The Shadow Wolf - G. Bailey Page 0,2
her children needed her. I look to my dad, and I see nothing but resolve for what they have done.
“The island and our people needed us. Some things are worth more than family,” dad counters. “I understand your pain like it is my own. When you have your own children, you will realise how far you’d go to protect them.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Nothing means more than those you call family,” I reply, glancing at my guys. “But blood doesn’t make you family. Family is those you would die for.”
“That is your perception, perhaps,” dad sourly replies.
Liam steps forward, catching all our attention. “What is this place? What people are you talking about?”
“On this island, familiars are free and live in peace. Come and see what could be possible for you and your people,” dad suggests, waving his hand behind him at a footpath through the trees, and two Jeeps are parked just at the side of the path. “Come and see what we built for you, knowing you would one day come to us, Anastasia.”
When none of us move, dad takes mum’s hand. “I can see you all need a moment. We will wait at the cars.” With one more painful look in my eyes, mum follows dad as they walk away.
I wait until they are a good distance before turning around, and my guys circle around me. “I don’t trust them. They might be my parents, but he is a god, and that means he is hundreds of years old. I could be one of thousands of children for all I know.”
“How did you get us here?” Liam asks after a long pause. “I know you wanted us to trust you, but we need to know now.”
Clearing my throat, I wonder how crazy they are going to think I am. “Since before I was a familiar, a man in a cloak kept turning up in my life. He saved me from the car crash, he has always been there, and finally he came to me. He died, but before he did, he showed me this place. Like a map in my mind.”
“So he left out that your parents were here?” Mason scoffs in annoyance. “Not like that is important or anything.”
“He has been showing me dreams, which are actually visions of the past and the future. I’m scared what being here means for us all,” I reply, rubbing my hands together. “And how do I tell Phoebe our parents are alive? That they are well and just didn’t come for us? Would it help Bethany to know, or would it make her even more unstable than they currently are?”
“I don’t know, but you won’t be alone, Tassie,” Alex tells me, and it helps a little bit. “Maybe if Bethany knows, she might calm down her psycho rule-the-world vibes she has going on.”
“No, I actually think it will make her worse. Bethany could never get over them leaving her, and she doesn’t have anyone left,” I say, feeling firm in my judgment on her. “The only one who can stop her is me, and I will. I won’t let anyone else die because of Bethany.”
“I don’t think that will be your choice for much longer,” Mason gently reminds me, placing his hand over mine. I link my fingers with his, looking back at the cars where my parents are watching us.
“We stick together, got it?” Alex demands, and I turn back to meet his brown eyes.
Breathing in the thick smell of the saltwater and the pine from the trees, I answer, “And if that isn’t enough, we get the hell off this island no matter what it takes.”
Chapter 2
Anastasia
I have a secret, but this city? I bet it has more.
The Jeep driven by Alex jolts every few seconds as he follows the car in front that my parents are in. Now that the sheer shock has worn off, I can’t feel anything but a wave of burning anger that they are still alive. I want nothing more to do with them, but clearly they are more manipulative than I would have given them credit for. Heartless and manipulative. I now know exactly where Bethany got it from. I assumed it was my aunt, but it wasn’t.
Thinking of my aunt, I wonder what she would think to find her precious sister alive and well. Another subject to bring up with my mum at some point. I want to get her away from dad; I want to know how much of