~Kade~
The water hit against my face, gliding down my body and washing away that horrendous scent of the herbs my mother had given me. She smelled Layla on me the second I stepped into the house yesterday. For no one else to notice she fixed a mixture of herbs that she told me to rub all over my body which would get rid of her scent. At first, I was hesitant, I couldn’t do it because her scent was all I had left of her after watching her walk away.
Then I remembered Danielle and Sebastian and how if either of them smelled Layla on me, she could get into trouble. I didn’t put it past Danielle to rat her out, somehow spreading the information that Layla and I had met up in the woods.
So to keep her safe I had to pretend as though she still needed to be found.
”YOU MET HER WITHOUT ME?” Anna shrieked when I told her about it in my office. My sister winced from the high pitch of her tone.
”Lower your fucking voice.” I growled and my eyes glowed as I stared at her. Anna crossed her arms over her chest and impersonated a defiant pup with her squinting eyes and raised chin.
”No.” She said and I rolled my eyes.
”Nobody can know that I met her, you don’t want to risk your best friend’s life, do you?” Her arms slowly dropped to her sides and her face turned red in anger. She was arguing internally about what she should do but I already knew. there was no way that Anna would bring this up, whether in anger or question. She would never put Layla’s life in jeopardy.
”Can you at least tell me if she’s alright?” It was Anna who had supported Layla’s decision in leaving the pack and leaving me. If I were to tell her the truth, she would no doubt blame herself for the danger that Layla is in.
’You also can’t lie to her’
Why no?
’ because you’re supposed to be less of a dick, remember?’ I growled at the disrespect from my wolf even though he was me and I was him. We were the same and I knew he was right. He was the better half of our person.
’That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me’
I need you to be quiet now
He stepped back and lowered his head.
”We need to figure this shit out about the Emberclaws,” I said and hoped I could leave it at that but then another voice chimed in.
”Is she in danger?” Cara asked looking worried as hell.
”Is she?” Mason stood from the couch when I didn’t answer.
”She will be if we don’t find a way to get answers on how to stop them.”
”Why don’t we just go in and fight them? Why should this fight be any different than the others we’ve won?” Cara asked and placed her hands on her hips. She looked mighty confident but only because she had no idea what we were up against.
”One thing Layla said to me when we met was ’ You have no chance against them’. She said that. To me.” I said and tried to make them understand.
Annas’ head hung. Mason scoffed in disbelief and laughed.
”With all respect to Layla, she doesn’t know how we fight.” He said and smiled widely, his chest puffed out and he rose tall in confidence.
”Yes she does,” Anna said and looked at him crestfallen.
”She’s heard the stories, we all have. You’ve never lost a fight, you’re all great warriors and she admires that, she admires you,” Anna said and looked at me.
”Which means that if she said that-” Anna pulled a shoulder up to her ear, her whole demeanor shifting to that of defeat. ”-then it’s true.”
Mason lowered his arms and sighed.
”I guess we have to play dirty then.” Cara said and grinned.
”We do and I think I know how. The other night, the night before I met Layla, I fell asleep and it was like my spirit left my body and went to another place. While I was there I met this woman, she told me about Layla and how to find her, she told me that-” I locked eyes with Anna.
”-that Layla is in danger,”
”Fuck playing dirty, let’s burn the pack down.” Mason growled.
”We can’t,”
”Why the fuck not?”
”There are children in there,” Cara said sounding annoyed by the fact. We never fought to kill, we fought to win, and if the killing was part of it then fine but never children.
”so what’s the plan?’ Mason asked.
”You have to find the woman, her physical self. She will know the answer to why Layla’s name was written in the book.” Right, about that. I looked at my mom who had stepped inside and was shutting the door behind her. ”Your father is occupying our guests but we don’t have long.” She warned.
”I already know why her name is in the book. Layla met her too and she was told about her ancestor, Lecruest, the name that references her ancestor. The very first Emberclaw.”
My mom smiled a somber smile and bowed her head.
”You need to find her, she will still have the answers you need I just know it. You need to find out why the first Emberclaw was created and with that information, you should be able to concoct a plan.” Her hair was put up in a bun and she was looking out of the glass windows towards the staircase. Danielle was walking up the stairs, she saw us and smiled as she waved her hand. Her golden bracelet dangled around her slender wrist and her blonde hair was in a thick braid.
I needed a lot of answers and I think I know the person who can give me a few of them.
”We’re done here and remember, not a word.” Everyone bowed their heads and I walked out of the office leaving the others to soak in the information.
”Let’s talk,” I said and reached out my hand to Danielle.
Her lips tugged up in a big smile showing off her pearly white teeth. That smile would’ve floored me before, she had me around her finger, I was utterly devoted to this woman once, and when I looked at her all I could see was the back of Layla’s head as she walked away from me.
She laid her hand in mine and we walked out.
