Page 47 of Soul Bound

“I should’ve seen that coming.” I grimace. “What did you say?”

She lifts one shoulder. “I said I couldn’t. What else was I supposed to say? I don’t even know how I was able to bring back Poe. Esme is even more stumped than me. No other witch has been able to revive someone with just a touch of their hand like I have. And everything I’ve been reading says the only people who can do that are necromancers, but that’s impossible because necromancers are no longer around. It’s a loop of endless questions, with zero answers.”

“You’ll figure it out. Just like you figured this out,” I reassure her. “I’m sorry Noah put you on the spot like that. I warned everyone to not talk about it, but Noah is desperate to save Addison. He’s been in love with her for over twenty years and he finally got to mate with her three months ago. It wasn’t enough time for them.”

Her face falls. “That’s horrible. And now I feel even worse that I can’t help her.”

“I’m not trying to make you feel bad, I’m just trying to explain where he was coming from. The mating bond is intense, and when Addison passes, Noah will feel like his soul is being ripped out.”

“It’s like that still, even though she’s human?”

“We are still trying to figure out what mating bonds are like between wolves and humans, but as far as we can tell, it’s the same connection two shifters would have with each other.”

“That’s amazing, I can’t imagine what it would be like to be bonded to someone like that. I bet it’s incredible knowing a person wasmadefor you.” She scrunches her nose. “I’m sure it’s just my minor abandonment issues speaking, but there must be such a feeling of security knowing the person you love is yours forever. That nothing could ever change the connection you share.”

“From what I’ve heard from mated couples, it is. Especially for the male, being mated gives their wolves such peace.” I smirk. “Plus the sex between mated couples is supposed to be spectacular. They’re literally connected, body, mind, and soul. But because everything is so good—euphoriceven—between mates, the idea of losing your mate will make you do anything to save them. That’s where Noah is right now.”

“Was there nothing they could do for Addison?”

“There was an experimental cancer drug, but the chances of surviving were still so slim and had she done it, it would have caused her more pain than the cancer.”

“I think she made the right choice. Dying is scary enough, there is no reason to go out in more pain than necessary. I mean, the actual act of dying does hurt, but spending your last days in pain, it shouldn’t be like that.” She adjusts the sleeves of her black sweater, so it covers her wrists. “I promised I’d be there with her when she crosses over, that I’d help her move on.”

I clear my throat. “That was very nice of you.”

We fall into silence the rest of the drive, opting to listen to whatever horrible pop music stations had been programmed into the rental car. The closer we get to the facility, the more the uneasy feeling in my stomach grows.

The last time we were here, it was a bloodbath and all those bad memories are starting to surface again. I can still hear the sound of the gun going off when Nicolai pulled the trigger, the bullet ripped through Ryker’s chest missing his heart by just mere centimeters. Remington would have also been shot it Jax hadn’t jumped in front of her, taking the hit himself. I know both of them lived, but we got out of here by the skin of our teeth.

The facility is located in an old industrial park. The exterior of the building looks decrepit and old, but that’s by design. It keeps prying eyes from looking too closely. If Sterling and Nicolai had built a brand-new facility, it would have drawn attention. The inside was remodeled and turned into a state-of-the-art medical facility.

The gate that was locked the last time we were here is wide open, allowing us to drive right in. I park the car and just stare up at the abandoned building. My hands tighten on the steering wheel so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t bend or break. I don’t know how long I was staring, but when a soft hand covers mine, I come out of my daze. I look at the small hand gripping mine before I look at her.

“Your claws are out, and your eyes are glowing. Are you going to be okay?” She’s removed her sunglasses so I can look directly into those eyes that have a way of calming and captivating me. “I can go in by myself, just give me a rough idea of where the room is, and I’ll go in and get the blood.”

“There is no way in hell I’m allowing you to go in there by yourself,” I growl, my wolf lunging at the idea.

She gives me a patronizing pat on the arm. “It’s cute you think you can tell me what to do.” She looks me over one last time before removing her hand from mine, “Come on White Fang, let’s get this over with. I’ll let you buy me a milkshake again afterward.” She grabs her canvas bag from the back seat before climbing out of the car.

With an exhale of breath, I finally leave the car and follow close behind her as we make our way into the building that occupies my nightmares.

* * *

The electricity has been turnedoff to the building, so Winslow uses a flashlight she had stuck in her bag to illuminate the dark hallways. With my wolf vision, I don’t need a flashlight, but Winslow’s weak human vision requires one.

Everything about the facility is white, the floors, the walls, the doors—sterilewhite. When I was here months ago and the fluorescent lights above us were on, the white interior was almost blinding.

I walk behind Winslow, keeping close. My experience the last time I was here is making my wolf’s protective instincts go into overdrive. He hates that Winslow’s in a place where such horrible things have happened. The second we walked through the door, the urge to haul her ass back to the car was strong. I knew she would never allow me to leave her in the car where it’s safe.

My little witch is brave.

She marches through the hallways, completely unaffected or unfazed by the pitch-black darkness that’s around us, without the flashlight she wouldn’t be able to see an inch in front of her face. She doesn’t blink when we pass some of the cells where the women were kept, and their beds now sit empty. Everything is exactly how it was left three months ago. Glasses of water still sitting on tables in the room, the sheets still hang haphazardly off the beds from when the women made their hasty escapes.

We make a turn down another long corridor and I know we are getting close to the room we are looking for. As if she feels the unease building in my body, Winslow’s free hand reaches back and she intertwines her fingers through mine. She doesn’t look back at me or say anything, she just holds my hand as she continues to walk.

The gesture makes my heart squeeze. I’ve been a dick to her the past couple of weeks. She was right when she accused me of avoiding her. I was. I went out of my way to be anywhere she wasn’t, but even when I was far away from her, my head was still swimming with images of her. As I worked on the cabin, I thought about what she was doing or who she was with. When I would come back to Pru’s house to grab something to eat or shower, I would find her more often than not, sitting with Ransom. The way she smiled and laughed with him filled me with a level of jealousy I’ve never experienced before. And I know it was my fault to begin with they were even with each other, I pushed her toward him when I distanced myself from her. Doesn’t mean I liked it. I sure as hell didn’t like how he called herbabeat my parents’ house or how he had his arm wrapped around her. My wolf liked it even less. He’s never wanted to tear into his twin brother more than he did when he saw them together.

Winslow comes to an abrupt stop and I collide with her back, almost sending her flying forward. I wrap my free hand around her waist, steadying her before she has a chance to stumble. She rights herself and flashes the flashlight into an empty cell. The doors are made of glass, we can see right inside. She stays silent, but her head cocks to the side and her dark brows furrow. Her eyes roam around the room like she’s looking at something, and her hand tightens slightly around mine when her eyes land on something. I follow where she’s looking, but don’t see anything.

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