Chapter 178-2
“Come on. I know this area pretty well. I know a place where we can rest for a few hours.”
After some much-needed sleep and some food, we started out again at night. The area was
growing cold, but that was good for us. It meant most wolves would be sticking close to their winter dens rather than going out exploring, so we traveled in several hours of silence without anyone bothering us.
“Evalina’s questions stirred some memories,” Finn suddenly said. “I still can’t remember Claudine as my mother, but I do remember a mother. Just flitting feelings. A woman holding me. Feeding me. Encouraging my wolf. It’s just that whenever I see Claudine’s face, it’s as my alpha and not as my mother. I have such clear memories of that.”
“Claudine has a slew of witches at her side. She may have used magic to fuck with your memory
before she sent you after me.” I glanced at him. “Did Evalina touch you?”
Finn nodded. “Do you think she removed the magic?”
“Trust me, I know how it feels to be flooded by memories. If she removed the spell, you’d know.” Maybe she manipulated it? Or poked some holes in it? Who knew with Evalina. Of course, she was dead now, so no one would ever know.
“I remember you,” he continued. “I remember you being so small and bullying me to play with you.”
At that, I couldn’t help but smile. “Bullying seems like a strong work.”
“What do you know,” he snorted. “You don’t remember.”
That was true.
“She found me, you know. When I was just a child and looking for you. I couldn’t figure out why I
didn’t remember. What would be the point of wiping my memory before I found you, but it wasn’t
Claudine who did it. It was Evalina. She’s the reason I never found you. She wiped my memory. She
flat out told me.”
My breath hitched. “She must have been looking for me. When Katherine ran to her, Evalina told her
to kill me, so we ran again. Evalina must have been looking for us and found you instead.”
“Do you think she knew of Claudine’s plan?”
I shook my head. “No. Evalina did some shitty things, but I don’t think she would have kept that from us. Claudine probably had a witch wipe memories of her, so when Evalina found you, she
never even knew you had a connection with her. She just knew you were trying to find me. She
wiped your memories and left you there.”
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apter 178-2
“I was ten,” Finn said flatly. “She had to know she was probably leaving me to death.”
“I’m sure she did. Evalina has a coldness inside her that I can’t even fathom. Or rather, had a
coldness inside of her.”
“You’re sorry that she’s dead?”
“Of course I am.” I swept a branch out of my face. “She was the only person who truly knew my
mother.”
We walked in silence for a few minutes longer before he spoke again. “Claudine knew your mother.
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t believe anything she had to say anyway. Do you have a plan?”
“What do you mean?”
“A plan, Finn. You’re trying to kill what is probably the most powerful and well-protected wolf on this mountain. She’s not going to let you waltz up to her and kill her. Not when you still smell of Troy’s bond.”
“I’ll do some recon first. I know how to hide and sneak around, Kiana. I’ve done it for most of my life, and I have no intentions of dying before I kill her.”
Just of perhaps dying in the process. I could tell that Finn no longer cared what happened to him. Only that Claudine died.
“If I were with you, she’d probably let you in.”
“She doesn’t need you,” Finn growled.
“No, but I have a feeling she still wants me. I could get you in.” And then, hopefully when it was done, remind him of all that he had to live for. More than I wanted Claudine dead, I wanted Finn to
be okay. To be with Amelia and find some happiness and peace.
Then, out of nowhere, pain cracked my chest, and I gasped and fell to my knees. “Kiana,” Finn gasped and knelt down next to me. “What’s wrong?”
I couldn’t do anything except grasp my chest. At first, I thought it was witchcraft. There was no
explanation for the pain that was ripping me apart.
Except that no one’s magic could touch me except mine.
Then it ebbed, and I gritted my teeth.
“It’s Troy,” I muttered tightly. “He’s broken through my cloaking. He’s got control of our mating bond
again.”
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