“Don’t go too near, Bree, it’s not dead yet.” She raised her bow, nocked another arrow. “Let me take care of it.”
A muffled groan crushed her heart, smashing it to bits. Jaylon. She ran to him, her back to her sister’s arrow, not caring if she got hit. She needed to get to him.
She could smell the blood as she skidded on the grass, shifting around his body to face her sister before dropping to her knees. She didn’t know what to do. He was dying. The beast. No, Jaylon was dying. Poisoned by the first arrow. Shot by a Huntress.
She lifted Jaylon’s massive head, marveled at how soft his fur was, placed him on her lap then stroked his snout. Jaylon. Her heart bled along with him. The beast opened its eyes, glanced up at her. Golden. Beautiful. Now it made sense. Why his eyes always changed color when he was emotional. Why her instincts always buzzed that something was wrong. She wondered if she’d been drugged or spelled to keep her from figuring it out sooner. There had to be a reason she didn’t know until it was right in her face. She’d been a Huntress all along, the invisible mark within, no way of her knowing until exactly the right moment—when a Hunter claimed her or when a wolf bit her.
The beast sighed, long and deep. He was dying in her arms. She couldn’t help the sob that broke from her. Couldn’t contain the tears that flowed.
Oh, Jaylon, what have I done?
The howls came moments later, the pack descending. The bellow of men responding. “The Hunters are engaging the pack, Bree. We need to go.”
Aubrey shook her head. “I won’t leave him.”
“Bree.” Corra lowered her weapon with a deep sigh.
The fighting exploded in the distance. Bellow after bellow, howl after howl. There would be much blood tonight. The sound of it drowned Aubrey in sorrow. “I can’t explain it, Corra. It doesn’t feel wrong though. Being on their side. It’s not wrong.”
“Don’t be stupid. You’re not on their side.”
“I’m a Huntress. That means that Jaylon is my mate. One from each side right? A Hunter or a beast. I have to choose.”
“This is not the way it’s going to be. We’re supposed fight alongside each other. Your Hunter…”
“I don’t want a Hunter.” Tears slid down her cheeks, her heart so heavy, thudding so painfully she was sure it was coming to a stop. “I want Jaylon.” Her choice had been made days ago…from the moment she’d felt the link form as she stared into his eyes.
“You want a beast.” Corra spat the words, her hand hovering over the dagger sheathed at her side. “I don’t understand this, Aubrey. It’s blasphemy. It’s disgusting.”
“If you kill him, then you need to kill me too. I can’t live without him.”
“Bree!” Corra took at step toward her, one hand raised as if to calm Aubrey down. “You don’t know what you’re saying.” She took another step.
With a shuddering sob, Aubrey quickly slipped her arms from Jaylon, retrieved her bow and readied an arrow…then leveled it at her sister. “Stop, Corra.”
Corra gasped, clearly horrified and yet a Huntress through and through. She drew her blade and gripped it, ready to throw. “That beast has bewitched you.”
As if her words triggered the magic, Jaylon’s wolf contorted, a low growl slipping on a long breath as the magic that made him beast reversed the transformation, and in her lap was the human, his head resting against her thighs. With his eyes closed, he looked so at peace she had to release her arrow so she could lay her hand on his chest to feel the slow rise and fall of his breath, the almost imperceptible beat of his heart.
“I am not bewitched.” She nocked the arrow again, met her sister’s eyes boldly.
“The prophecy…I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. You haven’t been listening to the messages I left have you. Your Hunter is here. The prophecy read that he would come for you and he did.”
“What took him so long?” Aubrey whispered, confusion rolling through her. “Why didn’t he come sooner?”
“He was overseas, didn’t know how to reach the Order by phone. It doesn’t matter, he’s here now. Come to claim you. His name is Derrick.” Corra smiled. “Help me fight the wolves that keep him from you now. We’ll be together, Bree, with the Order, fighting side by side. What we always dreamed of…Huntresses together. Isn’t that what you want most?”
Aubrey shook her head but her hand wavered, unsteady, the bow suddenly a heavy burden, the tension on the string loosening. “Jaylon…”
“Is the enemy. You’ve been bewitched, Bree. This is not you talking. Your free will has been compromised. Come with me.” She lowered her blade, sheathed it and extended both hands to her, inviting her to come. “Claim your destiny, sister.”
Aubrey shifted the bow down, releasing the arrow and dropping both to the grass at her side. She stared at Jaylon, so beautiful and at peace. Dying.
“I love him, Corra,” she whispered.