Chapter Twelve
You don’t have to find your strength. You just have to remember it.
Brielle could still hear the echo of Landon’s words.
Ursula had taken pity on them, removing whatever was left of their attempt to break through Fated Ink’s wards.
They were resting, sprawled across the outdoor couches and blankets like overgrown cats, regaining their strength and waiting.
Hunter and Lennox stood with her, their presence steady and grounding.
Liam, Nolan, Jacob, and Isaac had joined them, too—armed, alert, and ready for anything that came through those wards.
The rooftop was alive with quiet energy. Magic hummed through the air, blending with the low growl of shifter power. The scent of salt, ink, and adrenaline lingered around them. Brielle paced, rubbing her arms against the chill, trying to make sense of everything.
“You’re serious?” she asked, turning toward Ursula, Willow, and Saffie. “You think I’m a lioness? Me? I’m not a shifter. I don’t even like cats.”
Hunter’s mouth twitched, his tone low and teasing. “You hiss like one.”
She shot him a glare, but it didn’t stick. Her pulse was hammering too fast for humor. “You think this is what the Goddess meant? That my strength is an animal?”
Ursula’s gaze softened. “Think about it, B. The Goddess said to find the strength within. What if that strength isn’t just your magic—it’s your animal spirit trying to break free?”
Saffie nodded. “She called you the bridge between two worlds. Witch and shifter. It makes perfect sense.”
Lennox moved closer, folding his arms. “Then let’s stop overthinking and do what we do best—figure it out together.”
Willow added, “If the Goddess chose this path, the only thing left is to bring it forward. So, how do we do that?”
Ursula looked at Brielle, her voice calm but firm. “We hold the circle.”
Hunter frowned. “And we just ... stand here and watch?”
“Not exactly,” Ursula said, her eyes narrowing at him. “You’ll guard the circle. The rest of you,” she motioned to the men gathered, ”form the outer line. No one crosses it but us. If Caleb tries again, you meet him before he gets within striking distance.”
Jacob gripped the handle of the broadsword he swung with deadly ease, the sound cutting through the quiet. “Copy that.”
Isaac nodded, his voice low. “If he shows, he won’t reach her. He won’t reach any of you.”
Brielle felt the weight of all of them—their strength, their faith—and her fear started to settle into determination. “All right,” she said. “Let’s do this.”
The rooftop lights dimmed as if sensing the shift. The moonlight brightened, washing them all in silver. The witches moved into position, forming a circle around Brielle. Hunter and Lennox stood close behind her, the faint rumble of their growls vibrating through her spine.
Saffie spoke first, her voice low but steady. “The four of us—each one represents direction and time. Dawn and East for me. Dusk and West for Willow. Noon and South for Ursula. Midnight and North for you, Brielle. You’re the balance point between the world of light and shadow.”
Brielle swallowed hard. “So, no pressure.”
Hunter murmured behind her, “You’ve got this, sweetheart.”
Lennox brushed his hand against her shoulder, quiet but sure. “We’re right here.”
Saffie faced the horizon, her voice rising with purpose. “I call upon the East, the Dawn, and the promise of renewal. Goddess of balance, bring forth the hidden. Let her heart awaken.”
Willow turned to the west, her words carrying warmth and twilight. “I call upon the West, the Dusk, where endings make way for beginnings. Power bound by time and blood, reveal your truth.”
Ursula lifted her gaze to the southern sky, her voice deep and commanding. “I call upon the South, the noonday blaze, the fire that tempers and strengthens. Strength within, rise from shadow. Let the lioness wake.”
The energy between them surged, the air thickening with magic. Brielle’s skin prickled as golden sparks began to crawl along her arms.
Hunter and Lennox watched in tense silence.
The air shimmered, vibrating like the moment before lightning struck.
Liam, Nolan, Jacob, and Isaac fanned out, weapons and claws ready, forming a living wall around the circle.
From the lower terrace came the soft shuffle of movement—Landon, Braydon, and Colt, still pale but standing, climbed the stairs and joined them, positioning themselves shoulder to shoulder with the others.
Even weakened, the lions’ presence added another layer of power to the air, their golden eyes catching the light as they took up guard without a word.
Brielle raised her arms, her voice trembling but sure. “I call to the fire in my soul, to the storm beneath my skin. Show me who I am. Show me what I was meant to be!”
The rooftop exploded with light.
Wind whipped through their hair. The wards flared gold and crimson, spiraling upward like living flame. Brielle’s knees hit the ground as a roar ripped from her throat—deep, primal, and utterly feral. Hunter dropped beside her instantly, his hand finding hers, even as the sound shook the city.
The circle of witches held fast, their magic anchoring her while Hunter’s and Lennox’s growls joined hers, harmonizing with her power. Her vision blurred—city skyline fading into endless savannah. A lioness stared back at her through the haze, eyes glowing gold.
I am you, the creature whispered, fierce and steady. And you are me.
Brielle reached out, her voice breaking. “Then let’s finish this. Together.”
The lioness lunged—and merged with her in a burst of golden light.
Brielle screamed as the power tore through her body, her skin glowing with molten fire.
Her bones reshaped, muscles rippling and reforming as light poured from every inch of her.
The sound of fabric tearing split the air, followed by a crack like thunder as her human form gave way to something vast and wild.
A massive lioness now stood where she had fallen, her coat shimmering with threads of gold, her mane-like curls gleaming white-hot in the moonlight.
Her eyes glowed like twin suns, sharp and untamed, and her growl rolled across the rooftop like an earthquake.
For a moment, everyone froze—awed and terrified by the sheer power that radiated from her.
Hunter’s breath caught, awe in his gaze. “She’s magnificent.”
Lennox whispered, “You are stunning, our mate.”
Before Brielle could answer, the air shifted. The wards cracked, the light around them turning red. Saffie spun toward the edge of the roof, shouting, “They’re here!”
Caleb and the remaining Council stepped from the mist, black demons pouring in behind them like smoke given teeth. Liam and Nolan moved first, shifting partially, claws gleaming. Isaac and Jacob swung their swords, their light cutting through the dark.
“Ah,” Caleb purred, voice dripping with malice. “There you are, little lioness.”
Brielle’s magic pulsed through her veins, golden fire licking her fingers.
The lioness within her urged her forward, but Brielle knew her human self had work to do.
She took a trembling breath and forced the shift back, light cracking across her skin as her form reshaped.
When the glow dimmed, she was kneeling—bare, sweat-slick, her golden eyes still alight with power.
She lifted her chin, meeting Caleb’s dark gaze with calm fury. “You shouldn’t have come.”
He smiled. “On the contrary. I’ve come to claim what’s mine.” The Druid Stone lifted from the altar, drawn to his hand. Brielle threw a blast of energy, colliding with it midair. Sparks flew—creation against corruption.
“Hold the circle!” Ursula shouted, reinforcing the wards. Willow flung light bolts at the demons, and Saffie’s magic carved glowing sigils in the air, sealing breaches faster than they opened.
Brielle’s lioness roared inside her. Fight.
She let go. Golden flames erupted around her, slamming into the nearest demons and turning them to ash. Hunter and Lennox moved with her, shifting partially, their growls vibrating with the same wild rhythm as her magic.
Caleb sneered. “You can’t stop me. You were born to feed me.”
Saffie’s voice cut through the chaos. “Brielle! Can you sense them—your mates?”
Her heart jumped. She reached deep, past the fear and the power, and then it happened. The bond snapped into place like a lightning strike. Hunter and Lennox staggered, both dropping to their knees as the magic surged through them.
Brielle gasped, her body shaking. “Yes,” she whispered. “I can feel them.”
Saffie’s voice came fierce and clear. “Then you know what you have to do. You’ve got ten minutes before midnight. Let them claim you—and then we finish this.”
Caleb’s laughter rose, dark and cruel. “By all means, little lioness. Show me what destiny has left you.”
Brielle turned, fire blazing in her eyes, as Hunter and Lennox rose beside her—her mates, her anchors. “You want to see destiny?” she said, her voice fierce and certain. “Then watch us end yours.”
The moon reached its zenith. The countdown had begun.
****
The moment the bond snapped into place, Hunter felt it burn through his veins—raw, consuming, and undeniable. The rooftop was chaos around them, but all he could see was her. Brielle. His mate. Their mate.
The lioness’s echo still shimmered in her golden eyes as she turned to them, breathless but steady. “We need a shield,” she said quickly, her voice low and deliberate. “No one can see this.”
Lennox blinked, confusion cutting through the haze of battle. “See what?”
Brielle’s eyes flared with magic. “The claiming.” She raised her hands, whispering a string of words that made the air hum. Power rippled outward, cloaking them in shimmering light. To anyone else on the roof, they vanished—hidden behind an illusion of flame and smoke.
Hunter felt his pulse hammer in his throat. “You sure about this, sweetheart?”