Emily’s POV
“F*ck!” I cursed silently, attempting to open my eyes.
My tongue was thick and swollen, and my mouth felt dry.
“W-w-wh-at h-h-hap-pened?” I let out a moan and noticed that I was breathing shallowly and erratically, as if there was something heavy on my chest.
My body ached, my head was banging against my skull, and I felt like there was a fire at the side of my neck. I tried moving my head but found that even the smallest motion hurt.
I tried raising my hand to my pounding head, but it felt as though I was dr*gged-my arm felt numb and heavy. My other arm was constricted like it was attached to something heavy, and a weird, pickling sensation was developing around my wrist.
“Ah!” Angelica’s voice rose in the room, causing a sharp spike that tore through my skull. “At last, you are awake! It took you long enough, you worthless piece of sh*t!”
“Tell me what you did to me,” I ordered, while squinting my eyes and stifling the agony.
“Don’t you remember?” She asked, and a vile smile formed on her red-painted lips.
“No,” I said, trying to shake my head.
“I made changes to the direction boards going toward the city,” she said, her smile widening and mischievous glitter crossing her eyes. “Jax obviously followed the directions and made the wrong turn, which rewarded you with this.”
My mind raced as flashes of that night came crashing in.
“Jax, where are you taking me?”
“Parker,” he uttered, confused and startled at my question. “As agreed upon, to Tango Hearts. Why are you acting so strangely towards me?”
“This isn’t the…” My thoughts trailed off when my eyes caught something standing in the road, and the feeling of dread filled my inside. “Watch out!” I yelled, pointing to the road.
Jax swerved the steering wheel, and the SUV struck what appeared to be a curve. Jax lost control of the vehicle, and it rolled over multiple times before coming to a stop on its roof.
“Argh!” I moaned, forcing my eyes open. My hand immediately reached for the stinging sensation on top of my eyebrow-blood. I had a cut on my right eyebrow. It wasn’t serious, and Willow would be able to heal it quickly.
I looked over at Jax; his breathing was still audible, but he appeared to be unconscious.
“Jax!” I muttered as I attempted to give him a gentle shake. “Jax, wake up!”
Adrenaline started to pump through my veins; I needed to get out of there before the SUV caught fire. I could smell the gasoline leaking.
“Willow?” I called, noticing she wasn’t with me.
Did she wander off to meet Ghost?
I let out a frustrated sigh. Willow’s timing stinks!
I attempted to cut myself free by extending a claw, but I was unable to change my hands into claws for some reason.
“What the f*ck?” I let out a wide-eyed cry and repeatedly attempted to get my claws extended, but to no avail.
I grabbed hold of my head in panic, noticing the raw feeling of the open wound still there-it wasn’t getting any better.
Did Willow leave me?
Terror rose inside me.
“Jax!” I screamed in horror, attempting to undo my seat belt, but the impact of the accident had bent something, and I was having trouble loosening the buckle.
Panic flooded my insides when the smoke hit my nostrils. The SUV caught fire.
“Jax!” I screamed, fumbling frantically with his seat belt. “Jax, open your eyes! Please! Jax! Wake up! Jax!”
It was useless; Jax was out cold.
“Oh, Goddess, help!” I prayed.
I could barely see through the tears that had suddenly filled my eyes. I couldn’t die like this! This didn’t feel right!
“Jax, please!” I sobbed, anxious and powerless.
The sound of footsteps suddenly sounded next to the SUV and stopped at my door.
“Help!” I called. “We are in here! We are stuck inside; help! Help! Please!”
The rear passenger door was suddenly forced open, and I briefly felt relieved that we would be safe. However, before I could say “thank you,” I experienced a prick and a burning sensation at the back of my neck that felt like lava was being forced into my veins.
“Wolfsbane,” I uttered as I turned to face Angelica. “You gave me a wolfsbane injection!”
“Clever girl,” she said, coming closer. “However, I am much smarter than you. You walked straight into my trap.”
“F*ck!” I internally muttered to myself, “I hope my pup was okay!”
I swallowed hard, forcing the thought of my unborn pup from my mind and focusing on my surroundings.
There wasn’t much in the room-just a table and chair, a bed, and a bedside table. The bedding had an aged, rugged appearance, and the walls were painted a vivid pink color.
“Where is Jax?” I asked, ignoring her smug expression.
Angelica rolled her eyes.
“You mean that while you are in this situation, you are concerned about the welfare of someone else?” She scoffed.
“Yes!” I stated. “Jax is my best friend’s mate! I cherish the individuals in my life.”
“Whatever,” she hissed. “Jax is fine. I made sure that, just as I had Alpha Alex, he would forget everything about you too.”
Thank heavens he was still alive. If something had to happen under my supervision, I could never forgive myself.
“What do you mean by forgetting everything?” I asked, slowly pulling myself into a sitting position and noticing the silver cuffs around my wrist. To my astonishment, someone had taken care to position a cloth or other piece of material between my wrist and the silver cuff to shield me from getting burned.
Angelica must have noticed my surprised expression.
“I don’t like the smell of burning flesh,” she explained. “It makes me queasy and brings back unpleasant memories.”
Alright, so it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I can work with that.
I gave a nod, and Angelica furrowed her brows, shook her head, and resumed our conversation.
“I prevented Alpha Alex from remembering you,” she uttered, her lips forming a chilly, menacing grin.
“How?” I asked. “You are a hybrid.”
“You are right,” she said, stepping toward the window. But I never said I did not have help. Axel and I first crossed paths when he was ten years old. He has always been an outsider, wandering the woods. He knew Alpha Cole wasn’t his father and he had questions.”
“You gave him the answers,” I remarked. Though it was not a question, Angelica responded to it.
“Yes!” Her eyes brightened and reflected in the window as she spoke. “And he became resentful and vindictive after learning that information.”
“You would not give Axel information unless you got something in return,” I said, and Angelica turned to face me again. “What were your desires with him?”
“The same thing he wanted,” she said. “To have the Lycan existence wiped out.”
“However, they have been gone for more than a century,” I countered. “What led you to believe?”
“I am aware that full-blooded Lycans still exist!” She sneered, her eyes seared with hatred. “I was only a pup when a Lycan demon destroyed my pack and killed my family in cold blood.”
No wonder I couldn’t get much information on Angelica. She didn’t carry a rogue scent, which means that she must have been adopted by some pack.
The question was: which pack took her in, or did a new Alpha take over her old pack?
“And now you believe all Lycans are evil?” I shook my head and sneered. “Why did not you simply track down the person who murdered your parents?”
“He is already dead,” she said. “My goal is to ensure that no other Lycan causes harm to wolves or hybrids in the future.”
“She is insane,” Willow growled.
“F*ck!” I internally sighed. “I was wondering if the car accident claimed you from me.”
“Nope,” she replied. “It would require a little more than a minor vehicle mishap to eliminate me.”
“Well, I am relieved you are back,” I said in response.
“Thanks. It feels good to be back,” Willow said. “I’ll start the healing process. You make sure Angelica keeps on talking about Axel and Alex.”
“Why?” I replied, surprised at her request.
“Ghost told me that Alex’s memories are blocked off. They can’t access it.”
“What part of the memories?” I asked.
“When you saved the boy in the forest,” she answered. “Keep in mind that your parents claimed that I was lost to you. I believed that somewhere, Angelica did something to you too. I am curious as to what.”
“What memories did you block from Alex?” I asked.
Angelica’s face beamed with happiness and excitement. She leaned in and put her hands around my chin, digging her long fingernails into it.
Her next words crushed my heart.
****