Chapter Twenty-Two
Dagen ducked, barely avoiding the vicious swipe of claws aimed at his neck. Shit, that was too close. The flare of fire following on the heels of Onyx’s screamed words had distracted him. It had almost cost him.
He needed to keep his head in the fight. Not easy with his attention splintered. She was alive. The impossible had happened. Onyx had come back from a mortal wound, but they weren’t out of this yet and couldn’t count on a second miracle. He’d never had trouble concentrating during a fight before, but it had only been his life on the line. For the first time, he had something to lose. All it would take was a lucky hit. He might be immortal, but he needed his head attached to his body to survive.
Worse, if he died, she’d be alone.
Not happening. Emitting a low growl, he circled his opponent, searching for an opening. He wasn’t the only distracted fighter. Charles’s gaze darted toward Solange and then back to Dagen.
The other wolf snarled, exposing a mouthful of sharp fangs. His opponent was an excellent fighter and faster than most alphas. They’d both landed blows—claws ripping flesh and fur. Several had been deep. Dagen’s injuries had healed almost instantly. Then again, so had Charles’s, likely a gift from his mage lover.
Focus! The faster he dealt with this threat, the quicker he could help Onyx. Like a switch being flipped, a familiar calm descended on him.
The telltale quiver in his opponent’s hindquarters warned him he was about to lunge. Flattening himself on the floor, Dagen rolled, shifting back to human as he did so. Coming up onto his knees, he was ready when Charles spun around to face him. Throwing every ounce of power behind it, he slammed his fist through the wolf’s chest. Skin split and bone splintered beneath the force of the blow.
Razor-sharp claws raked his torso. Lethal fangs clamped down on his wrist in an attempt to rip his hand from his arm.
“Charles!” Something slammed into his back like hot coals flaying his skin.
Gritting his teeth against the excruciating pain, Dagen squeezed his fingers around the heart. He had to end this before his enemy had a chance to heal. He drove his claws into the wolf’s neck. When the powerful jaws lessened their grip, he roared and yanked with every ounce of strength he had. He fell to the floor, sprawling on his back, the warm heart clenched in his hand. Sweat rolled down his temple and gleamed on his skin.
“No!” Screaming like a banshee, Solange raced toward him, palms facing him. “Immortality, I steal from thee. Blood to blood, it belongs to me.”
Something wrenched in his chest, as if it were trying to escape. His wolf howled inside him. He tried to push to his feet but was too weak. What the hell? Solange was draining the life from him. His skin sizzled and burned, as if she were actually touching him. He hissed in pain.
Onyx slammed into the mage, shoving her aside and breaking the connection between them. Hand pressed to his chest, Dagen gasped for breath.
An avenging angel, Onyx stood in front of him in her tattered dress, her hair straggling around her face, her chest heaving from exertion. “Immortality stolen. Immortality lost. Darkness embraced. Lines have been crossed. Blood and death await both of you. Time is up, the debt is due. Your lives you’ve lived with greed and hate. Now your lives belong to fate.” Her every word radiated authority.
Darkness and light collided, shaking the entire building. Several of the metal wall panels crashed to the floor. Solange’s face was a mask of fury as she fought for her life. “I’ll kill you both. Then I’ll go after the other lone wolves. You can’t stop me.”
Onyx’s feet slid on the blood-slick floor, driven back by the force of Solange’s unnatural magic. Grunting as his wounds began the painful healing process, he stood behind Onyx and wrapped his thick arms around her, anchoring her in place. “Take what you need.” If it took every last ounce of the essence of the lone wolf to defeat the mage, it would be worth it.
He was Dagen Kern, lone wolf. Protecting the species was his duty, even if it meant his death. The white and gray wolves would survive to carry on the legacy. It would likely kill both him and Onyx in the process, but it was what needed to be done.
Taking a deep breath, he reached for the blood connection. He’d done it several times when searching for Onyx in the past, but never like this. There were no walls, no defenses, nothing between them. The mating bond snapped into place, strengthening their link, forever tying them together.
The black power bombarded the light, slamming unceasingly into it in waves. It flickered and held strong, but for how long?
“It was always meant to be the two of us,” he murmured in her ear. “My power and yours—ours.” Their connection was what made them stronger, the whole of it greater than the sum of the parts. He’d fought it, railed against it, even told her outright that it made no difference, that he’d use her to achieve his goal. Now it was the only thing that might save them. “Take it. Use it. End this.” He kissed the top of her head. “Live or die, we do it together.” This was his destiny. She was his destiny.
The tug was so subtle he almost didn’t feel it at first. With precision, she wove their essences together, lone wolf and mage. Unlike Solange, her magic was radiant and ethereal, but it packed no less a punch. The light began to change, strands of black intertwining with the gold, but unlike Solange’s magic this black glittered as if lit from within.
“I am him and he is me. Love and hearts entwined. Blood to blood, the two are one, forever is the bind. Light and dark, to both I call. End this now, once and for all.” The truth of her words settled over him. His arms tightened around her as her legs gave way. He’d not let her fall. Not while there was breath in his body. The heat was enormous, like walking into an active volcano. Sweat covered his skin. Energy sizzled and crackled in the air. Strain and fatigue had every muscle in his body quivering.
Boom!
The explosion rocked the building, catapulting them into the air. He hit the wall hard before slamming to the ground and rolling so he was covering Onyx. Several large pieces of debris smashed into him. Grunting, he bore the abuse and pain to protect her. Then it was over, the silence deafening.
“Onyx?” Every cell in his body ached. Solange had literally tried to tear the life force from his body. That was likely nothing compared to the magical backlash Onyx had experienced. “Talk to me. Are you hurt?”
She stirred beneath him. “Where’s Solange?” Struggling, she pushed herself up onto her forearms and viewed the devastation. “Oh my God,” she whispered as she cast her gaze around before meeting his. Every wall had been blown outward, and they were staring at a clear blue sky. “Is it finally over?”
The battle with Solange and Charles was done, but he wasn’t ready to start celebrating yet. He’d mated her without her permission. There was no telling how she’d feel about that once the shock wore off. He’d done too good a job convincing her he didn’t want their blood connection, that he’d viewed it as something to be used to defeat their enemies before ridding himself of it. Would she believe his vow of love or view it as manipulation, words spoken in the heat of the moment to gain her assistance and nothing more?
His head snapped around, and he swallowed the curses that wanted to erupt. With a growl, he leaped to stand in front of her. “We’ve got company.”
…
God, what now?
Had Solange somehow managed to survive? Onyx wasn’t sure she had anything left inside her to fight. Pain split her head as though she’d been hit with a sledgehammer. The backlash from the destruction of Solange’s dark magic had her stomach churning and every muscle in her body quivering. Would this never be over?
She waved a hand in front of her face as dust settled around her. The stately stone mansion that had stood for more than a century was nothing more than a pile of rubble. Every cell in her body protesting, she staggered to her feet and gathered her energy reserves.
Devlin Moore and Kade Alvarez—the white and gray wolves—stood at the edge of the lawn. She blinked, not quite trusting her senses, but they were distinctive men who would stand out in any crowd. On their own, they were unmistakable. Devlin’s hands were on his hips, his white eyes taking in everything around him. Kade shook his head. “Blowing up buildings seems to be a trend.”
“What are you doing here?” Dagen demanded.
She placed her hand against the base of his spine to let him know where she was, not that there was any doubt. She’d stand beside him against anyone, whether he wanted her there or not. Of course, now that Solange and Charles were gone, he didn’t need her anymore. They’d been united in a common goal but emerged victorious. There was no need for them to stay together, except for the fact she loved him.
Yes, he’d mated her, but she couldn’t read too much into that. It had likely been no more than a last-ditch effort to save her. He felt responsible for her. He’d also needed her skills as a mage. Swallowing her doubts, she took a deep breath. She had to get through this meeting first. One problem at a time.
“That’s the thanks we get.” Kade rubbed his hand over his jaw. “We’ve been keeping tabs on Charles Armstrong. When we got your message, we followed him. But he bolted from the city. We had to keep back a ways to avoid being detected. We couldn’t get into the estate. There was some force keeping us out.”
“Is she dead?” Devlin asked. The white wolf raked his fingers through his hair, practically vibrating with impatience.
“Let’s find out.” Onyx wouldn’t rest until she had undeniable confirmation. She sensed no threat from the other wolves but was glad to have Dagen with her. These men made no secret of their distrust. Ignoring them, she closed her eyes and sought the blood link to Solange. It was faint, but there. “Over here.” Leading the way, she wove through the debris until she reached her destination.
Solange’s broken body was sprawled across a piece of the altar that had been blasted in half. Onyx waited to feel something—regret, remorse, closure, or satisfaction. There was nothing.
“This isn’t finished.” She flinched at Dagen’s reminder, but he was right. When he reached for the body, she stopped him.
“No, let me.” She didn’t trust the dark mage not to have left one final surprise. This was the woman who’d given birth to her. She’d brutally experimented on and imprisoned her, and in the end, tried to kill her. Worse, she’d tried to use Onyx to hurt the man she’d come to love.
Closing her eyes, she thought of Annalisa and her wolf, praying they were reunited in death. The journal had given her hope. The spells within had shown her the way. There was power in that connection. That’s the one she’d remember, not the one she shared with Solange.
“Light of lights, I call to me. Protect me in my task. Souls must rest. Darkness released. This is what I ask.” The light gathered around her, spinning up within her. Opening her eyes, she spread her hands over the body. The golden glow dropped like a shroud, covering the remains. Raising her palms, she sent the magic spinning over the entire estate, purifying it. The land shouldn’t have to pay for what had been done on it. The earth needed to heal.
A feminine energy wrapped around her in a brief hug before dissipating. Annalisa! Onyx recognized it from the journal. With a sigh, the energy vanished. The glow dissipated. Solange’s body was gone.
“It’s over.” When she swayed, Dagen’s arm wrapped around her, strong and steady. The other two wolves watched her—Devlin with suspicion, Kade with curiosity. “What about Charles?” Without a heart, a normal wolf’s body would quickly disintegrate, but she didn’t want to leave any threads.
“Whatever you did, it took him, too.” Dagen canted his head toward another area of the rubble. “He was over there.” He touched his hand to her cheek. Then his jaw hardened and he faced the other lone wolves. “Onyx. Is. Mine.”
A thrill went through her at his possessive claim. The mating mark on her neck began to tingle. So did her chest. Wait. What? She placed her hand over the torn material, grateful her necklaces filled the area. The last thing she wanted to do was accidentally flash the other men.
“There’s no mistaking your claim.” Kade canted his head toward her. “The mark on her neck is a dead giveaway. Congratulations.”
Dagen grunted. “And you?” he asked Devlin.
“I’ve recently learned that being a lone wolf doesn’t mean having to be alone.” The hard glint in his white eyes softened. “You have no idea how difficult it was to convince my mate not to come. I told her we were going to stake out the place. That nothing would happen during the day.” One corner of his mouth twitched. “She’s not going to be happy.”
Onyx wanted to meet the woman who held the heart of the white wolf.
As if he’d read her thoughts, he pinned her with his gaze. “Zoe wants to meet you.” He glanced at Kade. “She learned you helped Kade and Luna.”
Rather than respond to the friendly overture, Dagen changed the subject. “Charles’s network needs to be dismantled.” Her wolf wasn’t ready to trust them yet, but he also wasn’t wrong.
“Stubborn bastard,” Kade muttered. “That sounds like a job for the broker.”
In that he was right. Dagen had the contacts and skills necessary. “We need to make sure there are no records, journals, or spell books. Anything that contains any mention of the lone wolves needs to be destroyed.” That’s something she could help with. “It’s too dangerous. There are other mages out there who might want to follow in Solange’s footsteps.”
“Someone like you?” Devlin asked.
Dagen growled, his eyes flashing. She rested her hand on his arm. “Fair question considering my heritage, but if I’d wanted to, I could have already taken your immortality.”
All the pieces had come together while she’d fought Solange. It was as clear as if Annalisa had whispered it in her ear.
“I’m no threat to you. Dagen is mine. But if you ever betray him, I’ll protect him with all that I am.” Whatever happened with her and Dagen’s relationship, the blood vow she’d made remained. She’d always protect the black wolf.
“I don’t think you need to worry about stealing anything.” With those cryptic words, the white wolf turned to leave. “I’m out of here since I’m not needed.”
She pinched Dagen’s side and jerked her head toward the departing wolf. There was no need for any of these stubborn wolves to go it alone. The time had come to change how they operated. She didn’t want to be a wedge between them. Distrust would fester and grow if they didn’t come to some understanding.
He grunted and sighed, glaring at her before calling out to the other wolf. “Devlin.” The white wolf stopped, turned around, and raised a brow in question. “I could use some help with Charles’s empire. He’s built an army of wolves. There are likely some young and stupid enough to think they can take over his operation.” He nodded toward Kade. “You, too.”
Kade rubbed his hands together. “Sounds like fun. When do we start?”
“Tomorrow. I have other things that need to be handled first.”
As much as she wanted time alone with him, he was right. There’d be major fallout from today. It would take massive coordination to handle all of it. She could help ease the way, if he’d allow her. They might be mates, but did that partnership extend to his business?
“Call if you need us.” Surprisingly, it was Devlin who made the offer. “As long as you’re not a threat to Zoe, you’ll have no problem with me.” As an olive branch, it was a huge one.
“Thank you.” She’d take him at face value. The white wolf was known for being blunt to a fault.
“Talk tomorrow,” Kade called as he started to follow Devlin into the woods.
“I’ll come back. Raze this place to the ground and let nature reclaim it,” Dagen promised. “Let’s go home.”
She nodded, wanting to be away from this place that held nothing but horrible memories. “Let’s go home.”