Saul, though, seemed to grow more worried by the moment. Not that I blamed him, being an Acta Sanctorum lackey. He shrank down into the chair where he sat, making himself as small as could be, as if that could hide him from the wolves. The smell of his fear was a potent odor that any predator would recognize. And it played with my own inner beast.
“Relax,” I said. “I’ve got your back. As long as you don’t do anything stupid, you’ll be fine.”
A very exhausted wolf-Aiden accompanied by a naked Brady in his human form appeared at the door to the cabin.
“The perimeter is secured.” Though he stood in front of us stark naked and covered in blood, Brady spoke in a very businesslike tone. “You can join us back in the main building now if you like.”
In an effort not to look at Brady, I glanced down at Aiden. His fur was matted with blood, he panted heavily, and his tongue lolled out to the side as if he had just finished a long hard run and needed water.
“How is he?” I asked, still avoiding looking at Brady’s firm naked body.
“He’s fine,” Brady said sharply.
“He’s hurt and needs rest,” I retorted. “What of the others? Will they give him any trouble?”
Brady’s voice softened. “What does this matter to you?”
I glanced up for just a moment and saw his head slightly sideways, a very animal-like movement indicating curiosity.
“With Connor gone, I don’t want anyone challenging him while he’s weak,” I said, putting a little authority into my voice.
“He’s not weak. He is the new leader of this pack.” Brady’s tone regained its former sharpness. “And as his second, I’ll be sure anyone who thinks to bring challenge is made aware of this.”
I smiled. That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I’d worried Brady might try to take the title himself, but it seemed he was content with his place in the line of succession.
Aiden looked up to his brother and let out a short burst of whines and grunts. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was trying to talk.
Brady nodded and looked back at me. “Where is Fallon?”
“I’ve tried to call her but haven’t received any response—”
Brady cut me off. “That’s probably because she doesn’t have her phone.”
“Yeah, I thought of that a little too late. I could have kicked myself for not making sure of that before we took off. It was stupid to leave her like that all alone in the woods. Santino and Drew set off after her a few moments ago. They seemed pretty confident that she was safe, though, since we were the ones bringing the battle to the Saints.”
Without another word, Aiden turned and bolted off into the forest. I didn’t need to be told where he was going.
“He really loves that girl,” Brady said matter-of-factly.
“I know.” I sighed. “She’s in love with him too.”
“If she hopes to keep him though, she’ll have to become one of us. An Alpha must have a mate he can have children with.”
I grimaced. Fallon was pretty adamant about staying human. “That’s something they’ll have to work out.”
“As her friend, you should let her know.”
It was hard to speak to Brady without looking at him. But I didn’t want to look at him standing there, naked. Especially not while having a discussion about my best friend having his brother’s puppies, or whatever they call werewolf babies. “Later. Now is not the time for this. We still have more work to do.”
His eyebrow crooked up sharply. “What work? The Acta Sanctorum is gone. We’ve won.”
“One cell, sure, but there are many more around the world. And that’s not our only problem.” I looked up and quickly met his eyes. “We still have the issue of the crystal and the Pandora’s Box.”
Brady folded his arms in front of his chest. “The box is safely buried.”
“The box is empty.”
His jaw dropped, and for a few moments Brady stood in stunned silence.
Saul tentatively came forward. “It’s true.” His voice shook with fear. “The crystal that holds your friend’s spirit is also inhabited by another. It is our belief that this second entity is the one that belongs in the box.”
“Why is
he
still alive?” Brady snarled.
“Because he knows things. He can help us put the box and the crystal right again.”
His eyes narrowed and he shot angry glances at both Saul and me. “You have a soft spot for these religious nutjobs, don’t you?”
“No, I just don’t believe in killing people solely based on affiliation. He’s a person, like you and me. And he’s been helpful.”
Brady shook his head. “He’s one of them. There is no other distinction.”
“Look, we can argue this all night, or we can put it aside until we’ve dealt with the important issues. I don’t know about you, but I’m done fighting for one night.”
“Fine.” Brady huffed. “Join me and the others back at the main building. I need to get back and help with the cleanup efforts.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in a few.”
Brady turned sharply and stalked away.
I placed a call to Crystal and Ariana to let them know to come back and to bring the book and any witchcraft supplies they could as well.
After filling him in on the details, Nicholas helped Ian hobble to the main building.
I wasn’t too sure how well Saul would be received by the others, so I instructed him to follow very close to me.
The place, though filled with broken glass, had been largely spared from any real damage. It seemed the goal had been to find the box, and when it was learned that it did not reside inside, the Saints moved their ransacking out to the bonfire area. I wondered if they knew how close they had been to finding the box.
Brady and another woman were handing out bandages, towels, and clothes to the injured and wounded. Of the original fifteen or so we saw before we made the charge, only a handful remained. Most of them remained in their wolf forms, licking their wounds clean. It was a somber sight that broke my heart. The Acta Sanctorum had practically wiped out yet another wolf pack, and for what reason? Hatred, desire for powerful artifacts, just because? Silently I vowed, no matter what the outcome was with Lysander, once we were done here, it would be time to take down the Acta Sanctorum once and for all. If that meant going to Rome, to their home office, so be it.
“Tell us what we can do to help,” I said to Brady, and knelt down next to one of the injured wolves, the same white and gray wolf that had helped me back by the wood pile.
Saul stood behind me. “Please, let me help as well.”
“Her injuries are pretty bad. Can you stop the bleeding?” Brady responded to me.
The wolf looked up at me and whimpered. A large gash ran the length of her belly and blood oozed out onto the ground. Normally that would tempt me, but not now. The smell did not call to my inner beast. Sympathy and affection were much stronger forces working within me. I wasn’t about to let another pack member die.
I looked the wolf in the eyes and spoke in the most commanding voice I could. “This will hurt, but I need you to turn back into your human form, so I can help close the wound.”
“You sure you are up for this?” Brady asked cautiously as he came up beside me.
“As a member of this pack, I’m part of this family, am I not? I’d never do anything to hurt my family.”
“Do what you can, then.” He held out a first aid kit.
“I won’t need the bandages; my methods are a bit different, but should work just as well.”
He smiled. “Go ahead, then. And when you’re done with her, come help the others.”
Saul reached out and took the first aid kit from Brady. “I swear to you I am not your enemy. Let me help here.”
Brady eyed him silently for a few moments. The room became so quiet I could hear the beating of my heart. Injured or not, it wouldn’t take much for Brady to snap Saul’s neck.
“Please,” Saul said with no hint of animosity.
Brady turned sharply. “Follow me.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
Saul shot me a quizzical look.
“That’s probably the best response you could hope for,” I said. “Now go. Follow and be helpful. There are lots of wounded to attend to.”
Saul gulped, gave a quick nod, and fell in step with Brady. I turned my attention to the wolf who was in the process of changing back to her human form. “Let’s get you fixed up.”
CHAPTER 26
Fallon pushed open what remained of the shattered glass front door. Behind her, looking beaten, bruised, and exhausted, were Santino, Aiden, and Drew.
Aiden, naked in his human form, looked the worst of the group. His body was covered in dark purple bruises and scabs, but though he looked like death, he walked straight and tall up the steps behind Drew, helping to carry Lysander’s coffin.
My heart skipped a beat. I never thought I’d be so happy to see that long pine box. Silently, I thanked God that everyone was safe, and turned my attention to Fallon.
I ran over and pulled her into a tight bear hug. “I’m such a stupid idiot, leaving you out there with no way to communicate. I was so worried about you. I’m so happy you’re okay!”
“I won’t be if you keep squeezing me like that.” She choked out the words, but I could hear the smile in her voice.
“Sorry.” I let her go and took a step back. “I can’t help it. I was so worried about you. Please forgive me. I completely spaced the fact that your phone was missing. I should have never left you alone out there. I’m a horrible friend. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Quit rambling, Lyssa.” She held up her hand to stop me. “It’s fine. Everything’s good. Honestly, I was more worried for you guys.” She looked around the room, her face fluctuating between curiosity and grief. “Looks like quite a battle took place.”
“Yeah. You can say that again.” All happiness left my voice as I turned and glanced around the destruction and wreckage in the room.
There were still a few injured pack members nursing their wounds. Saul was helping to bandage one man’s chest. He had a large gash across it from shoulder to belly button.
Aiden walked over to his injured pack member and knelt down before him. “You fought bravely tonight, and you, as well as the rest who came back, will be honored for your services here.”
Aiden was truly meant to be a leader. I knew he would be a good one. And I hoped Fallon would remain at his side. They were good together, even if she wanted to remain a human.
I turned back to look at Fallon. Her eyes were darting all over the destruction in the room.
“It was touch and go for a bit. Those Saints fight dirty,” I said.
Her jaw tightened. “I can see that. How many are left?”
“Of the pack members who returned to fight, we have less than ten. Ian is still pretty bad off.” I nodded my head toward Ian, passed out in the corner of the room. Nicholas sat at his side, looking just as weak and tired. “Zuri is still unaccounted for, but the rest of the clan is okay.”
“At least it wasn’t a complete loss.” Though Fallon spoke solemnly, there was relief in her tired eyes. “The fireworks I saw in the distance looked pretty scary. I seriously thought I’d come back to find you all dead.”
“We were lucky, as outnumbered as we were.”
“What about the Saints? Are they all gone?” she asked.
Drew and Santino set Lysander’s coffin down on the ground in the center of the room.
“The Saints will never truly be gone,” Santino said.
There was an air of certainty in the way he said that, and it sent a chill down my spine. We’d dealt with them too many times, and it always ended the same way, with unnecessary death and destruction. The Saints were like cockroaches—no matter how many we got rid of, there were always more infesting our lives.
“But,” he continued, snapping me from my thoughts. “I think it is safe to say we crippled their operations out here. Now all that remains is to destroy their local repository.”
Saul, who had been wandering around the room helping to tend to the injured, gasped. “Destroy? No. Please do not do this! My life’s work is in there.”
Santino walked toward his friend. “You knew that was how it would have to end.” He knelt down eye-level with Saul. “I will let you retrieve what you can before I do it.”
The two men stared at each other for a silent moment before Saul let out a breath and nodded. “I guess I should be thankful for that.” Pain edged his voice.
He really did care for all of those artifacts that had been stored there.
Drew drummed his fingers on top of Lysander’s coffin, drawing our attention. “Once we have finished our work here, I will join you in the destruction of the repository.”
The ghost of a smile crept across Santino’s face. “I’d be honored.”
“Count me in as well,” I added. “It would be nice to take some aggression out on the Saints, and destroy one of their buildings for a change.”
Fallon cleared her throat, and turned our attention to the long pine box. “Have we figured out what to do about him yet?” she asked.
I didn’t need her to clarify who “him” was. I knew she was talking about Lysander.
“We might have,” I said, trying to sound hopeful, though I knew we were still working with a long shot. “Saul seems to think we need the Pandora’s Box to help. Brady’s out back with a few of the healthier wolves digging it up. Crystal and Ariana are on their way from the city with supplies and the book of spells. Between Ariana and Saul”—I smiled at the old man—“we might have a solution.”
Saul did not return my smile. I wondered briefly if he was sad for the destruction of the repository or worried about our solution to the crystal issue and its potential impact on his own survival. That worry was in the back of my mind.
What if it didn’t work? What if it did more harm than good? What if we lost Lysander’s spirit forever?
Fallon must have recognized my stressed expression. She reached up and squeezed my shoulder. “If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.”
Her tone, while kind, was not as reassuring as I’d hoped. I guessed that she too felt we were grasping at straws for an answer.
I couldn’t let this worry weigh me down. I had to try to remain hopeful.
This would work. It just had to.
I needed to get Lysander back.