Wolfsbane (29 page)

Traitor.

I didn’t want to see the truth that stood before me.

Truth witnessed by the sharp flash of fangs and bristling fur, eyes ful of hate as they stared at me.

A choice. They were given a choice. Just like
Sabine.

Three of my packmates had turned on me. They belonged to Emile’s pack now. They had chosen the Keepers over their friends.

Why?

Then I turned my gaze back on Ren. His fingers stil dug into my arms. They’d given him a choice too.

My gut clenched violently and I thought I might be sick. I could see the pain behind his fury and knew Ren didn’t want to hurt me, that he’d only chosen the Keepers because I’d left him behind. Because I’d betrayed someone who loved me. He’d lied for me and they had tortured him. He’d been broken and it was my fault. What other choice could he have made?

“Emile.” Monroe’s hoarse voice tore my eyes off of Ren. The Searcher’s face became almost unrecognizable as he stared at Emile, eyes darkened by a hol ow, endless rage.

Emile kept smiling. “You don’t know how much I’d hoped to see you again, Monroe. Thank you for coming.”

Monroe didn’t speak, but his hands began to tremble.

Emile turned to Ren. When he spoke, his voice was cool and silky. “Renier, meet the man who kil ed your mother.”

Ren’s hands dropped from my arms; the color leached from his face.

I scrambled away, crouching against the side wal .

My eyes flicked from Ren, to Monroe, to the door stil blocked by Emile and the wolves. There was no way out.

Monroe drew a hissing breath. “You lying bastard.”

The emptiness in his eyes brightened with the subtle gleam of tears.

Emile’s laugh was like the snapping of bones.

“Lies? Do you real y believe Corrine would have died if not for you?”

With a sudden cry Monroe lunged at Emile.

But Ren was there, shifting forms in the air, and a dark gray wolf hunched snarling between his father and the Searcher, blocking Monroe’s path of attack.

Monroe faltered at the sight, losing his momentum.

He pitched to the side, rol ing out of the way as Ren snapped at him.

“I seem to have the upper hand, old friend.” Emile grinned while Ren stalked toward Monroe, cornering him against the far wal of the cel .

“We’l see about that,” Monroe said, keeping his eyes on Ren. The wolf’s muscles were bunched, his snarls furious. I knew he would be on Monroe at any moment, craving the blood that he believed would avenge his mother’s death.

“Ren, don’t!” I shouted. “Monroe didn’t kil your mother. He tried to save her!”

“Kil that bitch, Dax,” Emile hissed, pointing at me.

“Now.”

Dax stalked toward me, snarling, revealing al his razor-sharp teeth. I’d never given much thought to how large Dax was when he wasn’t in human form.

I’d never thought I’d have to fight him. The best warrior of the young Banes. As I watched his muscles rippling beneath his fur, I realized he was the biggest wolf I’d ever seen. I shifted forms, hackles raised, and braced myself against the floor.

He had the advantage of size and strength, but I had speed.

Even as I grasped for a way to defend myself, my mind was shrieking.
I don’t want to kill Dax. How
could I ever kill Dax?

He was only a few feet away, a distance he could cover in a single leap. I snarled but reached out to him with my mind.

Don’t do this.

You made your bed, Calla.
Dax crouched, muscles coiling like springs, baring his fangs.

Even his teeth were huge.

A sharp growl pierced the room and Dax hesitated, turning in response to Ren’s cal . Their eyes met. Dax sounded a short, confused bark, looking from Ren to Emile.

Ren hadn’t opened his mind to me—only Dax could hear him, but I was desperate to know what was passing between the two wolves.

“Don’t interfere, boy.” Emile glared at Ren.

Dax balked and I stepped another foot closer to the door, wondering if I could make a run for it. Even if I could, it would mean leaving Monroe behind. I froze in place, refusing to abandon him.

“I am your alpha,” Emile said, showing Dax sharp canines. “Kil her. Kil her and take your place as my second.”

Dax turned to face me, his eyes burning, ful of bloodlust, and I knew he wouldn’t hesitate again. I had to let go of whatever doubts stil made me balk at the prospect of fighting a former packmate. Now.

Or I was dead.

“Back off, fluffy!” Connor rushed through the door, throwing himself between Dax and me, brandishing his swords. “Sorry to break up the party, but it’s time for us to say good-bye. Not that you haven’t been wonderful hosts.”

Dax darted forward. Connor feinted, slashing the wolf’s shoulder. Dax lunged again, but Connor matched his speed, leaving two more gashes in Dax’s side. The massive wolf gnashed his teeth, barking furiously while Connor circled him, keeping the blades flying between them at a dizzying speed.

Fey and Cosette started toward us, growling.

“No!” Emile shouted, pointing at Monroe. “Forget the girl. This man is who we want. Dax, fal back. Let the others leave. It doesn’t matter. There’s nowhere to run.”

He turned his gaze back on Monroe. “We have more important business to take care of. Personal business.”

Dax slowly backed away from us, stil snarling. Fey and Cosette took up positions alongside Ren, barring any path of escape Monroe might have had.

“Connor,” Monroe cal ed in a steady voice as the four wolves closed in on him. “Take Cal a and run.”

Connor stared at Monroe, wild-eyed. “No.”

“Now, Connor.” Monroe didn’t take his eyes off Ren. “That’s an order.”

“I wil not.” Connor’s voice shook. “It’s not worth it. It can’t be.”

“It is,” Monroe said quietly. “You knew this was a possibility. Now get the girl out of here. And don’t try to come back for me.”

I was so startled I shifted back into human form.

“No!”

Emile began to laugh. Ren stil crouched between his father and the Searcher, his charcoal eyes blazing as he watched Monroe lower his swords.

“I won’t hurt the boy,” Monroe said. “You know that.”

“I guessed it,” Emile said, eyes flicking to the snarling young wolves. “Make sure he doesn’t escape. It’s time for Ren to avenge his mother.”

“Ren, don’t! He’s lying. It’s al lies!” I shrieked.

“Come with us!”

“She’s not one of us any longer,” Emile hissed.

“Think of how she’s treated you, how she turned her back on al of us. Taste the air, boy. She stinks of the Searchers. She’s a traitor and a whore.”

He glared at me and I stumbled back at the livid fire in his eyes. “Don’t worry, pretty girl. Your day is coming. Sooner than you think.”

I jerked sideways when Connor grabbed my arm and tugged hard. He pul ed me toward the unguarded door.

“We can’t leave him!” I shouted.

“We have to.” Connor stumbled into me as I fought to free myself but quickly regained his balance, locking his arms around me.

“Let me fight!” I struggled, desperate to go back but not wanting to hurt the Searcher who was dragging me away.

“No!” Connor’s face was like stone. “You heard him. We’re gone. And if you go wolf on me, I swear I’l knock you out!”

“Please.” My eyes burned when I saw Ren’s fangs gleam, and my breath stopped when Monroe dropped his swords.

“What is he doing?” I cried, dodging when Connor tried to grab me again.

“This is his fight now,” he said through clenched teeth. “Not ours.”

Ren jumped back as the swords clanged on the ground in front of him. Though his hackles were stil raised, his growl died.

“Listen to me, Ren,” Monroe said, crouching to meet Ren at eye level, not looking at the other two wolves bearing down on him with cruel slowness.

“You stil have a choice. Come with me and know who you real y are. Leave al this behind.”

Ren’s short, sharp bark ended in a confused whimper. The other three wolves continued stalking toward the Searcher, undeterred by their enemy having abruptly laid down his arms.

Connor’s arm swung around my neck, catching me in a painful headlock.

“We can’t watch this,” he snapped, slowly wrestling me out of the room.

“Ren, please!” I shouted. “Don’t choose them!

Choose me!”

Ren turned at the desperation in my voice, watching Connor pul me through the doorway. He shifted forms, staring bewildered at Monroe’s outstretched hands, and took a step toward him.

“Who are you?”

Monroe’s voice shook. “I’m—”

“Enough! You’re a fool, boy,” Emile snarled at Ren before smiling at Monroe. “Just like your father.”

And then he was leaping through the air, shifting into wolf form—a thick bundle of fur, fangs, and claws. I saw him slam into Monroe, jaws locking around the unarmed man’s throat, a moment before I was whipped around. Connor dragged me back down the hal at a breakneck pace.

I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to see Ren and Monroe emerge together, joining our escape.

But al I heard were growls and snarls echoing in the empty space behind us.

TWENTY-THREE

WE’LL NEVER MAKE IT
back out. It was a trap.
I sobbed as I ran, broken by what I’d seen, by what I now knew. It had always been a trap. Guardians and Keepers would be swarming on the main floor of Eden now, blocking our escape. I ran on, stil hand in hand with Connor though my steps felt heavier and heavier, like I was racing through wet cement.

Shouts reached my ears from the room ahead.

Connor flung open the door, shoving me into the Chamber. Any hope I’d been clinging to vanished at the scene we stumbled onto. Guardians pressed their way through the entrance to the eastern cel block two or three at a time. Ethan stood on the dais and fired bolts, laying a barrage of suppressing fire at them as quickly as he could, slowing their approach as they succumbed to the alchemists’

compound swirling through their bloodstream.

Wolves swayed on their feet, shook their muzzles, at last slumping onto the stone floor. Those hit by multiple bolts piled one atop the other in the doorway, creating a bottleneck that merciful y slowed the number that could get to us. My packmates were already in the fray, taking on those Guardians one-on-one who’d dodged Ethan’s fire.

Connor swore, dragging me onto the stage.

“It’s not looking good, friend,” Ethan said through gritted teeth, aiming his bow once more. “I’m almost out of ammo.”

“We’l be overwhelmed in less than five minutes,”

Connor said, scanning the room.

“Where’s Monroe?” Ethan asked.

“We lost him,” Connor said quietly. My veins went icy when he said it out loud.

“Wel , that seals it.” Ethan smiled grimly. “Any last words?”

“Cal a,” Connor said, “if we draw their attack, can you and the others get back to the stairs?”

I stared at the press of enemy wolves struggling over the pile of bodies blocking the corridor, snarling and jostling each other as they entered the Chamber.

“Even if I could, I think they have fifty or more Guardians backed al the way up to the first floor. We wouldn’t make it out.”

Connor shook his head, glancing back at the door to the northern cel block. I fol owed his gaze, wondering if Monroe was stil alive, if there was any chance he might stil emerge.

A deafening crack and a blinding flash flattened me against the floor; my ears rang as though lightning had struck the flagstones behind us. The room crackled with electricity and the air smel ed of ozone. Ethan groaned beside me, flipping over and aiming his crossbow at whatever had thrown us down.

“I don’t believe it,” Connor murmured as Adne darted from the shimmering portal, stretching her hands to him.

“Believe it.” She grinned, helping him up. Her smile faded as she saw the Guardians swarming into the Chamber.

“An inside door in Eden,” Ethan gasped, staring at the portal. “You did it. You real y did it.”

“I’l happily receive your glowing reviews later,” she said. “Right now we need to go.”

“My pack,” I said, scrambling to my feet.

“On it,” Ethan said. He jumped from the stage, pushing his crossbow back and drawing swords. He cut his way through the mob, shouting.

“Show’s over, kids! We just got our ticket out of here!”

Mason’s ears flicked; he saw the sparkling gateway on the stage and gave a long, joyful howl.

Nev turned, racing for the dais. Bryn released the throat of another wolf, dashing toward us. Sabine was pinned against the south wal , fighting three wolves at once.

“Hold on, Sabine!” Ethan yel ed. “I’m on my way.”

“Cal a, keep the Guardians off Adne!” Connor ordered.

Connor fol owed in Ethan’s wake, fighting off Guardians who attempted to pursue my retreating packmates. I shifted forms, tearing into any wolves who managed to get past him.

Ethan had reached Sabine, drawing two of the wolves off her with teasing sword strikes.

“Run!” he shouted as she took the third wolf down.

“I’m right behind you.”