Colton’s POV It took less than 30 minutes for Alpha Bastien to join us back at my packhouse. Selene explained everything to him while the shield was still in place.
Bastien ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head as she explained everything to him.
“So, we need to find Jazzy,” Bastien said, meeting my eyes. “Any ideas on where she could be?” “No, but we know someone who does because he’s the one who broke her out of here,” | said in a low and threatening tone.
My wolf was on a rampage, and it was taking everything | had to not forfeit the little control | had left. We were in my office, and | had already knocked down almost everything. Dee was going to have a field day replacing all these items after she had just gottennew stuff recently.
My wolf has a temper when he’s angry.
Xander was leaning against the furthest corner of the room with his arms crossed in front of his chest and his head tilted downward. | knew he was worried about his pack and his mate, just like | was worried about mine.
“What are you talking about?” Bastien asked, staring at me. “You know who broke her out of here?” “I do now,” | said, staring at Xander.
“He didn’t know | was awake when he cin and broke her out,” Xander explained. “But it was Alpha Jonathan.” “What?!” Bastien growled, shaking the entire office and probably the entire packhouse as well. “What do you mean Alpha Jonathan broke her out?” “Exactly what | said,” Xander said through his teeth. “He had a key to the cell and unlocked it. I'm not sure how he got it, but he did. He broke her out and they took off together.” “My question is, why would Alpha Jonathan break out Jazzy? What business would he have with her?” Luna Selene asked, looking between everyone with furrowed brows.
We all fell silent as we thought about that and then Bastien andshared a look.
“Sarah,” we said at the stime.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Jonathan’s’ daughter?” Selene asked, raising her brows. “What about her?” “She was cursed when she was a baby; whenever she uses her abilities it makes her weaker,” Bastien explained to his mate.
“It will soon be the cause of her death,” | finished for him.
Selene gasped upon hearing this.
“Sarah is dying?” She asked and | saw the remorse in her eyes.
I nodded.
“Looks that way,” | answered.
“Why was she cursed?” “She was cursed by a witch when she was an infant,” Bastien explained. “I think it's because Jonathan did something to this witch, but he didn’t elaborate.” “It wouldn't surprise me,” Selene said, folding her arms across her chest. “So, do you think Jazzy promised him that she would save his daughter if he helped her?” We were silent for another moment longer; | feel like it’s more than that. | feel like Jonathan is more involved than we are thinking. | didn’t trust that guy from the very beginning, and now I really don’t trust him.
“Ella went missing in his packhouse,” | muttered. “He’s definitely more involved than we think.” “I agree with Colton,” Bastien said, nodding his head at me. “Jonathan is supposedly searching with the other warriors for Ella. But | hadn't seen him since we left for the search.” “That bastard,” | growled, clutching my desk, and trying desperately to keep my wolf inside. But he was throwing himself against me; he wanted Alpha Jonatha’s blood on his claws and in his teeth. He was desperate to rip that Alpha’s throat out and tear him apart until there was nothing left.
| hadn't even realized | was growling in fury until Bastien placed a firm hand on my shoulder to keepin place.
“We need to have clear heads. We don’t know where this war is going to break out and I'd like us to be in the right spot. If Jonathan is involved in this, we might need to return to Higala.” Finally!l didn’t want to stick around here if Ella was back there.
“The strongest Volana will either be the uprise or the downfall of the nation,” Xander breathed like he was reciting something. We all looked at him with frowns. “When the Volana dies... the vessel will rise.” “What?” Selene asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“It was the prophet Eloise had told us. Long ago she had a vision about the uprising and downfall of the nation.
The strongest Volana to exist was the cause for both. | never understood how it was possible. But now | understand that the Volana being born from darkness will be the downfall and Ella, who was born from light and love, will be the uprise,” Xander said, meeting Selene’s eyes.
We were all silent, allowing that to process.
“When the Volana dies... the vessel will rise,” Selene breathed as if she just understood something. “Volana born from darkness must be the vessel. And in order for this vessel to rise, the Volana made from light and love has to die.” “Yes, we already know. They are going to try to kill Ella to create this vessel,” Bastien growled, annoyed.
“Repeating ourselves isn’t going to help.” Xander went to open his mouth to speak again, but my words cut him off.
“Sarah,” | said quickly; Xander met my eyes and we both shared a look of understanding.
“Want to share your thoughts?” Bastien asked, sounding even more annoyed.
“Sarah is the vessel,” | said, looking at him. “That's what Alpha Jonathan wanted. He wants to turn Sarah into the strongest Volana. He wants to turn her into Ella. It would save Sarah's life and make her powerful.” “It would make her a vessel,” Bastien said, shaking his head. “It would hardly save her life. She wouldn't be able to think for herself. She would be under their control.” | fell silent again.
“But what if Jonathan doesn’t know that?” Selene asked, staring around the room. “What if he’s blindly helping Jazzy under the assumption that he’s saving his daughter? Maybe he hasn't been given all the information. He might only know that by killing Ella and using her as a sacrifice, he could turn his daughter into a new Volana.
But why would Jazzy want to make a new Volana when she hates them? We already know that Jazzy has a vendetta to rid the world of all the Volana wolves. This could just be part of her plan and she could be using Jonathan to accomplish that.” “You think he has no idea he’s actually killing them both?” Bastien asked.
| didn’t want to think about Jonathan being the victim of all of this, so | remained silent beside the occasional growling of my wolf.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“I think the young Alpha is right,” Xander said, standing up straight. “We are wasting tstanding here. We need to get to Higala and prepare for this war.” “It might help if we actually knew we were waiting in the right spot,” Bastien said. “Once this war breaks out, we don’t have tto travel from one region to another.” “Our priority is to keep Ella alive,” Xander said, determination on his face.
| nodded in agreement.
Then, Selene’s eyes lit up.
“Hazel,” she gasped. “And the other Volana’s... they might be able to help us.” “I don’t want to involve my mother,” | growled.
“She's right though; Hazel might be able to get sintel on where Jazzy is hiding. She sensed darkness being conjured; she’s powerful,” Bastien agreed.
“Who's Hazel?” Xander asked, looking between all of us.It was Selene who answered, “Jazzy’s sister.” Ella’s POV | stared up at Alpha Jonathan feeling paralyzed. This couldn't be real; he had to be fake. | knew Alpha Jonathan was an asshole and | certainly never trusted him, but was he seriously involved n all of this? “It's no personal Ella,” Jonathan said, staring down at my stunned face. “I hope you know that.” “I... I don’t understand,” | stammered, shaking my head at him. “You were the one who's doing this? But why? What did | do to you??” | felt tears prickling the corner of my eyes, but | fought to keep them away. | wasn’t going to let this man seecry. | chewed on the insides of my cheeks and glared at him like | was trying to burn a hole in his face.
“It’s not you, | assure you that,” he said, wavingaway in dismissal. “But as you know, my daughter was cursed as an infant. There isn’t much I can do for her, but I do know if I turn her into a Volana wolf, she won't die from the curse.” | furrowed my brows together.
“You're turning her into a Volana?” | asked, staring at him with disbelief, and then my eyes flickered to Jazzy who stood in the distance, glaring at me.
“In order for us to turn her into a Volana, we need to use you as a sacrifice. Sarah will consyour blood and during the full red moon ritual that Jazzy performs, she will be reborn into a Volana, and her curse will be broken.
So, in reality, you are actually saving her life. It's too bad that you won't be around to see it.” | shook my head, still trying to wrap my head around it all. | heard Jazzy talking with Hazel and sof the rogues during my there and she said she was creating a vessel with my sacrifice. A vessel and a shell of a person who is born to do someone else’s bidding. If they were planning on making Sarah into a vessel, she would hardly be reborn. She would be reborn as a shelled-out version of herself with Volana abilities.” Alpha Jonathan turned away; he was done speaking to me. But | wasn’t done with him.
Jazzy turned too after givinga glowering look.
“Alpha Jonathan, listen to me!!” | screamed as he neared the doorway. He didn’t stop, so | tried to continue.
“They aren't planning on turning her into a powerful Volana. They are turning her into a powerful Volana Vessel!!” | yelled. “They are going to kill her!!” But it was too late; the door had been sealed shut and | was once again left alone with my thoughts.