Page 46

“But that means…” Nova picks up her phone and waves it. “The book pages Lucien sent me are useless. I’ve been scouring them for the last two hours. There’s nothing… all they say is that it’s impossible for a shifter and his animal counterpart to live separately. That’s it. There is no way to put them back together. No way to reunite them.” She is panicking. I can see it rising in her body. Sparks fly harder. Her wings fly free, the biggest I’ve ever seen them, except this time they’re almost white.

She whirls around, roaring at the top of her voice.

The edge of the rug catches light and Snow puts a large paw over it.

Slowly, he hauls himself to his feet and walks over to her. He is so close to her wings I’m surprised his fur isn’t getting singed. I stand back, shielding my eyes from her brightness.

Tanner calls to her, but can’t get close enough.

Snow nuzzles her hand. She looks down at him. The wings disappear, and she wraps her arms around his large neck, sobbing as she clings onto him.

Snow doesn’t move, just stands, allowing her to cry. He purrs a little, as if he’s telling her everything is going to be okay. “I can’t lose you,” she says. “That’s not how it was supposed to be.”

She looks up at me, and the hurt in her eyes brings tears to mine, too.

“The bad stuff was supposed to be over. It was supposed to be the six of us. Happy. Together.” She looks over at the bed. Mack shifts uncomfortably, his eyes still closed.

A sob breaks from Nova’s lips, and she runs from the room.

The door clatters closed. Tanner moves to follow her, but I shake my head. “Stay with Mack. He needs you. I’ll make sure she’s alright.”

Tanner is bracing his hands on his knees. He meets my eyes. “Sam, if she loses Mack, she won’t ever be alright again.”

I’m at the door. I turn the handle. “I don’t think we can save him,” I mutter.

A sharp inhale of breath tells me Tanner is crying now too. “If what you said is true,” he breathes, “neither do I.”

19

NOVA

Ropes of fear tighten around my ribcage and squeeze. My heart is breaking. Literally breaking. I can’t breathe, and I can’t see straight.

I thought I’d never have to feel this way again. After losing Sam, I didn’t know how I’d survive. But there was hope. Now, there is none.

If I lose Mack, I lose him forever.

I am standing in front of Thornfield’s Original Six exhibit. I splay out my hands. Fire blooms in my palms. My wings are back. Anger like I’ve never felt before swirls inside me. White hot fury scraping through my insides.

I scream.

I throw fire at the exhibit. I want to watch it burn. The entire place. I want it to burn to the ground.

Above, a sprinkler splutters to life and rains ice cold water down on top of me. It does not stop the flames I throw, but it stops them from catching light.

A fire alarm sounds, loudly, screeching in my ears.

A hand tightens around my arm. I turn around, expecting to see Sam. But I’m blinded. A bright blue light batters my eyes. Pain hits me between the ribs, clawing through my body.

I drop to my knees.

And then everything is dark.

* * *

My eyes flutter open, my vision is blurry and unfocused. Like I’m looking out through fogged glass. I try to make sense of my surroundings. The room is dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of incense and dried herbs.

I don’t recognize this place. I’m lying on a strange wooden bed, my limbs restrained by tight leather straps. Panic rises in my chest as I tugs at the bonds, but they hold fast.