— What the hell does that mean?— My voice was enraged.
— Oliver?— Jack called to one of his betas.
Jackson stared at Isaac against the wall with fury burning in his eyes, and a deep grief at the sudden death of one of his best men. The Supreme threatened to move forward, but Madison got in his way, which wasn't a good idea, as the wolf seemed filled with a cold hatred.
— Get out,— Jack hissed through gritted teeth, so frighteningly that Madison swallowed hard.
— It was not our fault, Isaac did everything to save him, but we failed, Jack, I'm sorry.
It was at that moment that I saw the beta's shirt stained with blood and the cuts spread across his skin. I waved Madison away and she opted to take my suggestion.
— Where are the others?— I asked approaching the dead wolf, the smell coming from him was disgusting and I quickly identified who had done it.
— Aiden took Rebecca away from here.
— What about Clary?— I asked for the fox.
Madison and Isaac looked at each other.
— She went into town alone.
I arched my back.
— Why would she do that?
— Clary is thirsty for blood, she ended up witnessing Oliver's death and swore to avenge him.
I rubbed my forehead, the tension and irritation that rippled out of Jack getting to me as well.
— Vampires did this,— Jack muttered that fact. — Why?
Isaac scratched his throat, and gave me a hard look, Jack turning to stone beside me.
— It was a response to our arrival in the city, more precisely the deaths I caused.
Jack twisted his face in my direction.
— I was warned there would be retaliation, we killed a vampire clan when we arrived in town. I believe I am to blame for this.
Jack ground his teeth.
— That was a direct attack,— he muttered.
I crossed my arms, fixing my eyes on the open throat of the wolf, he had choked on his own blood and bled to death mercilessly, without mercy.
— Oliver wasn't the only one killed, we found two more drained bodies dumped outside the mansion door in the morning.
Ice seeped into my veins.
— Drained?
I collapsed onto the nearest couch, my stomach in knots from the blood staining the living room rug.
— I chose to declare war on vampires and this was the consequence of my actions,— I muttered bitterly. — Three deaths.
— It's not your fault alone, Hayley,— Isaac declared. — We decided to follow you, so we're guilty of all this too.
Madison knelt in front of me and rested her hands on my knees.
— Never blame yourself for trying to save your pack at any cost.
I licked dry lips.
— Even if the price to pay is too high?— Could you live with that weight on your conscience?
Madison fell silent, unable to answer me. I shook my head.
— We'll pay whatever price is necessary to regain control of the city,— Jack informed him, his voice grim. — This was an act of war, these deaths will not be forgotten and blood will be shed to collect the debt.
Isaac took a step forward.
— I'll have this mess cleaned up, but the smell will linger for a while.
Jack stared at the dead wolf's body once more, something somber taking over my partner's face.
— Spread the word, Isaac, the war against the vampires is on, we will not back down until dominance of the city is back in our hands. Call a council meeting, assemble the leaders of the factions, anyone who does not side with us is declared our enemy.
Isaac brought his clenched fist to his fist, and nodded.
— It shall be done, Supreme.
The door to the house slammed open, and Clary staggered inside, covered in blood and visibly injured, but her eyes were two balls of fire capable of setting the world on fire.
— What did you do?— I asked through clenched teeth.
She blinked slowly in my direction and smiled darkly, her teeth covered in blood.
— I just killed a vampire coven.
— And why did you do it?
— Because they were a threat to my family.
My fury wavered. The fox pointed at Oliver's body and bowed its head.
— His death was avenged, don't waste time with scolding, we have more names on the list to eliminate if you want to take the city again.
Jack stopped in front of the fox, nostrils flaring with the scent coming from it. He narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded in agreement, in a silent sign of thanks. The Supreme turned to the rest of us who remained in the room.
— Go rest, we have work at dawn.
Only when I was sure Clary was okay did I go upstairs, following the loop that would lead me to my partner, in the last room down the hall, leaning over the balcony, looking out at the starless night beyond. I calmly approached him, admiring the tattoo in the middle of his back, similar to the one I now carried. I wrapped my arms around Jack and he remained frozen in place, not saying a word.
— Jack?
Beside him, with his back to the balcony, I could finally see my partner's face, and the pain I saw there ached in my chest. I pressed my lips together in a rigid line.
— I'm very sorry.
— Don't be.— His voice came out husky.
— I started this, you know? You need not have declared war on vampires for an act I was responsible for.
Jack snorted through his nose.
— Don't you understand that everyone who attacks you is attacking me too?
I threaded my fingers through my loose hair, pushing it back.
— This is going to become a bloodbath, we don't have the strength to end the vampire threat, you know that. With the Crescents cursed, we don't have much to do.
— That's why I sent Isaac to summon the council, they haven't turned against the wolves now that you and Aiden are on my side.
I raised an eyebrow.
— Are we that important?
Jack almost smiled.
— Don't you trust yourself anymore, wolf?
— I didn't realize two pures balanced the scales.
Jack scratched his eyebrow.
— With the Supreme Female, my equal in power and strength, and the Alpha of Crescents, I'm sure the council will fight with us if need be.
I escaped Jack's gaze and stared at the landscape in front of me.
— You're scared, I can feel it, what is it? I figured you always wanted to regain control of the city.
— Yes, but at what price?— Losing someone I love? I could not stand it.
He covered my hand with his, trying to reassure me.
— Nothing bad will happen to our family.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a split second.
— You can't promise me that, Jackson, especially when we're so vulnerable like this.
Jack cupped my face in his warm hands.
— I can guarantee that I will fight until my last breath by your side.
— You are so stubborn, you grumpy wolf.
He smiled slightly, placing a soft kiss on my lips.
— We're going to win, and then I'm going to take you dancing on the beach under the moonlight.
My eyes filled with tears.
— You promise?
— I promise, Hayley, I promise.
Before I could kiss my partner, a knock on the door interrupted us. Jack muttered in protest, determined to ignore whoever it was, but Madison's voice made him better reconsider.
— In between.
When the little witch entered the room, with her hands clasped and a strange expression on her face, I realized that something urgent was ahead.
— What it was?
— I hope you still have the energy for something else.—
— What exactly?
Madison smoothed her long black hair with her fingertips.
— Last night, during the Blood Moon, I managed to find a trail of Celeste in one of the city's cemeteries.
My heart skipped a beat. And from the anticipation coming from Jack, I wasn't the only one building anticipation.
— And then?
Madison's eyes sparkled.
— I found Celeste.
— Are you sure about that?— My breathing quickened.
— Clary went with me to find the witch.
— And what happened?
— We ended up having a disagreement that resulted in a fight, Celeste is one of the most powerful witches I've ever met in my entire life, a dark witch. However, Celeste was no match for the fury of a hybrid kitsune, so Clary put the witch out and we brought her in.
— By the moon!— I panted.
— Did you bring Celeste to our house?— Jack asked.
— Not exactly.— The witch bit her lower lip.
— Madison, please cut to the chase.
The witch broke in a deep breath.
— We've taken her to an underground cellar in the middle of the forest surrounded by Crescent wolves and bound her with magical chains, if she tries to escape, the wolves will tear the witch to pieces.
An incredulous laugh left my lips.
— Little witch, you are incredibly wicked.
Madison smiled proudly of herself.
— Are you going after her now?
Jack made a clicking sound with his tongue.
— No, let Celeste spend the night with the wolves she cursed, I imagine they have a lot of scores to settle.
— Thanks, Mad.
She blinked.
— Thank me when I break the Crescent curse, and we can finally return to our home.
HAYLEY BLAKE
The day had barely dawned when we left for the forest at the exact spot where Madison had said she trapped Celeste in an underground basement. When Jack opened the wooden basement doors and we stepped into the dark, cold, and stinking place, nothing prepared me for the sickening pleasure of seeing that witch trapped in magical chains at the back of the basement.
She looked up when she heard us arrive. Tension radiated from my brother behind me, I could feel the strength Aiden was doing not to rip Celeste to shreds. When the witch's icy eyes met mine, chills crept up my arms. Celeste was hanging from the ceiling by her hands wrapped in chains, she could barely stand due to the weakness of her legs and the superficial wounds on her body, they looked like scratches.