Page 41 of The Alpha's Bullied Mate

The landscaped lawn had no stray rocks except pebbles, so Mica found the largest one and headed back inside. She read through the ritual again, and her jaw tightened. This required three people minimum. Who in the pack could she trust to be part of this, without running straight to Hayden?

Tess. She might have told Hayden that Mica tried to run away, but that was because he used his Alpha powers on her. She wouldn’t tattle on Mica in this case. So, who else?

Mica hurried to the basement, searching the storage bins for the other needed materials. Five candles, a bell, and a mirror. She had just found the stash of emergency candles and realized she didn’t have enough hands for everything when the door to the basement opened. She froze, expecting that it was Hayden or Ryder coming to tell her to stop trying, that they were just going to kill Echo.

To her surprise, it was Elin who descended the stairs. She had healed from Monroe’s attack and moved outside with everyone else. Whenever Mica was around, she had a tendency to duck behind people or pretend to be busy, shooting Mica anxious looks. Even though when Elin thanked Mica for asking Hayden to save her, Mica told her that she wouldn’t make her life harder for her.

Now, when Elin caught sight of her, she froze. Her eyes widened. Instantly, she turned to leave, but Mica called out, “Wait.”

Elin’s shoulders hunched. She shuffled down the stairs, eyes on the floor. “Did you need something from me, Luna?”

Surprise rippled through Mica. It was the first time someone had addressed her by the title that an Alpha’s mate was usually called. It sounded strange to be called that. Mica shook off the reaction and pressed the candles into Elin’s hands.

“Take this to my bedroom, and tell Tess I want to see her. Then both of you come back here,” she ordered.

Elin’s eyebrows furrowed together, but Mica pushed against the unease in her stomach. Elin had betrayed her before, but she wouldn’t know what Mica was up to now. And besides, after what happened with Monroe, Elin owed her. Maybe it would be enough for her to be the third participant that Mica needed.

By the time Elin returned with Tess, Mica had found a brass handbell tucked in with the Yuletide decorations. She led them back upstairs, grabbing a little hand mirror from her makeup kit. Then, with all the supplies gathered, she explained to them what she needed them to do. Both looked shocked.

“We should tell the Alpha,” Elin said at once. “This isn’t the work for females.”

“Yes, it is,” Mica growled, narrowing her eyes at her. “And you’re going to help me, Elin. After all the shit you put me through, you owe me.”

Elin ducked her head.

Tess shot her a disgusted look, but her expression melted into concern when she turned back to Mica. Still, she straightened and nodded. “We’ll help you, Mica.”

“Thank you. Let’s go get this done.”

The demon wasn’t guarded, since the ring of salt was enough to keep it trapped in place. It watched with disinterested eyes as the three women set the candles at five points around her. Mica took a deep breath as she placed the pebble on the mirror.

“Ah, I see,” the demon drawled. “It doesn’t work, you know. This little ritual of yours. But I welcome you to try it.”

Elin shuddered.

“Ignore it,” Mica said sharply.

“Ignore it,” the demon mimicked, even worse since it was using Echo’s words. “Yes, ignore me, girl. Ignore me when I say this isn’t going to work. You’ll merely set me free. And maybe…” The demon laughed. “Yes, I think so. When I’m free, I’ll leave this body for dead. I’ll take the one growing in your belly.”

Mica’s head snapped up. “What—” she cut herself off. She forced herself not to think about what the demon was saying or the implication behind those words. “Tess, get the bell. Elin, light the candles. We’re doing this.”

Chapter 22 - Hayden

“I’m just saying that maybe this ritual is worth the risk,” Maverick said. His arms were folded over his chest, and there was a doubtful look on his face. “What will it hurt to try?”

Hayden shook his head. “We can’t risk a demon getting free. We don’t know what will happen. For all we know, this ritual is something the demons put into the world to—”

He cut off as Finn shuddered. His eyes widened, and his head snapped around, toward the house. “Something’s happening.”

Mica.

With a curse, Hayden wheeled around and raced for the house. The team fell in step behind him. The pack looked up from their tasks, startled, but Hayden didn’t give any orders. He threw open the front door and took the stairs two at a time. He kicked open the door leading to the room where Echo was kept.

Mica, Tess, and Elin were all inside. Tess rang an old brass bell manically, the clanging echoing through the room. Elin held a lighter in hand, racing back and forth to light candles as Echo spun around in her salt circle, blowing them out. Mica stood holding a hand mirror, a pebble resting on the glass surface. She spoke in broken Latin, reading off her piece of paper.

“Stop this at once,” Hayden ordered, striding in.

As he spoke, Elin looked up. She slipped on a puddle of melted wax, sprawling out on the floor. One of her hands swiped over the salt circle, scattering it inward. Echo howled, wheeling back—then laughed. She leaped lightly over Elin’s body and threw her head back, howling.

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