Page 61 of Beta Hybrid

Zenna

The next twenty-four hours pass quickly. Gaia teleported us home. Along with the monster that is the Father of Wolves. I was not the only one to freak out at his massive size. Noah’s camp took some time to settle, but once they saw him playing with Reagan, they seemed to calm down a bit.

Callen returned. It took some convincing to not let Alaric tear his head off. He didn’t come alone. I ran to embrace Aidan, and was even relieved to see Evelyn, and Will and his vampire, Siobhan. They all looked terrible, but our witches managed to give them some healing salves and bandaged them up.

The vampires agreed to stay outside camp. The wolves and witches weren’t going to bunk with them, no matter what I said. I didn’t bother to argue on their behalf, anyway. Callen assured me that Godric was fine, but that he told Callen that Drusilla’s appetite has grown exponentially.

Over the past weeks, she has emerged from the Tomb many times. Destroying any sign of human or supernatural life within hundreds of miles. And that it was only a matter of time before she came here. She’s on her way to destroy us. Sunlight does not harm vampires, Callen finally told me. Damn it.

We have little to defend the camp with. Other than Alaric, of course. But our Origin did not want to wait up in our mountainous terrain.

The next evening, he gathered everyone, and impressed on us the importance of protecting those who could not fight, and taking the battle to the enemy.

Tonight, we’re packing.

Not just those of us who are leaving to meet Drusilla, but everyone. Just in case they have to move out at the last minute.

Alaric wouldn’t admit that he might lose this fight, but encouraged the witches to make preparations to leave in their convoy anyway. Divina would remain with them as a heads-up beacon should we need to send them messages.

Phones do not work out here.

The younger werewolves were to stay with the witches. Even Reagan, who had argued with his parents, and Cai, and Vale, and even me, until he was blue in the face. Finally, it was Alaric’s order to remain that sold him. If all else fails, he told the pup, he would need to be the alpha of the wolves who survived as he would be the eldest wolf among them. One day, he would need to breed to grow the pack again. At that, Reagan had sobered and lowered his head submissively.

As the moon shone overhead, I packed my few belongings and chucked them in Cai’s ute.

‘I can’t believe you’re going,’ Jana said. ‘You—you should stay with us.’

I gave her a wry smile. ‘I remember you telling me something similar about a murder case. That I shouldn’t go. That home was safer.’

Jana exhales, swatting my arm. ‘And I was right!’ She shakes her head. It feels like a lifetime ago.

‘I’m supposed to do this, Jana. You know it as well as I do. It’s why Cai hasn’t even tried to stop me. I’m going,’ I say firmly.

I won’t stay behind in the mountain with the witches, the elderly and the young.

I have tried not to picture the bloodbath to come. Wolves against vampires. Origin against Origin. It would be a miracle if any of us survived. ‘I’m fighting for my pack, my coven.’

Jana grasps my hands tightly. ‘You use your vines. These.’ She jangles the bangles on my wrist. ‘I’ll protect your coven.’

‘Your coven, too.’

Jana smiles, but rolls her eyes. ‘I suppose that means I’m in the same coven as Divina?’

Divina lied to me. I haven’t fully processed all of that. But I know Gaia sent her to find me. To make sure I was alive. To protect me, a hybrid. A commodity. One that was not lost to the Wild Hunt like my mother.

I give a solemn nod. ‘She’ll protect you.’ I’m not sure of much of Divina anymore, but I do know that.

Jana nods. ‘I know. You come back, you hear me? I want a home, with you. With—with all of you.’

I look over my shoulder where her gaze catches, though I really don’t need to. I see Vale climbing into the bed of Cai’s truck, and look back at my friend. ‘He’s a good guy,’ I say softly.

‘Yeah, he is.’ This time, she doesn’t deny anything. ‘Bring them back.’ She’s looking at Cai now, too.

‘I will,’ I say, though of course I can’t promise that. But I would give my life to make it happen.

We part, and I watch Sarah herd the little wolves away from their parents, tearful goodbyes all round. I had asked her if she should stay, but she refused. Having already lost her husband, there’s no way I could take her away from her son. And her daughter in law. The last part made me grin.

Cai comes over to me and takes my hand. ‘There’s something I want to do before we go.’

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