With a curt nod, my aunt backed out of the doorway with Ethel. Venting frustration, I rammed my head against the door, slamming it shut after them.
Breathing heavily, I padded over to the corner of the room, where I had left my satchel. For these last few hours that I had with Victoria, I wanted to be a man.
Victoria
I was still grappling with my emotions as Bastien stooped to his satchel and withdrew a fresh set of clothes. I turned around, my eyes fixed on the wall so that he could shift and change.
A part of me was jumping for joy at the thought of finally discovering a portal—a way out of this strange, perilous realm—and one so nearby. Another part of me was aching.
“You can turn around.” Bastien spoke behind me.
I turned to see him standing near the wall. Bastien, the man. Rugged. Wild. Fierce… Yet unworldly. Wide-eyed. Pure. Memories of the days we’d spent together flashed through my mind.
The fear that I might never see him again after tomorrow was eating away at me.
“You could come back with me,” I whispered, as I moved forward to close the distance between us. I was already anticipating his answer.
He reached for my hands. Engulfing them in his large palms, he gazed down at me, somber. “I cannot leave my homeland, Victoria. Not at a time like this. Not without a guarantee that your people would even help us. Maybe you will go and come back… But maybe you won’t.”
I squeezed his hands. “I promise you, Bastien. I will do all within my power to return with help.” I just prayed that while I was gone… I drew in a deep breath. That while I’m gone, something won’t happen to him.
God, why am I feeling so choked up?
Bastien nodded, though his mood did not lighten in the slightest. We moved to one corner of the room, where we sat down, our backs leaning against the wall. I suddenly wished that he would pull me closer. That he would hold me. Hug me, even. I wanted to feel connected before we broke apart completely.
I nestled closer against him, leaning my head against his shoulder and guiding his arm to rest around my waist, until I felt surrounded by him.
Then we sat in silence, listening to the footsteps in the corridor outside gradually becoming quieter and quieter until it sounded like almost everybody had retired. Still the two of us sat, Bastien’s fingers curved and gently brushing against the side of my stomach where they rested, while every so often I would reach out to squeeze his hand. I did not want him to think that I had fallen asleep. I wanted him to know that I was here, if he wanted to talk about anything.
But he remained quiet. I could only guess what was going through his mind.
As early morning drew in, a sharp rapping sounded against the door. I sat bolt upright, while Bastien sprang to his feet.
“Who could that be?” I whispered. Could that be Brucella again, at this hour? Or maybe even Dane? I picked myself up off the floor and huddled in a corner as Bastien moved to open the door. He opened it ever so slightly, and then, to my surprise, he asked, “Who are you?”
Who is there?
I tried to peer over his shoulder, but Bastien was simply too tall and broad for me to glimpse who was standing in the doorway.
Then, to my shock, a familiar voice replied, “Micah. Originally of the Kaelin tribe. And this is a witch, Corrine. I suggest you hand over Victoria now, lest you sorely regret it.”
Bastien stepped backward and looked at me questioningly. My eyes immediately shot to the doorway to see Micah standing there in his wolf form with Corrine.
“Oh, my God!” I practically squealed. Had the tracker in my jacket been working after all? If so, how come it had taken them so long to locate me? I could hardly bring myself to ponder the questions though as relief rolled over me in waves. I ushered them inside.
I flung myself into Corrine’s arms. She held me close and kissed my cheeks. “You’ve no idea how relieved I am to find you safe, darling. Your parents are waiting outside, along with Derek, Sofia and a bunch of others.”
Thank goodness.
“What has this man been doing to you?” Corrine hissed, her eyes narrowing on Bastien.
“What do you mean?” I shot back. “Nothing! He’s been keeping me safe all this time. If it weren’t for him, I would have been caught by the hunters— or in the belly of a wolf—by now.”
Corrine frowned. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!” I exclaimed. “Bastien is a good, kind man!”
“Hm, odd,” Corrine muttered.
“Why would you think otherwise?”
Corrine shook her head wearily. “That’s an explanation your parents will no doubt give you.” She turned on Bastien. “So who is Bastien really?” she asked, hands on her hips.
“Bastien Blackhall,” I replied. “A werewolf, and the only reason I’m alive still.”
“Are you really a werewolf?” Corrine asked Bastien. “How come you don’t shift at night?”
“I am a werewolf,” he replied, stoic. “But I was born… a little different.”
Corrine sighed. “Well, whatever you are, I suppose I should thank you for keeping this girl safe.” She reached out and took my hand. “Now, let’s get you back to your parents.”
“Wait!” I said, pulling my hand away from Corrine, afraid she’d suddenly vanish me. “We need to help Bastien and his people. This realm needs the League’s help. Bastien,” I said, turning to him. “You should come with me to meet my family.”
He hesitated, looked uncertainly from Corrine to Micah. But then he nodded. Corrine also still looked hesitant about Bastien, but she grabbed hold of my and his hand, while I touched Micah’s head, and a second later we had all vanished from the small, dim chamber.
* * *
I was positively trembling with excitement as we emerged in the woods. Standing right in front of us in a clearing was a crowd of heartwarmingly familiar people. My parents, Uncle Derek, Aunt Sofia, Ben, Rose, Grace, Heath, among other loved ones. Grace and Heath are safe! Forgetting all about my injured ankle, I jerked forward and threw myself first into the arms of my mother and father.
“Thank God you’re all right, honey,” my mother said, squeezing me hard.
“And thank heavens you kept your jacket with you,” my father added.
“What happened to you, Vicky?” Derek asked.
I waited until I’d hugged everyone before replying. I glanced back at Bastien, who was still looking cautious as he gazed at this crowd of strangers. I took his hand and brought him forward to introduce him. Like Corrine, they too suspected he’d kidnapped and had been abusing me in some way. I quickly quelled their misconceptions as I’d done the witch’s, before they explained to me the reason they’d thought Bastien was a scoundrel. Detrius. My blood boiled at the thought of that man badmouthing Bastien even now, after everything he’d done.
Then Corrine made me sit down so she could tend to my ankle while I recounted everything that had happened since we parted ways. I put particular emphasis on how much Bastien had helped me, as well as in describing the atrocities the hunters were committing in this realm. I concluded, “We must help these wolves defend their land against the hunters. It’s barbaric what they are doing.”
Uncle Derek and Ben exchanged glances.
“Tomorrow the wolves will hold a final meeting before choosing a course of action. They’re desperate, and the ideas they shared earlier tonight all sounded shaky. You should attend the meeting and offer to help,” I pressed.
Bastien cleared his throat before anyone else could respond. “Victoria, I don’t know how open the assembly will be to outside help, especially help from vampires—despite how desperately we need it. That said, it would be sheer foolishness to not try to convince them. We will be far stronger together.” He looked straight at Derek. “Sir, if you are really willing to help us, I will go to speak to my uncle immediately so that he can converse with the other tribes and see where they stand on the matter.”
I looked with wide eyes and hopeful
expectation toward my parents, Derek and Ben. To my relief, Uncle Derek replied, “We would be willing to attend the meeting and see if there is a way we can assist you.”
Bastien’s eyes glistened with gratitude. “Thank you,” he breathed. “Thank you.”
Bastien
As I left Victoria with her family, it was the strangest feeling to be walking away from her. I’d gotten so used to her being by my side. I had been with her nonstop of late, with barely even a minute apart.
At least now I might not have to watch her go so soon.
After Derek Novak’s agreement to help us, I needed to immediately speak with Sergius. Shunning aside the anger that still traced my mind after learning about Detrius’ lies, I sped up to a run and entered the tunnel leading to Rock Hall. Let him and his blind father rot in that mountain. I have found better company to keep.
I wound around the tunnel and raced to the residential quarters. I realized only now that I did not know exactly where Sergius and Brucella were staying, so I was forced to knock on several doors—thankfully none of them inhabited by Bonereavers—until I found my way to their room. I could hear their voices behind the door. I was glad that I would not be forced to wake them. I knocked loudly three times.
“Come in,” came Sergius’ growl.
I entered to find my uncle and aunt resting on the floor. They shared the same look of surprise on seeing me. Then Brucella’s eyes lit up. “Has your friend changed her mind? Would she like to return to the portal sooner?”
I gave her a dark look before shaking my head. “No. There has been a change of plan. Her family from The Shade has arrived. About an hour ago. They have agreed to help us come to a—”
Brucella leapt to her feet, looking stunned. “What?”
“We have help,” I said, trying to keep my calm. “From The Shade. They’re willing to attend our final meeting tomorrow morning and help us find a viable solution.”
“How can you trust them so easily?” Brucella hissed.
I gritted my teeth, wishing she would keep her mouth shut. “I already assured you that Victoria has no connection to the hunters, and neither does her family.”
“They could be in alliance with the hunters, for all we know,” she pressed. “And why would they offer their help to start with?” She turned on Sergius. “I don’t feel comfortable with this, Sergius.”
I gaped at Brucella. Is this still all about separating Victoria from me? As desperate as she was to marry her daughter off to me, I had not thought that she would stoop this low. We wolves were in dire need of a solution—something we were clearly inadequate at finding on our own, to say the least. The League would be invaluable to us. They had witches and dragons, amongst many others who could assist us in battle. I couldn’t believe that she was letting her bias against Victoria get in the way of even this.
Drawing my eyes away from her, I set them on my uncle. I looked at him with urgency, praying that he would see sense.
“Uncle?” I said, deadly serious.
He grunted, before rising to his feet alongside his wife.
“Don’t you agree with me?” Brucella demanded of her husband. “How can we trust these people? The Shade could very well have some incentive or other to be in alliance with the hunters. I have tolerated this one girl for long enough, seeing as Bastien was so adamant about trusting and keeping her. But she has just been one weak little human girl. Now we are talking about allowing a whole group of supernaturals with powers and strength superior to even ours into our midst. I repeat: Why would they help us in the first place? Who does something for nothing?”
“Evidently not you,” I blurted, unable to calm my rising temper. “Hence you’re incapable of conceiving that some people in this world are decent and kind and giving!” I tried to steady my breathing, surprised at the passion with which I spoke about the strangers I didn’t even know. I realized I was just describing Victoria. And from everything she had told me about her family, I doubted that apple had fallen far from the tree.
Before Brucella could retort or admonish me, my uncle spoke. “I agree with Bastien.” A wave of relief rolled over me, even as Brucella glowered at her husband. “At a time like this,” he went on, “we have to take some risks.”
Finally. It was a refreshing change to see him standing up to his boisterous wife. How I wish he’d do it more often.
“But Sergius—” Brucella fumed.
“Quiet, Brucella!” Sergius growled. “Bastien is right. We would all be fools to turn down this offer.”
Brucella let out a snarl of frustration before storming out of the chamber, leaving Sergius and me alone.
My uncle shook his head wearily, scowling toward the direction of the open door. Then he said, “I will talk to the other wolves immediately and do all that I can to make them see sense, too.”
Victoria
After Bastien left, my parents explained exactly how they had managed to find me. Since the tracker in my jacket was not designed for the supernatural realm, I’d feared that it would not work at all. But it had worked, albeit intermittently. That was why it had taken so long for them to locate me.
As Grace and Heath told me how they’d escaped, it felt like a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders. I had worried about them so intensely during our time apart, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d developed an ulcer.
Arwen approached and grinned down at me. “So do ya still think it was a good idea to free that hunk?”
I smirked, although looking back on it, I couldn’t say that I would’ve done anything differently. Bastien was a beast of the wild. He hadn’t belonged in that cage… Just as he doesn’t belong in the cage Brucella is trying to lure him into.
Once Corrine had finished with my ankle, all the pain had vanished. I was able to stand and walk around normally, without needing to hobble.
Then I cuddled up to my mother again. As we stood together, I closed my eyes and buried my head against her chest. With her arms wrapped around me, it felt like I was back home already. I was safe, secure, in our own little bubble. And for the first time, I actually felt optimistic about the wolves’ situation.
Our obstructing the hunters here would undoubtedly lead to tension back on Earth, but then, from what my family had just told me, they’d already aggravated the hunters back at their base. The hunters already knew that we were here. Besides, we could not just stand by and watch them get away with this. Why should humans be more deserving of the League’s protection than wolves, who weren’t much less vulnerable against the mutants? The wolves who had entered the human realm to cause trouble had nothing to do with the wolves living their lives in The Woodlands. They were different people—different tribes—just as we were different from the hunters.
Of course, there was also another reason for my lightness of mood. And that reason’s name began with B. My hunky werewolf friend. I grinned to myself. I don’t have to leave him so soon.
Speak of the devil…
I caught sight of Bastien emerging from the tunnel entrance. As he sprinted toward us, his black curling hair ruffling in the breeze, I felt an unexpected surge of butterflies in my stomach. Butterflies. Those aren’t something you typically get with friends, are they?
I left my mother and approached him as he arrived in the clearing. “What happened?” I asked.
“My uncle is speaking with the chieftains,” he replied. “I requested him to come out here and inform us once he has news.” His eyes fell to my ankle. “You’re walking normally now,” he remarked.
I smiled. “Corrine fixed it.” As I said the words, an idea occurred to me. “Hey, why don’t we go check out that gate while we’re waiting for Sergius? Brucella already told you its location. That’s the gate we would all have to pass through in order to return to The Shade and fetch more recruits. It will save time if we go check it out now rather than waiting until later.”
“That’s a good idea,” my cousin Ben said, striding forward with the rest of the
m.
But Bastien furrowed his brows, looking reluctant. “I think, until my uncle has informed the wolves of your presence and spoken with them, it’s best you all stay put here. Away from the mountain. If you were spotted, it might put some wolves on edge prematurely if they jumped to the wrong conclusion…”
“Um, okay,” I said. “Well, you and I could just go alone? To verify that there really is a gate.”
“That we could,” Bastien replied, his eyes twinkling. He looked quite delighted by the suggestion.
As I turned to my parents, the last thing they wanted was to watch me leave again.
I squeezed my mother’s hands. “Bastien will take care of me.” I flashed him a grin. “Won’t you?”
He nodded, returning my smile. “It’s not far away from here,” he said. “I’ll be sure to bring your daughter back within half an hour. We should not stay away longer than that anyway, in case my uncle returns with news.”
“Promise me you won’t go exploring the portal without us,” my father said, eyeing me sternly.
“I promise,” I said. “We’ll just go to see if it really exists.”
With that, Bastien and I set off. We left the small wooded clearing and returned to the foothills. As we moved out of sight from the others, my hand instinctively inched closer to Bastien’s until our fingertips touched. He glanced at me fleetingly before twining his fingers with mine. I bit my lip. More butterflies.
I coughed my throat clear. “It feels so good to be walking again normally, without you having to carry me everywhere,” I said, attempting to divert my thoughts.
“Don’t speak too soon,” he replied