Avoiding Alpha (Alpha Girl #2)

“Tess. You need to move through this part faster,” Adrian said. “You’re running out of time with the spell’s potency.”

Shit. Chris pulled me to my feet.

I stepped over to the table, and wiped my hands on my jeans. I didn’t want to accidentally drop any of the potions. Meredith might not make it until tomorrow, even if we could redo all of this.

I peeked at the spell book. The nasty blood sludge was the first to go into the pot. Just a half a teaspoon. Then one tablespoon of the ash mixture and two drops of the blue liquid. I had to repeat each step three times.

“Why didn’t we do this all before?” I asked.

“Because it has to be fresh. The potion doesn’t last long once it’s mixed.”

“Right.” I started the process, trying to hurry but at the same time, be meticulous about it. My hands shook as I worked. A feeling of unease moved through me, but I shoved it down. There wasn’t time to question things. I double checked the book, and added the second round of ingredients.

I thought of good. I was going to help Meredith. I pictured her happy and healthy in my mind.

When I was done, I stepped back from the table and waited.

I’d been hoping something would happen as I added everything together, like how the candles changed, but nothing did. Something was wrong. “Are you sure this spell is right?”

“Yes. Be confident. It won’t work if you aren’t,” Adrian said, and I wanted to punch him. Without meaning to, he was undermining every bit of confidence I had.

A headache started brewing, making me feel woozy.

God. I hoped I was bringing the light or whatever the hell I was supposed to be doing.

I felt Dastien behind me before he put his hands on my shoulders. “Calm, cherie. You can do this.”

I let out a shaky breath. “Okay. But I’m starting to think this isn’t such a good idea. What if there’s something wrong with the spell? Or with the ingredients? Or something.”

Chris and Adrian started arguing quietly, but my ears were ringing—making it hard to hear them.

“No. It’s right. We triple checked it. I promise. This is going to work. Believe in it,” Adrian said.

“Okay.” But I wasn’t sure I meant it.

Maybe I was being crazy. Nerves were getting to me, but I was almost done. I shoved the doubts away.

This was my plan. We were adding to the curse, but it was to help Meredith. Once the wolf was quiet, she’d be fine again.

Chris handed me a match and held out the box. I ran the tip against the side, and it flared to light. I mustered all the will I could, believing my will was stronger than Luciana’s, and said the words. “May God rebuke this demon, we humbly pray.” I lowered the flaming match to the top of the pot. “Our Lord and Savior, please cast out the demon that holds this child. Bind her soul to you, and let her be free of all impurities. Amen.” As soon as the fire touched the mixture it ignited with an explosion that knocked me on my back.

“Holy shit. It worked,” Adrian said.

I scrambled up and looked into the pot. Barely a teaspoon of fine white powder lay in the bottom. I scooped up the powder into my left hand, trying to make sure I got every last little bit. Then I turned to the circle of flames and blew the ash toward Meredith.

Instead of flying out of my hands, it was as if the little white grains had minds of their own. The powder glided through the air, roiling on nonexistent winds. As it hit the circle of candles, the flames lowered. The grains settled over Meredith, and she moaned.

The candles grew taller and so bright that I had to block the heat from my face as I fell back a step.

And then, as suddenly as they’d flared to life, the candles went out. All was still. Only little, barely-there circles of wax on the roof showed they’d ever existed.

Meredith moaned loader.

“Meredith?” Adrian asked as he knelt beside her. “You feeling anything?”

She slowly sat up. “Yeah. I think I feel better.”

Thank God.

Max knelt beside her. “Hey, cutie pie.”

“Max?”

“Yeah. How’s your wolf? How are you doing?”

“I’m okay. Actually…” She sat up, and my heart started racing. “I don’t know…” She gasped. “I…I—” She rolled over onto her hands and knees and threw up.

My limbs felt numb as a trail of blood hit the roof. “Oh fuck.” I stumbled back a few steps. This couldn’t be happening.

It hadn’t worked. I’d failed.