TW: Graphic scene and signs of torture
Ivan
"There's no way," Terry scoffed, refusing to believe what I was saying. "No one treats their mate like he did and loves them."
I wish he was right, but I know better.
That bastard loved her in the worst way, but he did. I sensed how he spoke to her and said Sapphire and his possessiveness. It disgusts me because I feel those things for her. So, as a man who understands what it means to love Nefretiri Jordans, I know a rival. The problem for him is that his love isn't reciprocated.
'What if she doesn't love me back either?'
"He does," I can't look at them. The fear clutches at my heart. She'd come with me, but she didn't have much choice. That isn't the same as wanting to be with me. "It's obsessive... and dark, but he loves her. That means he won't stop hunting her. She's tried running several times, and he's got the resources to find her and get her back."
"Meaning he's probably already looking for her," Vince concluded, motioning to Taylor to give him back the phone. "And he's good at killing us..."
"There are documents too... Try to find out as much as you can about him. He's a professional, and he's been in business for a long time. Someone will know something about him."
"I... hate to ask this, Alpha..." Danny fidgetted, refusing a seat like he was debating where he belonged at the table. "But... does she love him. I know that seems crazy, but if she's in this kind of toxic relationship, there's a chance she has feelings for him. It might not just be magic."
"This isn't the time to be a therapist, Danny..." Nate scolded, but I held my hand up to stop him.
"It's fine, and I know she doesn't feel anything for him... She... rejected him." It was my saving grace. Hearing her say those words lifted the knife in my chest and gave me hope that we could be something. "She... asked me if it was supposed to feel good after a rejection. I'm taking that as a good sign."
"Of course it is," Tay wanted to believe it more than anyone. She wanted this for me, and I know she means well, but this isn't her choice. "Nefra came with you. She left Penelope with us and is upstairs in your room. That's more than a good sign. That's fate. She might not know it yet, but she feels the bond. I... spoke to her. She's overwhelmed but strong and will be the best Luna."
"Except I don't think she wants to be Luna," rubbing my face, I wiped away the moisture from my eyes. Why was I suddenly crying? I wasn't sad.
"That's because you don't know how to explain anything," Leave it to my sister not to care that the others were here. Goddess, sometimes I want to tape her mouth with duct tape. "You made it feel overwhelming. I told her she has all the time in the world to learn, and you should've seen her. She's thinking about it. We just need to give her time to adjust."
"Just like that?" I'd barely got her to come with me, and Taylor's almost convinced her to become Luna? What was wrong with me?
"You should've won that election," Steven was so proud of her, and even I had to admit Taylor was a better diplomate than any of us, but could she really convince Nefra to stay?
"Give me three days. Nefra wants to be here. By tomorrow, we'll be best friends..."
"I'll get in on that bet," Vince didn't look up from my phone, scrolling through everything again. "But I have one question. Why the hell didn't you kill him?"
It wasn't an accusation, but the question hung heavy.
Could I tell them it was because Nefra didn't want me to? It's the reason, but how could I justify it to them? My pride was wounded, along with my insecurities. Nefra had no reason to trust my skill at that point, but it doesn't mean Chagan doesn't feel hurt that she doubts us. He wants to show her how powerful we are.
'Except... we're not as strong as we should be...'
"Nefra begged me not to," I couldn't lie to them.
"She's smart" is not what I expected from my cousin. I thought he'd reproach me for thinking with my heart, but he was serious.
"What do you mean?"
"Look at all these wolves," Vince turned the phone to show everyone. "I know some of these names, and they're all Alphas. We've just solved at least twenty cold cases. That's just by skimming the top. If I look deeper into it, we'll see a lot more. Ivan... this guy's not just good. He's specialized in killing werewolves. In the state you're in... because of your injuries, he would've demolished you."
He'd almost said something else.
Everyone in the pack knew about the injuries I got in Afghanistan, but the addictions were a different story.
"You're right," I want to argue but can't. I've been clean for two months, but Trevor thinks the damage I've caused will take much longer to heal. It shouldn't hurt me so much, but I'd gone against my wolf's biology, affecting my healing. "So, until we know what he'll do. Everyone stays close, and I want the property patrolled. Terry, you guys can handle that, right?"
"Course," the squad leader looked mildly offended. "We'll have to be careful if he's that good, but we won't let him get to Luna."
"Good. We'll need to discuss the possibilities of magic being a factor, but tonight, he'll be too busy looking for her in the city."
"So what do you want to do?" Steven moved Taylor to the seat beside him, treating this as an official meeting.
"Tay, tomorrow, get them whatever else they need—at least a month's worth of clothes and supplies. Once we leave, I don't want to stop until we get to San Diego. We'll be safer once we're in Luke's territory, but I'm not taking any chances. After that, I'll ask Nefra to take me to meet the dragon's mate. She's friends with them, so maybe they'll be willing to help..."
"She knows them?" Everyone was surprised by that. Steven glanced at Taylor, but she stayed quiet. "Do we think that's a coincidence?"
"No... considering Nefra is a student..."
"Well, this just got more interesting," Scott ran his fingers through his hair, looking tired. "I should come with you. In case any paperwork needs to happen. You know how dragons are when it comes to proprietary rights. They might not like you taking her without their consent."
"Yeah..." I couldn't stay in my seat anymore. The pain was so bad I felt like an old man. "For now, that's it. Everyone get some sleep... Terry, don't make it obvious, okay? There aren't any packs around here, so we can get away with being human for this."
"Got it," Everyone rose, but I avoided moving out of the kitchen, grabbing a soda to give Nefra more time to do what she needed.
"I'll head up and check on her..." Tay knew what I was doing, patting my arm before leaving the room. "I left her some clothes on your bed, so she should be done soon."
"Alpha... you really don't look good," AJ muttered as I opened a new soda can. "Maybe you inhaled something at this guy's house. I mean... if he kills werewolves, then maybe-"
"IVAN!" I dropped the can on the ground and ran out of the room before she finished screaming my name.
Every step is like millions of needles stabbing my legs.
Taylor's already running to my room, but I'm faster.
Nefra's not inside, but I hear the shower going.
Bang!
I force the door open, not caring that I splintered the wood. Nefra's lying in the middle of the shower curled up in a ball. She's convulsing, blood spiraling down the drain as she screams again. The sound of cracking bones fills the room, and Nefra can't stop from clutching her ribs. What was happening?
The water burns my skin as I rush to get her out of the shower. Her skin's on fire, but she trembles like she's freezing. I watch in horror as bones move on their own, shifting like someone's living inside her body and making them dance. Nefra's eyes are gold and silver, but she can't be doing this to herself. She can't be doing this to me.
The pain echoes in my body, attacking the tissue on my side that's been fucked for over three years.
"Shh, I'm here," I don't know what else to say. "Taylor! Get Danny!"
"I... can't... stop it!" Nefra barely gets the words out as more bones break and move.
"Fuck! Danny! Hurry the fuck up!!" I yell, bringing Nefra to the bedroom. She's clinging to my wet shirt like it's the only thing holding her together. "It's okay, It's okay. I'm here. I'm right here."
"I didn't mean to..." her voice trembles, her lips turning blue. "I can't..."
"Oh fuck!" Danny came in, looked at Nefra, and turned to yell out the door. "Nate! I need you in here!"
"What's wrong with her?" I demand, refusing to let her go.
"Magic backlash..." Danny took her from me, setting her on the bed. "Luna? What spell did you do?"
"Healing... I wasn't... trying to..." Nefra whimpered as lines appeared on her legs, bruises, and ripped skin on her ankles, making marks that looked like shackles. They didn't disappear immediately, but when they did, it was like they were never there.
"Alpha, I need you to leave," Danny ordered, switching to a field medic. "I've got her."
"No, I'm not leaving," I couldn't. He couldn't ask me to leave her like this.
"You cannot get in the way!" he glared at me, not seeing me as Alpha but as family who would hinder his job. "I need you out!"
"I won't. I swear!" I wanted to help, but I knew I'd be useless. "I won't do anything. I'll do what you tell me, but I'm not leaving."
"Fine, where the hell is Nate?"
"I'm here..." Nate wasn't a medic, but he'd helped Danny in the past, so they worked well together. "What do you need."
"Blue bottle with the green label. Syringe kit, and the alcohol."
Danny wasn't a Voodoo man, but he was one of the few who studied magic in the pack.
According to him, it was all theory, but he could learn if he wanted to. So, I trusted his word and what he was doing. That didn't make this easier. All I could do was crawl on the side of the bed where I was out of the way and brush Nefra's hair back. I'd failed her again. She'd been in pain, and I'd ignored it, thinking it was mine.
"Does she have any allergies?" Danny got my attention, and Nefra was in too much pain to give him what he needed. Why were her lips so blue?
"Shellfish..." At least I knew that much.
"Cold... so cold. No... please... No, don't put me back in here!!!" she thrashed against Danny, trying to get away. "No!"
"Alpha, keep her calm!" Danny couldn't reach her arm while she was doing that, so I had to hold her down.
"No!" Nefra begged, tears streaming down her cheeks in a flood. "No! Let me go! No!"
"Baby, listen to me," I might not know anything about magic, but I know torture. Nefra was reliving everything she'd ever gone through, and I don't know if she's alert enough to understand she's not there. "You're safe. I'm here. Nothing's going to happen. You're going to be okay. I'm not letting anyone hurt you again. Please, listen to my voice."
"Ivan, no!" She screamed, cuts appearing on her nose. "No, no, no! Please, don't take him away. Don't take him. Please! Hurt me, not him!"
"Shh," was she talking about me? Goddess, I pray that's not it. "I'm here. No one's taking me away. Look at me. Nefra, look at me."
"I got a vein!" Danny announced as I forced Nefra to look at me. She could barely open her eyes, but when she did, I let Chagan surface enough for my irises and corneas to turn black. She needed me to be here for her, to control the pain so she could face it.
"I'm here," the roughness of my voice vibrated along her hand as I held it up to my lips, my touch speeding up some of the damage. "Just focus on me. Can you do that? Breathe with me. That's all you need to do."
"You've got this, Alpha..." Nate praised, handing Danny something else as they injected the blue liquid into her arm. "It's okay, Luna. Danny's the best..."
"That'll help," taping the IV tube to her arm, Danny held the bottle upside down, concentrating on Nefra's body. "She's had frostbite... Alpha..."
"I know," We didn't need to discuss it here.
Nefra's been tortured.
"Now what?" Nate knelt beside the bed, waiting for orders.
"Luna had a bag of supplies. Bring them up with as many towels as you can. We've got a few minutes."
"What do you mean?" Nefra looked better.
"I gave her a sedative and something to slow down the effects, but I can't stop this. No one can. If she's got anything bigger than what we've seen, we'll have to patch them up... or she might bleed out."
"Do you smell silver?" Nate was halfway out the door when he stopped. "It's... fuck, that's strong."
"She had it in her back..." I thought of the stitches she'd had and how we'd pulled all of it out.
"Okay... Nate, get someone else to grab everything, then hurry back. Luna, I'm going to turn you on your side..." Danny spoke to Nefra like she was a wounded soldier, turning her as carefully as he could. "Fuck, that's a lot of silver. Let's hope she bought hydrogen peroxide..."
"Pretty unicorns..." Nefra was so out of it that she didn't realize she was talking. "Pretty dark unicorns... They have white hair and wear glasses. He said he's my daddy, but he's not my daddy. Jai's my daddy..."
"How strong is that sedative?" I scowl at Danny, worried about Nefra's mental state.
"The strongest I have. Don't worry, it won't have any side effects, but I'm not taking any chances," he had an alcohol swab in his hand, wiping away the silver even as it tried to heal back in the skin. "Was someone keeping these open?"
"Yeah..."
"I wonder why..." he said, but I had asked myself the same question before. Why put silver in someone's back? "It's turning into liquid... that's... Luna? Can you give Alpha a hug? Alpha, sit her up..."
I did as I was told, letting Nefra wrap her arms around my neck. She giggled, which was better than screaming, nuzzling her face into my neck. More bruises appeared along her skin, but they weren't coming as fast. The medicine was working, but would it be enough?
"Danny, she had a C-section," I remind the medic, wanting to do more but knowing this is helping. "Nefra, do you have anything else we should know about, baby?"
"Mmm..." she was almost child-like, her eyes glassy, and she laughed freeer than she'd been. "Yep... Lots."
"Can you tell me what they are?" fuck.
"Jackie... liked to play doctors after she didn't like the way her plastic surgery went..." She laughed like it was a joke, but that wasn't funny. "You're so pretty."
"It's okay. What else?" Danny could clean the silver as long as she focused on me, but what if there was worse than that?
"Here..." Nefra touched her neck and shoulder. There was nothing there, but thin lines appeared as she felt the skin. "Ricky didn't like it. So he took it away. He said I was bad for letting you do that. He did the same, though, but it hurt. He did it because he said he was the only one... but he wasn't... I don't feel... Ivan, please don't leave!"
"I'm not going anywhere," I was glad I'd insisted on staying. She needed me. "I'm never going anywhere."
"Can we go home?" she pouted, pressing her face to my chest. "I want to go home. I don't want to be here anymore. I just want..."
"I promise. I will take you home, and you'll be safe," Danny nodded, encouraging me to keep her calm. "You're safe with me."
"Ivan?" she looked up, something more serious and alert in her eyes. "Promise?"
"Promise what, baby?" Nate came back into the room, but I ignored him. There was nothing else except for her.
"If I die, you'll keep Pen-Pen?" her fingers dug into my arms like she was trying to stay with us and not lose herself in the sedative. "Please?"
"Shh, don't talk like that," the thought of Nefra dying was unthinkable, but to have her ask that was even worse. "You're not going to die..."
"Please..." she begged in the same way she had for whoever hurt her to stop. "Please... She has to stay safe. She has to be with you. No one else will take care of her. They'll use her... You'll love her. Please. Don't let our baby be used!"
"I promise, I promise," the desperation she held had me swearing to anything. "She's my pup, Nefra. You're not going to die, but she'll be safe with me. Penelope is not going anywhere."
"Okay..." Relaxing, Nefra loosened her hold, resting her body against me again. The smell of blood overpowered the silver, and I looked down to see several lines appearing on her arms.
"Danny," I kept my voice surprisingly calm despite not feeling it.
"I've got it. Lay her down," how could he seem so unaffected when my world was crashing around me?
"Luna? Can you feel anything?"
"Nope!" She popped the P and giggled again. "I'm naked."
"Yep, you are. You were in the shower," Danny started wrapping her arms.
"Oh, I thought Ivan ripped my clothes again." There was an awkward pause.
"Really, he did that?"
"Yep. Then he licked me... I like it when he does that, but don't tell him." She made it sound like a secret. "He's so pretty. I smell like a steak..."
"What, Luna?" Danny blinked, not expecting that. I was confused, too.
"When I had Pen-Pen, I smelled like a steak. I smell yummy!" she was really out of it now. "Ivan, do you think I smell yummy?"
"You smell delicious," and I meant that.
"You smell yummy too, like lightning storms and... heather. I remember now. You smell like flowers. It smells like home..."
"Nefra?" something changed. Her skin grew cold and clammy, and her breathing was shallow and rapid. "Nefra...?"
"Her blood pressure's dropping," Danny said, his tone sharpening as he checked her pulse. He gave me that look, wanting me out of the way. "Nate, there's a box in the bag. Grab it and pull out the white jar and the glass bottle with the cork lid. I have a pressure cuff in the back zipper. Grab that, too."
"You have the same eyes," Nefra mumbled, barely able to stay conscious. "You and Pen-Pen. You have the same eyes."
"I know... Lucky me, huh?" I didn't want to leave her, holding her hand as I moved away. "Everything will be okay. I promise."
Was I assuring her or me?
"I wished for you... and you came..." She held my hand with a grip no human should possess, and I didn't care. "Ricky said I'd never leave, and I wished for you to find us. You did. You didn't break your promise."
I don't know what she's talking about, but I nod, focusing on her eyes as they dulled, changing back to hazel.
"Always."
"Hell of a first day..." was the last thing she said before her eyes rolled back, and Nate grabbed me from behind, pulling me away from the room.
"Sorry, Alpha, but this is going to be messy..." Danny called as someone else grabbed me from behind, leading me out of the room as Nate shut the door.
"No!" I screamed, but I couldn't fight Steven and Vince together. "Let me go!"
"Your daughter needs you!" Steven commands, pulling me toward the room meant for Nefra.