"It's okay, Ayla," Jordan said, sounding resigned again. "We all know who you're going to choose in the end. Let's just get it over with."
"Shut up," I told him. Did he really think I would stand by and let Kaden kill him?
"He's right, we both know what you're going to choose. And if you don't..."
“This is an impossible choice." I trailed off and searched Kaden's face for anything familiar. I didn't see a spark of sympathy. “This isn't you, Kaden. Please, just stop and listen to me for a minute.”
“Choose!” Kaden roared.
I sobbed, the tears already flowing down my cheeks as my body caught up to my mind and pushed the shock out of the way. I couldn't believe it, but Kaden was right here in front of me, his claws extended toward Jordan, screaming at me to choose. I knew what I had to do…but I wasn't sure if I could do it.
“I won't let you kill Jordan."
“You've made your choice then." Kaden sounded hollow, as if every emotion had suddenly been cut out from him. Quicker than I could have thought to stop him, Kaden grabbed me and hauled me away from Jordan. I dug my heels in, expecting Kaden to toss me aside and try to attack Jordan again, but instead, he shoved me against a wall.
Kaden put his hand on my upper arm and closed his eyes. It took me a moment to realize that he was holding me right over my Ophiuchus pack symbol. A strange tingling sensation ran through my arm that quickly became pain. I sucked in a deep breath, and Kaden's eyes opened and met mine. There was nothing of the man I knew in them. He looked like someone else entirely, a stranger wearing my Kaden's skin. I sucked in a deep breath and gritted my teeth against the pain.
When he removed his hand, my skin was bare. I looked down at it in shock. The Ophiuchus pack symbol was just...gone. I shuddered, wondering what the hell Kaden thought he was doing, but it didn't take long for me to find out.
“I banish you from the Ophiuchus pack, Ayla Beros,” Kaden said in a cold voice. "Take Jordan with you and leave. Immediately.”
"Kaden, no," I whispered. I sagged against the wall, everything spinning around me. I could feel the lack of power in my limbs, the way my body ached around an empty space where the energy of the Ophiuchus pack should reside.
"Ayla?" Jordan asked, stepping toward me, his voice laced with concern. Kaden shot him a hard look, and I wondered if he would attack again.
I had no time to mourn. I pushed myself off the wall and launched myself at Jordan, teleporting us to my hotel room the second I grabbed his arm. He stumbled back, blinking at me as I let go of him, and I vaguely realized he'd never been conscious when I'd used that power on him before. I turned away before he could say anything and started gathering things from my room.
Here I am again, I thought bitterly as I decided what to take and what to leave. Having to leave everything behind.
“Are you sure this is the right decision?” Jordan asked as I stuffed some money and toiletries into my bag, along with my camera, the one Kaden had bought me. “We both know I'm not worth this.”
“Shut up,” I said again. I wasn't sure if he was worth it either, but I also knew I'd never forgive Kaden if he killed my brother. I had to stop him from doing it, not just to save Jordan, but to save the man I loved.
There was a frantic knock on my door, light and airy. I let out a breath. Not Kaden—he would never knock so softly. I strode over to open the door to a worried Larkin.
She wrung her hands together looking at me, and then at Jordan. “What's going on? I felt you use a lot of magic."
"I'm leaving with Jordan,” I said, motioning to him over my shoulder. I didn't tell Larkin that I'd been expelled from the pack. It still didn't feel real. Maybe this was all a bad dream and I'd wake up in Kaden's arms tomorrow.
Larkin frowned and studied me closely. She wasn't stupid, and she could feel the tension zinging in the air. There was clearly more going on than I was letting her in on, but she didn't ask. “I want to come with you."
I shook my head. “You need to stay here and help the other packs prepare to face the Sun Witches."
Larkin chewed her lip, and then let out a sigh. “You're annoying when you're right."
I gave her a small smile, wishing that I could give her more. But my whole world was falling apart around me, and I didn't even begin to know what I could do to stop it. "Please take care of everyone here for me."
Larkin launched herself into my arms, and we hugged each other tightly. She knew this was a bad goodbye, even if she didn't have all the facts.
“Hey, it's okay,” I said. “This isn't the end. I'll see you at the Convergence, okay?"
Larkin stepped back and nodded. She opened her mouth to say something else, but the sound of footsteps in the hall cut us both off.
"Ayla!" Kaden yelled, making my blood run cold.
Shit. Whatever he wanted now, it couldn't be good. I zipped up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, then grabbed Jordan's arm again. With my free hand, I raised a hand in farewell to Larkin, praying I would see her again soon.
Then I teleported us away, not knowing where we would possibly be safe.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
When the world shifted and reformed, I realized I'd teleported us to the Ophiuchus pack lands, right in front of Kaden's house. It was the last place Kaden would expect me to go, and also the last place he would check. It was also the place I'd instinctively gone to when I'd reached for safety. For home.
Jordan stepped away from me and held his hands up. “That had better be the last time you teleport me today."
I rolled my eyes and gazed around us. The Ophiuchus pack lands were beautiful, the already idyllic scenery turned into a winter wonderland at this time of year. But then a heavy sadness settled over me. This wasn't my home anymore, no matter how much it felt like that.
I wasn't Ophiuchus pack anymore.
I closed my eyes against the onslaught of memories tied to this place. There were too many of them, all including Kaden. I wouldn't be able to stay here for very long, because I'd just break down. I needed to get out of here before that happened, but I didn't know where we could possibly go that would be safe. From the moment I'd left, I'd marked us as enemies of the Zodiac Wolves—or at least, the ones who followed under Kaden.
I reached down and touched my arm. I'd grown so used to the Ophiuchus pack symbol there. It had been an honor to receive it, especially after I'd grown up unworthy of the Cancer pack mark, and now it was gone. Tears sprung up in my eyes, and I was helpless to hold them back. I drew in a breath, and it sounded like a sob. The emotions welled up, too hard for me to push down any longer. They fought against my restraint and then broke free.
I pressed a hand against my mouth, but it didn't do any good. The sounds leaked through anyway, and the tears kept coming. A panic so intense, I could hardly stand it rose up in me, roaring through me like a fire.
I was packless again. Rejected by the man I loved. I took a staggering step back, needing something to lean against and finding nothing. How could Kaden have made me choose? It was an impossible choice, but I couldn't let Jordan die. Gods, what had I done? Now I had no home, no one to protect me, no one to call pack. And there was nothing I could do to change it.