40. Anna

40

Anna

"You must have shit your pants when Jax separated from you in Wisteria Woods," I said to Bridget while I perched on a ridiculous pink rock. She and Dean were actually digging with shovels. I had no idea what they were digging for, but if it was my grave, I wasn't about to just jump into it.

"You have no idea," Bridget growled. "But even the Darkwyn witches couldn't see what we had planned."

"Which would be?"

"Stop talking to her," Dean snapped. "And dig. The others will have figured out you lied to them. I told you to kill them, not send them away."

"How was I supposed to kill five guards? I didn't know Jax would care so much about her," Bridget grumbled and returned to her digging.

"Really? Or maybe you just didn't want to kill your friends. You liked Finn, didn't you? You didn't want to have to kill him." There had to be some speck of loyalty in her. Some reason that Jax trusted her. If I could just reach that, maybe I could get out of this mess.

"I'm guessing Parker didn't commit suicide either," I continued. "Did you kill him? Or was it you, Dean? How did it feel to murder your own father?"

"Easiest thing in the world," Dean looked up and smirked. "You know, I thought we'd lost you when Jax killed Dirk. Imagine my surprise when my father called to say that you were in his care. It was fate. Nothing else to explain it."

"I'm glad things are just falling into place for you. How'd you fall in with my father? You needed a role model when you turned rogue, and he was just so warm and cuddly? Ironic how your father mentored me and my father mentored you."

"Dirk? A mentor?" Dean snorted. "Please. Your father was a killer, and he was dumb. Strong and easily manipulated. Of course, if he'd been smart enough to see what was right in front of him the whole time, we wouldn't be here. I like you, Anna. I really do. I'm sorry you've had to go through all of this, but it'll be over soon."

"Great. I'm so happy. Why don't you tell me what's going on. Why do you need a null?"

Bridget gasped suddenly and doubled over. I jumped to my feet, but Dean grabbed me before I could run. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He hissed.

"Jax," Bridget gasped as tears streamed down her face. "He knows. He severed my bond."

"Sorry." There was actual sympathy in Dean's voice.

"Is it always supposed to be that painful?" I asked.

"It's up to the alpha. It can be done in a kind way. A way that just leaves you feeling empty, or it can be sharply cut. I heard it's agony. But at least he can't locate you now."

Bridget screamed in pain and hit her knees. Dean quickly backed up, and he dragged me to him.

"Fun fact," Jax called as he walked toward us. "An alpha can also torture certain pack members when they sever the bond. She was my third. She pledged everything to me, and I can turn that on her and make her scream for days."

Relief swept through me. I didn't know how Jax found me, but he was here.

Only, he seemed to be alone.

"I knew something was off about you when you returned. If I hadn't been so damn distracted, I would have dug a little deeper. Let's dispense of the formalities. Bridget smuggled you onto my land. Parker found you, and you killed him to keep him quiet. Then you kidnapped Irene. You aren't leaving my land alive, so why don't you confirm that you work for Emerson and tell me what he wants with my mate and my witch."

Claws sprung free and dug into my neck. "One more step and I rip her throat out."

"No you won't." Jax looked almost bored as he stared at Bridget who still writhed on the ground. "You need her, and we both know it."

"What do you even care? She can't even feel your mating bond. Let me have her, and you get your life back. I can make a deal with Emerson. Let your pack have your land."

Jax didn't think I could feel the mating bond? Is that why he kept pushing me away even after everything?

In that moment, I almost hated him. If he'd just said something, I could have told him just how much I feel him, every second of every day. Instead, he'd tormented us both.

"You're an idiot," I murmured.

"Shut up, stupid bitch," Dean snarled.

Jax grinned. "Oh, she's not talking to you. She's calling me the idiot. And she's not wrong.

Where is Emerson? How were you planning on getting her off my land?"

Everything happened in slow motion. I was so focused on Jax, and he was so focused on me, that I'd taken my eyes off Bridget. She was still crying, but she was on the ground.

And she was digging.

I smelled the gunpowder just as the sun hit the glint of metal.

That's what they had buried. A gun. They'd brought two, but Dean had fucked up when he shot his father. He had to leave his gun behind to make it look like a suicide.

But one was all Bridget needed.

I screamed a warning just as she turned the gun and fired.

Jax went down, and my wolf came tearing out of me. Spinning, I grabbed Dean's head and cracked it against the boulder. When his eyes started to glow, I slammed his head again.

Dead wolves don't shift.

The gun sounded again, and a bullet tore into my body, but it didn't stop me as I launched myself at Bridget. My teeth sank into her throat, and she whimpered just once before I tore her jugular.

The bond in me dimmed, and I turned to see Jax. He hadn't shifted yet. Why hadn't he shifted? He'd die if he didn't shift.

The bond in me dimmed. He was dying.

Shit, I was dying too.

Whimpering, I tried to shift. I needed fingers. I'd pry the bullet out and then drag him to safety.

My wolf whimpered and stayed.

No. What was happening? She never disobeyed me.

She wasn't disobeying.

She couldn't shift.

Horror struck. There was something in the bullet. Something keeping Jax from shifting.

Something keeping me from shifting.

No. I was a null. Magic didn't affect me. It was not going to stop me. Not now. Not while Jax's life hung in the balance.

Painfully, I closed my eyes and dove deep inside myself. I searched for the magic, and found it buried in the inky darkness. A dim pulse of gold, like it was trying to hide from me.

Once I focused on it, I harnessed it. Watched it grow bigger and bolder. It wanted to take me over, but it had nothing to feed on.

I was the void.

In an instant, it vanished, and I howled as the shift came over me. One second wolf, the next human.

And not alone.

"Hello, Anna."