38. A Battle of Wills
CHAPTER 38
A Battle of Wills
ALIA the strongest of them all, yet the one who calmed a babe with a simple hug. She knew what others needed because of her Gift, and it was testament to her character that she never even thought of using their needs against them.
In my world, such a Gift would be coveted for the havoc and control it offered. She could manipulate even the strongest souls into giving her whatever the bane she wanted. Because who would not give their souls to have someone meet the needs even they could not see? Or she could make a life a miserable existence by denying their every need.
Instead, she met all creatures where they were. From the smallest lizard to the dragon queen, she met them in their needs and gave of herself until their needs were met.
I had vowed to look after this selfless creature. But now I was sent to kill her.
The Command wrapped around the part of my soul bound to my pack. That essence of myself was fraying, being strangled beneath the Alpha’s weight. I only knew one way through this—and it would cost me my wolf.
“You are never stuck. And there is always another path. You must find it,” my heart, my soul, and my very breath whispered into my ear. If not for her sitting here before me, I would cut my throat and be done with this miserable existence.
No, you won ’ t. We’ll make it through this, my wolf bit out, his whine echoing in my voice. I hoped Red had not hear the pitiful sound, but her arms tightened around me in confirmation that she had.
If only she had run. I would have stopped this. I would have turned my wolf on another being, wrapping myself in the soothing pain of another until I could end it all.
And yet, her scent wrapped around me with all the essence of sunshine warming a cold soul, a gentle ray of life and freedom that sought to provide growth and sustenance.
The Command forced my hand close to her ribs, where I knew the knife I held was angled to pierce her heart. I fought it, putting my other hand on my wrist to keep the blade locked in place, but it did not work. The blade inched closer and pierced through the tunic she wore. Red stained the white fabric as her skin slowly gave beneath it. Her sharp intake of breath was the only pain she allowed to show. But she did not move.
A tear dropped from my eye, tickling the hair sprouting on my face as it fell from my nose. I hurt her.
My chest would not inflate. The knowledge of my mate perishing under my hand caused an anvil to press against my ribs.
Muscle and sinew parted like warm butter; my sharp blade had been designed for this specific task. Never for her, though.
“I trust you,” Alia whispered, her voice low and filled with warmth.
And in those three words, I heard another three words.
A guttural roar ripped from my lips. Help me, I cried out to Lycus.
He howled, his voice rippling with fury and love as he sent his life force into me. Dangerous, but effective. Dangerous because, should I lose this battle, we will be fused and become rogue. But effective because with our combined strength, we shoved against the Command, giving us the hint of willpower needed to save my mate’s life.
The blade eased from her ribs. It shook in my hands at the strain of the war in my soul.
Fenbutt slid into the tent, his nose twitching. He came over to me and bowed, his eyes alight with humor and something ageless I could not name.
Alpha, said his voice in my mind.
Luna, said his voice to my mate.
She jerked as if stung.
Were it any other situation, I would have laughed. She stays still when being stabbed but jumps at a voice in her mind?
Another being walked through the tent door. She was as mighty as a destrier and as stunning as the sunrise. It was a timeless beauty, a wonder which could never be contained in any form upon this planet. And yet, here she was.
The dragon bowed her head and bent a knee, her graceful neck curving in a way I had never seen such a creature submit. It was wrong; and yet, it was right. My little luna had proven herself worthy of a dragon’s love and a werewolf’s loyalty.
A werewolf howled from outside the tent. Fen, Doc, his mate Madame Vika, Daisy, and other young and elderly werewolves I knew from my castoff pack entered the tent. They each bowed their heads to us.
“ Alpha. Luna,” they said. Despite the pain, it warmed a frozen portion of my soul how they accepted Alia as my mate. Even though she was human, she was my Luna and Queen.
“We cannot overcome Command, but we can choose to follow the Alpha and Luna of our hearts,” Fen said, staring into my eyes with stark honesty as those behind him bowed to us. “Together, brother, we win or we die.”
My eyes were wide with shock. What were they doing? They would die if they tied their life forces to me and I was unable to break the Command.
“Ye took us in when we had nowhere else to go. We may be weak of bodies, but our spirits are strong. We stand with ye, sir,” said Daisy, the daughter of my old nursemaid who was cast out from the pack after years of service. Tears were in her eyes. “Don’t let my mama’s sacrifice be in vain.” Her eyes flashed with her wolf.
Should you fail to procure the heart of mine enemy, do not return.
The ultimate words of the Command wrestled control of my hands before my mind had time to fight. The blade sunk between my ribs?—
I was thrown back, the blade wrestled from my side by two dainty hands which should never have been strong enough to take me. Alia pressed her thumbs against the underside of my wrist with stinging effectiveness and my hand spasmed open. She grabbed the blade and took it from my ribs in one smooth motion.
“Fight it, my love,” she said, her voice a low, fevered growl as her eyes glowed with a mixture of tears and intensity. “Fight it for all of us. For your pack.”
I put my head in my hands and growled. It echoed from my chest, scorched the inside of my soul, and erupted from my lips in a promise. I was Alpha to a pack now. And that meant my allegiance to my previous pack was no longer required.
Did you… I did not even know how to ask if Lycus had called them.
It wasn ’ t me, he answered, pride in his voice.
Ahhh. But how did Alia… I could contemplate this later. For now, Alia had found me a loophole. It was time to become Alpha.
I accepted the links from the other werewolves. From Ran, Fenbutt, Fen, and the others who were here offering their strength to cut the bond so they could follow a new Alpha.
A shiver rose from the depths of my mind. Lycus howled in my brain as the combined might of a dragon, a pup, and many werewolves struck the Command at the source. It bent under the pressure and then it snapped, rebounding and coming for my soul to sever me from Lycus. To make me go rogue.
The werewolves were there. My pack was there. Shielding me, they whimpered in agony as the pain of the severance spread across all those in my pack. Tears welled in my eyes as those who were cast from my mother’s pack took the pain meant for me. I bowed my head, humbled beyond measure by their sacrifices.
A wave of pressure caused my sight to go black and I wavered before it eased and then disappeared.
And it was in that moment, I realized—Lycus was with me. The Command had snapped. I was free.