45. Anna

45

Anna

After only a few hours of sleep, I slipped out of the house right after dawn. Jax was meeting with the other wolves for breakfast, but I didn't feel up to looking at Emerson just yet.

And that made me ashamed. I was stronger than I used to be, and I'd faced down Marsh.

Emerson couldn't touch me here, but just the thought of him conjured memories that made my stomach twist.

Jax tried to tell me that there was no shame in it, but I still couldn't shake the feeling. If Amelia was annoyed at having to meet at the house at such an early hour, she didn't show it.

"Finn first. Then the woods, and then Irene," I said as I climbed into the truck. "And if I didn't say so last night, I'm sorry, Amelia."

"You didn't have a choice, did you?" Without looking at me, she started the vehicle and pulled out. "And she tried to kill Finn."

"You care for him."

"She liked him. She thought he'd make a good wolf. How did you get the jump on the two of them anyway? They were both stronger than you."

That stung, but she wasn't wrong. "They were both focused on Jax, and Bridget relied too heavily on her gun. I'm not all that dominant, but my wolf and I are close. I can shift quickly."

"And you know how to kill."

"And you don't? Are we going to have a problem? I didn't want to kill Bridget. I'd never really had a friend before, and honestly thought maybe she and I were heading in that direction.

Instead, she was just trying to get me to trust her so she could hand deliver me to Emerson."

Salt stung my eyes, but I blinked back the tears. I must be tired if I was about to cry over a friendship that never happened.

We drove in silence until we reached the infirmary. When Amelia killed the ignition, she sighed and turned to me. "I'm sorry. I'm struggling with her betrayal and her death. You're safe with me, Anna. I just might be a little ornery from time to time."

"I get it." I reached for the handle. "How about we just don't talk about it?"

"Works for me."

Jax must have called ahead. Saul was waiting for us when we walked inside, along with a female that I didn't recognize. I was immediately on alert.

"It's all right, Anna. This is Tiana. She's the other healer. She was here yesterday when Finn was brought in," Saul said gently.

Tiana sized me up and then rolled her eyes. "You certainly don't look like much," she grunted.

Talk about an injured ego. "Some days I don't feel like much, either."

"If you can explain why a strange woman dropped the newest member of our pack at my doorstep, maybe we can be friends."

"I suppose we'll have to work on our friendship the hard way. Can I see him?"

"Look, you might be Jax's mate, but in this infirmary, even Jax answers to me. Why should I let you in?" She demanded.

Amelia cleared her throat. "It's important, Tiana. Besides, Finn and Anna are friends. She's not going to hurt him."

"Fine. I guess you want to be alone with him, too?"

I nodded, and she growled but moved out of the way. Amelia took one look at Finn, sniffed, and turned. "I'll be right outside the door."

She had a soft spot for Finn, and she hated it. I could relate.

Finn had been given his own room in the infirmary. There were no visible signs of injury, but he appeared to be sleeping deeply. I scooted my chair up to the bed and sat down. "You're an idiot, you know. If you'd stayed in the damn woods, this never would have happened. People around me die, Finn. I hope you remember that when you wake-up and run as far and as fast as you can from me."

There was a beep, and I jumped. From the bed, Finn chuckled hoarsely. "It's just keeping an eye on my vitals," he rasped. "Saul was actually excited to use it. Wolves don't usually require so much monitoring after an injury."

"You're awake." The idiot. Tension lifted from my shoulders, and I glared at him. "I meant what I said."

"I know you did. But I'm an idiot, as you pointed out, and I'm not leaving just because the girl tried to kill me. And don't worry, I'm not telling anyone else that."

"She's dead. She was working with Dean." Reaching over, I placed a hand on his chest. I wanted to see if any of the spell lingered on him, but we weren't bonded like Jax and I were.

I couldn't sense anything in him.

"Keep touching me like that, and Jax is going to have my head."

"Tell me what happened. What can you remember? What did it feel like?"

How did Bridget do it? She wasn't a witch. neither was Dean. Who spelled him? And us, for that matter?

What if Lunessa had been there all along, and I was trusting the wrong person? Again.

"I smelled her a scant second before the bitch slit my throat. And when I tried to heal, there was this blackness inside me. It burned everything it touched, and my wolf was trapped. It felt like eons before the darkness lifted and I could finally shift. Then, there was a woman standing over me, and she smelled so strange. I felt the ground shift under me, and then Tiana was shouting. The woman was gone."

"I need you to think, Finn. When did you feel the darkness?"

"As soon as I called for my wolf."

Jax was shot and couldn't shift. I could shift, but I'd been panicked. I rammed right through the spell and didn't even notice it until I was a wolf.

"Did you smell something strange before Bridget attacked?"

"You mean the witch?" At my raised eyebrows, he chuckled softly. "I knew it was magic keeping me from shifting. Figured it was a witch saving me. Darkwyn coven member?"

"We'll talk about that when you're better. Did you smell her before?"

"No. Just you, Bridget, and that asshole."

Great. So they didn't have to touch us to spell us. Hell, apparently they didn't even have to be close. We were beyond fucked if I couldn't figure out how the magic was activated.

"All right. How do you feel now?"

"Tired, but Saul says I should be back on my feet tomorrow. Who's guarding you now?"

"Amelia."

At the sound of her name, he perked up a little. "She's here?"

"She is. I'll tell her you want to see her."

"No, wait. Don't do that. Shit. Anna?" I just laughed as I walked out of the room.

"He wants to see you."

As Amelia walked in, I stared at Saul. "You haven't come to see me."

"Nor you, me," he said mildly. "You are the one with the most on her plate right now. I did not want you to have to deal with me if you couldn't handle it. Not that I want to think of our relationship as a hardship. We could be friends."

I'd sent his sister off to die. No matter my motives, or the good that had come from it, I still couldn't shake that face. I wasn't sure that he could either.

"I don't blame you, Anna. I hope you realize that. When this is all over, and you're able to focus on healing, I hope you'll come to me."

I couldn't help but think of Bridget and Dean. It was hard enough for me to make friends.

Now I would just be second-guessing everyone who did want to get close to me.

Amelia returned and I gave Saul a short nod. "Thank you," I said quietly.

When we were out to the car, Amelia had a determined look on her face. "That was the easiest of our errands today. Next, we need to see the witches."

Amelia bared her fangs, and I knew just how she felt.

Irene's little cottage never felt more crowded. There were a dozen wolves patrolling outside, three more wolves inside, plus four witches. All heads turned when Amelia and I walked in, and I could feel the tension simmering in the air.

Even worse, I could see the magic. That was a little harder to ignore.

"Ladies," I greeted with a nod of my head. "I need to borrow Irene for a few minutes."

"It seems like everyone is borrowing Irene," Ava interrupted as she stood. "If there is something that's happening, I think we all have a right to know. We are all in danger."

I raised my eyebrows. "Irene is our pack witch. I'm certain you're just as busy, and wanted, in your pack as she is here. If this was a matter that pertained to you, then I would share. This is a personal matter."

"Really? I thought Irene didn't have any magic," Cam said smugly. "Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of us, Irene?"

Narrowing my eyes, I pulled on the mate bond and borrowed some of Jax's power. "This is our land and our witch. You are under our protection, and you are here to help. If I discover that you are spending your entire time needling Irene and bringing up fresh trauma, I will have you removed."

"You can't do that," Cam said. "Only Jax can."

Janelle cleared her throat. "Please ignore her. She is a young witch who has never experienced an alpha with a mate. We are here to help, and we understand that Irene has her own personal duties. We are also scared, so please forgive us if we lash out."

Calm. Empowering. Even comforting. Emerson's witch was everything that Emerson was not. The other's turned a shade of pink at her gentle chastising. Irene followed Amelia and me out of the cottage, but then she took my hand and led us closer to the river before stopping suddenly.

"Protection wards," she said as she pointed to the trees. Sure enough, I could see marks etched into the bark. "As long as we stay between these four trees, no one can hear us. I know that Lunessa is here, but my magic isn't strong enough to reach her."

I hated to do that, but I had to ask. "Irene, one of the witches is insinuating that you're back to full strength but hiding your magic. I understand if you want to hide from them…"

"They are sowing discord," Irene said in a hard voice. "They are poking to see what rustles out of the bushes. I am not at full strength. It took me two damn hours just to power those wards."

"All right. I'm sorry." I believed her. "I need to ask you about a spell and see if you recognize it."

Quickly, I brought her up to speed on Bridget and Finn. I tried to explain what I'd seen in the spell, but I doubted it would help her. She wouldn't see the same thing, but she had to know the effects. Or at least how it was administered."

"And Lunessa didn't know? The crone might, although I do not know if they'll help now that Lunessa has come to us. She'll be furious. I'd have to look through some books, but most spells are cobbled together. To override wolf magic is concerning. Jenson shifted last night, so it doesn't affect him."

"What if it doesn't activate until there's an injury? A life-threatening injury," Amelia popped up. "Can we test for that?"

"You want someone to gravely injure Jenson and see if he can shift?" Irene said slowly, and then she grinned. "I'll do it, but I need Lunessa there to undo the spell if it does affect him. The witches will return to their alphas at dinner. We'll do it then."

Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she gasped.

I whirled my head around, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Irene?"

"Yesterday, there was a swarm of black butterflies at my door when I woke up in the morning. Last night, I dreamt of owls. And now, there is a murder of crows in the trees."

Glancing up, I counted. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. They flapped their arms and hopped from branch to branch. A group of black birds in the trees didn't seem all that alarming to me. "And that means?"

"Three signs of death omens. Before the sun rises tomorrow morning, something I know will be dead."