Page 43 of Branches of the Willow

“Seriously, this is getting old, really fast.”

“If it were just you that I had to worry about, I wouldn’t be happy, but I wouldn’t stop you from going. It’s not just you anymore though, Jess. You have to remember you’re carrying our child, even if it doesn’t show yet.” Mikael came around the table and wrapped his arms around me, whispering in my ear. “You have my word that justice will be served, and your father’s word that we will bring him back so you can see for yourself. If we find Leanna with him, we will be bringing her too.”

“What if I asked you to stay here with me since I can’t go?”

“Then I would. Just say the word.” His lips nipped against the tender flesh of my neck sending chills down my spine and gooseflesh across my skin.

“No. I want you to be where you’re most needed, and that’s making sure my dad comes back safe too.” I sighed. “This pregnancy was bad timing.”

Mikael smiled at me. “I’d say it was perfect timing. Once we get my brother, and this pack of jackasses taken care of, you will be able to have your happily ever after you keep going on about, and now that will include a baby too.”

16

Act of War

Scoutsweresentoutwith cameras, to record the goings on at Freedman’s pack. They never sent back any intel about Malachi being there, but a particular cabin received a lot of visitors, including John Freedman. Food was brought in and empty trays were seen leaving. Someone special was staying there, and they didn’t leave the cabin at all. Asi and my father determined that it was probably their best bet for Malachi’s location, and they finished up the plans to raid Freedman’s pack with that information in mind.

The final cog in the wheel of our plan was to send out notice to all the packs that anyone caught harboring known fugitives, Malachi, Eleanna, and Clarissa would be given no quarter when punishments were handed down. It was also made known that Malachi was the illegitimate bastard of Antoine De’ Lune and Eleanna before they were a mated pair and while he was bonded with another, therefore relinquishing his title to the next eligible in the family line, Mikael DéLune.

It only took one day after that message went out, and Jameson St. Marks got word from his scouts that they were picking up defectors from the Freedman Pack who confirmed that Malachi was living among them and that he had brought two women with him as possible trade for his stay. My father, Evan, Mikael, Asriel, and a few of the pack’s best warriors, including Dimitri, the new Ancient to our pack, set out to bring Malachi to justice, and hopefully nab the two women as well.

Since it had already been decided that I wouldn’t be able to go along, I was going to test out my white wolf skills and chalk it up as a training exercise. It would take a little over three hours for our men to get to the Freedman Pack, and just before they were due to arrive, I was going to try to induce a vision so that I could watch firsthand, even if I couldn’t be there. All I had to do was convince my mother it was a good idea.

“Please!” I begged.

“Jessica, it’s not going to be good for the baby for you to be so stressed out.”

“I’m not going to be stressed. I’m going to be watching what happens, that’s all. We may need to know. What if something goes wrong, and we have no warning that we’re going to be invaded by Freedman?”

“Then we will fight, just like we prepared to do with the dark ones and the hunters.”

“Mom come on. I’m only asking that you put me to sleep. I mean, I need the rest anyway.” I poked my lip out in a pout. “Please! I will be more stressed out not knowing.”

“Fine! I wish you hadn’t inherited your father’s stubborn streak. I don’t think you should be doing this, but I can’t disagree about the not knowing being any less stressful.”

“Thank you!” I jumped up and kissed my mom, who followed me upstairs to the old bedroom I used to occupy in her house. It was weird to be there again. All my personal things had long since made their way to Mikael’s house, but the old bed with its trundle was still there, and so was my trusty Papasan chair. I chose the chair to settle myself into so that I would be comfortable enough to drop off to sleep quicker.

When the vision finally hit, and the fog lifted, I was a bit disappointed to be standing in the cave where the white wolves always stayed. I noted that the little sapling in the dirt in front of the dais had grown a bit, a proud sprig of green burst forth from the damp earth, stretching to reach the little bit of light that filtered through from a tiny pinprick of space in the ceiling that allowed it through.

“You have come to beg favors of the white wolves.” The voices echoed through the cavern.

“No, actually, I was hoping to witness what takes place with my mate today.”

“Behind you.” Their whispered voices wrapped me in chills, and when I turned, the cave wall that had been behind me melted away, allowing me to walk out into a thick forest. Correction, I was at the edge of the forest, bordering a little pack town. It was set up a lot like the St. Marks’ pack, but the buildings were showing obvious neglect from lack of upkeep.

“Where the bloody hell is he?” I heard Dimitri’s voice boom loud and obvious from off to the right somewhere, and I turned to see him holding a rather scraggly looking man up by the neck.

“I swear it, I dunno.” The man managed to get out as he gasped for air. One swift motion from Dimitri, and the man’s neck cracked with that pop, and he went still, falling from Dimitri’s grasp to the ground at his feet.

“You do know he’ll wake up from that later, right?” Asi had been watching the happenings from his perch in a nearby tree before he hopped down to come harass Dimitri. The man had been one of Freedman’s watch dogs, and he hadn’t been very good at it. That only meant that they were bound to run into the stronger members of the pack the closer they got. I turned a full circle, trying to gage who all was with Asi and Dimitri. A little way off to the right I saw Evan, and my father, but I didn’t see Mikael anywhere, and that’s when panic took hold of me.

I turned a full 360 degrees looking for him, and still, he wasn’t there. “Asi, where’s Mikael? Asi?” It was no use. I knew from previous times I’d been somewhere in vision mode that they couldn’t hear me. I was a silent witness and nothing more. This certainly wasn’t like the time I took over Mikael’s unconscious body. I looked down really quick to be sure. The first thing I saw was the swell of my own chest. I was definitely riding in my own astral body, unless Mikael had some serious work done.

“Where’s Mikael?” Asriel voiced his concern out loud, while also keeping his voice low. “Damn it. Tell me he didn’t head for the cabin we had under surveillance?” Asi looked around, and made sure all the other men were in the positions they were supposed to be in. “Stay here,” he commanded Dimitri. “Hold the ranks, I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”

I followed behind Asi as he made his way swiftly, and quietly toward the cabin. There, just up ahead, I saw the slightest hint of movement. The back door on the cabin cracked open, and a tall man slipped out, running quickly behind a tree. That’s when I noticed who else was behind the same tree, trying to get the lay of the land.

“Mikael!” I yelled. Of course, no one heard me. Asi saw what was about to happen though, and he took off at a dead run. I was hot on his heels, wishing I could fly, since technically I was in a spirit realm. Sadly, the ability still alluded me. When I rounded the space that the tree had been blocking, my heart immediately lodged itself inside my throat, and threatened to spill right out of me. “Oh God, no!” Malachi was there, with a silver blade, and he had already pulled back, ready to deal a death blow to my mate’s neck.

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