86. Anna

86

Anna

The first wolf caught fire and fell dead to the floor. A second wolf broke through after him, but before I could react, he sailed over my head and crashed into the wall behind me. Before he could get up, I was on him, knife in hand, and plunged it into his heart. Whirling around, I faced a third wolf, but it never appeared. A skirmish was happening outside. It was my chance to bolt, but the fire was catching from the wolf to the dried wood of the cabin. I didn't care if the whole thing went up in flames, but I wasn't about to start a forest fire.

Grabbing the hose from the sink, I turned on the water and aimed. It took a few minutes before it went out, but at that point, it was quiet outside. Grabbing my gun, I reloaded and pointed it back at the window.

A naked man shadowed the door. "Hello, Anna."

"Finn? What the fuck?" I hissed and lowered the gun. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Following you. A thank you is in order. You could have died tonight without me. What the hell are you doing out here alone?"

"There is no way you were following me. Nobody knew that I was leaving."

He shrugged. "It's possible that I was about to lie my way out of the territory when the poor newbie guard that you bamboozled assumed I was going to retrieve you. It didn't take long to pick up your scent."

"I crossed a river, and why were you leaving?"

"I know you, Anna, and why did you think?" His eyes twinkled with hate. "The threat may be over, but mother dearest still needs to die. Now what the fuck is your pregnant ass doing out here alone? You're practically begging to be kidnapped and have that babe ripped away from you the moment it's born. Or has your time as Jax's princess made you forget how brutal it is out here?"

I hadn't forgotten. I was hoping my magic could keep me safe until I could get to Darkwyn, but I also had very little control over my magic. Maybe I really was on a suicide mission.

Finn was my friend. He was darker and definitely rougher around the edges, but he'd pledged to protect me, and furthermore, he'd never hated me. We'd been bonded as children, but I just couldn't remember it.

I could trust him. "When Jax went to the cult, the leader told him the reason they weren't all that worried that someone would use me. My child would kill me."

Finn's eyes widened and he let out a low whistle. "Well fuck. So, you're here to protect the baby from Jax?"

I couldn't admit out loud that I didn't know what Jax would do. "I'm making my way to the Darkwyn Coven to see if the Mother can tell me something more about it."

"The Darkwyn Coven? With Evalina dead, is there even a coven left?"

"I have to try something. I can't let Jax spend the rest of his life thinking our child is going to kill me. Besides, it doesn't make sense to me that there are two prophecies so intertwined with each other. One that says I'm going to bring down a mountain and one that says I'm going to die because of my child. They can't both be right."

"It's not exactly as if either one of them is a great choice," he said and sighed. "I can't drag you back. Jax will probably throw me in a cell."

"Jax." Panic swept through me. "He can track your pack bond. You can't be anywhere near me."

"Relax, Anna. I'm not an idiot. Before Evalina died, she hid my bond."

"Evalina?"

"She visited me when I was locked away." His expression darkened. "She had a lot of questions about Maeve. Ones that I couldn't answer. Then, she imbedded a spell in me. It hurt like hell, but she said when the time was right, I could activate it and run. Unlike Jax, she seemed to think it was a good idea I kill Maeve."

"Jax wants Maeve dead," I reminded him. "But he wants you alive."

"Maybe if he had more faith in me, he could have both. I'll escort you to the Darkwyn den, and then you'll keep your ass there until Jax comes to find you. Don't get in my way, Anna. I mean it."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I lied and glanced around the cabin. "I need some sleep before I go too much further. Dead wolves are just going to attract more wolves."

"Come on. I know this area pretty well. I know a place where we can rest for a few hours."

After some much-needed sleep and some food, we started out again at night. The area was growing cold, but that was good for us. It meant most wolves would be sticking close to their winter dens rather than going out exploring, so we traveled in several hours of silence without anyone bothering us.

"Evalina's questions stirred some memories," Finn suddenly said. "I still can't remember Maeve as my mother, but I do remember a mother. Just flitting feelings. A woman holding me. Feeding me. Encouraging my wolf. It's just that whenever I see Maeve's face, it's as my alpha and not as my mother. I have such clear memories of that."

"Maeve has a slew of witches at her side. She may have used magic to fuck with your memory before she sent you after me." I glanced at him. "Did Evalina touch you?"

Finn nodded. "Do you think she removed the magic?"

"Trust me, I know how it feels to be flooded by memories. If she removed the spell, you'd know." Maybe she manipulated it? Or poked some holes in it? Who knew with Evalina. Of course, she was dead now, so no one would ever know.

"I remember you," he continued. "I remember you being so small and bullying me to play with you."

At that, I couldn't help but smile. "Bullying seems like a strong work."

"What do you know," he snorted. "You don't remember."

That was true.

"She found me, you know. When I was just a child and looking for you. I couldn't figure out why I didn't remember. What would be the point of wiping my memory before I found you, but it wasn't Maeve who did it. It was Evalina. She's the reason I never found you. She wiped my memory. She flat out told me."

My breath hitched. "She must have been looking for me. When Katherine ran to her, Evalina told her to kill me, so we ran again. Evalina must have been looking for us and found you instead."

"Do you think she knew of Maeve's plan?"

I shook my head. "No. Evalina did some shitty things, but I don't think she would have kept that from us. Maeve probably had a witch wipe memories of her, so when Evalina found you, she never even knew you had a connection with her. She just knew you were trying to find me. She wiped your memories and left you there."

"I was ten," Finn said flatly. "She had to know she was probably leaving me to death."

"I'm sure she did. Evalina has a coldness inside her that I can't even fathom. Or rather, had a coldness inside of her."

"You're sorry that she's dead?"

"Of course I am." I swept a branch out of my face. "She was the only person who truly knew my mother."

We walked in silence for a few minutes longer before he spoke again. "Maeve knew your mother."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't believe anything she had to say anyway. Do you have a plan?"

"What do you mean?"

"A plan, Finn. You're trying to kill what is probably the most powerful and well-protected wolf on this mountain. She's not going to let you waltz up to her and kill her. Not when you still smell of Jax's bond."

"I'll do some recon first. I know how to hide and sneak around, Anna. I've done it for most of my life, and I have no intentions of dying before I kill her."

Just of perhaps dying in the process. I could tell that Finn no longer cared what happened to him. Only that Maeve died.

"If I were with you, she'd probably let you in."

"She doesn't need you," Finn growled.

"No, but I have a feeling she still wants me. I could get you in." And then, hopefully when it was done, remind him of all that he had to live for. More than I wanted Maeve dead, I wanted Finn to be okay. To be with Amelia and find some happiness and peace.

Then, out of nowhere, pain cracked my chest, and I gasped and fell to my knees. "Anna," Finn gasped and knelt down next to me. "What's wrong?"

I couldn't do anything except grasp my chest. At first, I thought it was witchcraft. There was no explanation for the pain that was ripping me apart.

Except that no one's magic could touch me except mine.

Then it ebbed, and I gritted my teeth.

"It's Jax," I muttered tightly. "He's broken through my cloaking. He's got control of our mating bond again."