Twisted (Editing)

Chapter 33 and Epilogue Part One

Author's Note:

  🎉 Ten Thousand reads!  🎉   Thank you to all my readers for ten thousand. This is the most readers I've ever gotten on any account. Literally, thank you all. Y'all the best.

By the title, I'm sure that you've guessed that we're at the end of this journey. There will be one more chapter after this, posted tomorrow. 

Thanks to everyone who's commented, starred or read any part of this book. You guys are the best. 

But just because this is the end of the book, don't think it's the end of Imani and Jonah's story. I've already started working on a sequel to book one. 

I want to keep this short and let you guys get to reading. Once again, thanks for all the support, criticism and love that's made my writing better.

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Jonah's POV

When my father's Beta walked in and spoke those words I was a few steps away from wrapping my hands around the man's throat and killing him. He backed away before I could more than step forward, maybe recognizing the look on my face.

"What do you mean they got away!"

His face paled. "Well....."

"Speak!" The words tore through my throat. It was a hoarse roar, a command that could not be ignored. Especially since I was an Alpha.

"The pack soldiers were able to get them into an isolated spot but your mate went almost feral. She almost tore out Agent Cadwell's throat, almost punctured Agent Jacobi's carotid artery and sunk her teeth into Agent Hudley's arm for long enough for one of the twins to knock him over the head. When we got to the scene, there were clear signs of a struggle and all three men were unconscious and in the case of Cadwell, bleeding out."

I sat back down, shocked. Imani took down those soldiers? With her teeth? "Did she shift?"

That seemed to trouble the older man the most. "No, we found trace amounts of Wolfsbane in all of the bite marks. She had wolf canines and probably claws too seeing as Jacobi's face was covered in scratches, but she was still in human form."

I grimaced. What could she have done if she had shifted? "Is she completely feral?"

"We don't think so. She just lost control. She snapped for a moment. We think she realized what she'd done because by the time we got there they were long gone."

My ire came back. Of course, Imani had managed to evade him again. She'd managed to find another trick to pull out of her sleeve, one she didn't even know she could. Thinking of how she got away made me want to snap too. "We have surveillance at every airport in the country correct?"

"False. There are a couple airports still open-" He jumped back as my desk came crashing to his feet. Breathing heavy and seething, I could feel my canines dropping.

"What do you mean false! I ordered that they all be shut down, why weren't they?"

"I couldn't convince all the Werewolf packs to survey their airports. Some say its a waste of time and others say it's your problem."

"Get it done now! Now a moment can be wasted. And this time say if they don't we will forcibly invade their border and take their lands. I have the power to do so, I am the Alpha of the largest pack in America."

"Alpha-"

"Shut up and go!" The Beta scrambled back to the door.

"And after you finish, bring me your son. He's going to take your position as Beta since old age has addled your brain."

The man stood in silence for a moment before speaking softly a flash of hurt on his face. He had served my father diligently for many years--but I was not my father. "Yes, Alpha."

I sat back down, looking at the mess of my office. My hands were shaking as I struggled to control my rage. This wouldn't have been a problem if the packs were unified under a strong leader. A thought popped into my head. I grabbed a piece of my paper and I started writing. It was a mad plan, but it was possible. I could have vengeance for my father and Imani in one move.

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Epilogue: One year later.

My new life was strange but comfortable. After driving in that beat down truck across the country, we landed in New England,

I went to school everyday, private, paid for by my parents with Nia and Iris, who had gotten scholarships. Turns out when their mother allowed them out of the lab, they dominated the basketball courts.

Every day, I took their strong brew of Wolfsbane and every day they put aside time to apply a new cream or elixir onto my mark all in an attempt to get it to heal. The skin lost its puffiness began to fade, but it wouldn't fade completely. It would stand as a permanent reminder of Jonah and what he was to me.

I didn't think that my experience would scar me, but paranoia plagued me after leaving. The feeling that someone was always watching me made me want to fold into myself, the need to look over my shoulder was constant. The first time I came across a husky, my hands went clammy and my blood ran cold. I was frozen in my like a fool, afraid that it would have intelligent eyes that told me it was no dog, but a person.

Day by day, life got more normal. I met new people, made new friends, saw new things. Not everything had changed. I still ran track, I still sang in the choir, I still did well in school, but at night I would stare up at the ceiling long into the early morning, just thinking. Thinking about what I saw in Evansville, what I was and how to move on.

Ezra, Lara, the Luna, the Alpha, I thought about them all. And Jonah.....he was in my mind the most. Not in a loving sort of way, although I hope that's not what it is. You're not supposed to feel for your captor in the way I was afraid I did. It's wrong, it's unhealthy. I closed my eyes as goosebumps peppered my skin. "I don't. I don't feel anything. Not now that I'm free from the hormones. Thank God for it too."

I sighed. "I'm a bad liar."

I thought about seeing someone for it, to help me fix the pieces I was shattered into during my stay in Evansville....but they wouldn't understand. If I talked about werewolves and witches, of a moon goddess and cruel fate, I'll be labeled as a crazy, sent away to a facility where I would never recover, where I would only spiral farther downward. So I closed my mouth and kept my silence.

Day by day, life gets more normal. Day by day, I pick up the pieces and unwind the twists that Evansville left for me.

Slowly, but surely, things get untwisted.