Chapter 49: Chapter 49

EVIE

I was clueless about the length of time I’d been locked up in this cell. Gabriel, the vampire, hadn’t returned to check on me. Actually, I hadn’t seen a soul.

They’d come and go without a sound, leaving behind stale bread and metallic-tasting water twice a day. The dungeon was icy cold, and I had no blankets or warm clothes. I was still in the same gray tank top and blue joggers I had on when they captured me.

My hair was oily and slipping out of the braid I’d done…I couldn’t even remember how many days ago. I was too weak to stand now. I was curled up in a ball on the floor in the corner of the cell.

I could barely lift my head when I heard a sound, which felt like the first in an eternity. A shadowy figure appeared at the cell door, holding an electric lantern. I squinted against the harsh light, my eyes stinging from the perpetual darkness.

“You’re looking good.” The shadowy figure had a male voice, weaselly in tone.

He moved closer to the cage, and I recoiled at the sight.

“You’re a far cry from the spirited girl I saw at Blood Moon,” Russell Winters sneered at me.

“You’re behind this?” I managed to croak out, my throat raw and hoarse.

My voice only made Russell’s grin widen.

“Yes, I arranged your capture. It seems you’ve made some big enemies for such a small creature.”

“What do you want from me?” I mumbled.

“Nothing at all.” He scoffed, as if the idea of me offering anything of value was laughable. “But I need Alpha Noah out of the way of my pack. Your capture and death will ensure that.”

“Blood Moon will never follow you!” I protested weakly.

“They will when their alpha and luna are dead, and vampires are at their doorstep.” He chuckled, clearly pleased with his scheme.

“What about Toby?” I asked, dragging myself across the cell and using the bars of the door to pull myself up.

“He’s as pathetic as his son. His alliance only ensured he wouldn’t interfere, and it served as a nice distraction.”

I realized then that Noah was right to trust his father. Toby was oblivious to the vampires’ involvement and Russell’s plan to endanger Blood Moon.

“Noah will never give up.” I glared at him through the bars.

I knew I was far from intimidating, but I also knew that Noah wouldn’t abandon me, so I couldn’t give up either.

“I’m counting on that. Each day you’re gone, he grows weaker. You wouldn’t recognize your big bad alpha now. Do you know how long you’ve been here?” Russell asked, looking me over.

“No,” I confessed.

“Ten days,” he said smugly.

I gasped at his revelation, and a tear slipped down my cheek; I wasn’t crying for me—I was crying for Noah.

Suddenly, Russell reached into the cell and grabbed my arm. I cried out, struggling against his grip. He pushed the gate open, and I realized he had unlocked my cell at some point.

As he advanced, I stumbled backward, trying to evade him. I backed myself against the wall, trapped. Russell’s face was inches from mine.

“What does Noah see in you, anyway?” His breath made me gag as it brushed against my cheek.

I remained silent. Russell tightened his grip on my arm and yanked it away from my body, holding it out to the side.

He was examining my shoulder, exposed by my spaghetti straps.

“It’s nice to know you’ve never forgotten me,” Russell sneered, admiring the claw marks he’d left on my shoulder. “Shall we see where these scars lead?”

I cringed at his voice and the look in his black eyes.

He slid the spaghetti strap off my shoulder, and I knew I had to act. I drove my knee into his groin.

Russell stumbled back momentarily but recovered quickly. He backhanded me, throwing me against the cement wall.

I cried out in pain and touched my lip, feeling a drop of blood.

“How dare you defy an alpha!” Russell’s voice echoed through the dungeon.

Russell seized my arms, pushing me against the wall. His hand tore through my tank top, leaving me in my sports bra.

I let out a soft whimper as the fabric fell to the floor. Russell’s eyes roamed over the scratches he’d left on my chest, a low growl rumbling from his throat.

His wolfish nature was evident in his gaze. A sudden heat ignited in my chest, my eyes swirling with the same intensity they had when I confronted Toby in the dungeon.

I didn’t fully understand this luna voice, but I knew I had to do something. Seizing the moment while Russell was preoccupied with my chest, I placed my hands on his chest and pushed with all my might.

“No!” I cried out, my voice morphing from familiar to a guttural growl.

Russell staggered backward, losing his balance and landing on his rear.

“Back off!” I shouted, standing over him with my arms crossed protectively over my chest. “~Submit~!” I commanded.

“Y…y…yes, Luna.” His response was so unexpected that I almost forgot to move.

I darted past him, escaping the cell. The dungeon was filled with pale, rigid figures that I assumed were vampires.

They stood as still as statues, much like Dexter and Tatum in the Blood Moon’s dungeon. I didn’t question it. Instead, I sprinted down the corridor between the cells.

I didn’t know where I was headed, but I knew I had to keep moving. The darkness was all-consuming.

Russell had the only source of light, and I was too panicked to grab it. In the pitch black, I ran headfirst into a wall.

I groaned, falling backward and feeling the surface in front of me. My hand found an old-fashioned door hinge.

I yanked it open and pushed through the door, collapsing onto soft grass. I looked up at the full moon, using its light to survey my surroundings.

I was surrounded by the bayou. I glanced back at the medieval castle looming ominously behind me.

“Quick! Run toward the bayou. Your pack is out there.” A woman’s voice startled me.

I jumped back defensively.

“Don’t worry. I’m Gena.” The female vampire raised her hands in a nonthreatening gesture.

“You’re Greyson’s mate,” I murmured.

“Yes, I am. I regret my part in all this. I don’t think your beta will ever forgive me, but I am truly sorry. I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”

Gena’s voice was sincere, and I decided to trust her, regardless of how naive it might seem.

She pointed toward the bayou, and I sprinted away from the castle. Suddenly, I heard the most beautiful sound—howling. I knew instantly that those were my pack’s wolves.

Gena was right. I spun around and ran toward the sound, bursting through the treeline to find a group of wolves. Five large, multi-colored wolves skidded to a halt in front of me.

They whined and circled me, nipping at my heels. One of them disappeared behind a tree, returning as a man. I quickly averted my gaze from his nudity, focusing on the space above his head.

“Luna.” He placed his fist over his heart. “I’m Cole, Luna, it’s so good to see you.”

“Where’s Noah?” I asked.

“We’ve mind-linked him. He’s on his way. He won’t be long,” Cole assured me just as the wolves in front of me began to growl.

They leapt in front of me, baring their teeth. I gasped, spinning around to see a group of vampires with blood-red eyes glaring at me.

I heard Cole shift behind me and felt him nudge me aside with his massive head. I found myself standing behind the five werewolves, who were now facing off against a group of vampires that clearly outnumbered them.

Fear washed over me, for my wolves and for myself. I clenched my fists, reaching deep within myself once again.

“~No~!” I hollered once more, my voice echoing in the silent night. The wolves in front of me lowered their heads, whimpering in response.

“Get out of here, now!” I commanded the vampires, my gaze locked onto their beady eyes. They hissed back at me, but in a blink, they were gone.

The wolves turned to face me, their black eyes filled with curiosity. Suddenly, a sound from behind me made me spin around, ready for another fight. Instead, I found myself staring into the eyes of the largest wolf in the pack.

His fur was a rich chocolate brown, his eyes a deep, glittering black. I reached out, wrapping my arms around Remi’s neck and burying my face in his soft fur. He whimpered and yipped softly against me.

Remi took a step back, transforming into Noah. Noah dropped to his knees, his arms wrapping around my waist as he rested his head against my stomach.

Another wolf shifted, bringing a blanket with him. He draped it over Noah’s shoulders, but Noah didn’t seem to notice. I felt my stomach getting wet as Noah cried freely.

I ran my fingers through his hair, whispering, “It’s okay, Noah. ~Shhhh~, I’m okay. I love you,” I repeated, holding him close to me.

We were surrounded by wolves, their backs turned to us.

“Luna, take my shirt.” The man who had brought Noah a blanket pulled off his shirt and offered it to me.

It was then that Noah looked up and seemed to notice that I was shirtless for the first time. He growled, and I quickly pulled the shirt over my head.

“Why don’t you have a shirt?” Noah asked through gritted teeth.

“I’m fine, let’s talk about it later,” I urged him, cradling his face in my hands.

Noah stood up and gently touched my face. I winced—the memory of my bruised and bloody lip fresh in my mind.

“Who did this?” His eyes were the darkest I had ever seen them—his voice coming out as a growl.

“Russell,” I squeaked.

“I will kill him,” Noah snarled. “Ferris, take the luna back to the pack house,” Noah said to the man who gave me his shirt.

“No, I’m not leaving you!” I cried, gripping Noah’s arm so tightly I felt my nails digging into his skin.

“Alpha, you should know that the luna was able to command the vampires.” The wolf, Cole, shifted again.

“What?” Noah asked, looking at me.

I shrugged. “I guess I have a luna voice or something?” I said nonchalantly.

Noah looked at the first group of wolves who protected me, and they all nodded their furry heads.

“Lunas can’t normally control vampires with their command voice, Evie,” Noah explained.

“Toby said that it wasn’t normal for lunas to even use their command voice before the official ceremony.”

~Whatever that means.~

Noah growled at his father’s name. “We’re going to talk about this later. For now, I need you safe while I deal with Russell and the vampire king.”

Noah grabbed my face, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead, he just rested his forehead against mine.

“I’m going with you or you’re leaving with me,” I told him.

Noah looked taken aback. “You’re trying to luna voice me?” he asked, almost amused.

“I’m not doing it on purpose!” I yelled defensively.

Noah couldn’t smile, but a short, lifeless laugh escaped his mouth. I noticed for the first time how run-down and defeated Noah looked.

He had purple bags under his beautiful eyes, wrinkles on his perfect face, and his usually warm skin was pale and ghostly. “I can’t think about anything but your safety and murdering Russell right now, Evie. I can’t stand myself right now because I let you get captured. I need to do this and I need for you to be under guard at the pack house,” Noah was begging me.

I was afraid he was going to get on his knees again, so I quickly agreed. “Please, hurry,” I urged him.

He grabbed my face again and nodded sharply.

“Noah!” I called as he turned away. “I love you.”

Noah smiled slightly, but his eyes continued to frown. “I love you too, Evie.”

I was disappointed that Noah hadn’t kissed me, nor did he use his usual pet names. The look on his face broke my heart into a million tiny pieces.

“Hold up!” I hollered once more. “Gena, the vampire princess—she’s the one who aided my escape. She’s bound to Greyson; she yearns to be with him.” I spilled the beans to Noah.

I couldn’t really tell if he was absorbing my words, but he bobbed his head in response before darting away.