Page 1 of Fated Exile

One

Delilah

My paws dig into the ground and the wind rushes through my fur as I race towards the mountains. Beside me are my guys, their wolf forms strong and sure, and several members of the pack. I keep my ears pricked for the voice I heard inside my head, but she's gone, or at least quiet.

Not for long, I suspect. My hackles are still raised at the intrusion of her voice inside my mind. That's not all that's bothering me. I can't forget the image of Demetri's neck twisting until it broke, his body slumping over onto the ground and turning to dust.

He was killed. From a distance, by something dark that didn't want him to finish his sentence. A dark thing that I suspect was also just insidemyhead.

Something is going on, and it has to do with more than just the vampire covens and their plans to use me then kill me. The only way to find out is to turn to the source itself—which is why the pack and I have set off to gather the vampires together, corner them at the foot of the mountains, and question them thoroughly.

So far they're ahead of us, but that won't last long. The further they get from the source of our power, and the more energy they use, the weaker they'll become. Especially without the ability to drain our blood to steal our strength.

Ahead of me, Finn twitches his ears, sleek black fur rustling in the wind.I smell a familiar rotting blood-eater,he says to me, his voice threading into my mind like my own secret telephone line.Want to cut her off and get her alone?

It's Ambrosia he's talking about, the vampire most likely to have answers to my questions. Finn's silver eyes meet mine as he looks over his shoulder, four legs loping effortlessly over the earth. I nod, and he jerks off towards the right, taking a tan-furred member of the pack with him.

Tilting my muzzle up, I catch the scent of Ambrosia in the air, though it takes me longer than it took Finn. His extraordinary nose can catch the scent of almost everything.

The vampire is ahead of us, slightly injured from our battle, though healing fast. And despite her rotting, vampiric flesh covering up almost any other smell, I still catch a whiff of one overpowering emotion: fear.

Something scares her. It has to do with whatever terrified and killed Demetri. His half-finished sentence, the voice in my head, Ambrosia's terror—they're all connected, I can feel it. Already I regret not keeping her around to question her, but the risk of having even one vampire on our lands was too great, especially with the pack in disarray. We need to catch up to her and shake some answers out of her pale mouth.

So I speed up, streaking towards her location eagerly. Finn and his companion have sped around towards her right side. Kieran, Roarke and I curve towards the left, while Lance leads the last three pack members straight ahead, driving the vampires off with a punishing speed and grace.

We may be down, but the Glass Pack isn't out, not yet. This curse won't destroy us or splinter our wolves. I'll make sure of that—it's my birthright and my legacy.

She's up ahead,Finn calls out, his voice ringing in my mind just as I spot a rustling figure in the trees.

I see her!My heart soars, and I kick up the pace, eagerness guiding my steps.This time she won't get away.

Count on it.

Ambrosia is a pale, silvered form, moving like a blur from tree trunk to tree trunk, stopping occasionally to hide and peer out of the darkness. As we get closer, I slow my steps, and so do the other wolves. Our approach is silent and stealthy, our teeth sharp and our fangs at the ready.

I spot Finn's dark shape in between the trees at the same moment as Ambrosia. The vampire stiffens and peels back her fangs, prepared to strike at him. Before she can, I close the distance between us and leap onto her back, bringing her down.

The stench of dead, reanimated flesh hits my nostrils. Ambrosia hisses and twists beneath me, so I dig my claws in until she goes still. Jaws snapping near her face, I make it clear that she won't be going anywhere—as all around me, the pack closes in, hulking forms snarling and crouched.

Growls echo in the darkness, and my hackles raise, my white tail thrashing. I can feel the anger and aggression of the wolves around me, my wolf-witch hybrid nature connecting me to them subconsciously. They have my back, which is gratifying—and hasn't always been the case.

Ambrosia sneers up at me. "That all you got, mutt?"

Her words are brave, but the stench of fear that rolls off her tells a different story.

We're in position,Lance says, his voice a low, deep growl inside my head.Whatever you want to happen next, just tell us, Delilah. Our fangs are yours.

I appreciate it. I want to speak to the undead thing.

Once I'm sure we've got her surrounded, I shift back into my human form to speak to her. My fingers dig into her cold shoulders, and I lower my face to hers, maroon hair spilling from my ponytail. Ambrosia lifts her chin and meets my glare with a haughty gaze of her own, eyes narrowed, giving nothing away.

"You have a leader," I tell her, raising my voice so the wolves can hear. "That much is clear. Vampires don't join up together and sneak onto werewolf land without help. So tell me: who is helping you?"

She sneers, her fangs glowing white in the light of the near-full moon overhead. "Why would I tell you, filthy mutt? Just kill me and be done with it."

There's a snarl behind me, and a moment later Lance speaks, stalking over in his human form. "You've jeopardized our entire pack. Attacked us on our lands, kidnapped one of our own, and invaded our sacred Mating Circle. What makes you think that your death would be slow or easy?"

There are snarls around us. The tan wolf next to Finn stalks forward, and Roarke does as well, their eyes glowing. Ambrosia tenses beneath me, her fear obvious even as she holds defiance in her blood-red gaze.

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