Page 48 of A Cursed Noel
A growl I’vesuppressed for too long vibrates along my throat when I see the sign:The Plainfields.
“How many citiescarry this name?” I ask.
Odin glances my way,careful to avoid eye contact with me. “Three, Alpha. NorthPlainfield, Plainfield, and South Plainfield.” He cuts right onto asmall ramp. “This here right now is North Plainfield,” he says.“Plainfield’s where we’re headed.”
We slide down the smallincline and through a red light. Brakes are a joke in this weather,not that it matters. There are no cars in sight. Only the desperateand those out for revenge dare to drive in this weather. I’m thelatter.
Five inches of snowcovered the ground when I arrived. At least six have fallen since.Odin wasn’t thrilled when I asked him for a ride. He’s even lessthrilled now.
“You sure you want todo this, Alpha?” Odin asks.
“Did I not makemyself clear the first time?” I ask.
The snarl to my voicereturns his full concentration to the road. He’s all but coweringnow. It’s not my intent. It’s just me and how I feel.
As hard as it forsomeone like Odin to submit to me, it’s easier away from his pack.He doesn’t have to worry about looking weak in front of others,especially those he oversees.
Away from his pack,it’s obvious, I scare. I’m not proud of it, just stating a fact.
Odin…you can say hewas surprised to see me this soon. I imagine he never expected us tocross paths, again. I thought the same thing. But there I was, racingback to Somerville with those blasted pieces of broken wood clutchedin my hands.
I tracked Odin back tohis apartment and showed up unannounced with the aroma of dark magicspilling from me. He was less than thrilled when I dropped the brokenpieces that housed the spell at his feet. The wolves surrounding himeased away from it, recognizing the evil it had contained. To Odin’scredit, he glared at it, but held his ground.
“You told me nothinghappens within a hundred-mile radius without you knowing about it,”I reminded him. I leaned in to make it clear I wasn’t asking. “Takeme to whoever cast this.”
When he shook his headslowly, I thought he was denying me. Then, a special kind of ragebuilt inside him and it’s like he wanted to help. “There’s onlyone witch who could do that around here,” he said. “And thatbitch should have died long ago.”
He grabbed his coat andkeys and led me out, leaving Darra, another bear in charge.
“Alpha, we’ve heardthings about you,” Odin says, keeping his voice easy. “Aroundhere, they speak about you like you ‘re some kinda chosen one. Theysay your strength is unlike any otherwere, and that you’llkill anything that crosses you.”
I don’t respond. Mykind has always believed me greater than I am, like I’ll somedayrid the world of evil. No one can do that. But kill anything thatcrosses me? I won’t deny that much.
“They also say you’regood people,” Odin adds.
“What?” I ask.
Something in myfeatures make him laugh. “Theweresyou train, and those whostand by you, regard you like a god or something.” You’re hard onthem, but your heart is as strong as your power.”
Those who stand withme…could he mean my friends? Have they forgiven me?I shake myhead.No. Not after all the time’s I’ve turned them away.
“Alpha, from what Isaw tonight, I believe what they say about you. But let me just saythis, that bitch Griselda is crazy. She turned on and killed her ownfamily, tortured, and hurt children. She has more power than anywitch in the Northeast. You piss her off, you wind up dead.”
“I don’t plan tooffend her,” I clarify. “I just plan to tear her throat out.”
Odin doesn’t argue,not with the way my wrath thickens the small space between us.
He shifts uncomfortablyas we pass an elementary school where only security lights cutthrough the gloom. The sign “Happy Winter Break” is barelyvisible through the mound of snow piled against it. I wouldn’t callit happy, except it seems I’m all alone.
The whole area is likea winter wonderland. As we transition into a neighborhood, Christmaslights twinkle from frosted windows and ancient trees. These areolder houses, nice and perched on lavish properties. Those insidehave planned for a nice Christmas. They’ll have it, and so willCelia.
Odin rolls to a stop infront of a light. “For alls our sake, I hope you take Griselda out,Alpha. If you don’t, one day, the task will fall on me.”
In his voice, I’mcertain he means it. Still, I don’t count on giving him the chance.
A snowplow bowlsthrough the road parallel to us, creating a path where there wasnothing more than a drift before. I prefer the drift. It’s natural,unlike what waits ahead.
The light marks theborder between the cities. The nice old homes shrink away to thequiet, safe streets behind us. Ahead, rows of dilapidated buildingsawait, the windows boarded, and exhaust-stained snow piled along thecurb.