Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

“Incoming,” I link my sisters in the apartment.

“We're hidden,” I hear Thea reply. Marco, Ellen, and I make our way into the apartment. Bronx is already standing in front of the sofa, where Estelle and Simone are sitting. Marco directs Ellen to sit as well and stands behind the sofa with his gun still raised behind them. I don’t see any of my other sisters who I know are hiding somewhere inside.

“You. Keep your mouth shut,” Bronx points to Estelle, then points to Ellen, “ How many of you are here?”

“Just the three of us,” Ellen says sullenly.

“Bullshit,” Tessa growls with her nose in the air, “I smell more of you.”

Bronx puts his nose in the air as well.

His eyes turn black as Saint comes to the surface. A deep growl comes from his chest. Saint’s gravelly voice comes out of Bronx’s mouth, “Lie to me again and I will end this lifetime for all of you.”

I watch my sisters shrink back as their Guardian threatens their lives. Ihave a powerful instinct to scold him for their mistreatment, but I can’t let him know I brought the Mavri Magea here, so! stay quiet.

“Stay here, Alpha. I'l] flush them out,” Marco says before he makes his way into the bedroom, gun still drawn.

Bronx stands with his arms crossed over his chest. His large stature makes him look extremely intimidating. I step forward and stand next to him as he stares down at the women on the sofa with a damning glare. The tension in the air is so thick you could practically chew on it.

Lenora and Tessa jump to attention when they hear growling and snarling sound coming from the closet in the bedroom. They sprint to help Marco while Bronx continues to stand as still as a statue in front of my sisters. The four women I sent into the apartment quietly step out from the bedroom with Marco, Lenora, and Tessa behind them.

Marco has his gun at the ready with his eyes solid black. There are deep claw marks on the side of his face, bleeding freely while Clash works on healing him.

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“Sit,” Bronx snaps, pointing to the floor in front of him. All four women sit ina line on the floor in front of the sofa, avoiding eye contact with everyone. I look around at the scene, not ready to panic. Two left. Where are Letica and Desiree? I can only hope they stuck to the plan.

“Bronx, can we-" I say as I see his expression turning darker. He is the Guardian for the Mavri Magea. It’s part of his job to keep them safe, just like he would for me. I need to find a way to remind him of that responsibility. I could use Desiree's manipulation ability, but I don't want to do that to my mate.

“Stay out of this, Kas,” Bronx snaps at me with a snarl.

"Oh, Hell no," Lex growls and tries to push forward.

The little storm cloud, the one I've been fighting so hard against to keep the good parts of me in control, rages into a frenzy. It grows and morphs into a typhoon with no regard to my restraint. I t blows and howls, giving its fury a voice. Its manipulative whisper turns into a screeching command. The destructive thunder and lightning provide a source of power I have been holding back. Now, as it refuses to be denied anymore, it stirs the darkest parts of my soul to wake up and take charge.

“Excuse me?!" I grab his wrist roughly, letting my hand burn him. My outburst forces him to take his attention away from the women in front of him. The power of my wrath creates a bright violet aura around us. The smell of burning flesh fills the room.

When I speak again, my voice is unfamiliar. It’s my goddess voice coming forward, “I will not be dismissed, Alpha Regent Bronx Andreas Mason. These are MY sisters. I'm responsible for them and I will NOT let you harm them.”

“Kas, what the fuck are you talking about? They attacked us and you're burning me!” He tries to yank his wrist out of my hand, but I may as well have him in a vise.

“Oh, what do we have here? A little lover’s quarrel between Bronxy and Kas?” Leticia’s bitter voice coos mockingly at us. She holds her hands up to her heart and tilts her head as she watches us. A giggle comes from someone standing beside her.

We look toward the bedroom to see her and Desiree standing in the doorway, both looking very smug. Desiree’s athletic build is a stark contrast to Leticia’s petite frame, but her facial features are just as cruel and cold as Leticia's.

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I snarl at the two women standing in front of us who weren't supposed to shift to human form. They were supposed to stay hidden in wolf form in case we needed protection. They didn't follow the plan.

“Wh-where? There was no one else in there...” Lenora stammers with confusion, readying herself fora physical fight.

“Oh, we were there. Just a little invisibility spell Kas and I invented combined with a scent blocker,” Leticia smiles with a giggle as she waves at me. I let go of Bronx's wrist and glare furiously at the two women for defying my order.

“Liar,” Bronx says sternly, “Kas barely knows you and she doesn’t know magic.”

Leticia and Desiree both look past Bronx at me and start laughing. High pitched, scratchy and maniacal laughter makes them double over, leaning against each other. My aura brightens and fills the room as my temper seethes.

The distraction gives Thea time to jump from the sofa to pounce onto Tessa’s back with a growl. She clamps her hands down on Tessa's head and releases a deadly surge of electricity into our unsuspecting sister.

"TESSA!" I hear myself scream, trying to run forward, but Bronx holds me back. I watch as her back arches and an unnaturally high-pitched squeal emanates from her. She drops to her knees, then flat on her stomach before Thea finally lets her go. Thea takes a step back with a satisfied look on her face.

Instantly, I feel the edges of my soul crumbling and turning to ash as Tessa’s lifeless body lays face down on the floor. There is nothing but anger and agony inside me. All the good in my soul gets snuffed out by the juggernaut of the storm.

I look at Tessa and make an x over my heart with my hand and murmur, “ Adeio apo ton pono [Empty from the pain].”

I let Bronx pull me behind him to give me time to figure out my next move. He, Lenora, and Marco all move forward, but they stop, realizing they could meet the same fate. Marco points his gun at Thea. He flicks his eyes at me in a silent message, then I hear the slight inner workings of his gun. As he pulls down on the trigger, I curl my fingers into a fist, stopping time.

Irun forward and flick the bullet with my fingers, setting it off course toward the wall. I immediately recite the incantation to open a portal back to the Mavri Magea apartment. It shines brightly behind Bronx, in front of the silver-haired women on the sofa. '

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I put myself between Bronx and the portal to slow him down in case he tries to get any ideas about going through it. I uncurl my fingers, letting the scene play out again.

“Go! GO!” I scream at my sisters before any Blood River pack members can react. Except for Leticia and Desiree, who are on the other side of the room, they all scramble up and jump into the portal in front of them.

In front of me, Bronx ignores Thea, who sprints to get to the portal. He runs to Tessa to see if she’s still alive. I can tell by the dull pain in my chest getting stronger that she’s not. I resist pulling my hands in to grab my chest and keep them out to the sides to protect the portal until all nine of my sisters are through.

"Will you two quit fucking around and LEAVE!" I growl at my remaining sisters. Lenora steps forward, growling at Leticia and Desiree, ready to take them down at all costs.

Desiree looks at her with a confident smirk, then over to Marco, “Marco is it? Yes, I believe it is. Marco, Leticia and I are going to go through that portal over there. I just need you to make sure that Bronx and Lenora here don’t follow us through. You want to help us with that, don't you? Maybe just a little click of your trigger finger. What do you say?” I let a surge of energy flow through me and use some of the telekinetic energy I share with Sophie to reach out and pull on Leticia and Desiree, "GET. OUT. NOW. A blank look crosses over Marco's face, and he points his gun at Bronx. He looks down at his hand and tries to pull it in a different direction, but he can’t. Desiree’s voice has manipulated him to do what she says, whether or not he wants to.

“Marco!” Lenora turns and screams. She leaps at him, shoving him into the wall to stop him from shooting Bronx and rolls off him as the gun fires into the ceiling instead of at her brother. She immediately scrambles back toward Bronx, blocking Marco from being able to shoot him again.

“Lenora, get out of the way,” Marco says. The strain of trying to fight against the manipulation is making him sweat.

“Oh, no you don’t, Tessa look-a-like,” Leticia scolds as she fights against the telekinetic pull. She reaches back and hurls something at Lenora that can only be characterized as a razor sharp sword made of purple light. The sword hits Lenora in the neck and slides down her down her body with a sickening sound. It deeply tears her body from her neck to waist.

“Leni!” Bronx yells, as he catches Lenora in his arms. Lenora reaches up and touches Bronx on the face. I hear her murmur something to him, but I can't hear what it is.

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I feel myself freeze on the spot and watch as the light of Lenora’s spirit extinguishes in her eyes. If I hadn't just protected myself from feeling pain, the pack bond of my Beta female dying would consume me as much as Tessa’s death. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

Leticia and Desiree calmly walk over Tessa’s corpse. Desiree gives her a small kick as she walks by and past Bronx, who is holding Lenora in his arms, watching the women in disbelief.

“Thank you for your service, Marco,” Desiree gives Marco a little wave before she jumps into the portal. Leticia follows her with a cruel laugh.

I look down at my shirt and realize it's splattered with Lenora’s blood. My breath catches in my throat. No. This can't be right. No. No. No. Leticia and Desiree were supposed to stay in wolf form and not use their abilities. No one was supposed to die today.

The darkness that was overtaking mea few minutes ago recedes and I feel like myself than I have in weeks. I want to run forward and help heal Lenora, but I already know it's too late. I want to go to Bronx, but it doesn't feel right. If I go to him now, I won't have the courage to go through the portal. I have to finish what I started. It's up to me to make all of this right. I take a step back toward the portal to go punish Leticia and Desiree for defying me.

“Bronx, I'll be back. This is my fight,” I shake my head as I speak.

“Kas, you can’t do this. You can't,” Bronx sobs with tears rolling down his face. Lenora’s blood is covering him from the underside of his chin all the way down his chest. I watch as her lifeless eyes stare into the ether while he continues to hold her close. I swallow hard as my own tears stain my face.

“Bronx, I have to. Please don’t make me choose,” I shake my head. I don’t know how to make him understand, “I’m doing this for us.”

“You've lost your mind, Kas. Stay. Let me get you help. If you leave right now, there will be consequences. You aren't helping us, you're ruining us. Can't you see that?” he growls through his tears. I can feel his anger building past his anguish.

I turn and look at the hands extended out to me through the portal. All I have to do is reach out and take them, but that feels too dangerous. I turn back to Bronx. What should I do? How do! fix this?

“We have to go, Kas,” Lex says calmly in my mind, “Now, before we lose our nerve.”

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“Go Kas,” Marco groans from where he is sitting, propped up against the wall, blood trickling down the side of his face. He’s still holding his gun up at Bronx, “Go now. I will deal with the consequences.”

I stop for a moment. Lex is right. Marco's right. I have to go. I reach out for the hands and let myself be pulled into a world of treachery.

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