Chapter 221

After Julian’s report of Jane being missing, I insisted that I go see for myself if the body was gone. Nicholas agreed only if he could carry me, so I ended up in his arms in a bridal carry. Due to the gory state of my ruined dress, we avoided any areas with crowds as we made our way downstairs.

Soon, Julian, Veronica, Nicholas, and I joined Brian and a handful of other guards loyal to Julian who were standing directly under the balcony where we had been. This was where Jane’s body should have landed.

But Julian’s report appeared correct. Even with my new werewolf senses, I couldn’t detect any indications that someone had dropped here. There was no blood splatter. No broken tiles. No kicked up dirt. No… anything. It was like she never hit the ground.

It was impossible.

“I saw her fall,” I said. “She slipped out of my hands and…” I couldn’t say the rest.

No one pushed me to.

“Could she have survived?” Nicholas asked.

“A fall from that height?” Julian said. “Unlikely.”

“But if she never hit the ground…”

The idea made me uneasy. I didn’t want my sister dead, but for her to have vanished…

The others seemed as troubled as me. Even Veronica appeared somewhat puzzled. Julian faced her.

“Could she have been rescued magically, somehow?” Julian asked.

Veronica gave the words serious thought. She crossed her arms. “Magic like that would come at a high cost. Someone would have to be very powerful and have excessive resources.”

“So it is possible?” I asked.

Veronica looked at me. A touch of concern darkened her eyes. “There are very few people in existence with the magical ability necessary for teleportation. Even within the underground organization, I can think of only one.”

“Who?” Julian asked.

Veronica’s face hardened. “Hawk himself.”

“The Boss?” Julian groaned. “Great.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Nicholas said. “We should check the perimeter. Teleportation is one thing, but she could have had a magical item to cushion her fall.”

Julian glanced around. I didn’t know what he was looking for until he spotted a partially hidden camera overhead. He nodded toward it. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and find some footage.” He nodded to Brian, who moved at once toward the doors.

“I’ll stay here and meditate,” Veronica said. “If it was teleportation, magic that powerful would have left traces. I may be able to feel them if I concentrate.”

“Good,” Julian said. He motioned to two of his guard. “Keep them with you.” Then Julian looked at Nicholas and me. “You should get her cleaned up. She looks like hell.”

“I’m right here,” I said.

“I was being polite. Hell is a compliment compared to what I really think,” Julian said, flashing a grin. It fell quickly. “The sight of you in all that blood is unsettling, Piper.”

I understood what he meant. It was unsettling for me as well. Every time I looked down, I had to remind myself that I was alive, and that thanks to my wolf, my wound was healing.

I barely felt any pain anymore. I could probably even walk by myself except I wanted to stay in Nicholas’s arms just a moment longer.

But, even so, I wasn’t ready to return to my room yet. I was full of anxious energy. I’d never be able to sleep. Instead, I would spend the entire night pacing like a caged animal.

I jostled some in Nicholas’s arms, and he seemed to notice my anxiety.

“We’ll go talk to with the wolves first,” Nicholas said. “If anyone crossed through the forest tonight, they will know about it.”

Julian nodded, and we went our separate ways. Julian toward the house, and Nicholas and I toward the forest.

I was relieved to be able to stay in the cool fresh air.

As Nicholas carried me across the lawn, I started to feel a bit guilty. “I can walk now, I’m sure. My thigh barely even hurts anymore. It’s more of an annoyance than anything.”

Nicholas didn’t make move to stop. In fact, he tightened his embrace, pressing me more firmly against his chest.

“When we reach the trees, I will lower you,” he said. “But for now, for me. Let me have this.”

I realized then, what I couldn’t see before when I had been drowning under my own feelings. Nicholas had almost lost me. I had so very nearly died. If he had arrived a second later, if Jane had been quicker with the knife… There were so many what ifs.

Being near Nicholas was affirming for me, but it was the same for him. When he held me, we both could confirm I was alive.

“Okay,” I said and placed my hand over his head. Oddly, the steady thump of his chest seemed to keep exact pace with my own, as if our hearts beat as one.

It was a foolish fantasy of a thought, but a comforting one all the same.

I closed my eyes and counted our heartbeats until we reached the edge of the forest. There, gently, Nicholas kept his word and lowered me down to my feet.

“Night?” I called. “Silver?”

Shadows moved within the forest. I took a half-step back, ready to defend myself, but it was only the two wolves breaking away from the dark.

Night was near invisible in the darkness. Or at least, he would have been without my wolf. But now, I could see his outline more clearly, and more, I could feel him there, like a sixth sense. He was pack, as was Silver, and Nicholas beside me.

Our wolves recognized each other. I touched my chest. Even when I’d had my wolf before, I’d never truly been pack. Nicholas and I had started to share a bond, but we’d been young. Nothing had truly developed.

A sense of belonging filled me and I was warm and… happy.

The two wolves looked at me strangely for a moment, tilting their heads. But then Nicholas spoke and brought us all back to the matter at hand.

“Has anyone come through the woods tonight?” he asked. “Particularly Piper’s twin.”

“No.” I heard the soft voice in my head as clear as if Silver had been human and said the word aloud in my ear. I looked at her. She was watching me. “The woods have been quiet this night.”

“I can hear you,” I said.

“Your wolf has returned to you,” Night said this time. I looked at him and found him watching me too. “She has mourned for you, every moment it was with your twin.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“She howled,” Silver said. “We listened.”

Nicholas placed his hand on the small of my back, and I nearly cried. This was so overwhelming.

Having my wolf, having a pack that felt like home. I wanted to bring Elva here again, and have her, the wolves, Nicholas, Julian, Veronica, and Susie all in one place. If only Anna could be there too. Then my whole family would be in one place.

“You should shift,” Night said. “You should run. Bond.”

“I haven’t done that in so long…”

“She’s injured,” Nicholas said.

“It’s not so bad anymore,” I said. I was scared for other reasons. “What if I don’t remember how?”

Nicholas’s stern gaze melted, and he stepped closer to me. “The wolf will remind you.”

I hoped with all my heart that was true. Though, as I centered myself and listened to the voices within, I could hear my wolf’s encouragement.

“We remember,” it seemed to say.

“I will go with you,” Nicholas said. “I will stay by your side.”

“A pair bonding,” Night said. “Good.”

“Pair bonding?” I asked, confused.

“Between mates,” Silver said.

My cheeks went hot. “Uh, we aren’t… I mean…” I didn’t know how to clarify the situation in a way the wolves would understand.

“Thank you,” Nicholas said to them instead, then guided me toward the woods. “Don’t worry,” he whispered in my ear. “It doesn’t mean what you think…”

Oh. Disappointment filled me. I tried to push it down.

“Focus on your wolf,” Nicholas said, returning me to the moment. “Bring it to the surface.”

I closed my eyes and tried. I pushed deep into myself and found my wolf waiting.

Focus.

Focus.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the body of a wolf. And I took off running.