Page 69 of Secrets and S'mores
“I’m being sacrificed, is that it?”
“You’re doing your duty to your pack,” she says simply. “He’s going to come for you soon. I recommend you get ready.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I say, bitterness on my tongue. “I don’t need a dress. I need a weapon.”
“I’m sorry, Ember.” She finally meets my eyes. I only see resignation in her gaze.
“If you can’t help me, go away.”
She does.
I pace anxiously, my nails digging into my palms. In a few hours, Orion will come for me. I’ll have to accept to even have a chance at getting my hands on a weapon. Will that be enough for the magic to take? Theidea of his claim mark on me makes me want to throw up.
Ignoring the dress, I tuck a fork into my waistband. It’s the closest thing to a weapon I can find in this basement.
For too soon, the door at the top of the stairs creaks open.
“Ember, you’re wanted,” a guard calls.
Preferring to walk instead of being dragged, I march up the stairs and face my fate. Two younger men stand at the door, their heads bowed.
The front door stands open, and I pass through it, shoulders tense. Orion’s broad frame is outlined against a lowering sun, the pack spread out before him.
“You summoned me?” I say, my eyes scanning for a weapon, an escape, anything.
Orion looks over his shoulder, beckoning me forward. Arms crossed, I step diagonally, forward but out of reach. Let everyone know how much I despise him. His lip curls and fear twists in my gut. Those eyes promise retaliation.
Engines rev in the distance, and dust plumes from a line of SUVs pulling level with our compound. Orion snags my wrist and tugs me against him.
The crowd turns, facing the newcomers.
The first door opens and Zephyr steps out. The Alpha of the Ironcrest pack smiles wide, his short, silver hair glinting as bright as his teeth.
“I heard we had a new Alpha to greet,” he says.
Orion lets out a low growl, movingcloser to me.
The older man strides forward, his guards falling into step behind him. The crowd parts as he approaches us.
An echoing boom sounds from our right, away from Zephyr’s convoy.
Orion’s hand seizes my wrist as dust sprays across us. The sounds of gunfire ricochets off the concrete block buildings.
Zephyr throws his arms out, steadying his people. “What the hell is going on?” he yells, just as Orion shouts, “Everyone down. Find them!”
Hands drag me back as the entire pack breaks into chaos. I’m pulled into the house, the noise dulling as the front door slams shut, closing me in. I scramble to get my feet under me.
“Who?” the guard yelps.
I don’t care what the distraction is. This is my only chance. Jerking against his hold on my arm, I pluck the fork from my waistband and stab the tines into his side. He doubles over, releasing me.
Another set of hands catch me, and I thrash and struggle against the hold. “Hey, it’s okay,” a familiar voice says.
Twisting to see, I meet Cedar’s soft blue eyes.
My panic clears, and I turn to see Onyx leveling a wolfsbane gun at the guard. Before the bleeding man can react, Onyx fires. The poisoned ammo takes seconds to render him unconscious.
Cedar releases me now that I am steady on my feet.
