Chapter 18

Amara was frantic. Where was her sister? Had she gotten up and walked away by herself? Was she mixed up in the battle? How on Earth was Amara ever going to find her? And where the hell was Nova? Or Kal? Did either of them have anything to do with where Sadie was?

She ran as quickly as she could around the din of the battle, her knife in her hand. Though her goal was to find her sister, she was ready for whatever came at her.

Just then, Amara was knocked to the ground in the middle of the street. Her elbows scraped hard against the pavement. She could feel the sting of the blood against the ripped remains of the cloth. Her knife had slipped out of her hands during the fall. She was defenseless, with her back to her enemy, completely unprepared. She could all but feel the wolf’s hot, humid breath against the back of her neck.

And then he was gone.

Amara whipped around and stared into the dark eyes of a jet-black wolf, mere inches from her face. Completely out of character, he leaned in and swept his gigantic tongue against her cheek. Nemoy. Amara wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disgusted.

“Nemoy,” she breathed, using the wolf’s back to help her up, “I can’t find Sadie or Nova. Have you seen them?”

Nemoy looked over his shoulder at her house.

“They went in there?”

He nodded.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

She followed him up the steps and into her house, then waited while he sniffed around, checking the rooms. When he gave a low bark indicating the all clear, Amara let herself relax a little. “Nova keeps some clothes in my dresser if you want to change,” she told him. Then she waited until he reappeared, human once more.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, coming over to her and examining her various scrapes and bruises. “Do we need to patch anything up before we keep looking?” She shook her head. “Good. My guess is they’re out back. But we’ve got to be quiet. From what I can hear, well, it doesn’t sound good.”

Amara let Nemoy lead the way through the house to the back door. Easing it open, he put a finger to his lips to indicate she be silent. She didn’t need to be told twice, though how he expected her to calm her racing heart, she had no idea.

Holding the door open, Nemoy let her out first, silently shutting the door behind him. She waited for him to pass in front, then they crept down the stairs as silently as they could.

The scene in front of her made her blood run cold. Nova stood not far from them, frozen with his hands outstretched as if he were waiting to catch something. And it didn’t take her long to figure out what. She followed his gaze to the middle of the yard where Kal stood illuminated by her porch lights. In his arms, Sadie’s lifeless body hung limp as a noodle.

Amara stared at Nemoy, her eyes begging for some indication that her little sister was still alive. His affirming nod was barely discernable in the dark, but it was enough. She was alive. At least, she was alive for now.

She knew something of what it was like to be in Kal Vann’s clutches. Just a month ago, that had been her. Yes, she had been able to fight him off long enough that others could intervene, but she had been conscious. Sadie, on the other hand, was completely defenseless and unaware. There was nothing at all that she could do. She was at Kal’s mercy. And Amara knew from her own experiences, he had none.

“You are merely the brother of your Alpha,” she heard Kal say to Nova. “His wife is pregnant with his heir. You will never be Alpha.” She saw Nova’s hands clench into fists, his entire body go taught. “You will only ever be a Beta,” Kal promised, still baiting him. “Always less. And always powerless to stop me.” With one last, cold laugh, Kal open his mouth and latched his teeth onto Sadie’s throat.

“No!” Amara screamed from where she stood in the shadows. And then she lunged at Kal.

Nova whipped around as the one sound he had hoped never to hear enter in their conversation echoed into the night. Amara’s scream of denial burned into his ears, and he had one thought blow through his mind: not her.

She lunged forward at Kal, who only grinned around his victim’s flesh, blood dripping from his mouth. He was still in human form, but he was so practiced in the art of murder that he was no less deadly when he wasn’t a wolf. Kal licked his lips and laughed when Nemoy’s arms wrapped around Amara’s waist, pulling her back. She kicked and squirmed against Nemoy’s grasp, but he held her firm.

Kal only laughed louder. “Why, if it isn’t the human! Tell me, Amara, are you here to rescue Prince Charming and the little Princess? Or are you just here to cheer me on as I kill them and finally finish what you and I started oh so many years ago?”

“Burn in hell, Kal,” Amara growled, still struggling against Nemoy’s grip. “You’re nothing but a coward, and I promise you, you will pay for it.”

Something in the word seemed to do the trick. Tossing Sadie’s body aside, Kal began to stride forward, but Nova didn’t let him get that far. The second Sadie was safely out of Kal’s grasp, Nova rushed forward, his fingers elongating into claws as he lunged. He collided with Kal right as he made to attack Amara, and the momentum sent them both sprawling to the ground. They rolled through the dirt, punching, kicking, and biting at each other. Kal even went so far as to dig his own fingers into the wound on Nova’s hip, causing him to yelp in pain. But there was no way he was going to let Vann get to Amara. He would have to kill him first.

Kal’s fist struck Nova hard in the temple, making his vision blur for a moment or two, but Nova didn’t let that stop him. As hard as he could, Nova drove one clenched fist into Kal’s stomach, while thrusting his other palm into his opponent’s nose. Blood gushed everywhere, red, hot, and sticky.

Finally, their scuffle ended. Nova landed on top of Kal, his claws digging into his chest. Both of them were breathing hard, but only Kal had fear shining in his eyes.

At that moment, Nova wanted nothing more than to rip out Kal’s throat, but his brother’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Don’t,” Nemoy said, shaking his head warily. “This is a matter for the Council now. We will call a Clan Tribunal to decide his fate. Don’t be like them, Nova. We must follow the Law.”

Nova hesitated for a moment, before sighing in defeat. As much as he hated to admit it, Nemoy was right. Perhaps they could use this opportunity to end the war between the Valley Clan. Had Nemoy not have been there, Nova would have destroyed Kal for all he’s done to Amara, her family, and Strathford. Who knows what the Valley Clan Alpha would do knowing his son had been killed.

“That’s it?” Kal called out after him. “The great Mountain Clan Alpha is just going to, what? Let me live? Because of some law?” His laughter filled the air around them, and it was coated with a touch of insanity. “Please. You’re the Beta, Lowery, and you’re dating a human. This isn’t about the law. It’s about being weak! You’re both weak! You should kill me. If you don’t, I will come for you. I will seek revenge. My father will…”

But before they found out what his father would do, Nova punched him again, this time leaving him splayed out over the grass on his back. He was out cold.

Nova glanced over his shoulder at Amara. “You alright?” She nodded.

“Is she…” Amara looked fearfully at her sister. “Is she alive?”

“Yes, she’s alive. But just barely. You should go flag down the ambulance.” He could already hear the sirens. “I’m sure they’ll have their hands busy tonight, and she needs attention, quick.”

“Okay. Nova?” They stared at one another. Amara swallowed what he knew were tears. “Thank you.”

Chuckling, Nova just shrugged. “If I couldn’t protect your sister, you’d have killed me,” he said, pleased to see the grin spread across her face. She was alive. And for now, that was all that mattered. The rest of it could wait.