“Until the Council finds us and slaughters every single one of us to get to her. You know she’s the one they want. You know she’s the woman they’ve been talking about for months. She can’t stay with us. If we want to protect our way of life and defeat the Council, we have to get rid of them. And that means getting rid of her.”
I grit my teeth as my eyes slide back to the cottage. Smoke is rising from the chimney and coating the land around us in a fog. The trees are dense above us and smoke won’t penetrate the foliage. The fires help to keep us warm, and the smoke helps to conceal our smells in case any Primals come out here looking for trouble. Or worse, if the Council tries to come find us. I’m conflicted. On the one hand, I know my sister has a point. We don’t know if they can be trusted, especially if they’re lying to Clarissa.
Lying to her.
That makes me irate.
But on the other hand, if they wanted to betray us, they had ample opportunity to. They’ve been with us for over a week, but they’ve been nothing but hospitable. Yes, they fight. Yes, they bicker. We’ve got seven people cooped up in a small cottage. Things are going to get tense. But none of them have made a move to hurt anyone. Hell, Vlad and Sebastian took it upon themselves to patrol the edges of the woods for us.
To keep us safe.
I hardly think we should repay their kindness with suspicion.
But I can see my sister’s fears. I can see her eyes filling with uncertainty. I have a dedication to her and this village as much as I do to this war. And while I want Clarissa at my side, I’m not sure that’s an option. I want it to be. I want to run my hands along her curves. I want her to swell with my child. I want to fill a cottage with our lineage and watch them grow into big, strong, charismatic individuals.
But that might not be a possibility for me.
She might not want me, and I have to be okay with that. I can’t jeopardize the whole of the village and everything we’ve prepared for because I’ve been entranced by the most perfect woman to ever exist.
“We have to stop harboring them, Joel. You know I’m right.”
I look down at my sister as steam falls from my nostrils. I don’t want to admit it. Not yet. I still want a chance to convince Clarissa to stay with us. At least to allow me to protect her. If the guys in our cottage are formulating the same plan I’m trying to convince her of, then she might listen. She might relent.
The chance is small, but I still have to chase it.
If anything, so I know she and her unborn child are safe.
Chapter 11
Clarissa
My teeth are bared , and my claws are scraping. I can hear all of them yelling out my name. Calling out for me to snap out of it. To come to the light. To look down at what I’m doing. My heart is racing, and my blood is pumping through my veins. I’m bulging everywhere as my pregnant stomach hangs low to the ground. Toshi’s yelling and Theo’s bellowing and Sebastian’s growling.
And Vlad.
Vlad’s whimpering on the ground with claw marks opening up his face.
I’m thrashing about, sinking my teeth into everyone. Josie. Joel. The villagers. Kyle. All of them, screaming for help. All of them trying to pry themselves from my grasp. All of them filling with the saliva I’m pumping into their body as they fall limp.
Lifeless upon the ground.
I pounce, biting the head off General Tera. I crunch, breaking Chief’s neck underneath my grasp. I slam back into Doryu and bite the head off several guards.
Then I look down at my stomach.
It’s repulsive, and it has to go.
“No! Please! Stop!”
“Clarissa! What is it?”
“Stop! You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“It’s Sebastian! Clarissa! Wake up.”
“No, please—”
“Clarissa.”