65. Anna

65

Anna

At the sound of the crash, I dove out of the bathroom. After last night's slumber party, I was wary of whatever Jenson had planned for tonight, but it wasn't another ruse to keep my mind occupied.

"Saul," I bellowed, not thinking that he wouldn't be able to hear me. "Jenson. Kenzi. Help!"

Blood was fucking everywhere. Jax groaned as he tried to sit up, but I pushed him back on the mattress and cradled his face in my hands. His eyes were open, and he appeared alert, although I could see the pain in his eyes. Jesus, was that a burn on his side?

Lunessa wasn't conscious. I put a hand to her throat and prayed. There was a pulse. Just a flutter, but it was fading fast. Gritting my teeth, I pulled hard on the pack bonds. There was a loud grunt outside the door before it flew open. Saul fell through.

"Damn it, Anna, give a warning before you do that. When you pull on the pack bonds it feels…" his voice trailed away when he looked at the bed, and he immediately snapped to attention. "Move."

I scrambled off the bed but didn't dare let go of their hands. Lunessa wasn't part of the pack, but I tried to pour pack magic in her anyway, attempting to revive her.

"Call the Crone," he said in a gentler voice. "I'll need her help with the witch. Jax is going to be fine, but he needs to shift. You need to let go of him. All he can feel right now is your panic."

Reluctantly, I released them and dove for my phone. I couldn't call Evalina. She didn't have a phone. I didn't even know where she was staying. Jenson was with Irene, or at least I thought he was.

"Anna," Jax breathed.

"You need to shift," I told him. "Shift and heal."

What the fuck happened?

"Bag," he croaked. "Did I bring the bag?"

I glanced at the fallen bag by the bed. "Yes. You brought the bag."

"Fae," he whispered. "She's Fae."

Saul and I exchanged a shocked look, but Jax was already letting the wolf take over. My phone lit up. Jenson. "Jax is back," I said without preamble. "He's hurt and Lunessa is fading fast. Where is Evalina? We need her."

"Evalina is there?" It wasn't Jenson's voice. It was Irene's.

My heart skipped a beat. "Maeve."

"You've been keeping secrets, my little Andrea. It's all right. We will have time to catch up soon. I'd come see you, but some meddlesome wolf has trapped me in the cottage. Do come visit dear, before I set it on flames and burn everyone inside."

Fuck. I couldn't leave Lunessa, but I could let Irene and Jenson die either. Where the hell was…

"For fuck's sake," Kenzi growled as she stumbled into the room. She was clearly dressed for bed, although in that lacy black number, I had a feeling she wasn't in bed alone. Then, she did a double-take.

"Maeve has taken over Irene. I have to go to the cottage. Lunessa is dying. Find a witch. Janelle. Ava. Evalina. All of them. Do not let her die."

Jax's wolf groaned as he rose from the bed and tried to head to the door. I grabbed him and kissed the top of his head. "Stay. She isn't going to hurt me, remember? She needs me."

He nuzzled me and then growled. I was about to tell him that I was fine when I realized he wasn't growling at me leaving.

He was growling at my stomach.

At least I wasn't completely the last to know. I didn't have time to explain it to him. Instead, I shifted and raced out of the house.

The whole day had crawled by despite the dizzying information I'd received. A lecture from Saul on how to properly care for a pup. A lecture from Evalina on how to properly care for a baby. A lecture from Jenson and Kenzi about keeping the news about the baby from Jax, which I hadn't done. I'd simply not known.

I forced it from my mind as Irene's cottage came into view. Shifting back, I cautiously opened the door. It wasn't unlocked. Slowly, I stepped inside.

Jenson was crumpled against the wall in the kitchen in human form. Heart in my throat, I raced to his side and checked his pulse. Steady. Blood trickled down the side of his head.

"He'd be dead if his beloved witch wasn't so strong," Irene said from behind me. I turned slowly and couldn't help but smile.

Irons were clamped around her wrist. It kept Irene's body from doing any magic.

"You've been in her body for at least ten minutes. Probably longer. Your time is running out."

"That is true, and since I did not take a dagger and stab Jax's second to death while he was unconscious, I hope you'll listen."

I didn't move from Jenson's side. "If this is another spiel about me coming with you…"

"Your pack is about to be attacked. I have an army of rogues, all very loyal to me, ready to die for me. You'll defeat them, of course, but your pack will suffer. Leave now, and no one has to die."

"I've played this game before, and I made a promise that I would never do it again." My heart ached at the thought of what we would lose, but I knew how many more might die if I did go with her. "The answer is no."

Irene/Maeve sighed. "Why must you fight me on this? You will be mine, Andrea. One way or another. Prophecies were written about it." She paused. "Something I suspect your gorgeous mate has discovered."

I swallowed hard. "I guess you'll just have to wait for the prophecy to play out."

"I suppose." She grinned. "And Evalina is the Crone. How delicious. And my daughters? Do you like them?"

Shit. I didn't say anything, but I didn't have to. Her time was up. After a little tremble, Irene fell to the floor. The irons would keep her chained to the wall, at least, but Maeve would have drained her.

I rolled Jenson over. "Wake up." I slapped him in the face. "Wake up. Right now. We're about to be attacked."

Nothing. Snarling, I ran to the sink, extended the hose for as far as it would go, aimed it at him, and turned the water. A few seconds of it on his face, he sputtered and jerked. Glancing over, he saw Irene and immediately flipped himself over.

"We're about to be attacked. Jax is at the house. I will look after Irene. Go."

He looked torn, and I pushed my power into him. "Go. Now. There's going to be casualties. Alert Saul."

"She better be alive when I get back," he growled and shifted. I checked on Irene. She was breathing and weak.

Fearing the iron would weaken her, I started to undo them. "No," Irene whispered. "No, you can't stay. I…I can't be trusted."

"I'll stay until another can look after you," I told her.

"There's no time. The iron weakened the barrier. I could read her mind. The battle is a distraction. She's going to take a daughter." With a wince, Irene pushed herself up and stared at me. "You have to stop her."

I shook my head. "No, the women are at the heart of the pack. She'd never get anyone in or out alive. There's no way."

"Anna, she doesn't need their blood to control it. She already has it. She's been practicing on Finn. As we speak, he's walking one of them right out of the territory."

I knew something was wrong with him. I should have delved deeper. Goddamnit, we literally led Maeve right to the hearts she so desperately needed.