Pack Bound: Pack Bound Series Book 1, page 22
‘I’ll take you home.’
‘No. Not home. It isn’t safe for me there. It isn’t safe for Bron and Shelley for me to be there.’
‘Why do you say that?’
She shook her head again. ‘I’ll explain. But we need to go to your place. They won’t be able to find me there.’
‘Who won’t?’
‘The rogue coven. They know where I live. They’ve been watching me. It’ll be safer at your place for the time being. I don’t think they’ll look there for me yet. Besides, I want to read the diaries you told me about, find out more about the curse you spoke of and about my powers. So, take me to your house. I’ll tell you what my grandmother told me and you can tell me your side of the story and we’ll go from there.’
He had no idea what she was talking about, but he was more than happy to have her in the safety of his house. ‘Give me your keys. You’re obviously in no state to drive.’
She held out her hand and he took the keys, trying not to touch her because she was trembling.
A slow, cold burn began as he watched her walk slowly and mechanically to the passenger door. It froze his insides, yet his skin burned, like it was on fire. The urge to lash out at something was almost overwhelming. Curling his fingers into his palm, he clenched his teeth shut against the roar clawing to make its way out.
His wolf wanted release and it wanted it now. But she was still afraid of him, afraid of his wolf, and he didn’t want to increase the turmoil of emotion he could sense so clearly through the mating bond. He couldn’t turn into a wolf in front of her again any time soon.
First, he had to find a way to help her gain back her memories, learn how to harness her powers, then unblock them with Cordy’s spell.
When that was done, and the Curse was no more, he could show her the bliss, the gift that was their mating. He would shower her with his love until fear was not this brand of ice-cold fire between them.
Until then, his wolf must remain trapped inside.
21
‘You don’t understand.’ Skye stopped pacing to stare at Jason. He’d just finished telling her his side of the story and it was … insane yet she believed every word. Which is why she said, ‘I can’t be your Pack Witch.’
‘No, you don’t understand.’ He gazed steadily at her, hurt and worry shadowing his beautiful eyes. ‘You are our Pack Witch as your father was before you. And we don’t just need you to share your magic with us to help break the Curse, we need you to be a part of the pack.’
‘But can’t you find another witch or warlock to help you?’ She glanced at Bron and Shelley who were sitting there listening avidly.
‘No.’ He sat forward, pulling her attention back to him. ‘Each pack was tied to certain covens, made up of half-a-dozen old families, so their power could be distributed evenly through the pack without the burden being on one or two individuals. But Bridgette Collier was so powerful, as were her children, that there was no need to tie any other witches or warlocks to our pack. Her children married humans already aware of our secret, as did their children’s children, the power in their bloodline never fading, so there were no blood ties to other covens.’
‘But didn’t anyone see the danger in tying yourself to only one bloodline?’ Shelley asked.
‘The Colliere coven was always so strong, its numbers only dwindled in the last few generations. But even then we didn’t think to worry until the Curse came into effect when Skye’s father was killed and she was stolen from us.’
‘This is the curse that stopped you from being able to access your wolves before the Pact was created.’
‘No. I’ve confused you. I shouldn’t have called that a curse per say. It was more a … block. Something dark and evil that meant we could only be in our wolf form at the full moon and cutting us off from them at any other time. It was a horror that turned our wolves rabid. The Pact did away with it and allowed us to have harmony inside once more.’
‘So what is this curse? And why does it affect you if I am not your Pack Witch?’
‘This curse—the Curse—was canted by a witch who was betrayed by members of her pack. She cursed them to dwindle and die but also put a curse on all Were-kind to ensure that what happened to her and her coven never happened to any witch again. It ensured that Were would protect their witches and warlocks or suffer the consequences of her curse.’
‘Which is?’
‘To die. Slowly and painfully as we are cut off from our wolves and driven insane.’
‘Oh.’ She sat with a plop on the couch behind her.
‘So, you see, you are our only hope.’
Skye’s mind spun. ‘But I can’t stay. I’m not safe.’
‘That’s because you don’t know how to use your powers,’ Bron interrupted.
Skye glared at her. ‘Explain to me why you’re here again?’
Bron flashed her a suck-it-up grin. ‘Because we were with Adam when Jason called to tell him where you were going and what you were doing, and I’m a big sticky beak who can’t keep her nose out of someone else’s business.’
Skye’s lips twitched despite herself. ‘I wish you’d go. It’s not safe—’
‘Blah, blah, blah, rogue coven, blah, blah, blah, dangerous. You’ve told us already but it doesn’t matter. We’re not going anywhere, are we, Shells?’
Shelley shook her head. ‘Adam said your father was training you to take over from him before he was killed. So, there’s knowledge in there somewhere. You just have to remember.’
Skye rubbed at her aching head. ‘But I don’t remember. I’ve never been able to remember anything before the accident. Morrigan said it was post-traumatic stress. I—’
She was interrupted by a growl. Surprised, she turned to stare at Adam. His usual cocky smile was missing. In its place was a look so vicious it made her take a step back.
‘Adam? What’s wrong?’
‘Post-traumatic stress? Are we supposed to believe that?’
‘It’s what they told me.’
‘But why should we believe them?’ he sneered.
‘Do you think I would have kept knowledge from my granddaughter that might have helped her control her magic? If she’d remembered any of her training, we might never have needed to bind her magic like we did.’
Adam stiffened, as did Jason and Bron, as they all heard Harrison’s words.
‘Shelley, are you doing that?’ Bron asked.
‘Doing what?’ Adam asked.
‘She’s being a conduit between Harrison’s spirit and us, so we can hear him.’
Shelley nodded, her face drawn, lips white. ‘I can’t do it for long. Especially with Skye here. She keeps pushing him away and it’s draining to keep him tethered to me.’
‘It’s hurting you,’ Adam protested, reaching to touch her hand.
She jerked away from him. ‘I’m fine. Besides, this isn’t about me. We were talking about Skye and why Harrison and Morrigan bound her magic.’
‘Her power is supposed to be shared. That’s the way it’s been ever since the Pact was made.’ Adam turned, speaking to the air. ‘Perhaps her magic is so wild because she hasn’t had anyone to channel it to. Have you thought of that?’
‘I didn’t know about this side of it. Morrigan didn’t speak about her family very often. And when you failed to protect my son, I’m afraid I didn’t trust you to protect Skye and her brother as well.’
‘What about the Curse? She had to know taking Skye would set it off.’
‘She didn’t tell me about that at the time, but from what she said tonight, she didn’t think it would as long as Skye was safe.’
‘But it has come on, slowly, but inexorably,’ Jason said, arms crossed, face grim. ‘Could that be because Skye wasn’t safe?’
‘But that’s the very point I’m making,’ Skye said.
‘We’ll take care of the rogue coven,’ Jason said, his jaw firm. ‘There’s no need to leave because of that. We’ll keep you safe.’
Skye threw her hands up in the air. ‘You’re not listening to me. I’m not safe. I’m a danger to all of you. Even if the rogue coven wasn’t after me, I’m still a danger because I’ve got the power of two inside me—a killing amount of power—and I don’t know how to control it. The only solution is to find you another Pack Witch to bind to you, and then I have to go.’
‘No. Don’t you know what that will do to m— To us?’ Jason’s voice was husky with tension.
Tears burned Skye’s eyes as she looked at him. He was so beautiful, and yet that wasn’t why she was drawn to him beyond all reason. That he had turned into a wolf didn’t seem to matter anymore. But she couldn’t give in to her need for him. He didn’t understand.
Pain thumped sickeningly in her head and she gripped the back of the lounge to steady herself as she met his gaze. ‘I don’t want to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you. I’m so sorry. But we have to find some other way around the Curse.’
‘There is no other way.’ Jason stood, came around the lounge and took her hand, coaxing her from behind it, pulling her down beside him, but she resisted. ‘Please, let me explain.’
She sat then pulled her hand from his. ‘I think I understand everything you’ve told me.’
‘I don’t think you do. As I said, the reason for the Curse was to make certain no pack ever takes their coven for granted. Your health and happiness is tied into ours. If you’re on the run, in danger, it wouldn’t matter if you found some way to give us power, the Curse would still be in place because the rogue coven is truly a danger to you. That’s why the Curse activated when your grandparents took you from us—because we had not kept you under our protection. If you don’t let us protect you now, then it will hit us in truth and we will all die. River will die.’
‘River? But why? Surely he gets some of my power through the twin bond? And he’s been with me all this time.’
His gaze grabbed hers, eyes burning, intense. ‘He’s Were. If he’s not actively looking after your wellbeing, then the Curse will get him too, no matter how much power you funnel into him. And given he’s not changed in all these years, he’s in more immediate danger of falling prey to it than any of us. Do you understand why you can’t leave now?’
She rubbed at her aching head. ‘I don’t know … I can’t think.’
‘He’s right, Skye. I thought that having Alfrere bind you again and then running from the rogue coven was the only solution, but I had no idea about any of this. The fact the power swapping between the Were and their Pack Witches is so symbiotic might make all the difference in making your powers more stable.’
Hope fluttered in her chest. ‘What do you mean?’ she breathed.
‘I think the Were are a channel for you. Jason in particular. Your power settles around him, becomes more fluid and malleable. That could make a difference even against the rogue coven.’
Jason nodded, hands clenched before him. ‘Cordy said something similar. She told me I was Skye’s channel. She flamed out at the snow only because the Alpha–Pack Witch bond came into effect so suddenly.’
‘I lashed out at you this morning with my magic. I wasn’t stable then.’
‘No. But I frightened you. It was a reflex. Your hind brain at work, so to speak. You didn’t try to fry me when you saw me at your grandmother’s house.’
Jason’s blue gaze didn’t waver. She realised with a thump of her heart that he was sending her a message. He would never let her go. He would find a way that meant she didn’t have to leave. He was the Alpha. It was his responsibility to look after his pack.
And his Pack Witch.
The thought tore her in two even though she knew she should be grateful he felt nothing more for her than he did for any of his pack. Turning her mind away from the futile thoughts, she tried to concentrate on what her grandpa was saying.
‘The problem is, something has changed in the spell I wove into her magic to lock it. I’m not sure how or why, but it’s resisting Alfrere’s spell—which it shouldn’t have done.’
‘Are you saying you can’t undo the spell you wove?’
‘Yes. I just don’t know enough. I wish I knew more; wish I knew how to help, but I don’t. I’m too far removed. I wish—I’m so sorry, love. I never meant for any of this to happen.’
‘Then why did you do it?’ she snapped, fury flaring through her. It all came down to the fact she had no idea how to use her magic. They said she was more powerful than any witch who came before, but she wasn’t.
They’d made her powerless. And dangerous.
A red haze formed in front of her eyes as she pushed off the couch to pace again. ‘I thought you loved me! How could you do this to me? How could you leave me so vulnerable? Why didn’t you train me?’
‘We didn’t know how. You have the power of two people inside you, Skye. We had no idea how to deal with that. To help you to control it. Your grandmother didn’t know anywhere near enough about your power. She couldn’t even truly teach me. I learned what I learned from Alfrere and the rogue coven before we left it and even that wasn’t enough. Then we were on our own, with no links to those who might know how to help you. And we were afraid, so terribly afraid, that the rogue coven would track us down through your power. We did what we could; what we thought was right.’
She laughed, the sound choking in her throat. ‘How does that help me now?’ She waved her hand towards Jason and Adam. ‘They need me to stay. Morrigan and Alfrere want me to run. And River … who knows if I’m a help or a hindrance to him? They say one thing; Morrigan and Alfrere say something else. And now you’re telling me to stay here with Jason and trust him. To use my powers when you’ve told me all my life not to. I mean, what am I supposed to think? How am I supposed to act?’
Her voice was rising as she took in great hiccoughing breaths that hurt her chest. ‘They want this. You want that. Everyone wants something but has anyone bothered to stop and ask me what I want? And you know what is really pissing me off about all your wants? You now tell me the spell you wove to protect me and those I love from my dangerous magic has changed and you can’t undo it to release my powers! How the fucking hell am I supposed to control my magics if I can’t even tap into them?’
Anger filled her chest, radiating out until her fingertips burned. Horrified she’d let anger get the better of her again, she turned away from them all, desperately grasping at her control. But the burn in her fingertips got worse, not better, as the knot of anger in her chest kept growing. Behind her, voices rose and fell as the others argued about what she’d said and about what was best to do with her. For her.
She clenched her hands under her armpits but it didn’t seem to help. The burn began to run up her arms as they spoke about her, not to her.
‘Stop talking about me like I’m not here,’ Skye said through clenched teeth. She was now almost bent over double, sweat pouring off her brow as the burn took over.
‘Skye. Are you all right?’
‘What’s going on?’
She ignored Bron and Shelley and looked with burning eyes at Jason. ‘I need to go.’
‘We can’t let you go,’ Adam said, stepping in front of her as she stood up.
‘Please. Don’t stop me,’ she gasped. ‘I can’t … control …’
‘But we need you.’ Adam reached for her.
‘Don’t touch me!’ Her vision flared, her fingers heating. Blue flame rippled up her arms. ‘You don’t own me. I am my own person. Nobody can tell me what to do.’
‘Fucking hell!’ Adam gasped as Shelley shouted, ‘Get back!’
A hot wind blew through the room as lightning rippled from Skye’s hands, lashing out at Adam. He dived to the side and the lightning struck the lamp behind him.
Horrified by what she’d done, Skye sobbed, ‘Help me. I can’t stop it.’
‘Harrison. Can you help her?’ Jason shouted as he raced forward. But he couldn’t get near her; none of them could get near her. Lightning rippled around her, wind whipped her hair away from her face. It lifted her off her feet until she hung in the air, a golden nimbus of light surrounding her as fire arced between her hands.
‘I’m trying to calm her aura, but she’s pushing me away. Shelley, I need a medium. I have to go through you.’
Shelley paled but nodded. A second later she shuddered, and her eyes glowed golden amber. Purple fire raced from her fingers towards Skye as she walked slowly forward.
‘No! You’re going to get hurt,’ Adam said, grabbing at Shelley.
She turned golden eyes on him and spoke, her voice echoing and strange. ‘Let go. We know what we are doing.’ He shook his head.
‘Let her try.’ Jason put his hand on Adam’s shoulder. ‘We have to help Skye. For the pack. That’s more important than anything else. You should know. You reminded me of that.’
Adam swallowed hard, then let go of Shelley. ‘Don’t get hurt, kitten.’
She didn’t respond, just continued to walk towards Skye.
Skye shuddered as Shelley’s fire ran over her, covering the blue flames that lapped at her skin, shrouding her like a blanket. She cried out—the icy cold of it a shock.
Jason stepped forward, but Bron’s hand on his arm stopped him.
‘She’s fine. Let her do this.’
‘Skye?’ he asked, his gaze catching hers through the flame.
She nodded.
Then Shelley’s strange echoing voice wrapped around her:
‘By the Goddess and by the flame,
By the Moon and by the rain,
Breathe in the wind, quench the fire
Let calm be your heart’s desire
Three times three times three times three,
We give you our will, so mote it be.’
She began to shake as the spell was invoked. The flame flared brighter and the wind keened, rising in pitch until Jason, Adam and Bron all clapped their hands over their ears.
Then with a clap of thunderous sound, the blue flame fluttered and was gone.
The wind died.
Skye fell to the floor.
Jason rushed forward to pull her into his arms. ‘Skye? Skye, are you all right?’
