Chapter 21

Archer’s POV

“Find the wolf, gotta find the wolf,” I repeat over and over as I search like a crazed animal. My beautiful Leah had told me how urgently we must rid our home of this wolf, how he is there to hurt her and pull us apart. “I’ll never let that happen,” a growl rumbled up my throat and threatened to spill from my lips. There was nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for my Leah. She was my life, the very air I breathed. I would be lost without her.

Slowing my pace, creeping through the forest. I know he’s here; I just can’t see him. The leaves had fallen still, and the breeze was holding its breath. Not a sound could be heard, but nothing would get past me. I could feel him in a way, know that he was near, sense his presence.

My footsteps were so loud in my ears as I crept along, the leaves crunching and giving me away. I needed to sneak up on the wolf before he heard me, but the world was against me. Every breath I took sounded like the wind howling, and my heart would beat faster with every passing second.

“Archer, this is stupid; I am your other half, a part of your soul. You don’t truly want to get rid of me,” a raspy voice flooded my mind. Something tickled my memory, something pulled at my heart, but only for a second.

“Get out of my head, mutt”, I snarled, Leah warned me that it would try to fool me, try to get me to believe its lies, but I’m not stupid. I know the truth, and I know I have to do everything in my power to get rid of this parasite from our lives before it can do any more damage.

The rain started to fall as I stalked the wolf through the trees. I was closing in quickly; I could feel it drawing nearer. The hairs on my neck prickled, and a shiver ran down my spine. Water fell into my eyes, blurring my vision for a moment, but it was a moment too long. The wolf pounced and had me pinned beneath its massive body before I had a chance to defend myself.

“Archer, listen to me,” I hear in my mind. The wolf’s lips were pulled back, revealing its snarling teeth right in front of my face. The look in its eyes was one of determination and something else. I didn’t have time to consider what it was. When a beast the size of this one had you pinned to the ground, you didn’t waste time pondering its emotions.

Leah was all that mattered. I had to overpower it before it made it past me to her. The sheer thought of her being hurt sent a new bout of anger raging through my body. Determination was all I needed. With everything I had, I pushed back against the wolf on top of me, throwing it off and over to the side. A heavy thud followed by a whimper was my reward.

Taking long, laboured breaths and laying in the mud with the rain falling on my face. Relief washed through me as I listened to the sound of the wolf’s retreating footsteps. I hadn’t killed it, but it was hurt, and right now, that was better than nothing. The immediate threat was over.

“Archer, come to me,” her voice was like music within my mind. My lips spread across my face in the biggest smile as I pushed myself up onto my elbows. I couldn’t wait to tell her how I had wounded the beast and how I would kill it next time; she would always be safe with me; I’ll make sure she knows it.

Stacy’s POV

My body hurts everywhere. I never knew the space between your toes could hurt so much. How on earth was I ever going to move again? That test damn near killed me. I don’t think I’ll be talking to my mother for a while after that. Even if the rules state that she couldn’t warn me, she could at least have given me a hint.

I hadn’t seen Mason for a couple of days now, and it didn’t seem like he was all that bothered. Which was beyond annoying. Whenever I thought about it, it just pissed me off, especially with how hard I have tried to be everything he wanted and more. I still wanted to be with him, be his Luna, but I swear once I am, there will be a lot of changes around here. I can’t wait for that day to arrive. But my mother said there were a couple of tests I had to pass, and I had only done one so far. So I guess I had a bit of a wait yet.

Forcing my legs to move and swinging them with as much strength as I muster, I sat on the edge of the bed.

“Damn, even that was exhausting”, I grumble, taking a minute before pushing up to stand. Walking anywhere has been hard ever since that test, and it wasn’t getting any easier. I dreaded seeing what a mess I must be.

The mirror was not kind to me. I had deep bags under my eyes, and my skin was ashen. I looked like death warmed up. I couldn’t stay hidden away in here forever, if I didn’t make it known to everyone that Mason was my man, then other girls would start sniffing around him, and this would become so much harder.

Pulling out my makeup bag, I slowly start painting on my war mask – that’s what it felt like anyway; a full face of makeup makes me impenetrable to everything – nothing and no one would dare mess with me once I have my shit back in place, no one will ever know I was weak, not even for a day.

Sexy wasn’t always about miniskirts and tight tops. I was the queen of making everything I wore look sexy, and today I was going for comfort. Reaching for a pair of three-quarter length yoga shorts and an oversize cropped hoodie, then I ran a brush through my hair, and I was done; well, as soon as I swallowed more pain relief pills, I needed as much help as I could today to pull this off. I had to look nothing less than my best, as always.

“Mum, I’m going out,” I call as I go to close the door behind me, but she grabs the door frame at the last second.

“Sweetheart, we haven’t had time to talk, really, not yet,” she started. I did everything I could to keep a neutral face, but I’m sure she could tell I was less than impressed right now.

“Not now, mum, I have to meet up with Mason” I tried to pull the door once again, but the older woman was stronger than she looked.

“Yes, I know, but listen. You need to confirm your hold on Mason. Make him want you; your next test relies on one of two things. Either the want for you or the want for their true mate. You have to make him want you enough as the spell will hold better than just the want for a mate,” she told me. I knew I needed to listen, but I really didn’t want to; I was just so pissed at her.

“What exactly do you think I’m trying to do, mother; goddess, just give me some space, okay” sounding like a stroppy child, but I didn’t care. This time I was able to shut the door fully, leaving my mother on the other side and giving myself the peace I so desperately craved.

Rounding the corner after shutting the garden gate, my phone began to ring. Mason’s name flashed up on the screen. A mix of nerves and excitement swirled around my belly at seeing his name. I knew if I ignored him for a couple of days, he would soon come running, but I didn’t want to push my luck and make it so he looked elsewhere. Taking a couple of calming breaths, I took my time to answer.

“Hey handsome, how are you,” I say, putting on a sultry voice, hoping it did the trick.

“Where the bloody hell have you been,” he all but barked at me. My heart stuttered in my chest.

“Oh, sorry I have been poorly, but I’m better now,” I scrambled to get the words out, trying my best to sound cool, calm and collected.

“Whatever, hurry up and meet me at mine, I have things to do, and no one has sorted me out for days; my cock feels like I have abandoned it, so you better fix it and quickly,” he grumbled. My heart dropped a little; all he wanted was a blow job and attention; he hadn’t missed me at all.

“Sure baby, I’ll be right there,” I forced fake happiness into my voice. “I’ll make sure he wants me soon enough; he will be begging for my attention, to be the one wanting to please me all the time. I will pass these tests, and I will make him mine, then the world will see the queen I was born to be; I’ll get everything I ever wanted.” The silent promise to myself was all I needed to get my game face on and show the world exactly who they were dealing with.

Ayla’s POV

The coldness was my everything; the light had died and taken all the warmth with it. The last voice I heard before being thrust full pelt through the planes was my mates desperately calling my name; I couldn’t feel them anymore, I was alone, and I hated it. I had forgotten what being alone felt like, and it wasn’t something I was prepared to get used to either. Up ahead, the darkness began to lighten, not a lot but enough to spur me on.

Forcing my frozen limbs to work for me again, I pushed forward. But the dull light never brightened; what a mood destroyer.

“Archer”, I dared to call, stupidly hoping it would be as easy as calling his name and he would appear. “Idiot, things are never that simple.”

Rain lashed down from nowhere as I stepped out from the cover of trees. Before I stood was an exact copy of the pack house, grounds and all. Heart pounding, I stand and stare, unsure what the hell I had just stepped into.

“Bria, are you there?” secretly praying she was still with me.

“Ayla, I can hear you, but only just; you are so far away”, came her sorrowful reply.

“What is this place? It looks like home but so wrong at the same time” I shivered; this place didn’t sit well with me at all.

“It’s the spirit world, Ayla; you have to be careful; promise your watch your step and be as quick as you can”, Bria urged.

“You don’t have to tell me twice”, I promised.

Needing a plan and having nothing, I throw caution to the wind and bold straight for the front door of the weird shadowy pack house. My lungs burn as I pump my legs harder, forcing them to cover more ground quicker than I would normally achieve. The only thing on my mind was Archer, and I intended to find him and leave here right away. If only he would show himself already.

The moment my hand connected with the door handle, the worst, most world-shattering scream pierced my eardrums. Dropping to my knees, I clamp my hands over my ears. I needed to drown that goddess awful noise out and quickly. Otherwise, I felt for sure my ears would bleed.

“What the bloody hell is that” I begged Bria.

“She knows! Ayla, run, hide, do something, anything, don’t just sit there, move your arse now,” Bria screamed at me, coming through no louder than a hushed whisper. But it was enough to spark life back into my legs.

“Who knows, what is that” I ranted as I scrambled to my feet and ran toward the rear of the house, hands still clamped firmly over my ears.

“Something you do not wish to ever meet, especially here”, was all I got from Bria before that awful screeching started up again.

“Fuck sake, all I want is my mate back; why does it always have to be so bloody hard” anger rose as I pushed myself harder. Slamming my hand full force against the door, I knew all too well it would be hard to open. It always had been. I guess it was one way of keeping people out of the storehouse if the door was a bugger to open.

“Mine”, an unearthly voice filled the air around me. “He is mine.”

“Ah hell no, bitch he is mine”, rage spilt out of me; the Chase brothers were mine on any given plane, and no crazy, psycho-screeching creature would ever change that.