Allies…Maybe

RHIANNON

I spend the rest of the evening grilling Ommin about my past. He patiently answers all of my questions and tells me everything he knows about me.

I feel disconnected from the girl he tells me about. Since meeting Isaac, it seems that all the things the old me had hoped for have come to be.

Isaac suddenly grabs me and pulls me behind him. His defensive stance and the deep growl that reverberates from his chest cause everyone else to jump up as well.

Rhodes bursts through the tree line holding a snarling woman in a headlock against his chest. Her fangs are elongated as she struggles against him.

“Calm down or I’ll snap your neck,” he growls at her.

“Why didn’t you do that already?” Isaac questions angrily.

“Tell them what you told me,” Rhodes grunts at her, obviously putting more pressure on her throat.

She looks at me and a strange expression pulls at her face. She looks like she’s expecting something from me.

“Rhiannon?” she says with expectation in her voice, “tell them who I am, call them off.”

“How do you know her?” Isaac growls, stepping toward her.

Rhodes yanks her forward and she gasps against his tight hold.

“Rhiannon?!” she screams desperately.

“I… I don’t…” I’m hit with a deep pang of guilt. The look in her eyes is hurt, like I’m betraying her.

“She doesn’t know you,” Rhodes says as she struggles against him.

“Yes, she does! Rhiannon, I saved you! I helped you!” Her voice is strained.

“Her memory has been wiped clean. She doesn’t remember anything or anyone from a certain point,” Ommin tells her.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Loosen your grip, you mangy mutt. I can explain.” She thrashes violently but Rhodes looks unaffected.

“Start explaining before I have him rip your head off,” Isaac growls.

“I’m Valera von Hagan. Julius is my brother. I want to help you,” her voice sounds strained as Rhodes presses against her neck.

“Bullshit,” Isaac laughs. “Why would you help us?”

“By helping you, I’ll be helping myself. I want the throne, I deserve the throne. My brother stole it from me. I’ll help you if you let me kill him.

“I helped her escape before, when he had her. I freed her from the chains and called the sentries to an ‘emergency’ so her people could reach her.”

Everyone eyes her wearily.

“How are we supposed to believe that if she doesn’t remember it to confirm it?” Madelyn asks quietly.

Isaac scrubs his hands over his face.

“We can’t. We can’t trust her. Annie doesn’t remember her, she can’t verify her story, it could all be lies,” Isaac says, and Valera’s eyes widen.

“Rhiannon! I fed you berries and healing water. I distracted the guards so you could escape. Why would I come here? I can’t take him down alone, I’ve tried.”

“She was unconscious when they found her, she wasn’t able to tell anyone about any help before I wiped her memories,” Ommin tells her.

She stops struggling and leans into Rhodes’s chest, obviously exhausted.

“Well, you’ll never find him without me. He will find you though. He won’t rest until he has you again.

“Once he gets you, werewolves will be wiped out. He will be king over the world, not just vampires.”

The muscles in Isaac’s back tense and he lets out an angry breath. “He won’t find her.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Alpha. You’re being betrayed, he will come for her.”

“We already know about the traitor.”

Valera smiles. “Okay, Alpha.”

“What if we lock her up for a while? Until we can figure something out?” Madelyn suggests.

“Or I can return her memories so she can tell us definitively if Valera is being truthful,” Ommin says solemnly.

Isaac turns angrily to him but stops when he sees my face.

“What if she’s right? What if we won’t be able to find him without her?” I ask him quietly.

He opens his mouth to speak but stops. His face looks panicked and I hate myself for even suggesting it.

“If we don’t restore her memories and he finds her, Jacko... I think it’s something you should at least consider,” Hunter says cautiously.

Isaac looks around at the group and everyone is looking at the ground, refusing to meet his gaze. They all agree with Hunter.

“I realize I’m not on your list of people you trust, but you should know the reason I knew you were here is because he knows,” Valera tells him.

Isaac growls and turns to me again. “We need to talk.” He grabs me gently and stalks toward our cabin.

I prepare myself for anger, for panic and desperation. When we get to the cabin, he slams the rickety door closed and pulls me into his chest.

His face is buried in my neck and his ragged breaths puff against my skin.

“Fuck, Annie. I hate this, I don’t want to do this. I’ll never forgive myself if we kill her and she’s right, if he finds you.

“I don’t trust her, but what if she’s telling the truth?” His voice is broken and shaky.

“Isaac, look at me, please.” I try to pull his face from his neck but he holds me tighter.

“Baby, you’re going to forget me. I don’t know how I’m going to live like that.”

“Isaac, it won’t be forever. I can’t imagine that I’ll ever see you and not feel drawn to you. I love you. My heart will recognize you. The mark will pull us together always.” I kiss his forehead.

“I know we have to do it, I just…fuck. I wish we had more time.”

He crashes his lips against mine, grabbing at me desperately. “I love you, little mate. We have to do this, I know that, but…” He pulls at his hair.

He kisses my mark softly and cups my face in his large hands.

“Alpha!” A loud knock rips us quickly from the moment. A man I don’t know is waiting to talk to Isaac.

“Vamps, Alpha Lucas and his guys found them while patrolling the area. There were only two of them, but if the girl was right, more will be coming.”

“Shit, how did they all get here so quickly?”

Isaac grabs my hand tightly as we walk out to the anxious group. Ommin stands as we approach, like he already knows what’s coming.

“We need to do this, Alpha. We can’t take the girl with us as a hostage and we need to move, this location has been compromised somehow.”

Isaac squeezes my hand in his. I feel his fingers tremble.

“Take her into the cabin,” his voice is hoarse.

“She should lose consciousness for a short period after but the whole process will be short.” Ommin’s voice is soft and kind, I know he’s trying to comfort Isaac.

We step into the cabin with Madelyn in tow. The four of us are quiet. I’m suddenly gripped with fear. Isaac and I grip each other with white knuckles.

“Lie down,” Ommin prompts me softly.

I hesitate before launching myself at Isaac. I hold him in my arms so tightly that it makes my arms burn.

“I love you, I love you, I love you. Make me remember,” I whisper against his lips.

He nods his head slightly. His red-rimmed eyes are full of sadness and loss.

With trembling limbs I lie down on the squeaky bed.

“Relax and close your eyes,” Ommin says, his voice suddenly louder.

I look to Isaac one last time, memorizing his face. His eyes burn into mine as I allow mine to flutter closed.

My blood is pounding through my veins so that I can hardly hear. Ommin begins to chant something and I feel dizzy and warm.

My body feels heavy as I drift slowly out of consciousness.