Chapter 11:
"Kat!" Finnian yelled, his voice rough. He was barely able to stay in his human form, making his voice sound more beast than man. "Kat!" He called again in desperation.
He managed to shift back just in time to catch Kendall before she fell. He cradled her body close, all thoughts of her being anyone other than his mate flying from his mind. He felt a panic that he hadn't felt since the day she left him. A panic that only she had ever been able to cause. He knew it well, since all he did was worry about his mate before everything happened. She seemed to attract trouble rather easily.
Finnian had been hesitant to believe that she was his mate. The second he laid eyes on her... it was like his world started spinning again. It was like his universe, which had been cold, dark, and void of anything, was finally illuminated. She brought peace and warmth and color back into his life.
Then she uttered her name. That broke the spell that seemed to draw them together, a spell that only mates experienced together, and it lifted his walls immediately. His mate was gone. She was dead. He felt her die. He couldn't bear the thought of her being alive all that time and him not looking for her. How could he possibly live with himself if that were the case?
She also seemed like his Kendall, but at the same time she didn't. First, she smelled like a human. If he was honest with himself, deep under the human scent, she still smelled like herself. Still smelled sweet, clean, a fragrance that was purely, uniquely Kendall. He had missed that scent.
On top of her not quite smelling the same, she also didn't act the same. His mate was fierce. Nothing scared her, and when it did, she sure as hell didn't show it. She was strong, and brave. She followed her heart and never second guessed herself. The weeping girl he encountered wasn't that. She was fragile and weak and scared.
But he couldn't quiet that little voice in his head, likely his primal wolf half, that she was only like that because she had experienced something no one else could understand. It killed him to think that she was possibly just a shell of the amazing woman he loved.
Despite the discrepancies, she also felt like his mate. His wolf called to him, but he wasn't wild. For the first time in months, he felt completely in control of himself. He didn't feel on the verge of shifting constantly. He didn't feel like he was a shell of the man he once was. There was sparks, there was electricity. It was palpable in the air, the attraction drawing him into her.
Deep down, he felt truly ashamed for how he had reacted to her. He hated himself for scaring her after everything she had been through. He wasn't even sure why he did it, just that he was almost paralyzed with fear at the thought of it not being her, at the thought of losing her again.
Yet, that seemed to be the direction things were going.
He hadn't even planned on coming in her room. His wolf urges overpowered him – a norm for him as of late, although it was a different kind of urge – and he ended up watching her sleep like some stalker. He had to have been sitting in the corner, just staring at her for at least an hour. At first, she had been sleeping peacefully. Then, it became glaringly obvious that she was having some sort of dream. She kept moaning, which was something that he didn't panic over since she used to always make noises in her sleep. But then she started moving. She had been reaching out, like she was trying to touch something just out of her grasp.
Then she sat upright with a gasp. She hadn't noticed him at first – he just sat quietly, listening to her racing heart eventually slow. When she noticed him, she was surprisingly fearless. He knew that Kat had told her about werewolves. He listened to the entire conversation, unable not to be fully tuned into everything she was doing since he laid eyes on her.
Not only was Finnian surprised when she didn't scream and cry, but she also stood and walked toward him. The air was charged, sparking hot as the distance between them closed. He didn't move closer; he didn't want to freak her out. He needed her close and he didn't want to do anything to possibly make her stop her pursuit.
Only, she was stopped.
He saw the pain enter her eyes before she stopped and grabbed her head. The fear, mind-numbingly paralyzing, would stay with him forever. Her screams of anguish, would haunt him forever. He felt helpless, just like he had that day a year before.
He shifted just as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. He caught her, his skin sizzling in the best way possible as he made contact with hers. He barely noticed it though, not with the terror snaking through his blood, seizing his heart0.
"Kendall, stay with me! You're going to be okay, just stay with me baby." Finnian murmured as he cradled her body to his.
He stood from the ground and walked her over to the bed, draping her over his body, her head lying against his shoulder.
"Katerina!" He yelled a third time, calling for the only person he thought could help her. The only person he trusted.
His desperation grew, along with his panic. He couldn't lose her again. He just got her back. He felt like a failure of a mate.
She was dying in his arms – after she miraculously came back to life – and there was absolutely nothing he could do.
He ran his hand down her face, from her hair line to her jaw. Her creamy tanned skin was coated in a layer of sweat, her body burning, nearly scorching him. Her body was racked violently with shivers.
"Katerin-"
Before he could finish yelling at her for the fourth time, the door burst open, Kat, Selena, Tyler, Matt, Brody, and Lili all pouring in, in that order.
"What happened?" Kat asked before anyone else could. She was calm, in control of herself purely because Kendall needed her to be.
"I don't know. She was walking towards me, then she grabbed her head, screamed, and passed out. You have to save her, you have to-"
"Lay her down." Kat instructed.
Finnian, for once, listened to someone else, not even questioning her orders. He laid her flat on the bed, then stood and started pacing on the opposite side of the others.
"What did you do to her?" Selena demanded, accusation heavy in her voice.
"I didn't do anything!" He roared. "I would never hurt her."
"Funny, because I seem to remember you threatening to kill her, you piece of-"
"Stop!" Kat snapped. "If you two can't shut up, then get the hell out. I need to concentrate."
It was out of character for the usually even-tempered witch, but she needed quiet if she wanted to help her best friend. Despite Finnian and Selena's hardheaded, argumentative ways, they both stayed silent.
Lili sat down beside Kat. They linked hands and held them over Kendall's heart, all the while chanting in the foreign witch language that only witches could understand.
They did that for what felt like ever. Finnian continued pacing, tugging harshly at his hair. Selena bit at her nails until they bleed and Tyler had to pull her hand away. Brody seemed calm, leaning against the wall, but a storm brewed behind his eyes. Matt sat against the wall, his knees bent, his elbows resting on top of them and his tearful face buried in his hands.
That continued for a while, the witches chanting, the wolves panicking. Finally, they finished. Kat and Lili released hands. Lili stood and walked over to Brody, whom immediately wrapped her in his arms. Kat stayed on the bed and looked over at Finnian, her hand dropping to her lap.
"She's going to be okay." She started.
"You call this okay?" Finnian snarled.
"Poor choice of wording. She's not going to die. But this will happen again."
"What's happening?" Selena questioned.
"It's her wolf. She's still asleep, but she's trying to push Kendall's memories back into her conscious. The spell is fighting it off and her wolf is fighting back. It caused pain because her wolf was literally trying to tear through the spell, which was excellently cast, because it didn't budge. This will likely keep happening until either her memories break through or the spell is touched up."
"Touched up?"
"Some spells, especially difficult one's that are cast on people, sometimes need to be reinforced. It's still there, it just needs some tuning up if you will. I'm guessing that the witch in question was probably going to do that soon."
"She won't touch her again." Finnian growled. The thought of anyone laying their hands on her again, filling her with magic that took her from him... he would slaughter anyone before that happened. The thought alone sent his wolf to the forefront of his mind, his chest rumbling with snarls that he couldn't stop.
"Agreed." Selena stated. It was the first time the two had agreed on something since that day. Ever since, they had done nothing but bicker. At first it was small things, especially since Selena was trying to help him deal with everything. But after a while, she got fed up and every interaction between them became toxic. It was obvious that it was because Kendall, the mediator between the two, had been absent. Now that she was back, they were already starting to agree, even on something small. It was progress.
"So what do we do?" Matt asked, his face tear streaked as he glanced up at his mate.
"There's nothing we can do. We can only make her comfortable during an episode, take the pain away. As of now, neither Lili nor I know how to undo the spell. Since we can't do that and the witch who cast it can't tune it up, she's stuck in this in between. We can only hope that her wolf will find enough strength to push through."
"Is she going to wake up?" Selena spoke.
"Yeah, in a few hours she'll be fine. I don't know when this will happen again, so we just need to watch her."
"She can't die from this though?"
"Right. I know it doesn't seem like it, but this is a good thing. Now, we just need to protect her from whoever did this in the first place."
Finnian walked over to Kendall, settling down beside her, stroking her cheek as he gazed down at her. "I'd die before I let anyone hurt her again." He muttered, obviously calming down.
"That's good. Because based on the power of the magic in her head? We're in for the fight of our lives." Kat added before she stood and walked out. "I hope you're all prepared."
The weight of the statement wasn't lost on anyone. They all knew what was at stake. They may not know exactly who they were up against, but they knew it was someone strong. Somehow, they all knew that the new threat made Nathan and Emiliya look like child's play. And based on the power of the witch and the ability to make the Queen, the most well-guarded wolf in the werewolf world, not only disappear without a trace, but appear dead as well... Well that took skill. Skill that someone in power had. Skill that came from an army, not just one man or woman. It would be a challenge that no one was prepared for.
Good thing they now had something worth fighting for.
************************
Finnian stayed with Kendall for a while, at least three hours, but he needed to call a meeting. He needed his army and his trackers prepared.
He informed Tyler that everyone was needed in the meeting room within thirty minutes. He pressed one last lingering kiss on his mate's forehead, then he stood and walked into the bathroom.
He found it strange that he didn't seem uncomfortable being back in his and Kendall's bedroom. He hadn't stepped foot inside since that day. Matter of fact, he hadn't even been in that wing of the house since then. But it wasn't weird being back. It actually felt like the most natural, comfortable thing. Like he was coming home for the first time in years. Although he suspected that had more to do with Kendall than the room.
He stripped out of the boxers he had on. He had been naked after Kendall passed out, since he shifted back. Tyler had handed him a pair of boxers while Kat and Lili were working. Not that his nudity was even close to the front of his mind.
He stepped into the shower and a flood of memories washed over him. It was the last place he had been intimate with his mate before she disappeared. He felt a rush of both desire and sadness thinking about it. It was the last time he felt whole.
At the thought of being with his mate like that, he shook his head and turned the hot water off. He was in a hurry, so a cold shower would have to do.
After he was done, he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked over to the closet. He grabbed a suit at the end, a dark grey one that he knew was Kendall's favorite. It was slightly dusty and smelled a little musty, but he ignored it for the time being.
He got dressed quickly, forgoing doing anything with his hair except for combing it. He gave Kendall one last glance before he left the room.
He was feeling more like himself than he had in a year. He was definitely feeling cleaner and more well-groomed. He hadn't exactly been the best dressed guy lately. He had trimmed his beard and his hair wasn't disheveled. On top of looking better, he also felt better. He felt lighter, calmer, happier. Just like he had up until the Coronation.
He made his way down to the large meeting room in the castle. It was where he usually had his council meetings, which he needed to plan to get all the packs into the loop. But for now, he needed his Royal Pack up to date.
Everyone was already present by the time he entered. At the front of the group, up where he sat, sat Tyler, Selena, Matt, Kat, Brody, and Lili. Tyler and Selena were on one side of the King and Queen's chairs, Kat and Matt on the other. Brody and Lili, whom normally wouldn't be at these meetings, were next to Matt and Kat.
Everyone stood once Finnian entered the room. They bowed and exposed their neck in submission. Finnian sat down, then everyone else did the same.
Harrison was also in attendance. Harrison had been wounded in battle, nearly losing an arm. The recovery had taken almost three weeks, a staggering amount of time for a werewolf. It had taken him a while to return back to leading the Royal Army, but he finally did, and better than ever at that. He learned a lot from the attack and was able to strengthen any weak spots. He had lost a lot of men in the battle, but since many werewolves volunteered to join after the Queen was 'Killed', they were able to increase three fold. All had been vetted and processed, and deemed safe.
"I have some news. It will affect not only everyone in this room and in this territory, but every werewolf in general." Finnian paused, letting the seriousness of his statement take weight with everyone.
"My mate, Queen Kendall Keating Cahill, is very much alive."
Gasps and murmurs filled the room, shock apparent on every face. No one could believe the words their King uttered. He'd seemed on the verge of madness, his feral nature getting worse every day. But watching him and the other Royals, it seemed like madness wasn't driving his words. The Queen's family believed it too, so it must be true.
"How is that possible?" Harrison broke the silence.
"A witch cast a spell to imitate death. All of her bonds to people, to me, to her family, to all of you. They were spelled to appear broken. They're apparently still intact, only hidden. She was also spelled to lose her memories and to appear human. When she was found, she didn't recognize her family. She thought she was a human named Emilia who was suffering from amnesia. She still thinks that."
"Who took her?" Harrison questioned, trying to absorb the information like every other wolf.
"That is still unknown. She claims to have a brother, but she won't tell us about him. Katerina and Liliya are currently searching for a way to reverse the spells."
"Where has she been?" Someone else asked.
"We don't know that. We only know that she'd been working as a waitress."
"How do you know it's her?" Another questioned.
"She looks just like her. And other than smelling of a human, she has the same scent. I understand some of you may be skeptical. I won't lie and say that I wasn't at first. But her wolf is reaching out, trying to make contact with mine. When it happened a couple hours ago, I could sense her wolf. It's Kendall. Your Queen has returned."
"You don't know what we're up against yet?" Harrison spoke again.
"I don't yet. I do know whatever we're up against is powerful. The spells cast on Kendall... let's just say only an extremely powerful witch could pull them off. We will do everything possible to find out more about the unknown threat. Until then, I need you to all prepare yourselves. First, I need you to inform the men under you. Make sure everyone is aware of the situation. For now, keep it inside of the Royal Territory. Make sure they know that if they speak about it to anyone outside of the territory, they will be punished to the full extent. Second, we need to make sure we are battle ready. They got the jump on us last time. This time we will be more prepared. Make sure all gaps in security are plugged. I don't want them to make it so easily to the center of the territory. Make sure all men are battle ready. Train harder than ever before. I will send other specifics out within the next twenty-four hours after having a chance to observe how everything is running. Are there any other questions?" Finnian finished, wanting to be done so that he could make it back to his Kendall.
"Is she okay? Safe and healthy, I mean?" Harrison asked. He always had a soft spot for Kendall. She was fierce and loyal and brave. She worked harder than half of his men.
"She's... going to be. I'll make sure of it." Finnian promised. And it was a promise he intended to keep.
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Kendall's Point of View:
My head pounded fiercely, like it had been repeatedly bashed into the ground. An ache started at the base of my skull, right above my neck. It spread down my back, between my shoulder blades, and up to the top of my scalp. I groaned as I peeled my eyes open, the blinds thankfully still drawn.
I rubbed my eyes as I shook my head, recalling the events from the night before. I remembered everything, which was strange considering I forgot just about every other detail of my life. I remember seeing the wolf from my dream in the room, a wolf that I now knew to be Finnian, the King of Werewolves and supposedly my mate. He had been standing still, just watching me. I'd moved toward him, not able to stop myself. It was as if an invisible tether were pulling me into him against my will. As I got closer to him, a pain that I never thought possible consumed me, pulling me under. Funny how these things kept happening to me nowadays.
I was actually surprised that I was alive still. I thought for sure that I was a goner.
I sighed as I rid my head of those thoughts. I tried to sit up, only to realize that something weighed me down. Something warm and comfortable and... breathing?
My eyes widened as I realized Finnian was next to me, fast asleep as he held me close to his body. I paused awkwardly, not sure what to do. It wasn't unpleasant exactly, that he was cuddling me. But it just seemed so strange. Half a day ago, he had been threatening my life. I never could have imagined that he would want to spoon me after that.
I glanced over at him. His face was peaceful, the hard edge from yesterday missing. He had trimmed his beard. It no longer concealed part of his lips, making it easier to see how plump and soft they were. He had bags under his eyes still, but it was obvious he was sleeping peacefully. I bit my lip, trying to contain a smile that, for some crazy reason, threatened my lips.
I would have stared at his gorgeous, rugged face all day, but my bladder rudely took away that option. I gingerly grabbed his hand, trying to slowly push it off of me. I nearly made it, but then he stirred.
I paused, eyes wide and mouth parted as I waited to see if I had woken him. Once I realized I hadn't and he stilled again, I continued. I laid his hand across his hip and slowly eased over to the edge of the bed. I nearly made it before I was suddenly on my back with a weight settling over me.
It all happened so fast, I couldn't be held responsible for my startled response. A yelp left my mouth and my right hand fisted and rammed itself against his jaw. My eyes widened in horror once my mind caught up and I realized what I had done. My hands, one aching from his sharp jaw, covered my mouth in fear.
His face was unreadable as his stormy blue eyes stared into mine. His lower body was pressed against mine, every curve of my body and his touching. He held himself up with his elbows, leaving his torso brushing against mine as our breathing synchronized.
We both remained silent for a few beats, then the unthinkable happened. He smiled.
Shit, it was worse than I thought. He was obviously deranged. He wanted an excuse to kill me and now he had one. Why wouldn't a psychopath like him be happy about that?
"I'm so sorry, King Finn-"
"Don't apologize. Don't ever apologize for that. Don't apologize for your fire because it's what I love about you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you're glad I hit you?" I inquired hesitantly.
"If I get a chance to see the real you, even if it's just for a moment, then yes. Hit me whenever you want."
"Kinky." I drawled dryly. "But unless you want a whole new level of kinky weird shit, then I suggest you move so I can go pee."
His lips tugged up again and his eyes lit up with humor, something I didn't realize he had any of. He rolled off of me and I practically ran to the bathroom, moving even faster when I realized I wasn't actually wearing pants. I could practically feel his eyes on my legs and ass.
I slammed the door and turned the lock so fast I nearly broke it off. I leaned my back against the door, breathing harshly as I recovered from what just happened.
After a few seconds, I went about my business. By that point, my headache had receded, so I was able to actually try to look cute, which for some reason I wanted to do. I threw on a dusty rose colored dress and I slipped on a light blue jean jacket, a pair of white converse, and a white beanie after I pulled my hair into a side fishtail braid. I spent a little extra time on my makeup. Everything matched my skin tone, so I was able to use most of it that hadn't gotten too old. I coated my lips in a lipstick that matched my dress. I went for a dramatic look with long eyelashes and dark brows. One thing I realized in the past year was that I was really good at hair and makeup. It was weird because although I couldn't remember anything, I still knew exactly what I was doing when I sat down to get ready, even the very first time doing it. It was like I had maintained certain skills, just not the memories of them.
Once I finished, I finally emerged from the bathroom. I was surprised to see King Finnian still sitting on the edge of the bed. I expected him to be gone by that point.
"You're still here..." I stupidly pointed out the obvious.
"It is my room." He teased.
"I can leave." I pointed my thumb toward the door. "Kat put me here last night. I didn't know-"
"It's our room." He clarified.
"Oh. Okay." I wrung my hands nervously, bouncing on the balls of my feet. "Um, so..."
"So?" He was biting back a smile, amusement dancing in his eyes. For some reason, anger surged forward, his attitude pissing me off.
"What the hell is your problem, King Finnian? Why are you..." I trailed off when his face lost its teasing look and became serious. He stood and took a few steps toward me, which I countered with a few back.
"You remember." He breathed.
"Remember what?" I asked in confusion.
"King Finnian. You always called me that when I had pissed you off. You don't remember that?"
I shook my head. The disappointment on his face nearly killed me, but I changed the discussion so he wouldn't notice.
"Why are you acting like this? Yesterday you wanted to have me killed if I didn't leave."
"Yeah, I was an ass." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. I got the distinct feeling that he didn't admit wrong doings very often. "I'm sorry about that. I know I scared you. I promise I won't hurt you."
"What changed?"
He looked me in the eyes, the intensity nearly robbing me of my breath. He swallowed harshly, his Adams apple bobbing as he did. "I thought I was losing you again."
"Oh..." I whispered. "Um... I'm hungry." I awkwardly told him, wanting to get away from the heavy subject that I just wasn't ready for.
He smiled slightly and held his hand out. "Let's go have breakfast then."
I nodded and walked over to him, ignoring his hand. He let it drop and walked next to me, not touching me with I appreciated. I wasn't ready to be physical with him. The feelings I got when I did scared me.
"So, what exactly happened to me last night?"
"I think I'll wait and let Katerina explain that. What you experienced? It was because of the magic that's in your head. She'll be able to better explain it than me."
"That was you, wasn't it? The wolf..." I asked, but I already knew the answer.
"It was. I couldn't stay away from you, especially in that form. I'm sorry if I frightened you."
"You didn't. It's weird, but I wasn't scared. You were actually..." I paused, not sure how much I should disclose. Then I realized I was being stupid. Deep down, I trusted these people. I believed they could help me. I just needed to let them. "You were familiar. I've seen you, or your wolf actually, in my dream."
He stopped and turned toward me. "Dream?" He asked, his eyebrows scrunching together cutely.
"I have the same dream every night. I'm in the woods, in a red gown. I hear howling and I start running. I end up outside of the castle and in front of your wolf. I wake up just before I can reach you."
"Have you told Kat about this?"
"No."
"You need to. You need to tell her everything if she is going to be able to help you."
I nodded, intending on doing just that. He examined me to see if I was being honest, which he must have thought I was because he looked pleased as he continued walking. I followed behind him, all the way down to the first floor. We walked into a sun room, the rays shining in and warming the room, despite the chill in the air outside. There was a large round table in the center of the room, everyone already sitting around it. I sat next to Selena, Finnian between me and Matt.
"Morning." I muttered politely.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Kat asked after everyone returned the greeting.
"I'm feeling alright, I guess." I answered as I reached for a waffle in the center of the table. I grabbed the cream cheese mixture and the bowl of sliced strawberries. "I had a headache when I woke up, but I feel better now. What happened to me? King Finnian said you could tell me?" I asked, not completely sure how I should address him.
"I can." She started as I prepared my waffle and grabbed a few strips of bacon. "Basically what happened was your wolf was trying to push your memories into your consciousness. Lili and I searched your body to find what was wrong with you after you passed out. We didn't find any human illness and there wasn't a spell on you to do that. Your wolf is the only explanation since we also felt her stirring a bit while we were in your mind. It was brief, but she was there."
"So, am I going to remember soon?"
"I honestly have no idea. Your wolf is pushing against the spell and it pushed right back. It just depends on which is able to push the hardest."
"So this is going to happen again?" I asked in fear, remembering the immerse pain I had felt the night before.
"I'm afraid so. But now that we know it's happening, we can manage it. Witches can take away pain. It will still be happening, you still might remember everything, but you won't feel anything."
"So you're the supernatural ibuprofen."
She giggled. "Basically."
"Why can't you just take the spell away?"
"There are only two ways to undo a spell. One is the witch who casts it, uncasts it. The other is you have to have the counter spell. We've been searching, but we have yet to find it. Some spells are common and are known by every witch; some are more well-kept. To use a counter spell, you also have to be stronger than the witch who cast the original spell. I don't know if Lili and I are, but we're going to do everything we can."
"There's a third way too." Selena added, inhaling her waffle almost.
"Okay, technically there is. But we can't really count on that. Not saying we could count on her undoing it either, but still."
"What is it?"
"If a witch dies, any spell she has cast dies as well."
"So than we kill her." Selena stated casually.
"What? We can't just murder someone!" I cried.
"You're thinking like a human, Kendall. Once you're a wolf again, you'll understand. That is the only way to stop someone like that."
"We could arrest her, have her put in prison. We don't need to murder any-"
"No, actually, we do. They killed our people. They killed Niki and Dalton. They took you and made us think you were dead. They deserve that and so much worse." She sneered.
"Selena, calm down." Finnian snapped. "Kendall doesn't need to deal with this right now."
I turned to glance at him, sending him a small smile as I did. I understood where Selena was coming from, but it just seemed so brutal. So ruthless and violent. Maybe I was being naïve, but I hoped to change her mind about it. I knew that we might not be able to avoid it, but I would like to if possible.
If only things were ever that easy.