Underneath a Dark Moon (Twisted Dark #3)

Chapter Seventeen: Cold: Part Two

"I need you and the witch." I turned around and drug him behind me, ignoring how he struggled to escape. "Stop fighting!" I put every ounce of power I had into the words. He stopped fighting as they hit him. I narrowed my eyes and snarled as I watched the portal snap closed. "No!" I felt my bones shift and ache with my beast as that sour feeling rose up again.

Fear.

I couldn't get back to Lacey. That was not acceptable. Fear swirled in my stomach. I needed to be there for her, I needed to stop her death. I needed to be there for her.

"Let him go." At the harshly said words I whirled around and snarled. A red haired witch stood among the trees, power vibrating off of her as runes flashed along her skin. "You want him, you go through me." She lifted her chin and I realized who the witch was. It was BamBam, it seemed like the portfolio was correct about her and Ren being nearly inseparable. It didn't matter because it made my job easier.

"I need you." I dropped Ren's arm and stalked towards her. I needed her to fix Lacey, I needed her to ensure the little female was okay and safe. "Open the fucking portal back up, right now." I needed that open connection with where Lacey was. Not being able to go to her made my skin prickle and my instinct to thrash around inside of me. Even my beast was highly unsettled by it, she needed to be accessible to us and we wouldn't stand anything other than that.

"Fuck no." She hissed the words out as she lifted her hands, fire forming above her palms.

I waved the threat off, I would get what I wanted. "Something happened to Lacey." That was enough to make her pause as confusion swirled in her eyes. "She is sick and she needs help. You are the only person I could think to come to." There was no way I was going to trust any of the other witches. The spell orb had done something and that meant no one could be trusted but her family. I didn't want anything to get back to Mercutio, who knew what all he had gathered on me since I took the mission. I wasn't about to give him any more information.

"Leave her." At the growled word and clawed hand that grabbed my arm, I whirled around and shoved the weremale hard, sending him into a nearby tree as my muscles bulged and my chest heaved.

"Stand down, dog!" I spat the words at him, daring him to disobey me as I stared at him. He narrowed his eyes, a heavy snarl escaping him before the witch moved between us.

"Enough!" Magick crackled around her and she turned those piercing green eyes on me. "If my sister is in trouble, you need to take me to her but I will warn you that your end will be fucking brutal if you are lying." Her gaze spoke of death and endless destruction if I crossed her and I shook my head.

"I'm not. I don't know what happened but she needs help." It was all I knew, all I could focus on. "You need to open the portal you closed." I couldn't give her specifics of the place because my mind was racing at a hundred miles a minute. All I could think about what regaining that connection between me and Lacey, I needed that access.

She gave a sharp nod and waved her hand, her runes flaring a blue as that familiar swirling spell appeared once more. "Honey bunches of hotness, you come too." She waved at the werewolf before she looked at me. "You first." She jerked her hand at the portal and I didn't response as I stalked towards it, stepping through. I immediately went to Lacey's side. I could feel the cold radiating off of her and the fact that her teeth weren't chattering was bothering me. I shifted the blankets around her, not knowing what to do but knowing I needed to do something.

Fear was clawing at my insides as I looked at her. I didn't know why but it was clawing at me like my very world hung in the balance with her. I kissed her forehead, unable to help myself before I pulled away. "You are going to be okay. I found your sister, sweetling." I brushed her hair from her face and could hear the two entering through the portal. I looked over my shoulder and Ren's bulky frame hid BamBam from view and I watched as she pinched his side before stepping around him. Her belly was rounded and my eyes widened. How the fuck had I missed that? Pregnant and far along by the looks of it.

Her eyes widened as they landed on Lacey. "Novy!" She inhaled sharply as she came closer quickly, her focus on her sister. But when she came within a few feet she inhaled sharply again before scurrying backwards, her eyes wide with fear. "Grab her, Ren! I need to prepare for this!" She created another portal quickly and was gone. I blinked in surprise unsure of what to think right before Ren moved around me and scooped Lacey up into his arms. I snarled, the sound escaping me before I could prevent it. He ignored me as he carried her towards the portal BamBam had made. I followed him closely, trying to keep my eyes on Lacey but when I stepped towards the portal to follow him as he moved through it BamBam once again reappeared. She shook her head. "You stay here, wolf man." With that she closed both the portals without a sound and I was left alone.

A harsh stillness filled the air as I looked at where the portal had been. Lacey was gone and I felt my stomach knot with fear. Fear was not good because that meant I was attached but I couldn't find the energy to deny it. Something in me knew Lacey, had claimed something inside of her, I didn't know when or how but I felt that connection deep inside of me. It was why I was never bothered by that bitter undertone, that scent that would have repelled other werewolves.

I swallowed hard as I sat heavily on a bed. Some time ago, long ago or not, a part of my soul once belonged to her and hers to me. The thought terrified me but for some reason it didn't scare me nearly as much as the thought of losing her entirely. Something in me knew what it was like to lose her once and it wasn't keen on doing it again. It defied it, demanded her safe return, ordered it with all the force of a High King.