It’s been a few months since the attack on my pack. With the help of Alpha Isaiah and Alpha Gregg of the Whispering Winds, I was able to get control of the damage. We still had a long way to go to get back to where we were but the people were optimistic. I wish I could say the same for myself.
Mirja, my mate, was still in a sleeping coma. Harry, James’ warlock friend, finally figured out what was wrong with her. She was trapped inside her mind. So everything she saw felt real to her. The only way to break it was to go inside to convince her it wasn't real. I volunteered myself but Harry refused. He felt he was more experienced if something happened.
So here I was pacing back and forth in front of her door. Harry insisted I stay out of the way so he could concentrate. I said-well Alexi told him he was out of his witchy mind if he thought he was leaving his mate along with another man.
I tried to explain to Alexi that Harry was batting for a different team but still he wouldn’t budge. It took Bronx and a few others to get me out of the room. So here I waited while I was slowly losing my mind until the door opened. Harry peeked out the door and motioned for me to come.
“She’s up but a bit frazzled, so be careful,’ he said, opening the door to let me in.
Her scent instantly surrounded me, driving Alexi crazy in my mind. It took everything to keep from running over to her and pulling her into a hug. I watched her as she used the bedpost to stand up. She instantly fell back down and I took that moment to get closer to her.
“I got it,” she said, holding up her hand and stopping me in my tracks.
So close, I thought. She turned to look at me and for a moment we just stared at each other. Every part of her has been ingrained in my mind but her eyes…I realized this was the first time I had seen her eyes. They were blue, not icy blue like Alaia’s, but deep ocean blue. It was an amazing contrast to her dark red hair.
I’m guessing my gawking got a bit uncomfortable because she turned away. She started looking at the gown she was wearing.
“I need a change of clothes.” She spoke softly and I hung on every word, thinking she might stop talking.
I walked over to the cabinet and pulled out some clothes similar to the ones she had on before-black ripped jeans, a graphic tee, and a leather jacket. I figured someone like her had a style she liked to stick to. She took the clothes, looked over them, and nodded her approval.
Something so simple pleased me like I had just won something. She looked at me, then at the door. I followed her gaze and it took a moment to realize she needed her privacy.
“You sure you don’t need help-”
“Well, aren’t you funny,” she laughed. “Just…turn around and I’ll call you if I need help.”
I smiled and did as she asked. I could hear her struggling to put on her clothes behind me but I knew she wouldn’t ask for help. Even if she had to squirm across the floor to put on her pants.
“So,” she grunted, “how long have I been out?”
“About four months.”
“Four months! Fuck!”
She even sounded cute cursing. Alexi was nagging me in my head to turn around but I ignored him. She doesn’t seem like the type who would care if someone apologizes for his mistakes. Though I was wondering if it was worth it.
“I’m already clothed,” she said, as if reading my mind.
I chuckled as I turned around and was still stunned by her appearance. She sat on the bed trying to fix her hair. Her hair, which hovered just above her shoulders, was a bit longer now and her blonde roots were starting to show. The tattoo of a dragon covered her entire right arm and a few decorated the side of her neck.
When she stretched her arms up to put her hair into a ponytail, her shirt moved enough for me to notice her nipples peeking through the thin fabric. I felt my body instantly respond with a low growl as I closed my eyes to distract myself.
“Calm down there…um…what’s your name?”
“Of course, I’m Zack Lucius, Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack.” I held out my hand but she didn’t take it. Instead, I watched as her eyes widened. “What? What’s wrong?”
She scoffed and shook her head as if she had finally figured out a joke too late. “Just my luck. You’re Alaia’s brother, aren’t you?”
“I am,” I said as she sighed and sat back on the bed. “I figured she might’ve had something to do with this.”
“So you know where she is?”
Mirja jumped up and instantly fell forward. I couldn’t help but catch her and the moment we touched, we froze. Her eyes changed briefly and I could feel Alexi pushing at the surface.
This bond was completely taking over my senses, making me pull her in to inhale her wild berry and honey scent. I was happy that she was returning the favor. I slowly but reluctantly helped her back to the bed.
“You should probably take it easy.”
She shook her head. “We have to find her. She has completely lost it and is tapping into magic that is way beyond her control.”
“That was the plan. I just needed the proof. You. Now I can bring her back the Elder Witches and-”
“No! You tried that before and look at what’s happening. If she has found a way to access the power in my family’s grimoire, this is beyond the council. She has to be stopped.”
“What do you suggest,” I asked, knowing full well the answer to the question. I knew eventually it might come down to eliminating the problem, but it was still hard to come to terms with it. Alaia was still my little sister.
At that moment, Harry entered the room with a glass of water and gave it to Mirja. Mirja scanned it and looked at Harry.
“You’re going to have to hit me with something a little harder.”
I smiled as I pulled out the bottle of Brandy from one of the cabinets and handed it to her. It was one of the first things I remembered she asked for. I had to go and buy a new one after the first one got wrecked from the explosion at the pack house. She smiled as she took the bottle.
She downed the water before opening the Brandy and downing the contents right in front of us. With each swallow I became more and more impressed. She finished the entire bottle in under a minute. She dropped the bottle to the floor and laid back on the bed.
“Now, I’m feeling more like myself,” she whispered as she sat back up. She looked at Harry. “Can you teleport me somewhere? I need to find something.”
“You can barely move, Mirja,” I said with a little concern in my voice. I know she is a bada.ss, but even they have their limits.
“I guess it’s a good thing I have a big, strong mate. You can be my legs.”
I smiled and nodded. Alexi was happy with this arrangement. Anytime I could physically be close to her was a reward.
“I’m kind of tapped out,” Harry said.
I wasn’t sure what he meant but Mirja nodded. I must have looked confused, so Mirja explained. Some witches and warlocks can use magic but need a source to pull from. Whether it’s from ancient runes, sacrifices, energy, etc. It’s a give and take situation. The bigger the offer, the more powerful the spell.
“I can probably get us there and have George meet us. He could get us back.” Harry suggested.
I gave him the go ahead and ten minutes later, we were outside her bar or what was left of it. Mirja gasped as she took in the half crumbling building in front of us. I could feel Mirja’s body shaking in my arms. It wasn't from fear, which was what I originally thought. It was from anger. Her eyes were closed as she took a few deep breaths.
“Do you think it’s safe to walk inside,” she asked me, and I nodded.
I knew the place was burned down the moment Isaiah called me and told me. After capturing Nas, they sent a raiding party to the Wormhole to suss out the rest of the crew. The moment Isaiah’s pack made it, the flames lit up the sky. I asked him to try to savage what he could. I felt this place meant something to her.
Mirja directed me through the wreckage as we made our way back to the basement. When we got to the area where she was held captive, it looked as if nothing was touched by the fire. Things were still thrown around and broken up.
“I got it from here,” she said as I gently placed her feet on the floor.
She took a few calculated steps before slowly moving around the room. Harry became fascinated with a few trinkets and books, and made it known with little ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’.
“If you see something you like, you can-”
Harry squealed, not letting Mirja finish as he sprinted around the room. She laughed and went back to searching through some paintings. I felt a bit out of place as I looked around the room. Only thoughts of that day flashed through my mind. The way she looked, trapped behind that field. I just couldn’t believe Alaia would be so cruel.
“Dammit!”
Mirja was looking at a large painting with a huge claw mark across the frame. She stood up and dropped the painting on the floor.
“What is it,” I asked, moving closer to her.
She pointed to the painting. “This is the only way to trap the book. Or at least the only way I could keep it out of the wrong hands. Alaia must’ve known and had it destroyed.”
“Can’t you just make another one?”
Mirja looked at me and it was the first time I saw what looked like tears before she quickly wiped her face. I wondered if I said anything wrong. Harry walked over with books and scrolls in his hands, too many for him to carry.
“It should be easy. Just a canvas skin, some runes, and your magical blood, right?”
“Yeah, if I had magical blood.”
“But you’re a wit-”
“Was a witch,” Mirja quickly snapped. Obviously, this was a sore topic for her. I tried pressing her to explain but she waved me off. “There are only a few people who know how to disable this trap and all but two are dead. If Alaia was able to destroy it, it can only mean she was able to open the book.”
“Which is bad because…” Harry lingered, but I had a clue about what she was going to say.
Mirja ignored him and continued to search around the room. I could feel she was irritated but I was with Harry. I wanted to know how bad this could turn out. I needed to know our options or even if we stood a chance.
“Yes,” Mijra exclaimed, pulling out a half empty bottle of liquor. She started downing the contents as we both stood watching her. I wondered if this drinking was going to be a problem. She threw the empty bottle and it crashed against the wall.
“I don’t usually drink like this,” she said, looking down at her hands on her lap, “but we might be fucked.”
“So what should we do about Alaia,” I asked her.
Mirja sighed and avoided my gaze. There was a minute of silence as I looked at Harry, who shrugged his shoulders.
“If she accessed the power of my family's grimoire, there’s only one way to stop her,” Mirja said as she looked at me. “We have to kill her.”