

  “Could be wild horses.” He sounded less sure than I felt.

  The clomping footsteps grew closer, closing in. Then the horses and their riders surrounded us.

  I clung to Toby. His father and several key leaders glared down, aiming rifles at us.

  “You, son, have made a grave mistake.”

  “No,” I pleaded. “It was me.”

  He bared his teeth. “Clearly. Shall I behead you rather than him?”

  A cry escaped my mouth.

  Toby scooped me up and ran, darting between two of the horses.

  “Put me down,” I insisted. “I’ll only slow you down.”

  “I’m not letting them kill you.”

  “And I don’t want you to die, either. Let me run.”

  He refused, and continued running.

  “Toby.”

  “Let me do this.”

  “I’m only slowing you down.” I glanced behind to see the horses chasing us.

  Toby darted between trees and around other plant life.

  “Please,” I begged.

  “I know a shortcut up ahead. They’ll never see it coming, and we’ll—”

  A shot rang through the air.

  “Let me go.” I squirmed, but he held tighter. “I don’t want to get us killed.”

  “You won’t.”

  Another shot. The bullet flew right past us, only inches from Toby’s head.

  “Come on,” I pleaded.

  “Okay.” He slowed and let go.

  I jumped down and ran. We went much faster without him carrying my weight.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Toby grabbed my arm and pulled me into a thick bush. Thorns scratched me as we fell into the shrubbery. My arm hit a thick branch, bruising it.

  I gasped for air. “What now? They’re going to find us easily enough.”

  He put a finger to his mouth and then pointed toward the other end of the bush. We crawled through, with thorns scratching my arms the entire way. My bag also kept getting caught on the branches. I was determined to keep up with Toby, though.

  More shots rang through the air. They sounded close.

  I shuddered.

  Toby led me through a maze of bushes until we came to an empty den, barely large enough for the two of us. He pulled me inside and wrapped his arms around me.

  “What lives here?” I sniffed, smelling a mixture of smaller animals.

  “Nothing. Sometimes in my wolf form, I sneak away here to get away from my father.”

  I leaned my head against him. “How long before they give up, do you think?”

  He groaned. “I’d give it a while. He’s stubborn as a mule.”

  At least we were snuggled together and had a chance to rest. I couldn’t have asked for anything more—aside from his pack not chasing us with rifles.

  We sat quietly for what felt like hours. It was hard to tell for sure, though. We laced our fingers through each other’s and gazed into each other’s eyes a lot, neither daring to speak. Not with the excellent hearing wolves had.

  I had so many questions about our future, it was torture to keep them inside.

  Everything grew silent in the woods.

  Unnaturally so.

  Toby’s back straightened. My ears perked up.

  Something was wrong, but it was impossible to tell what, exactly.

  An explosion sounded to our right. A branch flew off the bush in front of us.

  Bang! Bang!

  My heart sank. They’d found us.

  Toby jumped in front of me to protect me from the shots. “If I’m injured, run!”

  “No. I won’t leave you.” Tears stung my eyes at the thought of leaving without him. I’d already lost my sister. I couldn’t lose him, too. I just couldn’t.

  He turned to me. “I want you safe. Promise me.”

  The bushes moved in front of us, and Toby’s father appeared. “You think I didn’t know about your little hiding spot, son?”

  “Let us go.”

  He sneered. “Never. An act such as this requires death.”

  I shook, unable to handle any more dying.

  “Father, it doesn’t have to.”

  “You know the laws of our pack.”

  His father and a couple other men grabbed Toby’s arms and pulled him away from me.

  “Run!”

  I froze. I couldn’t leave him. If he was going to die, so was I. There was nothing left for me to live for without him, anyway. I crawled out from the den, watching from the bushes.

  Toby knelt, execution style on the dirt with his hands on his head.

  Terror shot through me. I couldn’t let this happen.

  His father aimed a rifle at Toby’s heart.

  I ran out from my hiding place and jumped in front of Toby, knocking him back.

  A shot rang through the air.

  Pain exploded in my chest. I hit the ground with a sickening thud.

  Arms wrapped around me. Toby pulled me into his lap. “How could you?” Tears dropped onto my face.

  I glanced up at his father. “Don’t… hurt… him.”

  “I won’t need to. Your death will destroy him.” He laughed and motioned for his pack mates to follow him toward the horses.

  Toby turned me so I was looking at him. His eyes were red and his face tear-stained. “Why did you jump in front of me?”

  “You… can’t… die.”

  “But now you’re going to.” Tears spilled onto his cheeks. He ran his hands along my face.

  I took a deep breath, struggling to speak. “But my last moments are with you.” Not my father and not Franklin. I reached up and ran my hands along his scruff. “I love you.”

  “Don’t…”

  White crept into the outer edges of my vision. “Live your life well.”

  “Without you?” His voice cracked.

  He leaned down and pressed his lips on mine. “I swear I’ll make my father pay.”

  The white took most of my vision. I could only see him—barely. My arms went limp and my eyelids started to close.

  “Victoria!”

  My eyes closed all the way.

  “I love you, too. I’ll never stop.”

  Chapter 33

  Toby

  I sat at the edge of the bed. Though sleeping, Victoria clung to my hand, and I dabbed her forehead with a damp cloth. She continued flailing around, muttering.

  “Is this supposed to happen?”

  Gessilyn frowned. “Everyone reacts differently. Her memories are flooding back through dreams.”

  “How much longer is she going to have to endure this?” I dabbed her forehead some more.

  “As long as it takes.”

  Killian, Gessilyn’s husband, came in with a tray of food in each hand. He
handed one to her and one to me. “Eat up.”

  “Thanks, but I have no appetite.”

  “All the more reason to eat.” He sat next to Gessilyn and pulled some of his dark hair behind his ears.

  I glanced back over at Victoria. It seemed cruel to eat while she was obviously suffering in her sleep. I took a bite, anyway. Killian was right. I needed my strength in case—no, when—Victoria woke. Who knew what the flood of memories would do to her?

  She would remember dying in my arms at the hand of my father. Then she would remember returning to life, and whatever had happened in death and also her time with the jaguars before starting school.

  “Did anyone ever figure out what’s going on with the wolf outside?” Killian asked.

  “Poor thing probably needs a pack,” Gessilyn said.

  I swallowed a bite of chicken. “He probably sensed us while we were in our wolf form. I’m not worried about him.”

  Victoria sat up, eyes wide, gasping for air.

  I nearly dropped my tray of food, but managed to set it on the end of the bed. Gessilyn moved it to the table near her.

  “Victoria,” I whispered, taking her hand.

  She turned to me, her face pale. The way she stared at me, it was like she didn’t recognize me.

  “It’s me. Toby.” I squeezed her hand gently.

  Victoria continued studying me.

  “You’re safe, sweetness. We’re here in my home and I’m going to take care of you.”

  She looked around the room, her eyes darting about erratically.

  “Did you remember the past?” I pulled some hair from her eyes.

  “Her memories might not have caught up with the present,” Gessilyn said.

  I kissed Victoria’s palm. “Do you need anything? We’ve got some food.”

  She turned back to me. “Your father…”

  My stomach sank. I knew where this was going. “Yes?”

  “He, he killed me.” She threw herself into my arms, burying her face into my chest.

  I rubbed her back, a lump growing in my throat. “I know. I alone buried you.”

  She sobbed, soaking my shirt with her sweet tears.

  “I wish I could take it all back.”

  Victoria shook her head. “Don’t wish it away.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I had no other choice but to run from my father. He flew off the handle, insisting I marry Franklin early. It was either stay and endure them my entire life or risk leaving to spend my life with you. The short time we had was worth it.”