Chapter 61

"Or you could let me live," he looked down at her finger that had snaked under his chin, feeling her claw prick his skin. She moved her finger, tilting his head upwards, making it harder for him to see.

"And...?"

"Get a chance to speak with your family."

She blinked.

What did he take her for? A fool? She knew there was a block to her link. She found that out a long time ago.

"That's impossible."

"I can make it possible."

She chuckled instinctively.

"Go ahead. Humor me."

Without looking away from her, he brought out a small round gem, like a globe, in his hand. The soft blue light emitting from it made her look down at what he had with him, but she was still very much alert just in case Akeem tried to do anything funny.

"Once you place your hand on this, you can communicate through that link you werewolves have." He paused, then added quickly. "Pack link."

Her gaze snapped up at him.

"And what's in it for you?"

He eyed her claw that was still underneath his chin. "My life?" He said, his accent now more obvious, the more uneasy he got.

Zezi was conflicted. She had wanted to talk to her family for many weeks now. The offer was something she found highly irresistible.

"How can I use it?"

"By putting your hand on it. There's one more thing, though: you can only use this once."

That sent her heart racing, but her gaze was still fixed on him, and he couldn't figure out if he had successfully bought her over with his offer.

"They must miss you too."

The words poured on her heart like ice, melting slowly.

In a search for retreat, her hand dropped from his chin.

"Done. You have your life." Then she tilted her head to a side, signaling that she was ready to use the gem.

Akeem cleared his throat awkwardly and let out a sigh of relief. Slowly, she couldn't hear his heartbeats again, just like it had been when they had first started talking.

He put the gem forward, one hand holding it at the bottom, then she placed her hand on the gem, and its soft blue glow changed a shade darker.

Her eyelids fell shut.

"Breath," Akeem commanded, guiding her.

"Focus."

She did.

"Block it all out and focus on that link you share with your own."

She felt like a weight was placed over her like she was struggling with a force greater than she was; her breathing was sharp and labored; she could feel the sweat run down her forehead, strength leaving her, draining right out of her.

Her lips trembled with distress and she let out a short groan of pain.

"Focus!" He commanded sharply.

'Mira,' she mumbled in her mind, feeling herself search through the link that had been blocked on the other side, leaving her with nowhere to go. 'Goerge, Aunt Alice. Can you hear me?'

She repeated over and over again, the words echoing in her head.

Her breathing was even more labored, an instinctive feeling to give up in order to stop experiencing this pain creeping over her.

"Focus. You miss them, they miss you." Akeem's voice was fading away, sounding too far.

'Mira.'

'Zezi. Is that you?'

Tears welled up in her shut eyes and dripped down her closed eyes, wetting her eyelashes. She felt out of the library, and in her head, facing that block that now had a crack in it.

'Aunt Alice! By the Moon Goddess, Mama!"

'Ah, It is my daughter.' Aunt Alice's voice sounded frail even in her mind. She must have been going through a lot since Zezi had been taken away.

'It's been three months. How have you been? How are they treating you? Are you eating good food? Are they feeding you? How are you able to talk to me? I hope you are not in the dungeon because if you are locked up like some criminal, I swear by all I have that..."

"I'm fine." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Ah, she had missed this. Aunt Alice looked out for her like she was a kid. Funny enough, while she had been in the Pack, she didn't quite enjoy it. 'You shouldn't worry so much. It's not good for your heart, Mama, you know that.'

'I'm your Mother, Zezi, I can't help but worry. You're my little baby.'

'I'm fine. I eat good food, I'm not in the dungeon, they treat me well, and this is going to be the last time I'll be able to communicate with you, I don't have much time to tell you how I'm doing this. Tell me, Mama, how's the pack?'

'They are happy to be alive, the King collects his taxes, and sometimes it's hard to reach the quota, but this is better than the war.' She sighed. 'The Pack is better than how you left it and they are very grateful. They celebrate you, your sacrifice.' Her voice was choked with tears.

'How are you, Mama?"

'Worried sick, that's how I am. Worry sick for my daughter and her family.' Then she could hear a smile in her voice. 'Mira is here with me.'

'How is my daughter?' Her voice was filled with urgency.

'I'm trying my best, and she's coping, but George is not.'

Her heart ached at that. She had tried to reach George through the Pack link, too, but it hadn't worked, like he was blocking the link from his end.

She hoped not though. That would be a really bad sign that things were going worse than she had imagined.

'How is he? I tried to reach him but I couldn't.'

'He blocked the link. Our Beta hasn't been seen by anyone for more than a month. He doesn't want to communicate with anyone. I fear my son-in-law is planning something. You know George. You know your husband, he's stubborn and--" her voice trailed off.

"Dissuade him! Advise him to give it up, whatever it is. Tell him, that I'm begging him to please be happy. For me, for our daughter and tell Mira that I'll always love her and--- Please take care of my family for me, Mama. Take care of yourself, too. You should all be happy, I'm here so that you are. Don't let my sacrifice go in vain.'

'I miss you. I just miss you so much, it fe-els li-ke... I've been deprived of air.'

'I miss you too. Stay strong for m-- ah!"

'Is everything--' Aunt Alice's voice was becoming increasingly distant.

"...op. You need to stop." A voice crashed into her mind, echoing from a distance."Break the connection. Now!"

A grip over her.

A sudden yank.

Warm, metallic-smelling liquid, trickling down her nose.