Words of Power (Alice Gray Book 3)

28

Alice. Focus.

Lucas's voice was clear in my head, his tone carrying the Alpha command. It was almost impossible to ignore.

Almost.

My gaze stayed fixed on the young wolf shifter before me. The silver beams that shone out of Sam's eyes called to me with their familiar magic. It was my magic. He was mine.

ALICE.

Lucas's wolf dominance slammed into me, pushing me down, forcing me away from Sam. Away from what was mine. I pushed back, the silver leaves ringing like bells, urging me on, singing my superiority; the superiority of my silver magic.

ALICE. Stop. Now. You're better than this.

The particles of silver that glowed in a bright, tight band over my skin pulsed at the strength of the pack bond that was coiled around my heart. The pack bond that protected my soul. The bond that stopped the power from warping my mind and turning me into a monster.

I closed my eyes, trying to push out the memories and emotions that infiltrated my strength, my magic. But it was no use.
Lucas's growl of satisfaction rumbled through the blood that travelled too fast around my system until my heart slowed to a normal pace. The web's painfully bright intensity dulled and loosened. The outer layer disconnected and floated away. Tendrils following along behind like jellyfish carried on a tide.

Despair coiled around my brain and tightened as I watched my beautiful magic disintegrate into nothing in the still air of the cell.
Lucas's Alpha command pressed me down until I gave in and lay on the floor. Twisting my head round, I watched Sam's brown curls bounce around as he got up and shook his head from side to side. When he looked at me, his eyes were back to brown.

"Alice," he said, his voice clear and devoid of the suspicion and fear that should have been there after what I'd just pulled. "What're you doing down there, get up."

But I couldn't get up. Not until Lucas released me. And he wouldn't do that until he was sure that I was under control.

"It's ok, you can let me up," I said, not really sure how this elevated bond, mind melding psychic crap worked.

Sam looked at me for a moment, at a loss how to respond to a crazy lady lying flat on her belly on the floor. "I'm not, um, Alice, it's not..."

"Not you!"

My voice came out loud and harsh. Sam's face crunched into a wince as he flinched away from me. Regret made me drop my eyes. The last thing Sam deserved was me going ape-shit on him when I'd almost turned him into my slave back there.

I could feel Lucas's amusement rolling around in my head. It was warm and fuzzy and made me want to feel his touch in person. Until I reminded myself that Lucas had brought me to heel just as effectively. And he wasn't even here.

It was so unfair.

Sam looked at me like I was a crazy bag lady muttering to imaginary people. Was my mouth even moving? Crap, I had to get a hold on this weird mind-meld bullshit. None of this was Sam's fault, and I was making a traumatic experience a hundred times worse. I needed to reassure him. I was the responsible adult here.
I pushed myself up, sat on the bed and motioned Sam to join me. "We need to get out of here. It's not safe."

"No shit, Sherlock," he said, his bravado contradicted by the tremble of his cold hand.

"My Alpha's on his way to get me out, will you come?"

Sam's face brightened at the mention of Lucas.

"Don't look so eager. We're breaking out, it'll be dangerous."

"Yeah, but what they've done, that can't be legal."

"No, but nobody is going to believe two prisoners on the run."

"What can we do then?"

"We can get out of here and then think of our next step when we're safe."

"Okay," Sam said, sounding anything other than certain.

I couldn't blame him. If I wasn't feeling guilty for trying to brainwash him with my silver magic, I'd crawl under the thin white sheet on the hard cot bed and hide until Lucas came to save me. But Sam deserved more than that.
He was young, scared and alone. His pack was without a leader, he had no one coming for him. But now that my magic was back, my pack's bond was strong and steady. Lucas, Evan and Emily, they were on their way. All of them together.

My dry eyes were so tired I thought they might shrivel up and fall out. I hardly dared to blink, let alone turn my head from the door.

After what seemed like hours, I locked eyes with Lucas, and something inside me loosened. Running straight to the glass wall, he gestured wildly, arms flailing, face twisting as he tried to make himself understood. I watched him for a few moments before I held my hand, palm up to indicate for him to stop. When I had his attention, I pointed to my head.

Lucas smiled in understanding and then rolled his eyes. Sorry, he mouthed, before catching my gaze in his and pouring the strength of the pack bond into our connection. His eyes flashed green as his wolf came to the surface.
I felt, rather than heard his questions.

Where are the guards?

Where are the DPA agents?

Why is that wolf in the cell with you?

I shrugged, there wasn't much I could tell him.
Lucas's body swivelled to the side. Emily appeared at the door and shook her head. Lucas's brows drew together and I felt his suspicions in my own gut.

The building was deserted.

That couldn't be good.

Oh no! If even the goons have gone something must be up...