Page 116 of Claimed

33

Stacy

My chest has been tight for most of the journey. Grey, me, Luke, and the alpha Gus are in Grey’s car and as we get closer, my thoughts race even faster.

His right hand has been on my thigh most of the drive, and it’s what’s keeping me from hyperventilating, I think. He’s grounding me.

Though my chest is tight with tension, I’m in awe of Grey. In awe of these people who are all helping.

Yes, Lincoln and Jase went to track down my brother and Jase’s sister, but this convoy is on the way to the village in order tohelpthe people there.

The same day Grey finds out things are bad there, he drops everything to help. And several of his pack members come along to assist, putting the wellbeing of the people first.

Aphra’s premonition is coming true. Me going to Arcana Falls does seem to be the catalyst for change for my pack. In a twisted way, Wyatt did us all a favor by ordering me to go to Arcana Falls.

Fate is strange.

But why has fate given me all of this hope if others have been lost along the way? The way Grey said Lincoln vomited because of the stench of death coming from our village is more than troubling.

Luke didn’t have much extra insight about the state of things before we left. He was busy training the week before he left, which means he was in the back of the village in that place I loathe. And it’s clear Luke is unhappy about going back, has a look in his eyes that I suspect is about the fact that he was just removed from a home with food and comforts, not to mention a video game system and library of games, to go back to that. He’s still so young, has had a hard life so far. But this all could be the turning point to give him the sort of life he deserves, to help him be the man he could be instead of being molded into another tool for my brother to use. A tool that would get pulled by a spell that extracts all bad.

He’s been quiet for most of the ride. So have I. I quickly packed some clothes into my suitcase for us. I was surprised that all the gifts for the girls as well as the money I’d saved were in there. I took out a few things, added some more including a few changes of clothing for Grey as well as toiletries for us both. I haven’t even asked who died last night or who’s in the cell under the town hall. Because I’m not sure how much more bad news I can take, especially if that news is that more good men turned bad. If Malachi wound up in that lake.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know some things. Greyson Blackwood, my mate – his strength, his determination, his perception and capacity for caring means that he’s going to help. And it’s everything I need despite the shame inside me because I know he’s about to see where I come from. The way I lived.

I’m fretting over what’s happened to my loved ones, but I also know that no matter what the state of things… today is the beginning of change for the Silver Hills pack.

He took care of me last night, tapping into his magic, instinctually ripping the knife out of Wyatt’s grip and sending it into the ceiling to get danger away from me.

He helped me find Luke and welcomed him into his home for the night, feeding and clothing him, making him safe.

Grey saved the members of his own family the night before at that magic circle – and he only just met them. He’s here today, with me, facing whatever we have to face with the state of things in my village. My village, not his.

While traveling, he had his cousins Erica and Vivica on speaker and he asked if they can help with some magic tools to help him combat the most likely leftover magic things Wyatt has and might come at us with. They’re putting something together for him.

When he’s about to let them go, I pipe up.

“Erica, Vivica? Do you have a way to reach out to the Starling coven for me?”

“Yes,” Vivica says. “Can I ask why?”

“I told Erica Aphra Starling was the witch my brother kidnapped and that she ran off, but her four-year-old daughter Halla… she’s in the village.”

I feel Grey’s body go tense. Or tenser.

“Wyatt used Halla to get Aphra to cooperate. I promised her I’d look after Halla for her.”

“We’ll contact them,” Erica agrees.

“Aphra trusted me. And I did my best to take good care of Halla after she was gone, but then Wyatt sent me off and so she’s with my aunt and my cousin. Or, she was when I left…”

“She was still with Addy and Aunt Shea until I had to go into training,” Luke says from the back seat.

I flash him a look of gratitude.

“We’ll make some calls,” Vivica says.

“Keep us posted on how we can help,” Erica adds. “We’ll put together that kit for you, Grey.”

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