Midnight.
Ella lay in bed, wide awake. Roman snored softly beside her, his arm heavy over her waist.
She stared at the clock. 12:01. 12:02.
Maybe the boy didn't deliver it. Maybe Ethan didn't get it. Maybe he didn't care.
*BOOM.*
The ground shook. Car alarms started blaring.
Roman was awake instantly.
He was out of bed and at the window in a second.
Body tense. Shifting partially.
Claws extending. The whites of his eyes had turned bloodshot.
"What in the hell..."
Outside, the south gate was a ball of fire.
The ceiling cracked. Dust and white plaster fell onto the silk sheets.
The smoke was thick. It didn't smell like fire. It smelled like the woods at night. Wet fur and sour pennies.
Ella sat on the floor. Her hands over her stomach.
The witch was there. She was a distortion in the smoke.
"He's coming," the witch said.
"Ethan?"
"The debt collector," the woman rasped. "You wanted Ethan safe. You wanted your brother healed. You wanted Sarah gone."
"I signed the contract," Ella said.
"Contracts are paper. Souls are gold." The witch leaned in. Her eyes were voids.
She touched Ella's belly.
A vision. Red and black.
She saw the boy. He wasn't playing with toys. He was standing on a pile of bones. His shadow had a thousand teeth.
"Roman's blood is strong," the witch said. "Without a sacrifice, the boy is just a second Roman. A bigger cage. A longer night."
The witch faded. Her laughter sounded like a wet cough.
"One wish left for the girl," the witch said. "Two for the man. The tenth is the end. Make the choice, little wolf."
The house shook.
A blast. Then the wet sound of howls.
"Attack!" Roman was up. Snatching his pants.
He didn't look at her. He looked at the door.
"Lock it. Kill anything that moves."
He threw a silver dagger onto the silk sheets. Ran.
Ella grabbed the steel. Cold.
Chaos in the halls. Smoke.
She reached the window.
The wall was down. Black rubble on the lawn.
Gold fur in the moonlight.
Ethan.
Ella threw on a coat over her nightgown and unlocked the door. She had to get to him before Roman killed him.
She ran into the hallway. Smoke was filling the air. Servants screamed. They ran for the panic room.
"Ella!"
She turned. A guard blocked her path. "Luna! The Alpha said to stay in the room!"
"Move!" Ella slashed with the dagger. She missed, but the guard flinched, surprised.
Before he could grab her, a grey blur tackled him. It was Martha! The housekeeper smashed a flower vase over the guard's head.
"Go, child!" Martha shouted, panting. "Go!"
She ran.
Back door. Garden.
Ash was raining. Black snow.
Ethan turned. His muzzle was red.
He lunged toward her.
Roman landed. Dirt and grass flew.
He stood up. He wasn't a wolf. He was large. Hard.
He didn't howl. He smiled.
He didn't roar. He just stood there.
Visible hate.
He hit Ethan.
Statues shattered. Hedges burned.
Ethan was fast. A gold blur.
Roman stood over him. The black markings on his skin moved. He looked at Ella.