Page 148 of Awakened
Hope sat on the ground, her clothes torn and bloody, with Zach’s head in her lap. Tears ran down her cheeks while she roughly ran her hand over his hair.
Zach’s eyes were barely open, his face oddly relaxed, considering the battle raging around him. As my gaze moved down his body, bile rose in my throat. His torso wasn’t just cut up—it was cut open. Hope’s small hand tried to shove his organs back in and hold them there, but it was too late. With every breath, more blood gushed out. One of Zach’s legs lay mashed and flat in places while his foot dangled by a thread.
There was no coming back from that much damage.
Crawling closer, I reached out to touch his blood-soaked hair.
He strained to look up at me. “Sunshine?”
A sob broke from my chest. “Oh, Zach.”
His lips pulled in to a small smile. “Don’t—” He coughed, causing his body to shudder and Hope to hold on tighter. “Don’t be sad. I saved her.” His gaze moved back to Hope. “I saved Grace.”
Hope stared at him, tears rolling down her face. “You did. You saved me.”
Zach reached his hand out, and it shook like it would drop at any second. Cupping her cheek, he smiled. “We finally get to be together.” He sighed, his hand falling to his side as his eyes shut.
Hope patted his cheek. “Zach? Oh, Goddess! Zach, wake up! You can’t die. You saved me. You saved us.” She rested her cheek on the top of his head, her eyes pleading with me to do something.
I sat with my hands extended, unsure of what to do.
Hope’s grip on Zach tightened. “It was Matthew. He cornered me, but Zach broke through. He-he—” She struggled to breathe. “He got him good on his shoulder. Three other wolves jumped in and, and he . . .”
Matthew had taken yet another person from me. A fire burned through my veins—the shift could no longer be stopped. Fur sprouted from my smooth skin, and my bones shifted and moved in to my large blond shape.
I stood on four legs, letting out an earth-shaking howl. I wanted Matthew to know I was coming for him.
Staring down at my dead friend, I promised to destroy every Old Church asshole in my path. No more merciful Les.
Hope’s shocked face gave me pause. “Les, your eyes. They’re glowing.”
Her small hand touched my snout. “You’re receiving a blessing.”
I snorted. I felt different but not blessed. If anything, the storm brewing in me was a force of destruction, not a blessing from the sweet moon that Hope believed in.
Turning from her, I sniffed for my prey. As I ran through the battling bodies, no one tried to touch me. Wolves cowered away, creating a path to the shining orb where Matthew was trying to free his father.
A sharp bark caught his attention. His eyes widened when he took in my commanding appearance.
“No, you can’t be . . .” He stumbled back, falling flat on his ass.
As he struggled to stand back up, I barreled into him. Using his leg as a chew toy, I whipped him against the glowing orb. With every touch to the magical surface, Matthew’s skin sizzled. His screams caused the wolves around us to stop and watch.
I dropped his leg from my mouth. Pressing one enormous paw to his chest, I put my mouth around his throat.
“Please, don’t do this, Celeste. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about your dad, that beta, Grace, and all the other women.”
His pleas did the opposite of his intention. My teeth slowly sunk into his soft throat. Blood oozed into my mouth, the metallic taste only creating a lust for more. I stepped harder on his chest and reveled in his ribs collapsing under my weight. With one final bite, I severed his spine, killing Matthew Stewart in a more humane way than he deserved.
I lifted my bloody muzzle to the sky and howled. My troops followed suit.
Suddenly, the white orb flickered, the shield falling. I looked to the porch, and Grandma Rose had collapsed.
Shoving off Matthew’s crushed chest, I took off toward her. Clamoring up the stairs, I found her with her eyes open.
“Oh, sweetheart, I knew you were ready, but I had no idea just how ready you were.” Her hand brushed over my ears. “Things are going to change for you, Celeste. You are more powerful than you can imagine. It took me over a hundred years to understand my abilities, and I still hadn’t mastered them.”
Grandma Rose’s skin had faint pink marks from the symbols that previously glowed blue. I licked the spots, trying to comfort her.
