Jasmine hesitated. “That’s a good point.”
We gathered up the jars into boxes for easier carrying as we headed for the jail. “How will we know if they’ve worked?”
“Hopefully, it will calm them down longer than the other combinations,” she told me. “Although I can’t help but hope that this will cure them.”
I hadn’t wanted to say it out loud. It seemed impossible that we could just stumble onto the cure, but perhaps we could. We got to the prison quickly, where I made Jasmine stay in the car with the doors locked. If the brew looked like it was working, we could take the next step.
We decided to test the brews on the other alphas and seconds first. They had all been given the regular brew recently, and so were fairly docile taking the new mixes. Afterward, I studied each of them individually. They were calm and quiet, but showed no sign of coming back to themselves.
Time for the next step.
I went back outside for Jasmine and brought her in, keeping close just in case any of the guards were suddenly taken by the darkness.
“Killian seems the calmest,” I told her, tightening my grip on her hand. “Let’s try him first.”
As soon as she stepped into sight of the cell, Killian slammed into the door, snapping his teeth behind the muzzle. He struggled against the straitjacket, howling. The sound of his howl roused the others, and soon, all along the prison doors, every possessed pack member was howling and trying to escape.
Well. That answered that.
I wrapped my arm around Jasmine’s waist and hurried her out of the prison while the guard attempted to restore order.She started shaking before we reached the car, and by the time I’d driven us back home, she was sobbing openly. Her whole body shook with the force of it. I carried her inside and up the stairs to her room.
“I’m sorry, Owen.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. This is not your fault.”
I set her on the bed and knelt to take her shoes off for her. Jasmine wiped her face, her tears flowing even as she got her sobs under control. I helped her change into something more comfortable, then pulled her into my arms and lay down.
“It’s okay,” I whispered to her. “We’ll figure this out. I’m still here.”
Jasmine let out a shaky sigh. “But what will I do if I lose you, too?”
I didn’t know how to respond. Luckily, just my presence provided enough comfort for her to fall asleep. As her breathing grew deeper and more restful, I considered her words. What would she do if the darkness took me, too? I had made arrangements for the pack, but Jasmine had been alone for so many years.
If I were claimed, would the rest of the pack blame her? Would she stay here and work herself to exhaustion every day trying to take care of us? Would we end up killing her?
I didn’t like any of these thoughts rattling around in my brain. I buried my face in her hair, breathing in her scent. I should leave, go check on how things were going with the pack. I should check on the prisoners again to make sure they were calming down. But I also should stay, to comfort her and make sure she got the rest she needed.
Just when I started to doze off myself, Jasmine stiffened in my arms. She bolted upward, letting out a blood-curdling scream. I jolted, trying to hold on to her. Jasmine blindly fought me, still screaming. I finally managed to catch her in my arms and crush her to my chest, stopping her flailing.
“I’m here! I’m here!”
Jasmine’s jerky movements stilled. “Owen?”
“It’s okay. You’re not alone.” I smoothed her hair and kissed the top of her head.
“It was another vision,” Jasmine whispered. “I was in a tornado, and all around me was nothing but fire and blood.”
I shuddered. But before I could reassure her, alarms started to blare outside. Fire alarms. I rose from the bed, reaching for my cell phone even as it started to ring. The number that flashed up was from Alpha Mads from the Burgess pack.
“There’s a forest fire between our territories,” Mads told me as soon as I answered. “We’re dealing with it on our side, but the wind is blowing the flames right toward Tyrell.”
Chapter 24 - Jasmine
I ran with Owen in my wolf form to join the brigade that was going to fight the fires. He glanced worriedly over his shoulder, but I only nodded once. I wouldn’t be any good at the actual firefighting, but I could work as a medic and help anyone who was injured in the attempt.
We had just joined the firefighters in town when a column of smoke rising from just outside the town caught my eye. I barked a warning, and Owen turned. When he saw the smoke, he snarled and shifted to human form.
“Get the trucks there quickly!” he shouted.
