40. Frankie

Chapter 40

Frankie

The sun’s barely up, and our kitchen table looks pathetic in the dim light of our cottage. Some war room this is.

Our cottage.

Even though we are here because of Blackwood, the fact that all the guys I’d choose for a pack are here, surrounding me, sends a thrill through me—one I bitch slap into oblivion because now is not the time for that bullshit.

The place reeks of old coffee and sweat. None of us got much sleep, and it shows. The house keeps creaking, and I swear each sound makes us all jump. We’re wound tighter than springs.

I look around at the guys. We’re just a bunch of college kids, but now we’re in way over our heads.

As we gather around the table, I look at each of my guys. Yes, my guys. Is the road rocky? Yeah, but they are mine, rough edges and all.

The guys look as upset as I feel. That lab... It messed us all up. Every time I close my eyes, I see those people in the tanks. God, their faces...

I fidget with Matteo’s charm, running my fingers over it. It’s dumb, but it helps. Bishop’s puzzle box is still sitting there, half finished, kind of like this mess we’re in. Leo’s ridiculous coffee mug sits on the table, its awful pun I like my coffee how I like my magic: Dark and powerful, yeah right, but it still makes me want to smile. Damn him.

I haven’t even gotten into magic classes yet, but Dorian saw to that by dropping off an ancient tome that sits open on the stained coffee table.

Shadow magic . It sounds crazy, but it explains so much. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all, but it makes so much sense as every little thing falls into place.

The tendrils that slip through my fingers are magic, which is pulled from the finite well that is the shadow realm.

“Okay,” I say, because someone has to. “Blackwood. How do we stop him?”

Leo leans forward, his usually playful demeanor replaced by a determination that makes him look older and harder. His golden curls are disheveled, as if he’s been running his hands through them all night. “We could try to catch him in the act, set up surveillance around the lab and gather more evidence.”

“Too risky,” Matteo says, frowning. “We need something smarter. We need to outmaneuver Blackwood and anticipate his moves. Perhaps a multi-pronged approach to keep him off balance?”

Bishop nods in agreement, his calm presence a balm to my frayed nerves. “We get one shot at this,” Bishop says. “We can’t screw it up. I propose we map out every possible scenario before making our move.”

“What about your mom?” Dorian asks, looking at Bishop.

“My mother adores Blackwood.” Bishop shakes his head. “Hell, the entire faculty sees him as a god. No, we are on our own.”

That’s even worse. Just as I’m debating my words, a sharp knock at the door silences us all. The sound echoes through the house like a gunshot, setting my nerves on edge.

“Who is it?” Leo snaps.

I creep to the window and peer through the broken blinds. “Valerie,” I whisper, but they all hear me.

“How did she find us?” Matteo hisses, his mind already racing. “Pack locations are secret.”

“We’ll deal with that later,” I reply, moving toward the door. “Right now, we need to know what she wants.”

My heart nearly stops when I finally open the door to reveal my worst nightmare in physical form.

“What are you doing here?” I hiss, instinctively taking a defensive stance. My body reacts viscerally to her presence, my muscles tensing, ready for fight or flight. I can feel my shadows stirring beneath my skin, restless and angry.

Seeing her brings it all back—the needles, her cold hands, that damn perfume. My stomach churns, and I clench my fists, digging my nails into my palms to ground myself in the present.

Valerie holds up her hands in a placating gesture, but I don’t miss the slight tremor in her fingers. “I’m here to help, Francesca. I have information about Blackwood’s plans that you need to hear.”

Before I can respond, Matteo appears at my side, his body radiating protective fury. “You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” he growls, his voice low and dangerous.

Valerie glances between us, and for the first time, I see a hint of fear in her eyes.

Good, a vindictive part of me thinks , let her know what it feels like to be afraid . Another part of me, a darker part, wants to watch her bleed.

I swallow, trying to control my emotions.

“Please,” she says, her voice steady despite her obvious unease. “I know I’ve hurt you, Francesca, but right now, Blackwood is the bigger threat. We need to work together to stop him.”

I stare at Valerie’s hand, then at the guys. They look as lost as I feel. My shadows writhe beneath my skin, alternating between reaching for Valerie and recoiling from her. My heart races, each beat a war drum pounding out the rhythm of my indecision.

“Give me one good reason why I should believe you,” I demand, my voice as hard as steel.

“Because I know where Blackwood’s real hideout is,” Valerie says, her voice low and urgent. “The lab you found? It’s just the tip of the iceberg. His main facility is hidden deep in the shadow realm, and I can take you there.” She pauses, her eyes haunted. “I’ve seen what his experiments are doing to the shadow realm, to our people. It’s... It’s destroying everything. I thought we were saving our world, but we’re tearing it apart. I can’t stand by and watch anymore, even if it means facing the consequences of what I’ve done.”

“How do you know about the lab?” I cross my arms and glare at her.

“Because Blackwood told me,” she mutters.

My packmates crowd around me, each reacting in their own way. Leo’s usually playful demeanor is gone, replaced by a wary tension as he positions himself slightly in front of me. Matteo’s face is a mask of barely contained rage, his fists clenched at his sides as if itching for a fight. Bishop’s eyes narrow, his analytical mind clearly working overtime as he assesses the situation. Dorian, surprisingly, looks almost resigned, as if he’s been expecting this moment. I turn to them, seeking their input without words, feeling the strength of our bond even in this tense moment.

Dorian, who’s been silent until now, speaks up. His voice is rough with emotion. “So he knows.”

She gives a slow, curt nod.

“How?” Leo questions.

Valerie’s eyes dart nervously between us. “He has eyes everywhere—cameras, spies, even some of the faculty are in his pocket. When you broke into the lab, he knew almost immediately.”

A chill runs down my spine. We thought we’d been so careful, but Blackwood had been one step ahead the whole time.

“We did set off multiple alarms.” Dorian rests a hand on my shoulder that instantly calms me.

He’s right.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I’m about to do. The air feels charged, as if the shadows are holding their breath, waiting for my decision. I feel Dorian’s hand brush against mine, a subtle gesture of support that sends a jolt through me. Our eyes meet for a brief moment, and I see a mix of concern and something deeper, something that makes my heart skip a beat. Focus, Frankie , I remind myself, but God, it’s hard when he looks at me like that.

“Fine,” I say, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. “Come in. But one wrong move, and you’re out.”

As Valerie steps inside, I’m struck by the complexity of emotions that surge through me. There is hatred, fear, and anger, but also a grudging respect for her courage in coming here. It’s a maelstrom that threatens to overwhelm me, but I force it down, focusing on the task at hand.

We gather in the living room, Valerie perched uncomfortably on the edge of an armchair while the rest of us form a loose semicircle around her. The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife.

“Talk,” I command, my voice harder than I’ve ever heard it.

Valerie nods, her eyes never leaving mine. “Blackwood’s main facility is located in a pocket dimension within the shadow realm. It’s where he conducts his most dangerous experiments, including his attempts to control the eredar beasts through the ley lines.”

“And how do you know all this?” Bishop asks, his tone skeptical. His eyes flick to me, a knowing look passing between us. He knew about the ley lines, I realize with a start.

Another secret, another betrayal.

“Because I helped him set it up,” Valerie admits, her shoulders slumping. For a moment, she looks older, worn down by the weight of her actions. “I’m not proud of it, but I thought... I thought we were working toward something important. It wasn’t until I saw the extent of his experiments that I realized how wrong I was.”

Her voice drops to a whisper, a practiced mix of urgency and feigned vulnerability. “The things I’ve seen are beyond imagination. Every shadow holds a key to power you can’t comprehend.”

As she speaks, memories of my time under Valerie’s care flood back—the injections, the pain, the manipulation. My shadows surge within me, a tempest of darkness echoing my anger. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder and look up to see Leo, his eyes filled with concern.

“You okay?” he whispers, his breath warm against my ear.

I nod, grateful for his support. Turning back to Valerie, I ask, “Why should we trust you now? How do we know this isn’t another one of your manipulations?”

Valerie’s eyes gleam with something that could be mistaken for remorse, but there’s a calculating edge behind it. “I know I’ve given you no reason to trust me, Francesca, but what I’m telling you now is crucial. Blackwood’s plans are more complex than you realize. If he succeeds in harnessing the eredar beasts, he’ll reshape both our world and the shadow realm. The balance will shift irrevocably.”

The gravity of her words settles over us, but I can’t shake the feeling that she’s holding something back.

“The shadow realm is dying. Tell me if he knows why,” I order.

Valerie’s eyes widen, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she quickly composes herself. She leans forward, her voice dropping to a hushed whisper. “How much do you know?”

I exchange glances with my pack, a silent agreement passing between us. We’ve come too far to hold back now. “We know the shadow realm is fading,” I say carefully, watching her reaction. “And we know the beasts are connected to the ley lines somehow. What we don’t know is why.”

Valerie nods slowly, her expression a mask of concern that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re right. The shadow realm is changing, and Blackwood... He thinks he can control its transformation, but he’s missing crucial pieces of the puzzle.”

“How?” Matteo demands, his voice tight with barely contained anger.

“The eredar beasts,” Valerie explains, her voice taking on an almost reverent quality. “They are not just monsters. They are conduits of pure shadow energy, ancient beings that once maintained the balance between our world and the shadow realm.” She pauses, glancing at Bishop, who nods grimly.

Bishop picks up the thread. “The old texts speak of them as guardians, Frankie. They are tied to the ley lines—rivers of shadow energy that crisscross both realms—but as the shadow realm weakens, the eredar are becoming unstable and dangerous.”

“And Blackwood thinks he can control them,” I finish, the pieces clicking into place.

Valerie nods. “He believes that if he can harness their power, he can reshape the very fabric of both realms, but he doesn’t understand the consequences.”

“If we do this,” I say slowly, each word measured and deliberate, “and we follow your lead, then you have to understand that it doesn’t change anything between us. This is about stopping Blackwood, nothing more.” As I speak, a shadow flickers in the corner of my eye, a fleeting shape that’s gone before I can focus on it. A chill runs down my spine, a premonition of the challenges that lie ahead.

Valerie nods, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth that doesn’t quite match her words. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything else, Francesca. We need to act quickly. There’s a lab where we can... prepare ourselves for what’s to come.”

As if summoned by our decision, a deafening roar shakes the house. The sound vibrates my bones, setting my teeth on edge. We all jump to our feet, shadows instinctively gathering around our hands. A familiar chill runs down my spine, and I feel Umbraxis materialize beside me, his shadowy form solidifying as he presses against my leg. His presence is both comforting and unsettling. I’ve never seen him appear so readily outside of immediate danger.

“Umbraxis,” I whisper, my hand instinctively reaching for his ethereal fur. “What is it, boy?”

His eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, are fixed on the door, his ears pricked forward. He doesn’t seem afraid, but rather... curious. Whatever’s out there is something he recognizes.

“An eredar beast,” Valerie says, her face a mask of concern, but I catch a glint of something else in her eyes—anticipation? “Blackwood must have sent it to stop us. We need to get to the lab immediately. It’s our only chance.”

The temperature in the room plummets, and I can see our breath misting in the frigid air. As chaos erupts around us, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re walking into another of Valerie’s traps, but with an eredar beast bearing down on us and Blackwood’s plans looming over our heads, do we have any other choice?

I lock eyes with Valerie, searching for any hint of her true intentions. “Lead the way,” I say, my voice hard. “But remember, we’re watching you.”

I don’t trust her.