Chapter Seventeen
Nyx
The four of us rush out of the guest house and into the street. Pack members from Blood Moon, Night and New Moon swarm around us as they exit their accommodation too, the guys mind linking them immediately after I heard Alpha Daxton’s urgent order.
We basically lead the pack, my legs sprinting as fast as I can go. Next to me, the guys keep pace, and when the field comes into sight, wolves shift all around us, overtaking.
My feet have no sooner hit the grass when an army of wolves storm through the trees on the other side, a long line of snarling teeth and growls.
Fuck. This is it.
There’s a huge wolf front and centre, its burnt orange and white fur sticking up. It’s much bigger than the other wolves, and I know without a doubt that it’s Orson.
“Don’t shift yet!” Maverick yells to me through mind link.
“What? Why?!” I question urgently. He doesn’t answer me straight away, the sound of ripping clothes ringing in my ears as he shifts, Colt rushing forward in a frenzy.
“Maverick!” I scream, but he’s already on the other side of the field, crashing into Orson.
I stop running about half way along the field, glancing around in panic. People are shifting everywhere, and already in a sea of bodies, I’ve lost the guys.
Both Lex and Cade have shifted too, and it takes me a few seconds to scan the chaos until I find Titus and Odin in the middle of the fight, flinging wolves off their pack members.
Why aren’t I allowed to shift?!
I ask them again, but they are too distracted to answer.
“Mira, we have to do something!”
“I know. Just shift,” she tells me, but I’m still unsure. For the first time in my life, I hesitate at their words, not immediately defying orders even though it usually comes naturally to me.
I don’t know what it is, but something in Maverick’s tone scared me. It felt like a warning, as if there’s a sign of danger I don’t know about. And in this very moment, I finally concede and do as I’m told.
Familiar wolves are brushing past me. I quickly dodge out of the way of two that come barreling toward me, nearly clipping my stationary frame.
Out of my peripheral vision, I see a large frame hurdling itself toward me. My head whips to the side just in time to see razor sharp teeth bared, the wolf leaping off the ground straight at me.
Oh, no.
I close my eyes, waiting for the attack. There’s no time to dodge or shift. Hopefully it’s quick and painless.
A whoosh of air sends my hair dancing around my face. No one tackles me and when I open my eyes to the sound of growling, I’m staring wide eyed at a shifted Knox defending me against the other wolf.
“Look out!” I warn, seeing a second wolf charging at us.
I’m not quick enough though, Isaiah’s wolf lunging for Knox’s throat.
I was right. It was instant and painless. Blood splatters all over my body as Knox falls in a dead heap on the ground in front of me.
There’s another feral growl before Lex’s wolf tackles the two of them.
“Move!” He yells at me before ripping Isaiah’s jugular out.
I rush away, panting as I try to process what the hell just happened.
Knox is dead. Saved me. But that could have been avoided.
I need to figure out why they don’t want me to shift…
There has to be a reason because right now, I’m a sitting duck. At least Mira has a fighting chance if I shift. If a wolf attacks me while I'm like this, I’m as good as dead.
Scanning the crowd, panic starts to overwhelm me. Spit and blood are flying through the air, spraying people as growls, yelps, and screams fill the usually quiet morning field.
And then, I spot it.
Or rather… them.
Standing at the edge of the field, just a few feet away from the trees, a handful of women watch the fight. It’s hard to make out their features, but squinting, it’s obvious they are chanting.
Witches.
Shit.
“That’s why Maverick doesn’t want us to shift,” Mira points out.
“Dark witches,” I answer. “They can’t touch me while I’m human.”
This is what we were afraid of. We assumed Orson had witches under his control, but dark witches? That’s a new low, even for him.
Like all other species, there’s good and evil when it comes to witches. From what I’ve been told, witches who wander to the dark side lose their ability to use powers on other supernatural beings if they are in their most purest form. In our case—human.
The witches must do something, a spell or incantation, because the wolves closest to them suddenly stop, rolling onto the ground with an agonizing howl. Their attackers don’t seem to be affected though, and diving on top, I can only watch in horror as they lunge for their throats.
“No!” I scream to no one in particular. It’s too late though, a burst of blood spouting into the air as someone’s throat is torn out.
My hand flies up to cover my mouth in pure terror, heart racing and pounding painfully as more wolves drop to the ground dead.
I swing my head around violently, trying to figure out what is going on.
The witches don’t appear to be as strong as Lydiana, only able to reach wolves within a certain distance to them.
Probably because of all the supernatural essence in the area.
But judging by the line of dead wolves along the ground, the boundary is clear.
Desperately, I seek out the guys again, panicking when I notice Cade is being dragged by two wolves toward the witches.
“Cade!” I yell, my feet moving again as I run across the field. I dodge wolves as they fly into my path, needing to reach him.
I’m not quick enough, every second playing in slow motion as he is pulled closer to certain death.
“Screw this,” I call to Mira, leaping off the ground as I shift.
Mira jumps over and around wolves, honing in on Cade. I reach him and the other wolves fast, yanking one by the throat and flinging it in the direction of the witches.
As soon as he’s out of the way, Cade is able to get the upper hand, killing the other wolf in one quick strike.
“Nyx!” Cade scolds. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Me?!” I shout back. “I just saved you.”
Our conversation is cut short as more wolves burst out of the woods, charging at us. Cade and I go flying backwards at the same time as they crash into us, a shriek coming from Mira from being caught by surprise.
One wolf. Two. Three. Four.
I start to lose count, flinging dead rogues and Seventh Circle members. Everyone else is doing the same but I realize with a sickening dread that their numbers aren’t getting any smaller.
More enemies keep breaking through the boundary, refilling their army count.
“Red, you need to get out of here,” Lex suddenly says through the mind link. “Run!”
“I’m not leaving you,” I reply, regretting the whimper that comes as someone bites my thigh.
Maverick’s heavy, panting voice comes through next. “They are after you. The hunters.”
“What are you talking about?” I manage to shoot back, launching head first into a wolf that’s got Beau in a bad position.
“The witches are talking between spells. More packs are coming. Orson promised you as a reward for their service.”
I halt, paws sliding along the field that’s wet with blood. “What?”
“Leave!” Maverick orders.
I can’t though. All around me people are dying. People I love, family I grew up with. One by one, they are going down, maybe even faster than the rate of Orson’s pack.
I won’t let them fight alone. I’d rather die than run and hide.
When I don’t reply, I hear the flurry of demands and curses from the guys. Ignoring them, I keep fighting.
Just one wolf at a time.
Someone knocks me to the ground, my body colliding with Beta Alix as we both quickly scramble back to our feet.
This is what we trained for, yet it doesn’t seem enough. What the hell do we do?
How the hell do I make that stupid light thing activate? Maybe I can figure it out and take them all at the same time.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying everything possible to do, well, something.
Nothing happens, and I have no choice but to keep fighting.
We need to take the witches out. Or somehow stop more wolves from coming in.
I spot new bodies flying through the woods and my heart stops in fear. There’s a lot of them, maybe even enough to hurt us for good.
As the wolves break free from the depths of the trees, I narrow my eyes on the newcomers. They look familiar.
“Wyatt is here,” Lex says, as if reading my thoughts.
“Kingston too,” Maverick adds.
Shock floods me, and I turn, noting some of the darker colored wolves within the group.
Allies.
A new wave of hope pushes me, my body slamming and charging into wolves. I try not to let the sickening thoughts overwhelm me as I step over bodies, recognizing some like Destine and Mrs. Lyon.
My librarian…
Anger this time, the new feeling taking me by storm as I turn and this time, start galloping straight for the witches.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Maverick shouts. “Nyx, stop!”
He’s not fast enough though. I’m too quick, breaching the magical border line as I launch through the air and grab the arm of one in my jaw.
I chomp down mercilessly, the witch screaming in pain as her nearby friends scatter and fall over to get out of the way. They quickly recover, rushing to their feet as they start chanting in my direction.
A loud ringing pierces my ears, Mira growling angrily as we both try to push through the pain.
“Red!” Someone shouts, and out of the corner of my eye, I spot Lex charging toward me. He crashes into the witches, causing more havoc as they hit the ground.
The screeching noise stops temporarily and before I can get back to my feet, I see someone in the treelines.
Or rather… persons.
Lydiana and Marie emerge, hands joined as they mutter something. Lydiana gives me a nod, signaling for me to keep going, and I jump up. Lex and I turn our attention to the witches, taking them all out in a matter of seconds while whatever Lydiana and Marie do seems to stop their dark magic.
When they are all dead, I head back to the center of the fight, bumping bodies with Alpha Wyatt as I search for my next target.
Shit.
Even without the witches, there are still too many wolves.
People are dying every second, screams of horror, agony and pain crushing me. My paws are drenched in spilled blood, and in my panic, I look around for my mates, a feeling of dread suddenly making me feel sick.
Lex is still by the dead witches, attempting to weaken the outer ring of attackers. Scanning the crowd I then find Cade, pulling wolves off of Sawyer.
I can’t find Maverick.
Where is he?!
I keep scanning, searching, and finally I spot his large wolf on the ground, buried under two other wolves—Orson and another Seventh Circle pack member.
He’s alive, but greatly outnumbered and overpowered, the two of them ripping at him viciously.
I try to see a clear path, to figure out a way to get to him but there’s too many wolves.
Maverick…
No, I can’t lose him.
I have to do something.
Ophelia’s journal entries pop back into my head, her talk about sacrifice and restoring balance.
Right now, the cosmic wheel is firmly weighed down in the realm of evil. How do you restore the balance when the scales are tipped completely in one direction?
The ultimate sacrifice…
Her words ring in my head, resonating powerfully as it becomes clear what I need to do.
Turning, I sprint toward the edge of the field, barging people out of the way as I search for what I’m looking for. Anything I can use.
Finally, I see something. It’s my only option, and horribly, I admit there’s a moment of fear. Not for me though—for my mates. Knowing the pain I’m about to cause, the agony I will create.
But I have no choice.
This is for the greater good. To save these people from death.
It’s the only way…
“Mira,” I start, my own heart breaking as I shift back.
“Nyx, no.”
“I’m sorry. You need to go. Now.”
“I’m staying with you. Don’t do this.”
Scooping down to pick it up, I hold back the tears while ignoring Mira’s pleas to stop.
“I release you, Mira,” I say out loud, a pain ripping through my chest as our souls are cut in two. “I’m sorry.”
The words break, my voice shaking as I feel our connection rip and shatter.
They always said the worst thing to go through is to have your mate reject you or die. And the second is to lose your wolf.
But it’s the only way. The only way I can save her soul since I can’t save mine.
Lifting the long, jagged rock in my hands, I scan the crowd of wolves one final time, the howls and cries only fueling my decision.
Then, without hesitation, I plunge the sharp pointy edge straight through my chest and into my heart.