Freed Wolf

32 Unbreakable Willow

Willow screams as Kane roars in outrage. I have to jump between them to keep them from throttling an oblivious Marjorie. To look at her you'd think she just knocked over a glass of water, not stabbed a man.

"What the hell, Marjorie?" I snap, turning to look at Kane. Garrick however stands there impassive, suppressing a laugh as Jace side eyes him.

"That crazy bitch just stabbed me!" He growls, pulling the blade from his hand and tossing it on the table. I turn back to yell at her but she cuts me off.

"You missed it!" She snaps indignantly. "Now we have to do it all over again," she grumbles, grabbing for the blade.

"No!" We shout in unison as I snatch the blade from her.

"What? To him that's like a scratch," she says with a shrug.

"You can't go around stabbing people," I growl. "I can't believe I have to tell you this!"

"To find out if she's the heir we need to see what she can do, specifically you need to see. So it can't be you, I thought I could cut myself but it turns out, no. He makes perfect sense, she cares about him, and he's damn near indestructible," Marjorie reasons.

'She has a point,' Ember admits with a snicker.

"Even still, you can't just go around all willy nilly, stabbing people," I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"A warning would have been nice," Kane grumbles, flexing his newly healed hand.

"She can't be the first woman to have stabbed you," Jace chides, eyes dancing with amusement. Kane just glares at him but doesn't dispute it.

"But would you have let me if I asked?" Marjorie asks, raising a brow in challenge.

"Yes," he growls, frowning. The Keeper clearly didn't expect that answer as she narrows her gaze, looking for the lie.

"No, I don't want you hurt," Willow protests.

"Lo, if a couple of scratches can help figure out who you are, I'd gladly do it," he says, smiling at her. "Don't you want to know? Be able to stop hiding? It's your birthright baby girl."

"I don't want you to get hurt for me," Willow whispers. "It's not that important." Her blue doe eyes are wide and starting to water as Kane soothes her.

"What would be the hallmark of an heir versus a descendant?" I ask, turning back to Marjorie. "The best I can see is the lack of limitations where the energy comes from and what it can do?"

"Yeah-"

"Stop it!" Willow shrieks holding her hand over Kanes freshly healed hand.

"For the love of, will you pay attention Jess!" Kane snaps, amber eyes locked on mine.

"I literally had my back turned, talking to another person, don't snap at me for not looking. What are you five?" I grumble back, pinching the bridge of my nose. What seemed like an easy task is becoming ridiculous, what with stabby, impatient and scared to work with.

"Why does it matter if I'm the heir or not?" Willow snaps. "What good will it do? They killed my mom because they thought she was the heir!" I've never seen her so upset, her normally pale skin is flushed red as she trembles in anger.

"No one is touching you," Kane growls hugging her possessively. "You are mine and I will cut down anyone who even tries."

"Knowing or not knowing doesn't keep you any safer, the fear just holds you back," I say softly to her. I lock eyes with her, willing her to understand what I'm saying. "There may come a day, sooner rather than later where it will be important to know."