Page 84 of Ruthless Moon
Her sobs resonate within the hollow spaces of my chest. Her grief is mine and I let her release it for me. We will find our way through this moment together and eventually we will be stronger for it.
The truck veers onto a gravel drive, the crunching of stones beneath the tires a comforting white noise amid the frothing emotions fighting in my mind. It’s a path worn by time and countless journeys, but kept hidden from maps and outsiders.
The drive gradually vanishes, swallowed by the forest. The dense tapestry of undergrowth and towering trees seems impenetrable at first, an illusion that the world ends here, at the forest’s edge. It’s meant to seem daunting. Meant to elicit discomfort to all who see it.
But we know the truth.
Aiden drives the truck straight into the mirage and we continue safely on a hidden road wide enough for the truck to navigate. Straight to the clearing. A sacred space created by Meredith decades ago.
The small perfect ring of white stones stands like a silent sentinel. They hum with latent power.
The truck rolls to a halt. We all climb out. Bast parks his truck behind Aiden’s and the rest of the rescue party clamber out into the clearing. He approaches, his expression a mirror of our shared pain. He pulls Gen and me into an embrace, his arms binding us together as if we’re a single, cohesive entity. His warmth seeps into me, a reassurance in the swirl of guilt and sadness of losing our youngest brother.
A few moments later, my arm securely around Gen’s waist, I follow Aiden toward the circle of stones. The rest of our weary rescue party trails behind us, each step heavier than the last. This victory is wrapped in loss.
Aiden speaks the entrance spell to open the barrier and we cross the boundary of the protective circle. The magick shimmers like a curtain under a soft breeze. The warmth and vibrancy of the magick in this place greets us like an embrace and feels almost sacrilegious in the face of our grief.
Before us, the coven village spreads out, a collection of quaint cottages nestled amid bright greenery. Figures begin to emerge from the homes, their excited chatter dying down as they take in our somber faces.
There, at the heart of the approaching crowd, are Lila and her daughter, Alice. In Meredith’s absence I have no doubt Lila will be asked to step into the role of matriarch for the coven. They walk with anxious urgency, their expressions riddled with apprehension.
The world around us falls into a hushed, respectful silence as they all look to Aiden. His lips part to speak, but words fail him on his first attempt.
“Meredith is gone,” he finally manages on his second try. They hang in the air, a death knell echoing in the eerie silence that surrounds us. The anguish in their eyes mirrors our own.
“She gave her life to save us,” I find myself saying, even though it’s out of turn.
Aiden is the one who speaks on behalf of the pack. But Meredith...she died for me, for Gen, for Bast. We were the ones trapped in that cellar. We owe her. We will always owe a debt we can never fully repay.
Lila musters a nod despite the quiver in her lip. “She knew it might come to this. We just hoped it wouldn’t.”
When Aiden speaks again, his gaze locks with mine. “I need to leave Liam and Gen and Bast here. At least until we see what the immediate fallout is going to be from the explosion at Oliver’s house—” He pauses like he’s struggling to choose the right words. “There were others there I didn’t know. Other wolves.” Aiden turns to Bast and me. “I’ll send your mother here when I get back to our land. She needs to be out of reach as well. We don’t know what Dave might do in retaliation for his brother’s death.”
A spike of anxiety slithers down my spine. Bast also tenses at the warning. Neither of us had considered that our mother might become a target to punish us.
Bast steps forward. “I’ll come with you to get her. She can be stubborn and might refuse to leave.”
Aiden gives a nod of acknowledgment. “We’ll be in touch, Lila. You have our deepest condolences.”
Lila wipes tears from her cheeks. “You have ours too, young man. We all know Meredith was loved by the pack as much as she was loved by her coven. Do you think you’ll be able to find her body?”
Aiden rubs his hands through his hair and shakes his head slowly. “I don’t know when, but I will have people watching and waiting. If we can find her, we will. I give you my word.”
Lila nods again. “Come, you two.” She beckons Gen and me. “We’ll get you set up somewhere.” Despite the heaviness of her heart, her voice rings with warmth and concern.
Aiden exchanges a heavy, understanding look with Bast. Alongside them, the two other enforcers who had been in his truck break to leave as well.
“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Aiden promises. Without another word, the four men head toward the white circle of stones and disappear through the shimmering air back into therealworld.
Lila gestures to Gen and me with an understanding smile. “We’re going to put you up in the travelers’ cottage. I figured it would be good for the both of you to finally have some time alone.”
We fall into step beside her. The cabin she leads us to stands alone in a secluded space off the main path. It’s framed by towering pines and huge pink azaleas.
“Thank you, Lila,” I manage to say, my voice sounding distant to my own ears. My hand remains glued to Gen’s lower back. She still hasn’t spoken since coming apart in the truck.
“You’re family, Liam. You’ve always been family. Meredith considered your whole pack family.” Her words distract me from my worry about Gen’s state of shock. Lila steps into the quaint little cottage, the darkness within casting long shadows across her face. “We all grew up together.”
With only a few words in Welsh, a fire springs to life in the hearth, casting away the shadows and bathing the room in a cozy amber light.