Page 157 of Awakened
Turning back to the people gathered, she scanned the group until her gaze landed on me. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “We need to do away with old thinking and seek out those leaders that will take us to the right side of history. We need to trust in them, especially when they push us to question our stances and beliefs. They are brave enough to live outside the box. We need to understand the strength in that.”
A lump formed in my throat. The woman I had every reason to hate and who had every reason to hate me was waxing on about how great I was.
“One woman in particular deserves all of our support and admiration?—”
Not me. Not me.
Her arm extended in a welcoming motion. “Celeste Spencer.”
Fuck.
Heads turned, following Whitney’s eye line.
“Without missing a beat, Celeste organized and led us into battle. She put herself in between our front line and the Old Church aggressors, showing a level of selflessness I would follow to the ends of the earth. She is the future.”
Murmurs of affirmation filled the barn, and my mouth went dry. What the hell are you supposed to say to something like that? I wanted to run away, but my feet led me up to where Whitney stood waiting.
She pulled me into a tight hug, pressing her cheek against mine. “I’m so sorry about Zach. I know he meant a lot to you.”
We looked into each other’s tear-filled eyes. “He did. Thank you.”
“No, thank you. You saved me and Aiden. There would have been no survivors if we hadn’t had such a strong leader.”
I squeezed her elbow. “You’re giving me too much credit.”
Turning toward those gathered, I flinched. They all sat on the edge of their seats, their eyes wide, taking me in. My back straightened in response, my chest puffing out. The warring polarities in my bodysettled for a moment, both fed by the respect being shown.
“I don’t really know what to say.” I took a deep breath. “The losses we suffered at the hands of the Old Church Packs will not be forgotten. I lost a pack member, Alex Brand, and one of my best friends, Zach Cain.”
A loud sob echoed off the rafters of the barn. In the front row, Hope was being cradled by Bonnie and Sarah. Sisterly affection radiated off the women as they rubbed her back. Hope was ours. She would never want for family as she grieved for her sister and a brother she’d only just met.
“He was the kindest man I’d ever met. To know the guy was to love him. In his final moments, he was able to protect his mate’s sister, something he couldn’t do for Grace.”
The atmosphere in the barn was tense, the crowd collectively holding their breath, waiting.
“Grace Perkins was murdered by her own pack.” There was a collective gasp. “She was being mated off to Matthew Stewart, and when she tried to run, her father helped Stewart kill her and cover it up. This is what we are fighting against. These are the men we must stop.
“They came to our peaceful retreat to kidnap their so-called mates. While some could very well have a real mate bond, I know from personal experience that these Old Church wolves have no trouble claiming false bonds. Either way, it’s up to the individual whether or not to acknowledge their mate.” Anger blurred my vision, and I dug my nails into my palms. The pain kept me focused, but just barely.
“I’m here to do whatever I can to stop them, but one person can only do so much in the face of their organization. We need to band together and support one another in the upcoming war. It won’t always be as straightforward as a fight in the woods. They’re smart. They’ll be searching for any weaknesses to exploit. We need to be ready.”
My skin itched. Bringing up everything coming our wayreignited the turmoil inside me. The desire to lead, to find my enemy, and to kill swept through me. Gasps came from the audience as the shift took over.
Stumbling toward the door, my body cracked and changed. Four paws hit the dirt, and I took off into the woods. I had no destination in mind, just the need to get away. Pack members tried to reach out to me, so I put up more mental barriers to quiet the noise.
I needed some time alone.
Running until it was dark, I made it far from civilization. Next to the river I followed, I stumbled onto a pack of wild wolves. Upon closer inspection, I discovered two other weres. A few nips at the perceived alpha, and I was accepted into the group.
We lazed about together, watching the newly born wild pups roll around and fight. The she wolf inched near me, never making eye contact for too long. Something about this wolf was familiar. Her blue-green eyes looked just like Brandon’s, my mother’s, and mine.
A low, halfhearted growl didn’t deter her advances. She rested her head on my back, cuddling into my side as if she sensed my pain.
I fought the urge to shift and embrace the sweet were. Instead, I settled under her weight, letting it calm the fires burning in my blood.
The curse and blessing no longer hurt me physically, but the emotional whiplash was doing a number on my soul. My quick escape from the memorial kept me from getting more answers from Marie and Grandma Rose, but I had to leave. I didn’t trust myself around so many strange wolves. The need to demand submission was too strong, and a memorial was no place for posturing.
Laying with the she wolf, I focused on her heartbeat. For a few hours, I got to forget what had happened and what was now expected of me.
