Chapter four

"Adara!" I stumble forward through the brush, glaring at the lycan witch who's just sitting there, watching Adara like she's some kind of experiment, her head tipped to the side, studying. Grabbing Adara's shoulders, I call her name again. "Adara, wake up." I shake her lightly, then cup her cheek with my palm, stroking my thumb over her smooth skin. "You have to wake up, mia fiamma." Turning to Eri, I glare at her. "What the hell were you thinking? You could've killed her!"

Eri shrugs. "Actually, it should've killed her, but she's still breathing, isn't she?"

"If she dies because of you, risking her life for whatever bullshit you're doing, I'll—"

"Gideon," Adara whispers, her eyes fluttering before cracking open. "She… she's only… trying to help."

I scoop her into my arms, cradling her against my chest and stroking her hair, but my eyes stay glued to her aunt. "Seeing if the journal kills you is not what I would call helping. Especially when I told you to leave that gods damn book alone."

Eri stares at me, a challenge in her eyes, then thrusts the journal toward me. "Can you read the first page, Gideon?"

"Get that filth away from me," I snarl, resisting the urge to slash through the pages and be rid of it.

"Don't be scared, boy. It's just a book." She smirks, only infuriating me more.

Snatching it from her hand, I use my thumb to flip the cover open and look at it. A blank page stares back at me, just as before. "I tried this already. It's blank, as it's always been" I snap the book shut and toss it at the ground before Eri, letting it land just before her knees.

"Interesting…" She picks it up, flipping it around to look at the back cover. "Who else has tried to read it?"

Adara leans back against me, rubbing her temple. "Um, a few from our pack and Kaylus outside of the three of us. And Jules. But the blood lock spell… it doesn't make sense." She turns to look up at me. "You're sure Jules read it?"

"From what she told me, yes." I give her a small smile before looking at Eri. "What is the blood lock spell?"

"Well, it seems that Monique was able to put a spell on the journal blocking anyone but her from reading it. It's a strong spell—and very dark with intentions to kill particular witches who try." Her eyes flit to Adara before meeting my gaze. "Everyone else would see merely blank pages."

"But you can read it?" I ask.

Eri shakes her head. "No, but I can sense the spell and see the glimmer hiding the words beneath."

Adara sighs, frustration and fatigue written across her features. "Did it work, though? Breaking the spell?"

"I'm afraid not," Eri says. "I'd need time to study it and learn how it was cast before knowing how to undo it."

"Then, do that." I gesture to the journal, standing and pulling Adara to her feet beside me.

"Gideon—"

"Don't argue with me, little witch," I say, my voice low. "You can't read it without trying to kill yourself, and I'm not about to let you die over some godsforsaken book."

"I won't die, but I can't just sit here. I have to do something. Jules needs me. Everyone else is so much better at tracking, and this is something that I can at least try."

"No," I growl. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I tug on her hand, pulling her against me, then tuck my knuckle under her chin to tilt her face up to mine. "You haven't been successful with the journal. Let her try to break the spell and see if that works. Please, Adara."

Turning away from me and tearing from my grasp, she stoops to grab her bag from the ground.

"What if there was another way you could help?" I reach out and grab her hand. "You're acting like you're useless, and you're far from it."

"He's right," Eri says, petting a small white rat. "Vesta and I can figure this one out. Give me two days, niece."

Adara swipes her hand across her cheek and sniffles. "Fine, but we don't have two days, Aunt Eri. We need to find her now."

"I'll do everything within my power, but I ask that you consider your birthright in return." Eri holds Adara's gaze for a moment before turning her back to us and staring into the fire while holding the journal in front of her.

Adara storms ahead of me, stripping her clothes off and shoving them into the bag slung over her shoulder. I move to grab her hand, but she shifts before I reach her and launches into the forest. Growling under my breath, I shift and take off after her.

Paws pound against the earth, my breath pluming in the cold air. Movement in the trees above tells me Kaylus is following us, and I wonder if they're talking.

"Adara,"I say, "just wait a minute before you throw a tantrum."

"A tantrum?"She skids to a stop and whirls around to face me, embers flickering in the silver of her wolf's eyes. "You think I'm throwing a tantrum? Jules and Wren are missing, Monique is doing gods know what to them, and I can't even read a book to learn how to help them. But you keep reminding me that—"

"That it's not worth it to try when it's at the risk of you dying?"My lip curls back, temper flaring at her words. At the thought of losing her forever. "How're you planning to help them if you're dead, little witch? Did you stop to think of that, or are you too busy being a brat[1][2][3] because you think I'm trying to control you?"

Her brows slam down over her eyes. "I… I—"

"You never stop to think of the good you could do because you're always stuck on what you can't do."I shake my head, stepping closer to her until my snout rests atop her head. "Come home, and let me show you something you can do—safely. I've never believed in anyone as much as I believe in you, and I will help you to see how amazing you are, even if I have to force you to see it."

A few seconds go by before she melts into me, the tension easing out of her. I nip at her ear before taking off into the woods, baiting her wolf to chase after me as I leave the world behind us and take off at full speed. Wind fingers through my fur, my muscles scream at me as I push myself to go faster than I've ever run, and my wolf is so exhilarated that my tongue slips out the side of my snout as I smile into the dark forest before us.

This is what freedom tastes like—and it's bittersweet when I slide to a stop in my backyard, remembering the problems that lay ahead of us and the turmoil my mate is suffering. Glancing over my shoulder as a black blur tumbles beside me, I breathe a little easier. Adara is smiling, her eyes sparking with mischief as she sits besides me panting. She looks so… light.

But I watch the weight crash back onto her shoulders when she looks around us and spots the house, and it's enough to crack at my heart.

Monique will pay for causing her so much pain.

Shifting, I stalk to the back door and throw it open. My mouth is open, about to call for Frank, when a small brown-haired figure catches my eye.

Jaz sits on the couch, her ear tipped toward the kitchen as she pretends to read the book in her lap. A smirk crosses her face when she catches my eye. "Trying to catch flies with your mouth open like that?" Pressing her lips together, she crumbles into a fit of laughter at her own joke.

Scowling at her, I snap my mouth shut. Adara slips her hand in mine from beside me, her giggle curbing the edge of my annoyance with the small child before us. "I told you to go home, pup."

The nickname drains all amusement from her face, and she sits there glaring at me for a moment before answering. "Go see for yourself." She rolls her eyes and huffs before returning to the book she's pretending to read.

Growling under my breath, I storm toward the kitchen, pulling Adara with me. I find everyone where I'd left them—with an extra face among the gathered group.

"Gideon, Adara," Maddie says, smiling as she rises from the table. "Jaz told me about a problem, and I thought I'd pop by to see if I could help out." She gestures toward the stairs behind us. "Why don't you two get cleaned up and dressed, and we can catch you up on all that we've discussed here?"

Adara steps toward the stairs, but I pull her into my side, grateful she isn't as shy about being naked in front of others as she used to be. With the amount of shifting we've been doing, it feels natural to be standing here with her like this.

She's still hiding halfway behind you,my wolf says, mocking me.

I shove his voice further down, annoyed he doesn't have anything useful to tell me. "What was discussed?" My gaze sweeps across those gathered at the table before looking back at Maddie.

"Well, it seems everyone, including you," Maddie starts, sitting back down in her seat, "forgot that I'm an excellent tracker." One corner of her mouth tilts up as she shakes her head, her black and gray curls bouncing. "You of all people should've known to call me first."

Scratching the back of my neck, I curse under my breath. "That's how the kids always found you."

It's not a question, but she answers anyway. "Of course. The lost souls spell. A friend of a friend taught me how to cast it."

"How does it work?" Adara asks. "You're able to cast it without a witch's magic?"

Maddie's eyes crinkle. "It draws those in need to you. A reverse tracking spell, really. All you need is the blessing of Hermes, the messenger god who guides lost souls."

"Wow," Adara breathes. "Your… friend of a friend helped you gain that?"

Laughing softly, Maddie nods. "Yes, well, it was a long time ago, but she was a trusted witch who helped us many times. Not something I find myself speaking of often, I'm afraid."

Quirking a brow, I look at Frank, who shrugs. "How does that spell help us? We can't just draw Monique here."

"Wren would never leave Jules, either," Adara says, then adding in a whisper, "If she's even alive."

I squeeze her hand, trying to reassure her.

"You could reverse it," Chloe says, staring down at a piece of paper before her. "Find those who need you instead of drawing them out."

Nodding, I point at her. "Fine, you and Ruya can work with Maddie and figure that out. Everyone else, Adara and I will meet you in the back yard." Turning, I walk upstairs to get dressed with Adara. As we head back outside, we pass Jaz on the couch, who jumps and turns a page of the book. I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Come on. Gods know you're just going to find a reason to come out there anyway."

She squeals, launching off the couch and beating me to the door, a huge grin painted across her face.

Adara threads her fingers in mine, her thumb brushing over the back of my hand, and when I look down at her, the warmth of her smile makes my chest ache. I lean down and press my lips to hers.

Gathered outside, I face the few wolves before us. "Who here has ever been to their wolf's inner world?"

Jaz's hand shoots up.

Darrold raises his brow. "You've been your wolf's inner world already?"

Unable to hold back a smile, she shrugs one shoulder. "Once, yeah. It was awesome. Addy helped me!"

Darrold's head snaps in my direction, glancing between me and Adara, whose cheeks are flaming. "Is that true?"

Pride coils its way around my heart, and I pull Adara in close to my side. "Adara has a gift, and tonight, she's going to show everyone."

Not everyone tonight, Gideon. It's taxing, my wolf scolds. Don't you remember the last time?

Sighing, I press a kiss to her temple and look back at the wolf shifters before me. "She'll help one person at a time, and she needs to rest in between." I cut a glance at her. "No arguments."

She nods, pressing her lips together.

"This will increase our strength and abilities. It's exactly what we need before facing Monique." I look at Jaz. "Now that we have Maddie helping with the tracking spell, giving a way to get to her."

Jaz beams before me, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I nod toward Mila standing beside Frank, blue eyes wide as saucers. "You're first."