Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

HEL

T he bark scrapes against my wrists as I finally break free, the rope snapping from frantically rubbing it against the tree. I stumble free, blood trickling down where the bond bit into my skin.

Winds howl around me, rain pelting sideways, turning the world into streaks of gray. My hair whips around my face, stinging my eyes.

I can't hear myself think.

Sten's stumbling back toward me, fighting the winds, his face a mess of blood streaming down from his temple. But he's still standing. Still fucking terrifying.

He's bellowing something, but he's too far for me to hear, and I sure as hell am not waiting around. I shove against the blustering air and lunge toward the dense woods in the same direction where the storm is lighter, where Ghost's mansion lies.

Yet the sickening pulse of energy inside me, the one belonging to my fucking dead husband, crawls under my skin like thousands of insects, making my stomach heave.

You fucking bitch, you're going to pay. His voice slithers through my mind like oil on water. Remember how I used to make you pay, Omega?

"Shut up," I yell, running madly through the storm hammering into me, trying to get the tornado as far behind me as possible.

Look at you run . Jarl's voice oozes through my thoughts. Fat little Omega, always running.

"Fuck off." My feet slip in the mud as I bolt for the tree line. "You're fucking dead, and I danced on your grave."

Did you? Or did you cry, knowing deep down you deserved everything I gave you?

"The only thing I deserved was to kill you myself." My lungs burn as I run, branches whipping past my face. The mountain looms ahead. That massive stone wall is somewhere beyond, where I know Ghost's mansion waits.

Kill me? I should have cut out your filthy tongue.

His laugh rattles through my skull. It's like being stabbed behind my eyes. I stumble, catching myself against a tree, waiting for the ache to pass. I use the canopy overhead for some protection from the weather.

Behind me, I can barely see Sten's settlement from the storm. Then I'm off again. I know he won't stop until he comes for me… and right now, I need to find Ghost and work out how to get this fucker out of me.

Hours blur together as I keep going, exhaustion close to making me collapse, and the rain doesn't relent. I'm too busy trying to breathe to pay any attention to Jarl's insults.

"Hel!" Someone's calling my name, his deep, familiar voice cutting through the storm. My heart lurches until I see him. Ghost. He's running down the mountain slope toward me, and just the sight of him makes my chest ache. His black clothes are soaked through, clinging to muscles that ripple as he moves. The mask is askew on his face, showing a slice of his jaw—strong, stubbled, clenched with worry.

Who the fuck is that, whore?

"Shut up, shut up, shut UP!" I didn't mean to scream it out loud, but Ghost hears. He runs faster.

Soon, you'll give me full control… I'll find a way to take it.

My stomach turns at the idea, terrifying me, but I don't respond, don't reward him with my fear.

"Ghost!" The cry rips from my throat, desperate to drown out Jarl's voice. Ghost reaches me, strong arms lifting me off my feet. Through the rain, I can see his eyes filled with fury that would terrify me if I didn't know it wasn't aimed at me.

"I'm so sorry," he says, voice rough with emotion. His hands are gentle on my waist. "I should have done more to keep you safe, should have?—"

I don't let him finish. My fingers find the edge of his mask, pushing it up onto his head and tossing it aside as I kiss him hard. His lips are warm despite the rain, soft against mine, and for a moment, I forget everything else. Just for a moment.

Pain explodes through my chest and stomach. I cry out, doubling over.

"Hel, what's going on?"

You disgusting whore . You think you can kiss him with the same mouth that begged me for mercy?

Ghost lowers me to my feet but keeps his arms around me. Rain streams down his face and drips from his full lower lip. A face that would be beautiful if it weren't twisted with worry.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Tell him , Jarl taunts. Tell him how damaged you are. How used. How worthless.

I stare up at Ghost, hating the tears that mix with rain on my face.

"I'm in huge trouble."

"What? I'll fix it, whatever it is…" His thumb brushes my cheek, so tender it makes my heart crack.

"I hope you can." My voice breaks. "Sten can control spirits. Did you know that? And he put one inside me to control my power. He put... he put…"

Say my name, bitch. Say it.

"He put Jarl inside me." The words taste like ash. "My husband. My dead fucking husband is inside me."

Ghost's face morphs into pure rage. Lightning flashes, illuminating the sharp planes of his features, the murderous gleam in his eyes. "That fucking—" He cuts himself off, hands gentle on my shoulders even as his voice drops to a deadly growl. "Is it hurting you?"

Tell him how much you like pain. Tell him how you used to thank me for it.

"Can you remove it?" I grip Ghost's shirt, desperate. The wet fabric bunches in my fingers, and I feel his heart pounding under my hands. "You said you can see spirits. Take it out of me, please take it out?—"

I'm going to enjoy this. Breaking you all over again. Making you destroy everything you love. Just like before.

Ghost's face falls. "I can't. I see them, they come to me, but I can't manipulate them."

My heart sinks. "So who the hell can on the island?" I scratch at my arm, trying to erase the phantom sensation of Jarl's touch—the memory of fingernails leaving tracks on my skin. "Fuck."

"Only Sten that I know of," Ghost answers slowly. His arms tighten around me, protective, grounding. "I have an idea… somewhere that might help."

He can't help you. No one can. You're mine, Omega. Forever mine.

I lean into Ghost, breathing in his masculine scent, his wolf, the forest, and that sweet cocoa that's all him. I let myself get lost in it, trying to smother Jarl.

"Please, let's do it. Anything's better than having him as a permanent brain roommate."

We'll see how long you can pretend to be strong before I break you again.

Pressing closer to Ghost, I let his warmth fight back the cold, dead thing inside me. I've survived Jarl once. I'll survive him again. Even if I have to drag his ghost ass back to hell myself.

Hell's too good for you, Jarl hisses. But don't worry. I'll make Earth so much worse.

The rain continues to fall as we start moving, Ghost's arm strong around my waist, supporting me. Each step takes us farther from Sten, but Jarl's laughter follows, echoing through my mind.

The trek uphill is endless, each step a reminder that my body wasn't made for this shit. Rain pelts us sideways, turning the ground into a muddy obstacle course from hell. My thighs burn, my lungs aching, but Ghost's hand is firm in mine, warm despite the cold, anchoring me to something real while my dead husband whispers his poison.

"So, anyway, you can switch off the storm," Ghost half jokes with me, running a hand down his face to wipe away the rain.

"I wish I knew how. I've tried so often, but nothing responds, only my emotions, and in situations like this, I'm struggling to calm down."

The forest feels alive in the worst way possible. Ancient pines loom overhead, their branches creaking and swaying.

You should be happy we're back together. We just need to get rid of this schmuck, then it's just us again, Omega.

"In your fucking dreams," I whisper.

"Are you doing all right?" Ghost asks.

"Peachy. Just sharing headspace with Satan's favorite asshole."

Jarl laughs.

I glance back toward Sten's territory, down below, barely visible through the curtain of rain and mist. There's no sign of the tornado I summoned, leaving just angry storm clouds.

But something about Ghost's presence seems to calm me and the weather—or maybe it's just me, feeling safer, despite everything. He walks fast, those long legs eating up the distance while I half jog to keep up. He holds my hand and is dragging me along with him, helping me.

"The weather's settling," I say, partly to drown out Jarl. "Guess I'm not as out of control."

Ghost's thumb traces circles on my palm. "You were never out of control."

Listen to him butter you up , Jarl sneers. Like anyone could want damaged goods like you. He's using you, stupid bitch. Just like everyone else.

The path in front of us winds higher, bordered by ferns that seem to glow an impossible green in the strange storm light. Moss covers everything, thick and soft. Ghost keeps me close, watching every time I flinch at Jarl's words.

"Talk to me," he says suddenly. "What's he saying?"

I laugh, but it comes out bitter. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

You think you're so fucking clever.

My face must show something because Ghost stops, turning to face me.

"Hey." His hand cups my cheek, thumb brushing away rain and tears. "I'm going to get him out. I promise."

Tell him about the closet , Jarl purrs. Tell him how you used to beg. How you promised to be good if I just let you out.

"The forest opens up ahead," Ghost says, clearly trying to distract me. "There's a plateau where we can rest."

We emerge onto a rock platform jutting from the mountainside. The view would be spectacular if I could see more than twenty feet through the rain. Ghost guides me to a relatively dry spot under an overhanging boulder.

Getting tired already? Jarl mocks. Always were weak.

I dig my nails into my palms, focusing on the pain instead of his voice. Ghost notices and gently uncurls my fingers.

"You're bleeding," he says softly.

"Better than listening to him." I lean against the boulder, the cold stone grounding me. "Distract me? Tell me how you ended up on Nightmare Island."

Ghost's jaw tightens, but he nods. "When I first arrived, Sten kept me prisoner. Months of beatings, starvation, mind games. Typical Alpha bullshit, trying to break me down." He looks out into the rain. "The worst part wasn't the pain. It was feeling helpless again, just like when I was back home."

"Sten told me things," I say carefully. "About why you ended up here. Different to what you told me before."

Ghost's brow furrows as he glances at me. Rain runs down his face, dripping from his jaw.

"I didn't tell you the truth earlier because I didn't want to show you the ugliness of my past, I didn't want to scare you away. But back home…" His voice darkens. "My father wasn't the only monster. Mother watched it all and never lifted a finger. Neighbors thought it was fine to lock me in cupboards for days, keep me quiet so no one would ask questions."

He runs a hand through his wet hair, making it stand up wildly.

"I'm not justifying what I did. But there's only so many times you can be broken before something inside you snaps." His laugh is hollow. "So, yeah, I deserve to be here. Did things that can't be forgiven, but I can't say I regret them."

I reach for him with my hand, fingers tracing the edge of a scar on his cheek. "I don't judge you. Living with monsters…" I swallow hard. "It pushes you to limits you never thought you'd reach."

Stop whining, bitch. You deserved everything I gave you.

"I used to lie awake, imagining all the ways I could kill my husband," I say, and for once, Jarl goes quiet. "Poison in his whiskey. Push him down the stairs and make it look like he fell drunk. Again."

Ghost pulls me close, his lips finding mine. The kiss is deep, desperate, tasting of rain and something wild. His hands cup my face as though I'm something precious, not the broken thing Jarl always claimed I was.

Fuck, stop that! Jarl roars, and pain explodes behind my eyes like shattered glass. I cry out, pulling back.

"Fuck off, Jarl!" I snarl out loud, clutching my head.

Ghost catches me before I fall over, scooping me into his arms. "I've got you," he murmurs, lifting me into his arms. His chest is solid against my cheek, heartbeat steady under my ear.

"Keep talking," I beg. "Your voice… It helps drown him out. Tell me more about you and Sten."

"A challenge," Ghost continues, his breath warm against my hair as he carries me up the path. "Sten had this fucking stupid rule about doing it over the Gravewater pool. Some ancient bullshit about proving worth."

"Come again?"

"This island?" His laugh rumbles through his chest. "It used to belong to the fae before wolves came and slaughtered them all. Left their magic behind, though. That pond up ahead where we're going is the most powerful spot on the whole damn island."

Fuck, he can talk. Sure he's not an Omega in hiding?

I ignore him, watching rain drip from Ghost's jaw.

"What happened in the challenge?" I ask.

"We both fell in during the fight. Killed each other right there in those waters." His arms tighten around me. "That's how I got these—" He jerks his chin toward his scarred eye. "Before the spirits could take us completely, the pack dragged us out and revived us. But we came back… different. Both seeing shit that should stay dead."

The path grows steeper, rocks slick with moss and rain. Ghost navigates them like he's done this a thousand times, never loosening his grip on me.

"You actually died," I murmur, the words feeling strange on my tongue. "That's got to fuck with your head."

"Don't remember much. Just darkness, then waking up feeling wrong. Like something got in my head while I was gone." He kisses my forehead. "Think you can walk from here? Ground gets tricky in this area."

"For sure. I can manage. Thanks."

He sets me down but keeps an arm around my waist. "Prefer you close where I can't lose you." His voice drops lower. "Fair warning… what you're about to see? It's not natural. Try not to freak out."

"My freak-out meter is pretty much maxed out."

We round a sharp corner, stepping onto a narrow ledge, and I freeze. The scene before us can't be real. A vast pond spreads out in a perfect semicircle, bordered by jagged rocks. But that's not the impossible part.

The rock face that forms the back wall bears an enormous skull, easily the size of a house. Water pours from its eye sockets like endless tears, creating twin waterfalls that feed the pond below. The bone-white stone seems to glow with its own light, casting everything in an eerie pale sheen.

"Please tell me I'm hallucinating this." I gasp at the sight.

Ghost leads me closer to the water's edge, his grip firm as we pick our way over slick rocks. That's when I see white shapes swirling beneath the surface like smoke underwater. Faces form and dissolve, hollow black eyes staring up, reaching with ghostly hands that dissipate just as quickly.

"Zeus!" I step back, but Ghost holds me firm.

"The Gravewater pool," he says grimly. "Jarl's dead. The water is where the dead on this island go, so it should pull him out naturally."

Fuck that! I'm not leaving until you're dead with me, Jarl hisses.

"Well," I say, lifting my chin and stepping forward. "Guess it's time for an official divorce, asshole."

Ghost's lips twitch despite the tension. "I'm right here. Won't let anything else happen to you."

I step onto a submerged ledge, the water icy against my legs.

He watches the spirits swarm toward me.

The deep, freezing touch hits first—not normal cold water, but something that seeps straight into my bones. White tendrils wrap around my calves like silk scarves, but when I try to move, they hold firm. My heart beats against my ribs as they pull, and?—

Something's wrong.

The cold spreads through my chest like frost, crawling up my throat. I'm being pushed back into my own head, trapped behind my eyes like I'm watching through a window. Everything goes dark except for a small square of vision.

Panic wraps around me, and I'm fighting to move my legs again, to get out.

Fuck yes, you little bitch . Jarl's voice booms through what used to be my head. Now I control you. Now you get to watch while I destroy everything you love.

Horror floods through me as I realize the truth. The water didn't pull him out.

It pushed me in.

And now I'm trapped in my own body, watching as my dead husband takes control.

Shit!

I feel my lips curl into a smile and see my hand reach out as if practicing how to use it again.

Watch closely, Omega, Jarl purrs in our shared mind. I'm going to make you hurt him in ways you never imagined. And the best part? He'll think it's you doing it.

I scream, but the sound stays trapped in the darkness with me. On the outside, my body just smiles wider.

"Ghost," my external voice says, but it's all wrong—Jarl's inflections, Jarl's cruel amusement. "I feel so much better now."

I can't even scream to warn Ghost.

I'm locked in the dark, and Jarl is in charge.