Page 14 of Save Me Enemy

“You saved my life that day!” Cole interjects, and Jax laughs.

“They weren’t even poisonous, it was just a den of constrictors in mating season.”

“I was a pup! That ‘den of harmless snakes’ could have swallowed me whole!”

“Sure, that's why I walked through and pulled you out by your scruff.” Jax rakes his hand through his hair, letting it be mussed, and his ice-cold eyes find mine and burn on contact.

“You were the bigger wolf back then, I have no qualms about needing help when I was five.” Cole laughs, and I get the impression that isn’t something that happens very often. He looks shocked by the sound coming out of him, and for a moment his knuckles go white on the steering wheel and the serious face comes back.

“You know, Cole, when it’s just us you don’t have to be the perfect Alpha,” Jax says, leaning forward so he can say it into his ear.

I pretend not to listen.

“I’d like to, Jax, I would. But my responsibilities are piling up, getting more and more urgent. I don’t have time to enjoy myself, I have to protect my pack. I have to keep the peace with Dark Moon. I thought things would relax after Ruby joined them, I thought tensions would ease, but they haven't. More attacks, more missing people, hikers disappearing in the woods on both turfs. I shouldn’t be reminiscing right now.”

“Now is the time to reminisce,” I say quietly. “When you don’t know how much time you have left, how much longer you’ll be with the people you love. That’s the best time to remember the good times. I should know.”

Jax and Cole fall quiet, and Cole looks at me with that pitying stare I’ve become accustomed to. He reaches over and grips my shoulder with a light squeeze. There’s a flash of warning in Jax’s eyes but Cole means nothing by it.

“I know we just met, Cricket, but I need you to know our healers will be able to do something. There’s no way we're going to let you come into our lives just to leave like that. Trust me, I’ve seen them do great things.”

“They’d need an act of the gods to save me now,” I whisper under my breath, but they both hear it.

The energy in the car shifts to an air of determination and concern. In the distance a cliff comes into view, illuminated by a half circle of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. When Cole parks, I stare in awe. There are dozens of people here, milling around the illuminated circle, and then a flash of fire ignites and an explosion plumes in the center.

Jax helps me out of the car, putting me under his arm, and walking me towards the gathering. The explosion has turned into a bonfire so big the flames seem to kiss the full moon above us. There's a shadow dancing in front of the fire, a woman dressed only in beads and jingling coins. Jax stops with the people surrounding the fire, leaning up against a truck and pulling my back to his chest.

Feeling safe for the first time in my life, I let myself be entranced by the dancer. Her body sways to the beat of drums, her voice rising and falling like an age-old ethereal goddess. Her breasts are large, her hips round, her body perfect in every version of the word, but no one is looking at her for that. The way she sings, without words, draws the attention. Like a spell, all eyes are on her, transfixed and silent.

When she finally falls to her knees, head down and hair splayed out like a fan, her body heaving from the exertion of the dance and song, someone howls in appreciation. Within seconds, every wolf in the clearing is howling with them. Both human form and wolf form alike, they raise their heads to the moon and howl instead of clapping.

I feel the howl rise in Jax and I savor the vibrations and clear, strong tone of his masculine call. The urge to join them is powerful, but fear grips my throat. I don’t feel like one of them, I feel like an outsider. I feel like I’m invading.

Ryder steps from the throng of people, appearing as if materializing from thin air. He walks up to the singer and kneels before her, laying a hand on her head as it’s still pressed to the ground. It’s so ceremonial, so utterly beautiful. The power of the moment makes my chest seize and has me holding my breath to see what will happen next.

“Scarlett honors us with the songs of our ancestors, blessing this gathering and this tenuous peace,” Ryder calls out. “Thank the ancestors for giving us such a strong spiritual creature, that she can summon their power to be here with us today. Can you not feel it?”

The packs yip and bark in agreement, and I won't lie, I feel something like I’ve never felt before. The hairs on my body stand, a shiver flowing through me like a warm touch has just soothed my soul.

The wind stirs, blowing everyone’s hair wildly, and when it settles Scarlett flips her hair back and rises from her knees to face Ryder. He cups her face gently, and kisses her forehead, and she seems to sway in his hands as if drunk. She walks away then, looking as if she’s floating on air, and Cole leaves our side and joins Ryder in the center of the gathering before the fire.

The Alphas stare at each other with stern faces, and they reach out and grip the other man's forearm, clasping them together like an unbreakable bond of trust. I look around at the many faces illuminated by fire. Some are afraid, some are full of pride, and some are grimacing in distaste. Opinions seem to vary on the peace between packs, and I sink against Jax. I can feel the warring emotions all around me and the last thing I want is to be caught in the middle.

“The traditions of Dark Moon pack never cease to astound and amaze, Ryder,” Cole says. “Our gatherings are more like a courtroom with a court in session, this is… astounding…”

“We embrace the wild ways of the wolf, while your pack has embraced the civility of man. We are two sides of the same coin, and we must come together to fight this enemy,” Ryder agrees.

They must have rehearsed this, it’s too poetic, too well thought out. Ryder holds his hand out to the side, summoning Rachel, and I watch as Cole’s whole body goes stiff and he directs his attention anywhere but her.

That’s…interesting…

“Rachel, this new attack, can you tell us what you saw?” Ryder asks.

Rachel takes his hand, making sure his body is between her and Cole. When she begins to talk, she doesn’t let go of our brother’s hand. Their bond is so close, so sweet, it hurts me that this could have been my life if my mother had only stayed with the pack.

“This creature was unlike the last,” Rachel starts, and Cole’s face lowers in shadow. Somewhere in the crowd I hear Ruby crying softly. “The creature we fought last was a beast, a giant monster so large he seemed unreal. This one? She was smaller than the threshold of Bob’s place. Almost too wolf-like, with the body of a broken woman. She was small, fierce, and like her predecessor, she seemed unable to feel pain.

“She was taken from our streets as a human, an innocent human, ripped from her child and made into this monster like the enemy tried to do with the pups he stole. Like he did with Silver Dawn’s late Alpha. Whoever our enemy is, they’re attacking humans and wolves alike.”

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