Chapter 14: : Chapter 14

I woke with a gasp.

At least the sorcerer hadn’t invaded my dreams this time.

I turned over to go back to sleep, but I froze, eyes wide. These weren’t my sheets.

Every sense in my body screamed at me. I sat up, and my heart clenched as I looked around. Holy shit. Where was I, and how did I get here?

Clutching the white bedsheet around me, I scanned the room.

Light streamed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake, and I squinted. It was almost blinding. The décor was minimalist and sleek. Expensive. White floors, gray walls.

I racked my brain for any memory of how I had gotten here. Fragmentary images of last night filtered through my mind like rain. The sound of cicadas. Casey. The bonfire.

Panic flickered in my chest. Oh, shit, had I had a one-night stand with one of Casey’s friends?

I squeezed my eyes shut. No. I’d been pissed, and I’d left.

After that, all I could remember was my nightmare of running through the woods. A shiver ran down my aching spine, and I shoved the dream out of my mind.

I slipped out of bed and wrapped the sheet around myself, sucking in a breath as pain trickled through my nerves. Not only did I have a massive hangover, but every bone in my body ached like I’d tumbled down a mountain a few times.

Whatever had happened, it wasn’t cool.

A quick search of the room revealed neither my clothes nor my phone.

I’d left the phone under the seat in Casey’s car. Where my clothes were was anyone’s guess.

I crossed the room and picked up the framed picture that sat alone on the dresser opposite the king-size bed that I’d just awoken in. A woman with dark, curly hair smiled at the camera. My blood froze. She was beautiful and had the same eyes as Jaxson.

The bedroom door creaked, and I spun, holding the framed picture out like it was a weapon.

“

?” I released my breath but didn’t put down the picture. “Where am I, and why the am I buck-ass naked?”

“I think you should have some coffee.” She stepped into the room and smiled, but I could read the concern on her face. She gave me a wide berth and set the mug on the bedside table. “Do you remember anything from last night?”

My mind still came up short. “I went to a bonfire with Casey, but the rest is missing. Tell me what the hell is going on.”

My voice sounded distant and panicked. I realized that I’d set the picture down and was clutching my arms so hard that my nails were digging into my skin.

“You might want to take a seat,” she said.

“Tell me!” I knew that whatever Sam was about to say would be bad, and I didn’t need her pussyfooting around it. Better to rip the band-aid off quickly.

Irritation flashed in her eyes, and her kind demeanor vanished. “You’re a werewolf, Savannah. You shifted for the first time last night, and Jaxson found you in the woods broken and nearly dead.”

Silence settled over the room, and then I broke it with a guttural laugh. I couldn’t explain it—it was like the floodgates of a dam opening, and I just couldn’t stop laughing. The absurdity of Sam’s words was hilarious. Was she joking? Was I dreaming? I doubled forward, tears gushing down my cheeks as I cackled like a madwoman. It felt good, like a release of pent-up tension. The tears kept falling, though, and soon, my laughs turned into heart-wrenching sobs.

I dropped to my hands and knees, ignoring the pain because as the memories of my cracking bones and tearing muscles bombarded me at last, it was all I could focus on.

My vision blurred.

Sam dropped beside me. “Breathe, Savy!”

My lungs screamed, but I couldn’t draw a breath.

I sat upright and pushed her away, gasping for air that never came. Now I remembered everything from the night before—the argument with those jerks, the bathroom where I’d begun to shift, my escape through the woods. And the pain. The excruciating, endless pain that had nearly split me in two.

Maybe it had.

I clutched my hair and screamed through my gritted teeth—at the circumstances that had landed me here, at my parents for leaving me in this shitty world, and at God for making this my cursed fate.

How was I ever going to face Laurel? And Casey?

I’d just met my estranged family, and I’d liked them. Now? Now I had turned into one of the monsters they hated so much.

The room faded around me, and every sensation was drowned with gut-wrenching fury. My fingernails itched, and my skin burned, but my rage dwarfed it all. I was like a star imploding on itself. I was going to burn this fucking city to the ground.

But then, somewhere in the distance, I heard his voice.

He was upset and yelling, but his signature enveloped me like a weighted blanket, pushing away my sinking despair. My panting breaths eased, and the pulsing in my temples slowed.

A tingling warmth spread through my cheeks, and my rage and pain slowly ebbed like a fading tide. I opened my eyes and met Jaxson’s unyielding gaze. He was kneeling before me, clutching my face in his hands.

“Savannah.” He gently rubbed the dampness from my cheeks, and I realized that I was a sobbing, leaking mess.

I pulled away and rubbed the tears and snot from my puffy face. His jaw was set, and his brow furrowed as he watched me closely, either trying to read my thoughts or evaluate my sanity.

I climbed to my feet, brushing aside Jaxson’s hand as he tried to steady me, and hurled myself into the bathroom. I slammed the door behind me and bent double with my arms across my aching chest.

Why was this happening to me? Of everything I had to face—abductors, demons, an insane sorcerer—why this as well?

“Savy? Are you okay? Can I come in?” Sam’s voice came through the door.

“No. And no.” I stumbled to the sink and stared at the reflection in the mirror.

I didn’t even recognize myself, and it wasn’t because of the swollen eyes and disheveled hair. My life had changed since that night at the Taphouse, and had changed since coming to Magic Side.

What was I going to do?

I slumped down and put my head in my hands as I tried to grip the bull by the horns.

So, I was a werewolf now.

I tried the thought on for size, like a new pair of jeans. I didn’t like it one bit, but I wasn’t sure if this was something I could just .

Inhaling deep breaths, I let my chest rise and fall. Okay. Where did being a werewolf leave me, other than screwed?

Worst-case scenario, this was now my life. Overwhelming sensory input, agonizing bone-snapping transformations, lots of hair everywhere. Potential for fleas. Benefits: none.

Best-case scenario, there was a way to fix this.

Either way, I still had a madman trying to abduct me, and being a werewolf didn’t change that.

Impending death really had a way of putting things in perspective. I clambered to my feet with a low growl as my aches and pains reasserted themselves.

There was going to be a way to fix this. And after I found it, I was going to find whoever was responsible for this shit and make them pay.

I cleaned myself up as best I could and returned to the bedroom with the bedsheet wrapped around me like a toga. Sam was sitting at the foot of the bed while Jaxson stood by the window, arms crossed. He turned to me, worry and exhaustion clouding his face.

“Right, then, I’m a werewolf. How do we fix this?” I looked between Jaxson and Sam, feeling unexpectedly rational about the situation. Well, rational and pissed.

Jaxson took a step forward, but I shook my head as I stepped back. “I need answers. Is this lycanthropy? Is there a cure?”

He flexed his hands. “I’m not sure. Lycanthropy is extremely rare. There’s a potion master who might know more.”

“That’s a start.” A sliver of hope peeked out of the darkness in my soul. “Next question: how the did this happen?”

Sam approached. “Did a werewolf ever bite you? The she-wolf whose mate you killed at the Taphouse? Billy? Someone you didn’t tell us about?”

“No,” I snapped.

Both of them were quiet, and Jaxson looked murderous. I suspected I knew why.

“Billy did it, didn’t he? They injected me with some kind of lycanthropy serum while I was trapped in the sanitorium?”

“Possibly,” Jaxson said, his voice gruff and strained. “We’ll know for sure when we meet with Alia, the potion master. If we’re lucky, she’ll have an antidote.”

I rubbed my face and took a deep breath. Somehow, I could face this. I’d faced blood demons and nightmares and murderous werewolves. I could face myself. Right? “Let’s call her now, then. I need to know how screwed I am.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find a cure,” Jaxson said. His words bit, and he wore a visibly pissed expression. Sam looked almost as upset.

And why wouldn’t they be? They detested me to begin with, and now I was some sort of werewolf abomination. I was sure that the sooner they got rid of me, the happier they’d be.

But their feelings didn’t matter right now. The sooner we got the cure, the better for .

“How do you feel?” Sam inquired.

“Like I binge-watched horror movies all night, and then lost a boxing match.” My stomach growled, and I shifted awkwardly. “That, and hungry.”

Ten minutes later, Jaxson and I were sitting at the far ends of a black granite bar while Sam whipped up scrambled eggs and bacon in the most expensive-looking kitchen I’d ever seen.

She’d brought me a fresh set of clothes, thankfully, since the toga look didn’t suit me. The jeans fit like a glove, but the sweater drooped over one of my shoulders. Fortunately, Sam lived on a lower floor, so the errand had been just a quick elevator ride for her.

“A lot of werewolves live here,” she explained. “We like living together and near the alpha. Plus, there’s a rooftop pool and bar and good amenities. Though my place is about the size of Jaxson’s closets.”

“I pay you better than that,” he grumbled.

“Yes. But I like my view.”

If it was anything like Jaxson’s, I wouldn’t blame her. His windows looked out over a vast green park and Lake Michigan.

I was doing my best to pay attention to anything but Jaxson. He looked good in the morning light. And as pissed as I was, my eyes couldn’t seem to stop flicking his way. God, why was I so attracted to this man?

Maybe because he’s hot and has a body I’d like to—

Cheeks blazing, I glanced around the apartment. White tiled floors, black cabinets, and chrome fixtures. The refrigerator was giant, and the glass lights that hung overhead were modern and simple. I knew Jaxson had money, but I hadn’t expected his place to be so…chic.

I would have gladly murdered someone to have his bed and those sheets. I could have nestled down in them forever.

Although I’d been too panicked to recognize or relish it, Jaxson’s scent had been completely wrapped around me, and I regretted getting out of bed so quickly. It was easy to imagine the friction of my skin moving against those silken sheets. Heat pooled between my legs, and I crossed them.

Jaxson tensed and cleared his throat, and I noticed that Sam was shaking her head as she piled the greasy bacon onto three plates.

Goddamned werewolves couldn’t let a girl have a private thought.

My stomach twisted, and I buried my moment of desire with frustration.

“So,” I said bitterly, “I’m a werewolf now. What do I need to know to get by until we find a cure? Like, how not to wolf out and eat people.”

“We don’t do that,” Sam snapped.

“Well, as someone who’s nearly been mauled by rampaging werewolves multiple times, it’s a fair question.”

“You know it’s not.”

“Your emotions and basal instincts will be heightened,” Jaxson cut in, his gravelly voice instantly calming my fluctuating nerves and sending tingles up my spine. “You’ll need to control them, or you’ll risk shifting.”

Just the sound of his voice heightened my basal instincts. I was so screwed.

“Anger is the worst of them.” Sam shoveled a pile of eggs onto each of the plates and brusquely slid them across the counter with a lingering glare. “It’s the primary trigger.”

, I thought, recalling the events of last night. “If I trigger a shift, is there a way to stop it?”

“You’ll have to calm your emotions enough to get control. If you don’t, your wolf will take over, especially since you’re new to shifting,” Sam said.

If this morning was any indication, controlling my emotions was going to be difficult. “And if I can’t control them?”

Sam arched her brows and fixed Jaxson with a discerning look. “Jaxson is the only one who’ll be able to help you.”

I was an out-of-control monster, and the only person who could help me tame my beast was Jaxson freaking Laurent. The same person who spiked my lust and anger with every move. The universe had a sick sense of humor.

I felt his burning gaze on me, and my pulse quickened. I didn’t like the way things were between us. Something had changed, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing. I recalled hazy flashes of him finding me last night, and then I’d woken up in his bed . Shit, I hope we didn’t—

“Sam put you into my bed last night,” he said casually and took a sip of coffee.

Choking, I dropped my fork and swiveled toward him. “Can you read my mind now, too?”

He paused, his eyes dropping to my legs, which were facing him and spread once more. “No, but you’re like an open book when it comes to your emotions.” Dismissively, he picked up his fork and began eating his eggs, his demeanor stony and distant. “Another reason to rein them in.”

And just like that, Jaxson the alpha-hole was back.

I shoveled the rest of my breakfast into my mouth, silently cursing Jaxson.

His phone buzzed, and he answered, setting it on the counter between us. “Alia, thanks for returning my call. I have Savannah here with me.”

“What can I do for you?” the woman said with a faint accent.

Before Jaxson could respond, I eyed him pointedly and said, “I have a wolf problem that I need fixing.”

Alia was quiet for a beat, and then she said, “Surely she can’t be referring to you, Jaxson?”

Sam laughed, and Jaxson’s eyes blazed with impatience. “No. The problem isn’t with me, I can assure you. We think Savannah contracted lycanthropy. We need a cure.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, Savannah. You…were bitten?”

“No,” I said. “But I was recently injected with something against my will. We think that it may have given me lycanthropy. I’ve never been bitten, so it’s the only possibility.”

“Hmm…I’ve never heard of a serum that could do that. Have you, Jaxson?” Alia asked.

“No, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We’ve been up against a pretty fucked-up blood sorcerer. The fates only know what he’s capable of.”

Though Jaxson’s voice was assertive, I saw the doubt in his eyes. He didn’t believe such a thing was possible.

Shit. Did he even think we could fix this?

My pulse started accelerating, and the bacon grease I’d just wolfed down curdled in my stomach. My palms began sweating, and Jaxson’s apartment suddenly felt suffocating.

“Hmm…well, this might be tricky,” Alia said. “There a potion I can make that should cure you if you’ve contracted lycanthropy in the last few weeks. But first, I’ll need to administer a test to confirm that you’ve actually got it. The problem is, I’ll need concentrated wolfsbane to do that, and it might take a day or two to get that from my supplier.”

Wolfsbane?

“I can get that,” I said quickly, leaping at the opportunity to take a little of my own fate into my hands, as well as a chance to get out of the increasingly claustrophobic apartment before I started hyperventilating again.

“Good. Bring it to my place. Oh, and Savannah…” Alia’s voice faltered for a second, and I could sense her trepidation.

My breath stilled. “Lay it on me.”

“The cure for your lycanthropy will be unimaginably painful. Likely worse than what you experienced during your first shift, and it could take days to pass. You should prepare yourself.”

Fear and dread clawed at my heart. I’d barely survived shifting into a wolf.

How was I supposed to survive the cure?