The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0322 Julian and | ran al the way to Nichola s's room. | knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

“Maybe he's asleep,” | said.

‘See i its locked,” Julian said.

I ried the handle. The door opened at once, pushing inward. Together, Juan and | stumbled into the room. Then, | gasped.

Furniture had been shoved over. The carpet was torn to shreds, like wolf claws had sliced straight through. There were claw marks etched info the wall He struggled,” Julian said, stepping info the center of the room. He paused, and tumed to me. “Do you feel that?” Feel what?" He lifted his head and looked around. “Magic.” Now that he mentioned it now hat | knew what to focus on, yes. | could feel it 00, like a tingle in the back of my mind. Or my nose preparing for a sneeze.

‘How could this happen?” | asked, wandering around the room. The claw marks seemed to lead toward a wal, lie someone had been dragged there, Nicholas. What have they done to you? ‘Then, distantly, mut fled through stone and wood, | heard a wolf howl 1 knew that wolf. | could feel it pull inside of me much like my own had But this one didn‘ belong to me. t was Nicholas Sh it” Julian said. ‘He's here. Somewhere. There has to be a passage.” Julian went for the bookcase.

1 turned back to the wall, where a painting of a sailboat hung “Theres nothing there, Piper. Keep searching!” That didn't seem right, Visually, | knew | should have been able to see the outlines of a passageway, especially fit iad been recently used. But ight now, my heart was puling me here.

This is the way, it seemed to whisper. This will lead you to Nick Piper, stop wasting time lifted my hand and put t to the wall. It felt sturdy, but under that was the novi-familiar tingle of magic.

The passage was here, | was certain of it 1 closed my eyes, and let the pull of my heart lead the way. It compelled me to it a hand. My fingers brushed against the brushstrokes of the.

painting I pressed down There was a click And just ike that, a door swung open, revealing an opening right in front of me.

Julian rushed to my side. Disbelief widened his features. “How did you do that?” “I don't know | said honestly.

“Well, to hell with i. lets go." He nudged me aside so he could enter the passageway first | follovied him down, down a winding stairwell. It opened up into a room filed with cages.

Nicholas was there in wolf form, a colar tight around his neck. One of the cages had been burst through, iron bars bent. He snapped wildly at

‘some men in dark clothing who were trying to comer him.

He seemed ted, weakened somehow, in a way | had never seen him before.

‘Get to him,” Julian barked at me. “Remove that d amn collar” “What are you going to do?" ‘Save my brother” Id never seen Julian so angry. His eyes were wild with it His hands shook, remoring with barely contained rage.

He shifted in a blink of an eye, fully human one second, and fully wolf n the next Before | could even tink to react, he barreled forward. He tackled into two of the men, pushing them away from his brother and sending them nto the wall They hit it with an oof, and landed in heaps I entered the fray as well, dodging what | could. Julian had already tumed around and tackled two more, clearing a path for me.

fell to my knees at Nichola s's side. He inched forward, trying to place himself n front of me. “Nick, let me help you.

He growled at anyone who came to close. He snapped at an arm, a hand. Julian took care of most of the rest. The colar was an obvious hindrance.

I grabbed it with both hands. The magic sparkled under my touch, shooting pain up info my arms. | gasped, but held on. If | could get him free, he would likely regain his strength | didn't have a wolf, | couldn't save us from this. But he could.

71 could just get him free.

Anand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me back. | released the collar to touch the offender's wrist between my hands. Then | twisted, just as Nicholas had shown me in self-defense class. The attacker stumbled backwards.

1 darted forward again, eager o return to Nicholas Yet before | could get to his side, someone tackled me, sending me sliding along the ground. No, not a person, a wolf I watched, my eyes widening in horror as a wolf stepped closer to me.

My whole heart shattered.

This was my wolf, a piece of me that had been so violently ripped away and given instead to my sister. Now, she was using it against me.

Everything hurt. My heart, my soul, the growing bruises from where I'd been shoved to the ground My wolf growled at me as it stepped closer.

I knew i, but it did't seem to know me. Atleast, not with Jane so close behind ifs eyes.

1 could feel its closeness, the way its very presence filed up the dark hole that had been tore of out me.

I wished vith all my heart that Veronica had been able to find an answer before now. | wished so very much that | could welcome my wolf back into my person.

But she hadn't.

And now | faced my wolf head-on, not as a friend, but as an enemy.

Would Jane make it kil me? Could she be that cruel? already knew the answer. What better way to kil me than to have my wolf tear out my throat? Tears welled in my eyes. One escaped, sliding down along the curve of my chesk.

Behind the wolf's back, | watched as Julian and Nicholas continued to fight off the attackers. Nicholas was whimpering, wounds all over his.

body.

would be up to Julian to save him now. G od, | hoped they would escape.

No such bight future wated for me.

The wolf stepped closer to me ts okay," said. “Tm not mad. Is not your faut” 1 smied a te, it wobbled from my tears. “Im here now. I'm sory it took me so fong to find you. To see you. You must have been so fighenex, all alone.

1 ied to remember back. My wolf and 1 had been close as could be once. It had been so sirong, so bright, and wonderful. t had given me confidence beyond my wildest dreams 1 had fet so low since it ad been stolen from me.

“1 won' leave you again,” I sad. “Well be together... ll be with you tis time.

Anciher tear. ‘Don’ feel bad." Nicholas red to turn around, toward me, but one of the men gripped him by th collar and yanked im toward a new cage.

Julian had his hands ful, fighting off he rest, some of which wielded cate pr ods.

The princes had to survive. t didn‘ mater what happened to me.

Just let them go Please.

My wolf took a step. Snaring, it fed ts ips avy from fs teeth 1 closed my eyes, breath in tatters, and fried fo accept my fate.