5
Ness
We broughtJackson down into my parents’ basement. It seemed an odd place to bring a prisoner. I’d been down here so many times as a kid. There were memories in every corner, battling with the image before me.
Ryder gave me a nod. I turned my attention to the wolf in front of us. Jackson kept trying to make a break for the door, but I didn’t think he wanted to escape. My command still hummed inside his skull, telling him to go back to the spot on the lawn. If he got out of Ryder’s grasp, we would find Jackson sulking outside.
We couldn’t talk to him in this form, though. Jackson didn’t acknowledge Ryder as an Alpha, which meant that I had to use my arcana again.
Just the thought of reaching for it filled me with dread. Though I’d grabbed ahold of it with ease earlier, using my arcana had taken more out of me than I’d expected. It shouldn’t leave me this tired. I’d been through a lot in the past few days, but enough time had passed that I should be fine.
Why did this take so much effort? I tugged on my arcana and felt it unfurl. The ice in my chest, turning my blood cold like a winter wind, thickened. I had to tug and tug at my own arcana to get it through the layer of ice.
Beneath my skin, the ritual’s arcana stirred. It seemed to lift its head like a curious cat on the hunt for prey. I hesitated. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. My own arcana slipped through my fingers and sank back beneath the ice.
“We need him to talk,” Ryder reminded me.
Of course, I knew that. I knew the stakes more intimately than anyone else here. I couldn’t explain what was happening, though. How did I describe this cold brush of death lurking inside my chest? Or how it protected me from all that I had to deal with?
This had to be done, my own safety be damned. I’d risked everything for this pack. If Ryder was to become the Alpha of my pack, then I had even more to protect. I didn’t mind risking using my arcana a few more times today if it meant helping others.
“Shift back to your human form,” I said with my arcana on the tip of my tongue.
Jackson’s shift looked painful. He growled and whined as his body contorted against his will. By the end, he was left panting on the floor. He stared down at the concrete beneath him before lifting a glare in my direction.
I flinched. Swallowing, I rolled my shoulders back and tried to look like I had everything under control, even if I didn’t. I couldn’t tell if my act was convincing because it didn’t seem like anyone was paying attention.
The moment Jackson caught his breath, he leapt to his feet. Without fur to hold, Ryder’s fist closed around empty air. Jackson climbed the stairs two at a time before shouldering his way through the door.
I sighed. Ryder gave me a look like I’d lost my mind. I took him by the wrist and led him upstairs. We wound our way through the house, ignoring surprised expressions from packmates. Mom had Haylee and Kelsey at the kitchen table, a first aid kit and a stack of sandwiches between them.
Giving a quick wave to assure them that everything was okay, I then ducked out the back door. Ryder grumbled something, but his mumblings came to a halt when we saw Jackson face first on the ground outside.
Jackson looked as though he’d dropped to his knees then planted his face in the earth. His bare ass was up in the air for all to see. When we stepped closer, I could hear his frustrated string of curses.
“I’m sorry,” I said. And I meant it.
I didn’t like having to control people. These powers, given to me by my arcana, weren’t meant to be used lightly. My voice could overpower anyone’s free will. It was a gift that I hated using after Alvin had done his best to destroy my own free will.
Every time I had to use it, I worried that I would become like him. Maybe that wasn’t as plausible as I thought, but the fear still lingered inside me. How could I tell someone what to do when I knew what it felt like to be helpless?
Jackson looked me in the eye. “I hope you choke on my dick, bitch.”
“You don’t have to make me feel better about doing this to you,” I said grumpily. “You’re the one in the position to be taking dick right now.”
Jackson tried to lift himself, both of his palms planted firmly against the ground. Yet, no matter how he pushed, he couldn’t lift his head. His shoulders fought him. His entire body trembled as it waged war with itself.
“I’m going to break your fucking jaw when I face fuck you.” Jackson screamed this for all to hear.
My face warmed when I thought of my father inside. The air around us crackled with electricity, making the hair on my body stand on end. My curls lifted, nearly hiding my embarrassed flush. Before I could tell Jackson to be quiet, Ryder’s boot connected with Jackson’s jaw.
I reached out and put a hand on Ryder’s arm to keep him from doing it again. The electricity bounding across his skin ran down my arm and settled inside me like a cat being welcomed home. I sucked in a breath and waited for my body to adjust to the energy.
“Just pick him up and take him back inside,” I said to Ryder.
I didn’t want to tie Jackson up, but he also couldn’t live on the front lawn with his butthole on display for everyone. My mother would lose her mind if I left him out here. He made an awful garden gnome.
Ryder bent to grab Jackson by his arm. Jackson slumped suddenly. At first, I thought he’d passed out. Then I realized that Jackson was laughing. Perplexed, I stared down at him. I could barely shout out when Jackson got to his feet and started running.