Page 106 of Forever Touched

What if she didn’twantthis? What if she forever despised me for turning her into one of the creatures that had ruined her life? I’d told her I would never force her to do anything against her will. After all she’d been through, this felt like the worst betrayal.

“Maybe she won’t have to become one entirely,” a new voice spoke. I peered up through the rain to see that Kenna and her fox familiar had joined us.

“What do you mean?” I questioned Kenna, still too distraught to connect the dots.

“When Lochlan turned me, the combination of our soulmate bond and my bond with Silver allowed me to become a hybrid. I might be a vampire now, but I’m still a witch too. Adalyn needs herfamiliar for this to work, Everett. She needs Pepper.”

Pepper.

Pepper.

“Save Pepper.”

Those had been Adalyn’s final words to me. Her one last request. Her cry forhelp.

Some of that lost feeling vanished, replaced by another feeling. Hope. Wild, desperatehope.

Pepper. I had to findPepper.

My gaze shot to Loch’s. “There’s not enough time.”

Determination lined his face. “Then we’llmaketime.”

In a flash, he disappeared back up the stairs. Seconds later, he returned carrying a terrified-looking Noah.

When he set him down, Noah sputtered out, “Dude!Neverdo that again! I was in the middle of— Oh.” His expression fell as he caught sight of Adalyn’s broken body.

“We need you to portal her and Everett to Faircroft Manor right away. Can you manage it?” Loch urgently asked him.

“Faircroft . . . Yeah, I can manage. I know where it is. Why? What’s at Faircroft Manor?”

“Adalyn’s familiar.”

His eyes went to me. “You’re planning to turn her into a hybrid?”

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation. Without apology. The thought of turning her into something that didn’t completely take away who she was had renewed my hope. But I’d already wasted precious minutes in my frozen moments of grief. Time was ticking away, and the small window available to turn her was swiftly flying by.

Focusing on Adalyn’s body, I carefully slid my arms beneath her. When I felt how slight she was, howbroken, pain squeezed my heart and cut off my air. I moved even slower, afraid she would fall apart.Only when her head was safely tucked against my chest, the rest of her gently cradled in my arms, did I allow myself to breathe again.

When I stood, Noah cautiously approached. Good thing too. Now that my hope had returned, so had my need to protect what was mine. One false move from the warlock, and I would probably lose it.

“Are you sure her familiar is at the manor?” Noah questioned me. “I only have enough juice for one trip.”

Before I could respond, another voice replied, “She’s there.”

Loch whirled toward the stairs with a growl, nudging Kenna behind him. “You should have run,rogue,” he shouted to the figure standing at the top.

I squinted through the rain, surprised when I recognized the hulky Feltore. “Wait. I know who you are.” With one word, I could command his execution. He deserved it.Allof the rogues did. But instead, I allowed a few more precious seconds to tick by and called, “Why shouldn’t I have you killed where you stand?”

“You should,” Rocky replied back in that deep, quiet voice of his. “But I know who you are too. I know that you tried to protect Adalyn in the club. I know that you saved me from burning to ash. You aren’t who I thought you were. The rogues are wrong about you.Iwas wrong. And for that, I know I deserve death.”

A few more precious seconds ticked by as we stared at each other through the downpour.

Finally, I said, “For your honesty, I will spare you. It’s what Adalyn would have wanted.”

He bowed deeply, murmuring, “For that, I owe you my undying loyalty. I pray she survives the transition.”

I acknowledged his words with a nod, praying for the same thing. She’d survived so much in her short lifetime. I could only hope her spirit hadn’t broken along with the pactum. Could only hope she stillwantedto survive.

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