Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future novel Chapter 122

Katherine’s POV

 

The estate is unusually quiet when I get home from work. I don’t notice the usual hustle and bustle, but I chalk it up to coming home later than I normally do.

 

I push open the door to my darkened office, pour myself a glass of scotch, and make my way over to the desk. I turn on the desk lamp and sit down, taking a deep sip of my drink.

 

“Hello, Iokaste,” I lean back in my chair, addressing the woman in the tall wingback seat across the desk, “You look like shit.”

 

“Hello, Katherine. Thank you for the compliment,” she snarks at me and leans forward from the shadow, letting me see her pale skin and sunken eyes be more clearly. Her spindly hand supports her chin. The longer I look at her, the more I realize she is way too thin.

 

“K-Kas. Are-are you alright?” I stammer when I see her true condition.

 

“Don’t worry about me, darling. You never have before. I'm here because I need you to do something for me. I'm going to give you a choice on how you do it,” she says, steepling her fingers in front of her face.

 

I laugh dismissively, “You're going to tell me what to do? Darling, not in this lifetime.”

 

“Well then, your precious Maven, Amari's Giatros, and Tessa’s Fuoros will stay with me until the end of their lifetimes,” she counts on her fingers casually.

 

“What are you talking about?” I stand up and try to mind link my sisters.

 

“No one’s here, Katherine,” Iokaste’s voice rings back in my mind, “They came willingly when I asked.”

 

“You're a fucking liar. The Maven won't go any where with you,” Islam my hand on the table at her falsehoods.

 

Iokaste leans her head back against the chair and cackles dryly at me, “You're supposed to be so damn smart. You're just as conceited and foolish as the next person, Katherine.”

 

She stands slowly, supporting herself against the arm of the chair.

 

“You're already-” my eyes grow wide.

“Prepared to force my will on you if you don’t comply with my request? Why, yes. Yes, I am,” she interrupts, “So which do you choose, Katherine? Compliance or force?”

 

Inod my head as I look at her in disbelief, “Kas, please let me help you. Whatever got you to this point, I can help you.”

 

“Too little, too late, Katherine. Sit,” she commands, rolling her eyes and swiping her fingers downward. I’m compelled to obey as she uses manipulation combined with telekinesis.

 

“Perhaps you didn’t understand me the first time,” she leans forward on my desk and tilts her head while she tells me what she wants from me as gently as if she is telling a bedtime story. I feel goosebumps at how calm she is.

 

“I- How can I agree with that?” I grow] at her when she stands up straight.

 

“Why? Do you suddenly give a shit about anyone but yourself? Are you going to deny that you haven’t done it before? Do I need to compel you?” she shrugs, “Like I said, it’s your choice, Katherine.”

 

“Fine, but you can’t have my Maven, Iokaste. They’re mine,” I cross my arms in front of me, “When do you want me to leave?”

 

“How about...now?” her cold eyes look into my soul as she claps her hands in front of her.

 

I feel a dizzying sensation and appear in the middle of a windy, snow-covered field. The moon is low in the clear dark sky. In the distance, I can see glowing red eyes looking at me from the tree line.

 

I sigh heavily, take off my high heels, and remove my suit, “Seraph, time to shift.”

 

“You're going to do what she wants?”

“Stupid wolf, I’m not listening to that degenerate. I'm going to talk sense into the Agrios,” I snap.

 

“Do you think that’s wise, Katherine? There’s a reason Agrios means feral.”

“Shift, Seraph,” I order. My bones crack and elongate and fur sprouts from my skin as we take wolf form. We pad our way to the tree line toward the wolves guarding of their territory.