Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“We can do that if we go wide with the sketch, Daze. Do you remember that trick your vamp friend did to text the video to every cellphone in the known universe?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Everyone was freaking out about it, but it was actually a very simple hack. All she had to do was get into the database of our cell providers, and send a message designed as an emergency alert.”
“Huh.” I nodded slow. “It is kind of obvious when you explain it like that.”
“My point is I can do the same thing, but more precise this time. Making sure that certain numbers don’t get the ‘emergency alert.’”
“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”
“Daze, I know you’re worried about revealing our hand too soon, but it’s different now. Before we didn’t want the shadow to know we were onto him, because we had no idea who the man was. He could be standing right behind us, and we wouldn’t know we were about to get our souls ripped out.
“But we know what he looks like now. He can’t sneak up on us. He can’t hide in the shadows anymore, so let’s drag the bastard out. Let’s show this sketch to all of Wolf Nation. We say he’s an escaped child murderer—because that’s exactly what the fuck he is—and we’re looking for information that leads to his capture. We’ll attach a hefty award to get everyone motivated, and I’ll make sure the alert doesn’t go out to the clan leaders or alpha council.”
I worried my lip, mind racing with all the possibilities, and Edric hearing them all. “Even if we leave out the leaders and the council, can the million-dollar search for a child killer really be kept under wraps? They’re going to find out. The shadow is going to find out!”
“We need to take that risk, Daze. We have to bring the fight to him, and I know you know that,” he pressed. “Seriously, I never understood why you’re so determined to kill everyone when you only have to kill him. He’s the problem. He’s the cause. And killing him is the solution.”
I shook my head, finally understanding why Edric thought I was crazy. He truly believed only one person needed to die, when I knew the number was north of thousands.
Sighing, I sat up. “Edric, I’m going to tell you the rest. I’m going to tell you everything, and when I’m done”—Nyx’s words floated through my mind—“I need you to believe me. That’s it. Just believe and trust me.”
All the racing thoughts at his end of the bond quieted. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Taking a deep breath, I held it, then slowly let it go. “You and I both agree that the shadow isn’t a werewolf, correct?”
“Absolutely,” he replied without pause. “No werewolf alive has the power to steal souls. Some other kind of god cursed someone with that horrific power.”
“Exactly. I can’t completely rule out a fae, but I’ve suspected for a long time that a demigod is responsible for all this.”
“A demigod?”
My head bobbed stiffly. “It’s the only thing that makes all the pieces fit together. The demigod dominion is the only dominion the werewolves are friendly with. We’ve done the interdominion exchange program for decades. My dad did it when he was young. He told me about the demigod world, Olympia, and their amazing powers.
“People that can boil your blood with one touch, or shapeshift into dragons. People who can make you fall in love with the first person you look at, and people who can see the future.”
“The Golden Age Prophecy!” I didn’t have to see Edric to know he bolted upright. “Badr asked how the council could know the outcome of Luame’s prophecy before you did. But a whole fucking world of prophets could’ve known.”
“A werewolf who can steal souls? No. But a demigod with terrible power, knowledge of prophecies, and a werewolf bestie they made when they were young? That I can believe,” I replied. “That is very, very possible.”
“How possible? How many members of the alpha council did the interdominion program?”
“All of them except for Sunella, and yes, that includes Cygnus.”
“By the gods... So, you’re thinking this isn’t a war between alphas and omega. It’s a war between werewolves and demigods? Even though they’ve been our allies for centuries?”
I shook my head. “I believe it’s much bigger than that, Edric. Think about it. Luame is a wolf goddess, and if we’re honest, a weak one. She’s not half as strong as she was back in the day when everyone on the planet believed and worshiped the old gods. That’s why she has to live on in us, just like the Olympian gods live on in the demigods.
“I think that the only part of the future that Luame sees is our future. The future of the werewolves. The Golden Age of the Werewolves,” I explained. “But what if the Olympian gods are showing their people a different prophecy? A different future. I mean, they’d have to be because otherwise—”