Chapter 381: We are Family
August struggled against the lycan named Ry, trying to control her thoughts so she didn’t accidentally rip him into shreds with her mind. She was certain she was capable of it. If another male dared try to hurt her, they were going to pay for every male before them who had as well.
But it was important to see if these strays would take her to where the alyko were being held. Otherwise, she wasn’t sure she would find it. She didn’t have loads of time to search the island.
So instead of imagining the creative ways she could kill Ry whose sweaty hands were clamped onto her wrists like a vice, she thought of Graeme. Hopefully he had received the talisman. If he needed it, it would be to break an enchantment, wouldn’t it? What alyko would have sent a harmful enchantment his way?
"He forgot me," she muttered in surprise, realizing what should have been perfectly obvious from the start. If she had forgotten him with Penelope’s enchantment, it was likely that he had been in a similar situation. "Penelope," she growled.
"What are you going on about?" Ry shoved her harder so she stumbled.
"A certain female I am going to have to pay back after I take care of all of you," she growled again, allowing the sound to putter in her throat like a true lycan such that the males around her glanced nervously at each other. This alyko was different.
"Let’s just take her to containment, Ry. She sounds dangerous," one of them said.
"Dangerous eh? Isn’t that more fun? A little challenge?" the harsh voice rasped behind her.
"Ugh, you know what?" she broke free from his hold and whirled around to face him. "I am so sick of disgusting, abusive males. And I am tired of playing along with you, hoping you will give me what I need," she snarled, her eyes going completely black as she allowed the Veiled to consume her vision.
The concentrated darkness that saturated Ry’s form was too intimidating to try healing or drawing out of him, so instead she shoved him hard and watched as the dancing particles remained in place while Ry went catapulting backward, his physicality separated from the ugly nature that had sunk into him like an energetic parasite. With Ry lying stunned on his back, August watched as the ugliness that remained in front of her slowly dissipated into the surrounding energy of the woods.
"There," she said happily, smiling at how much easier that was than trying to heal him. And now she wouldn’t have to kill him.
The two males flanking her stared in bewilderment, unaware of what had just happened other than their friend being thrown on his ass.
"Don’t you feel better?" she asked Ry, resting her hands on her hips as she smiled down at him. "Now go clean yourself up, and you will almost be as good as new."
"What did you do to me?" he asked, gaping up at the female whose eyes had gone back to their previous gold.
"Can’t you tell?" she asked.
His eyes darted around as he thought about what had just happened. He did feel different.
"You’re welcome," she said, too impatient to wait for his verbal acknowledgement. "Now point me in the direction of where the alyko are kept."
While the two other males glanced at each other uneasily, Ry lifted a hand and pointed back to the way they came. August sighed.
"So I have to go back that way? You were taking me in the opposite direction?" she asked.
Ry nodded dumbly, still unable to find his words.
"Thanks a lot," she grumbled and stalked off through the trees. "It’s never too late to do something good with your life!" she called behind her.
"I hope Graeme is okay," she whispered to herself.
It was heartbreaking imagining him confused and unable to put the pieces together of who she was or what he was doing back in his pack. How many days had passed? How long was his memory impaired? And what would that mean for the pack? Their Luna was gone and their Alpha couldn’t even remember how he had come to be there or any of the drama that had unfolded.
She groaned. "Goddess help them," she prayed, keeping her eyes alert for any indication of where this place was that the alyko were in. Their separation would be worth it if she could get the alyko out of here. She didn’t know how that was going to happen, but she was determined to make sure it did.
"You must be August," a female voice called melodically out of nowhere, startling her.
"Yes, that’s right," she replied cautiously, turning around and seeing only trees on every side. Was there another tree guardian somehow hidden here in the vampire’s world? It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to happen.
A female with long black hair and bright green eyes appeared a short distance away, dispelling the thought.
"Selah?" August squinted. It sure looked an awful lot like Sage’s sister, although Selah’s hair wasn’t that long.
The female froze. "You know Selah?" she asked, obvious terror flashing bright in her eyes.
"I... yes. I know her. You know her as well? Are you her sister?" August asked.
"No," she replied simply, shaking her head. "I am her... I am Nedra. My name is Nedra."
"You are an alyko," August noticed. "How are you out here walking around? Am I close to the others?"
"The containment facility is not far from here. I can show you where it is, but you will have difficulty getting inside. Penelope is worried about you, perhaps you should head back," she told her.
"How do you know Penelope is worried about me?" August frowned. This Nedra was awfully suspicious wandering freely out here with so much knowledge about her.
"I was just in the castle. I made the cage in your room, and I wanted to see who it was for," Nedra explained.
"I see. You cooperate with Zagan?" August’s eyebrows pinched together.
"It is not that simple, and it is quite a long story I assure you," Nedra pressed her lips together. "How is it that you know Selah?"
"She is from my pack. I really don’t know her well at all, but I am close to her brother."
"You know Sage?" Nedra gasped softly. "They are not here, are they?"
"No, I don’t think so. You must be family," August guessed. "You look so much like them."
"Yes, we are family," she replied, fearful to admit even that. No one could find out about their relationship or her children would be in grave danger. "I don’t want to see them end up here."
