93. Jax

93

Jax

We were back in my territory, only it wasn't winter. Flower blooms were everywhere, and the warm air spelled of spring rain. I knew the meadow was mine, but I never spent much time in this section of the woods.

"When I had the courage to run my wolf for the first time without you, I found this place," Anna said behind me, her voice laced with confusion. "I loved it so much."

Turning to face her, I was filled with relief and joy. Dressed in a pink gauze skirt and a yellow tank-top, she was so beautiful. So alive. It was all I could do not to scoop her up in my arms and kiss her. "You never told me."

"We haven't exactly had a lot of leisure time," she pointed out. "I thought maybe, if we ever had a mating ritual, we could have it here. It's nice to see it again even if I have no idea how I got here. Or what I'm wearing. I definitely don't own a skirt."

"You will. You'll own all the skirts and dresses that you want," I promised her. "We found a communication crystal. Lunessa taught me how to use the mating bond to reach you."

"A communication crystal. So this is real." Reaching out, she touched a flower petal. "I mean, this isn't real, but you're real? I'm not hallucinating?"

"No." Unable to hold back any more, I took her hands and intertwined our fingers. "We have so much to catch up on, but I don't know how long this will last. Anna, please come home. I know Lunessa told you about the prophecy, and I was an idiot. I should have told you. We could have worked it out together."

Anna gave me a sad smile. "Our relationship is so difficult. From the moment the thunder clapped and our mating bond snapped into place, it's been nothing but violence and bloodshed. Maybe that's what our wolves needed."

"Anna…"

"I don't blame you, Jax. I wish you'd mated with someone different. I wish you'd had someone strong to stand by your side. Maybe you still can."

What the fuck was she talking about?

"You're leaving me," I said hoarsely. "Baby, please. Give me one more chance. I spoke to Saris. She doesn't even think the prophecy is real."

"Saris?"

Damn it, I'd barely spoken to her about what had happened at the bunker because I was being such an idiot. "She's the Fae. She's here, Anna. I begged her to help, but she says she's broken Fae law already, or some dumb shit like that, but she says there are pockets of Fae all over. We can find one and they can help us with Maeve, but we don't have to worry about the baby. Saris says it unlikely the prophecy is even real. It was said once, by a drunk witch, and only overheard by one person. Apparently that really hurts its credibility, but even if it is real, we're already fighting a prophecy, why not fight another? Together."

"Saris is there?"

"Yes, and she lied, but that's not important. I'm sorry, Anna. I'm so fucking sorry for everything that I've done. We're going to have a baby, and we're going to raise it right."

"The baby," Anna said, her eyes still a little dazed, and she touched her stomach. "Our baby. It's important. Maeve didn't know."

"We're going to have a baby, and it's already so loved. Come home. We'll have the mating ritual now or in the spring, just like this with all the flowers, and I'll spend the rest of my life loving you and loving our family." She still didn't seem to be focused on me, and I was starting to feel desperate. "Anna?"

"The baby is important. She wasn't happy."

Now she was just repeating herself. "This isn't about Maeve, Anna. It's about you and me. Wait a minute, what do you mean, she wasn't happy?"

She turned to me, and I noticed her yellow top wasn't so pristine. The side was stained red. "Anna?" I tried to touch it, but she pulled away.

"You said Saris lied? What do you mean?"

The stain wasn't just red. It was blood red. Why would she be bleeding here? This was her place of peace and love. "Yes, she said that Maeve already had two ingredients, but Lunessa is safe. God, I haven't told you. I'm sorry about Evalina, baby, but she begged me to kill her. I would have tried to come up with another way, but Lunessa is her granddaughter, and Evalina hoped her death would protect her. That Maeve wouldn't know."

"Maeve does know," Anna murmured. The stain grew bigger, and when I reached for her again, she stepped back. "The Mother told me. She died. Maeve and her wolves killed her. Maeve knows."

"I know the Mother is dead, and we'll make Maeve pay for that. I'm not even sure the Mother was a witch. Saris was claiming her body. She said she was taking back what was stolen." I finally tore my eyes away from the stain and I realized her hair was limp and plastered to her head. Caked with blood. My heart seized. "Anna, where are you?"

To my surprise, she ran into my arms. "You're at the coven?" She demanded. "Right now? Jax, you have to leave. Maeve left wolves there. She left them for you."

"How do you know that?"

The beautiful sunny skies turned grey, and Anna's clothes faded into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. They were torn and bloodied, and she was pale. Far too pale. In the background, a wolf roared in pain.

Finn.

Anna's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Jax."

"Anna, where the fuck are you?!" Her skin was growing colder by the second, and no matter how tightly I clutched at her, I could feel that she wasn't real. That she wasn't actually in my arms or even within reach.

"You have to leave. Make sure Lunessa stays safe."

"Anna!"

"Why are you unconscious, my dear? Hurting him hurts me far more than it hurts you. He is my child." Maeve's cold voice echoed in the skies, and my heart dropped.

"No," I whispered. "No, please."

"She was watching the coven for Lunessa. The moment we stepped in, we never stood a chance. Finn tried to fight them, but there were too many. I can feel him dying, Jax, and I can't save him. I can't save anyone."

"Where are you? Tell me where you are!"

"It's too late for me," she said weakly, and she stared up at me. "Run, Jax. Run!"

Pain slammed through me, and I gasped as I lost Anna. Back in the den, the crystal fell from my hands and cracked. London's wolf roared in my face as he stood over me.

Glancing over my shoulder, I look at the doorway. Three wolves were inside, and another filled the frame. Two wolves were at my feet.

Shit. Maeve had Anna and Finn, and soon, she would have the two of us.

While London guarded me, I shifted. I had to assume that the four wolves here were only the beginning.

We were about to fight for our lives.