Chapter Twenty

Ellie

Clayton lifted my hand, presenting it to the pack. A roar of cheers echoed around us. I didn’t get it. Why were they so thrilled to have a hybrid in their pack? Was I really the last one?

Clayton pulled me into a tight hug, his arms wrapped securely around me.

“You’re safe now, Ellie. If you can’t trust me yet, trust your wolf,” he whispered.

I wasn’t entirely convinced, but Clayton had a point. I did trust Nix, and I knew now that Nix needed a pack.

Without Clayton’s pack, Nix might have faded away completely.

Clayton released me, his hand gently resting on my shoulder as we descended from the stage. The crowd was starting to scatter.

As we headed towards the door, my thoughts drifted to Sammy. He would have loved being part of a pack.

“What will happen to Sammy?” I asked. “After the doctor finishes the autopsy?”

Clayton halted, turning me to face him. His hands rested on my shoulders.

“He’ll get a proper warrior's funeral...do you think he’d like that?”

I nodded. Sammy never saw himself as a warrior. If he’d stayed with his family, he might have become a doctor or something. He despised training. But to me, he was a warrior.

“Can I...Can I see him?” I stuttered. “Just to say goodbye?”

Clayton took a deep breath.

“Are you sure you want to?” he asked.

I nodded.

“I need to explain to Nix as well.”

Clayton signaled Seth over, who was chatting with another warrior.

“Can you take Ellie to see Sammy?” he asked.

Seth nodded solemnly, taking over from Clayton and leading me out of the massive room.

He guided me down a corridor I hadn’t seen before. I assumed Sammy would still be in the hospital, but I was mistaken.

We arrived at a plain wooden door at the end of the corridor.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this, Ellie?” Seth asked.

I took a deep breath and nodded.

“I have to,” I said.

Seth opened the door, and we stepped into a dimly lit room.

In the middle of the room was a table, or at least it looked like one.

A white cloth covered it, with a pillow at one end.

Sammy lay on top of the table, a white sheet draped over him, his head resting on the cushion.

I took a deep breath and swallowed, moving towards him.

He looked so peaceful, like he was just sleeping.

Despite the horrors we’d both endured at the hands of Zagan and Dante, Sammy always looked peaceful when he slept.

I touched his cheek, then quickly pulled my hand back.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but his skin was completely cold.

~What happened, Ellie? We saved him. We controlled his wolf.~

Nix sounded heartbroken. Why wouldn’t she be? She was part of me, and I was heartbroken too, but I was also angry. We had escaped together.

Finally found freedom, only for him to have it snatched away by some doctor who should have been trying to kill me.

~He was murdered. They thought he was the hybrid, not me. It’s my fault.~

I mind-linked her back.

“Are you okay, Ellie?” Seth asked.

I nodded and leaned over Sammy, gently placing a kiss on his forehead.

“Goodbye Sammy,” I whispered, “blood brother...blood sister...always.”

A tear slipped down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand.

I turned to face Seth.

“Can I get some fresh air?”

Seth nodded and guided me out of the room, closing the door behind us.

I hadn’t realized, but the room was on the ground floor. Another door we had passed earlier, which I hadn’t noticed, led outside.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Nix was howling in my head. A long, mournful howl.

“Can I have some time alone?” I asked Seth, without even looking at him.

I heard him sigh, “I should really...”

“Please,” I interrupted, “just a few moments.”

“Alright,” he replied, “I’ll be back in five minutes.”

I looked over my shoulder and forced a smile.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

I sat down on the grass, after I heard the door close.

~Please, Ellie, I need control, just for a moment.~

I’d had my time to grieve, but Nix hadn’t. It was only fair. I’d given her control to use the Alpha command on Sammy when I’d asked her to. Now it was the least I could do.

I let my mind go blank and gave control to Nix.

As soon as I did, I heard her in my mind.

~I’m sorry, Ellie.~

My first thought was why was she sorry. It only took me a few moments to realize why.

I screamed in agony and as I heard a cracking sound. I suddenly realized it was coming from me as my bones broke and reformed.

The white dress which I hadn’t wanted to wear, ripped into shreds as I fell onto my hands and knees.

My head lifted up and I howled. Or rather Nix howled. Then we were running. Faster than I’d ever run before. But I wasn’t in control. I was a passenger.

Grass, trees, and scenery just formed a blur as we rushed across the ground. I could feel the ground under my feet. Not just two feet but four. I could feel everything that Nix could feel.

After a while she stopped, and lifted her head again, letting out another melancholy howl. She was sad and she angry. Truth of it was so was I.

She began running again. Not because she wanted to run away. Just because she wanted to run. No, she needed to run. To run out the anger.

I suddenly wondered if Soren had been able to run out his anger whether he would have loved Sammy a bit more. I guess we would never know.

I knew we shouldn’t have shifted. I remembered ’lijah saying he wouldn’t shift until he was thirteen or fourteen.

I wasn’t sure of my exact age, but I figured I was about the same as Sammy. He was only ten. What if I couldn’t shift back?

Nix started to slow down. I wasn’t sure if she was getting tired. Up ahead, I saw what looked like a lake. A wave of panic washed over me. Had we crossed back into Zagan’s territory?

Nix stopped at the edge of the lake.

We stared at our reflection.

~We’re beautiful~

Nix observed.

She was right. Our wolf was beautiful. Almost completely white, except for a dark stripe that ran from the middle of our head, down to our nose.

Nix took a sip of water, then lay down.

~I’m really sorry~

She whispered again.

I wanted to scream, but I didn’t have a voice. The pain surged through my body again as I heard and felt every crack, every bone reshaping as Nix handed control back to me.

It felt like an eternity, but it only took a few moments. Then I was lying on the shore of the lake.

I shivered, too exhausted to move. Nix had given me control again, but she had drained every ounce of energy I had.

My last thought before I slipped into unconsciousness was how much trouble I was going to be in.