Chapter 22

It was now Sunday, a full week since Jordan had returned to Kodiak Island and two days since her mating with Asher. She had spent every second exploring the island in her wolf form with Asher and Declan. They had taught her many of the gifts that a Kodiak held including suppressing the animal within; she had practiced on a few of the natives that have lived there all of their lives.

Jordan was slowly becoming accustomed to the ways of the Kodiak as well as their integration into normal society. She’d spent time with Asher in the town, met a few of the locals, and none seemed to display the same depravity and dark desires as those out in Anchorage. She felt comfortable here, on Kodiak Island and it made her happy.

Her visions were so clear that they consumed her at times, almost frightening her with the vivid images that she remembered from that horrid day. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to explore that part of the island. It hurt too much. She also embraced her ability to communicate with the other Kodiaks through telepathy with no issues whatsoever. She found it exhilarating.

Standing at the edge of the mating clearing, Jordan waited for Asher and Declan to catch up to her.

Inhaling deeply, she let the fresh, crisp air invade her nostrils, filling her lungs. She turned to see them both only a few hundred feet away. Turning, she began to run on all fours, feeling the leaves crunch beneath her paws; shrubs and trees a mere blur as she raced past at lightning speed. Jordan leaped over logs, skirting around old tree trunks as the feeling of her animal flowed through her and filled her with a warmth that she loved and missed. She kept a steady pace to allow Asher and Declan to catch up and within seconds they were running beside her at a distance to her left and right.

Jordan quickened her pace once more, curious to test the limits of her wolf and again as she ran faster through the rough terrain she looked back to see both panthers now behind her. Barrelling over the top of a hill, she headed down as her claws dug into the soil below her and then with a final burst she leaped in mid-air over a brush pile.

She continued to run, scanning the area when something caught her vision, and she stopped, suddenly tumbling to the ground, rolling into the grass below. Catching her breath, Jordan transformed and instantly froze when her eyes focused on the area she remembered all too well now.

Her hand came up to her temple as the vision flooded her mind and it felt like a spear through her skull. She finally stood and saw Asher and Declan behind her. They both approached her slowly and then also transformed.

She felt Asher’s hand on her arm. “Jordan, come on. Let’s go. You took the wrong path. You don’t want to be here.”

She wrenched her arm from him not even looking at him as she continued to walk further into the clearing. She stood frozen in her spot as her eyes widened taking in the view. Cabins that once stood were old chards of burnt wood. Now there were new trees that grew in between, along with shrubs and foliage.

The burnt chards of wood, however, went on and on as she looked from side to side, until she couldn’t see any farther. She walked further into the village where she once resided and came upon an old well that still stood in its place. She walked over and placed her hand on the old stones and fell to her knees as the pain struck her again and darkness invaded her.

Mama! Papa! Jordan screamed out into the crisp air. Her sister clung to her waist crying uncontrollably while she continued to shout out. Jordan's eyes were rapidly scanning the village that sheltered the entire pack and watched in horror as some were still screaming in agony; some were still on fire!

"Jordan, where is Mama and Papa? What's happening?" Sonja asked, crying.

She covered her sensitive nose as she moved closer to the water well hesitantly with her little sister in tow, fighting with herself not to retch or cry.

A familiar scent wafted around her covered nostrils, and Jordan's head snapped in the direction and stepped a few feet towards it.

Jordan's eyes scanned the ground, and her eyes fell on her mother and father's lifeless bodies. The tears that she was fighting back consumed her as she fell to her knees trying to pull their bodies onto her lap so she could cradle them. "Mama! Papa! NO!"

Sonja sat in the cold white snow with her sister crying uncontrollably. Their cries echoed through the night sky. A moment later she felt a hand on her shoulder, and Jordan whipped around to see the woman hovering over them and then a man approach.

"Take them now, Sable!" The man screamed. “We don’t have much time!”

Jordan saw the woman was covered in blood and she instinctively pulled her sister into her arms.

"Everything will be okay, child." The old woman said.

"You did this, didn't you?" Jordan screamed and then watched the man approach.

"Do as you’re told, woman! Take care of the girls, wipe their memories clean or you will pay. Do you hear me?" The man growled.

Jordan squeezed Sonja harder in her arms as the old woman, and the other man dragged them off and out of the den.

“Jordan! Jordan! Snap out of it!” Asher yelled trying to shake her by the shoulders.

She opened her eyes that were now filled with tears; she was still on her knees, and as the memories overtook her emotions, she let the torrent of tears fall down her cheeks and started to weep uncontrollably.

Asher knelt down and grabbed her in his embrace and just let her cry. “Shhh. It’s ok, Jordan. Everything will be ok.” He whispered and stroked her long blond hair.

After a few minutes, she turned and looked at Asher through watery eyes. She could feel the hatred and rage consume every part of her and the feeling of loss was overwhelming. Through gritted teeth and a trembling body, she growled, “I want to be the one to personally rip Lennox’s throat out!”

**

They were all gathered at Cyprus’ cabin in his kitchen. They were leaving in a few hours to head to Anchorage to retrieve Sonja. They had agreed to slip in undetected and leave with Sonja the same way. No one couldn’t guarantee bloodshed, but Cyprus had made it clear that he wanted to avoid it at all costs.

Erza and Mamma Crone sat at the table with Jordan, while Cyprus, Asher, Declan and two other superiors stood with them. Micah looked at Jordan with a concerned look and then turned to Cyprus. “Lennox is strong with his men. He has hundreds, Cyprus. What if something goes wrong?”

Cyprus furrowed his eyebrows together and answered in a firm tone, “Don’t ever doubt our bloodline. We are quite capable of handling ourselves regardless of the count. There is no need for any bloodshed tonight; that’s why we have planned to go straight in and out with Sonja.”

Jordan’s head whipped around and then she stood. Her eyes narrowed looking at Micah and Sage. “Getting my sister is our main concern, but if anyone gets in my way or if I come into contact with Lennox, I will shred him to fucking pieces.”

The tension was high, and Jordan felt as strong as she would ever be. She was willing to risk her life to get her little sister out safely, out of the hands of the enemy that they had spent the last fourteen years with. Oh, she would make them pay. Sable and Lennox were on the top of her list along with Jude. They would pay for all that they had done.

She would make sure of it.