From the Jaws of Victory

RORY

Teresa looks at all of us around the campfire with her horrible, still face. My heart pounds. I expect to see Nemesis laughing at me from behind Teresa’s eyes.

I know Everett was right to hold me back, but I can’t help but feel angry, helpless. Maybe if I’d gotten to her in time I could have done something. I could have stopped it!

The rogues all turn to me. I can’t help but cringe away from their accusing eyes, their anger. “Well? Why don’t you cure her?” they demand.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. The worse I react, the worse Everett will react and I don’t want him fighting for my honor. I don’t want blood spilling. “We can’t do it here.”

That only makes them more angry. I hear them talking to each other, shouting at me. “You mean you can’t do it at all! It’s all pack lies, they’d never help us.”

I close my eyes, trying to keep control of my breathing. Large groups yelling are extra hard for me to deal with. I can’t help but think I’m going to die. I’ve been hated so often, I can’t get over it.

It’s been so long. I have family and friends now. I can feel Everett beside me, solid and strong. I know he’s on my side, that he’ll protect me, but inside I’m the scared child, alone again.

And I really, really don’t want them to fight. Not over me. I whimper. I wish I knew what I can say to calm everyone down, what would make them happy, but I can’t even think.

I hear Andy shouting, coming to my defense. I’m so grateful to him. “They helped me! I’m telling you, Aurora is trustworthy.”

I hear Nickolas and Viktoria sneering at me in my mind. ~Coward. Pathetic human.~ They still live there, even though they’re long dead. They might haunt me forever, after what they did to me.

I make myself open my eyes. Tears are threatening to fall, blurring everything, but at least I can see what’s happening. At least I’m facing my problems.

The rogues are on one side, still accusing me of trickery. I’m flanked by Everett and Lucius, both tense as bowstrings, ready to fight. Andy stands between the two, trying to keep peace.

Before the argument can escalate any more, Teresa goes rigid. Her eyes roll back and she collapses onto her side again, limbs twitching. It looks painful.

Everett steps between me and Teresa. “Have you ever seen this?” he demands of the rogues.

Andy’s looking at Teresa with wide eyes. The rest have backed away again. Some look ready to run. “No, never. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before.”

Annoyance pricks in my chest. If only the rogues talked to each other, lived together, maybe we’d know more. I can’t understand why rouges choose a life of isolation, the life forced on Mama and me.

Of course, Nemesis probably targeted the rogues because she could do her work unnoticed. She turned the independence they’re so proud of against them.

Teresa stirs and sits up again. We all hold our breath. This time she does it with a groan, she puts her hand to her forehead. Once she lifts her head, we can all see the confusion on her face.

Relief almost takes my legs out from under me. She’s all right! The shard didn’t stay. The only question is: why? Why didn’t Nemesis want her for a host?

Teresa looks around at all of the eyes on her and bounces up, crouching defensively. “Why are you all staring at me?” she yells, brash, but I think it’s a mask for her fear. Wolves hate to be stared at.

Everett shifts. Lucius follows his lead. They’re making it clear that there’s no point in her running. I can see her hands shake. “You first. Tell us what happened. Every detail,” Everett says coolly.

She’s tense, and for a second, I think she’s going to bolt, or leap at Everett. But then, the fight goes out of her and she slumps back down on the stump she’d been sitting on.

She passes a hand over her face, like she’s trying to wipe away a bad dream. “There was a chill. And then, I got tired. So, incredibly tired. There was nothing I could do.”

The entire group is watching her, rapt with attention. The energy changes, no longer on the verge of battle. We’re all united, faced with a far greater threat.

Teresa is staring into the fire, eyes haunted. “I couldn’t stay awake. I heard someone laughing, a woman, but I couldn’t fight it. Couldn’t fight her. I blacked out. But not before I heard her name.”

Nemesis. She doesn’t say it, but we all hear it anyway. The rogues look at each other suspiciously, but this is one of their own. They can’t dismiss her so easily.

Teresa wraps her arms loosely around herself, gripping her bare arms. I want to get her a blanket. “I was so cold, worse than being trapped in a snowstorm. It felt like I would never be warm again.”

I know the kind of cold she means. It’s the cold I felt when I sensed Nemesis; spirit cold. It’s unimaginable if you haven’t experienced it. How could I let this happen to her?

Teresa just stares for a minute. There’s no sound but the snapping of the fire. No one wants to interrupt. With a sharp breath she blinks, comes back to herself. “Then I just…woke up.”

“What made her release you?” Everett’s voice is more gentle now, like he’s talking to a pack member. I’m glad. Teresa doesn’t deserve to be barked at.

Teresa shakes her head, grimacing. “I wish I knew. Maybe she didn’t like her odds.”

I exchange a look with Everett. He shakes his head slightly. I agree. It’s true, we could’ve just driven Nemesis from Teresa, but I don’t know why she’d care. She’ll just find someone else.

We can’t think of any better reason, though. The meeting is over. Everyone’s on edge after what happened to Teresa and there’s no new information to share, we’re just talking in circles.

Plus, I can tell Everett’s getting antsy. Too much time among strange wolves, away from home. I tap his arm. “I’d like to go home,” I say quietly, giving the excuse he needs.

He stands abruptly, announcing. “My Luna needs her rest. We’re leaving now. Stay at least five miles from my land. Send a message if you learn anything new.”

“And we’ll do the same,” I add quickly. Our best chance is to work together. I don’t want to leave things on a bad note. Andy waves goodbye, at least. I wave back.

I go straight to the library when we get back to the pack house, pointing out to Everett that I can rest just as well there. There’s a comfy chair and everything.

I couldn’t possibly sleep right now anyway. I know the pregnancy is supposed to be making me tired, but I’m not noticing it right now. I feel charged with energy, like I’ve had ten cups of coffee.

There’s so much I want to know—how to get rid of Nemesis for good, how to save the possessed without poisoning them, how to keep her from jumping into someone else.

How to keep this from ever happening again. Poor Teresa. I can’t get the look in her eyes out of my mind. I know she’s been marked forever by this. Everyone Nemesis has touched has.

I pull book after book from the shelves, everything with a title that sounds even a little relevant. I build a fortress around myself and lose myself in the words.

Books that don’t help are tossed aside. The floor is covered after a few hours, but I refuse to give up. There’s an answer, I know it. I just have to find it.

I don’t realize how much time has passed until Everett shows up. He’s got a plate in each hand and my stomach lurches awake with a growl at the smell filling the room.

He sits down on the footstool and puts one of the plates in my lap. It’s got strips of steak in a rich dark sauce, mashed potatoes with butter and garlic, and crisp roasted asparagus.

My mouth fills with saliva and I immediately put a bite of potatoes in my mouth, sighing in ecstasy. Everett grins, his own plate balanced on the arm of my chair. “I brought you dinner.”

I smile back at him. “You’re the best.” The fact that he brought it to me here instead of dragging me out to eat with the pack is so thoughtful my heart feels swollen with affection.

He gives me time to eat in silence, which is good because you’d think I was the wolf the way I’m going through my plate. The steak practically melts in my mouth and the asparagus are perfectly bright.

I only drop my fork twice and I don’t spill, which is pretty good for me. I feel some tension bleeding out of me as I fill my stomach.

~Were you hungry too, baby?~ I think to my growing child. ~I’ll be more careful about remembering to eat.~

“How’s it going?” Everett asks once my plate is mostly clear. I’m stealing bites of asparagus and steak from his plate, which he’s allowing with a fond shake of his head.

The anxiety, lulled by food and company, returns full force. I drop the asparagus I’d been holding back on his plate, no longer hungry. “No luck yet. But there’s still lots to look over.”

He puts his hand on the back of my neck, rubbing some of the tightness out of it. “I’m planning on asking around tomorrow. Maybe one of the other Alphas knows something.”

I wince—my muscles are sore—but then sigh as it begins to work, the pain receding. “Good idea. But, weren’t you thinking we should keep it a secret?”

“It’s already spread through the rogues. We need to be proactive, even if that means admitting a bit of weakness. Better than letting our people suffer.” Everett has his serious face on, eyes steely.

I lean in to throw my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek. “You’re a wonderful Alpha.” He cares so much about his pack. They’re lucky to have him. And so am I.

He kisses me back. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

I let him take our plates away. I’m not sure how long it is before he comes back, but I’m deep in another book and don’t notice him until he puts his hand on my knee.

“Come to bed with me. You can start looking again in the morning. Better to be fresh, right?” His face is soft and concerned, full of nothing but love.

The bed, warm and soft, calls to me. I can sleep tucked against Everett’s chest. I can feel safe for a few hours.

But I’m not safe. No one is. Not until I stop Nemesis. A chill brushes away the comforting fantasy of security, bringing with it the terrified faces of the children, Teresa’s empty eyes.

I shake my head resolutely. “No. I want to keep working.”

He frowns. “Aurora, it doesn’t help anyone if you push yourself too far—”

I interrupt him, the fear tight inside of me springing out. “It might! It could help someone. I could find the answer tonight and then everyone will be safe. Anything could happen while I’m sleeping!”

“There’s nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. Nemesis won’t take over the world in a night.” He takes my hand and rubs his thumb over the knuckles, looking into my eyes, silently asking.

I close my eyes tight against a sudden tide of tears. “Please, Everett. Just let me do this. It’ll eat me up, otherwise.” My voice is small, wavery, and weak. I hate it.

I hear him sigh, then feel him let go of my hand. Then, I feel a kiss on the top of my head. “All right, little one. I trust you. I’m here if you need me.”

I open my eyes just in time to grab the hem of his shirt as he turns to go. “I love you,” I tell him, hoping he hears everything in those three words.

He takes my hand and squeezes it, then presses a kiss on it. “I love you, too.” Then, he leaves me to my work.

It doesn’t take long for the research to reabsorb me. I look through book after book. My eyes start to itch and burn, but I just rub it away. I yawn, but I only notice it as an irritating interruption.

It’s late—or should that be early?—when it happens. I sit up, read the page again, just to be sure I’m not dreaming. This is it. This could really work. We can beat her!

I grab the book and hold it tight to my chest. I have to show Everett, right now! I stand, wincing at the numbness in my legs, stumbling over the blanket that slides out of my lap.

I only take two steps before a blast of cold hits me. It goes straight through me, freezing my blood in my veins, sinking into my bones.

I hear Nemesis and Professor Xander. They’re speaking. I strain to make out their words, but I’m so sleepy. I can feel myself drifting, no matter how hard I try to fight.

I was already exhausted. Nemesis barely has to drain me, I had nothing to fight her with in the first place. Everett was right. I pushed myself past my limits and now I’m too weak to resist my enemy.

Professor Xander seems to be standing over me, voice mockingly kind. I can’t believe I ever trusted him. “Poor little Rory. No matter how hard she tries, she’s not good enough.”

Nemesis tuts and I feel the brush of a hand against my cheek, burningly cold. I shudder and try to pull away, but I can’t. I can’t move at all. I can’t even feel my body.

“Now, Professor, don’t be so cruel. She does have potential. I’m going to make ~excellent~ use of her.” Nemesis croons. ~No. Please, no. Achlys, Selene, anyone, help me…~

Nemesis laughs, her wild, cruel laugh. And everything goes dark.