Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
G riff
I was pacing along the side streets of Charcoal City, my steps heavy and my mind buzzing with memories I’d rather keep buried. The chill of the early evening air barely registered as I walked, jaw clenched, fists tight. I didn’t belong here anymore—couldn’t risk staying, not with my past creeping closer every second. But I couldn’t bring myself to leave, not yet. Not when Iyonna was still wrapped up in this mess, in as much danger as I was, if not more.
The wind whipped through the city, carrying the familiar scents of pine, steel, and pavement. But then, beneath it, I caught another scent—wolves. Not just any wolves, either. This was unmistakable. This was them, my old pack, and they were close.
I’d barely registered the realization when I heard the rumble of a car engine coming down the road, the headlights breaking through the gathering darkness. I stepped back, bracing myself, just as the sleek black car slowed, the passenger window rolling down. And there she was—leaning over from the driver’s seat, eyes wide with worry and frustration.
“Griff! What are you doing out here?” Iyonna demanded, her voice urgent, her tone more than a little annoyed.
“I’m handling it,” I said, trying to sound sure of myself, even though I felt anything but.
She narrowed her eyes, her expression hardening as she took in my tense stance, my clenched fists. “Get in the car.”
“Iyonna, I can’t—”
“Get. In.”
There was no arguing with that tone, so I slipped into the passenger seat. The door barely closed before she hit the gas, peeling away from the street. My heart raced, my nerves on edge. The silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable.
After a minute, she shot me a sideways glance. “So they’re here, aren’t they?”
I let out a long breath, nodding. “Yeah, they’re here. And they’re not going to stop until they get what they want.”
She pulled over in a secluded part of town, away from prying eyes, before turning to face me fully. Her eyes, a mix of determination and fury, met mine. “Then we stop them first.”
Her confidence was unwavering, her resolve as fierce as I’d ever seen it. There was something unshakable about her when she got like this, and it was contagious, making me almost believe that maybe, just maybe, we could pull this off.
“They’re not just here for me,” I explained, keeping my voice low. “They’re using the ley lines, Iyonna, tapping into them, trying to harness the energy for their own twisted magic. They’ll corrupt the entire town if they can, drain every bit of power they find.”
Her brow furrowed as she processed this, her eyes darting to the road before looking back at me. “Then we have to cut them off, break their connection. With your connection to the ley lines and my magic, we might stand a chance.”
It was a solid plan, but the thought of putting her in danger made me hesitate. “They’re ruthless, Iyonna. They won’t hesitate to hurt you if it means getting to me.”
“Maybe you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with,” she said, a spark of fire in her gaze. “I don’t run from a fight, and I’m not about to start now.”
I gave her a hard look, torn between admiration and exasperation. She didn’t deserve to be dragged into this mess, but I knew arguing with her would be a waste of time. Iyonna was in this just as much as I was, whether I liked it or not.
She reached over, her hand resting on mine. The warmth of her touch grounded me, even in the face of everything. “So… let’s end this.”
We headed toward the edge of town, where the forest thickened, its shadows hiding secrets most people wouldn’t dare to touch. I felt the pull of the ley lines, the energy currents that thrummed beneath the earth. They were strong here, but I could sense the interference, the foul magic twisting through them, corrupting them.
As we stepped into the clearing, I could see them—figures emerging from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice. My old pack, led by Kieran, the one I used to call my brother. The sight of him brought back memories I’d tried hard to bury, of loyalty and betrayal, of blood and bonds now shattered.
“Well, well,” Kieran said, his voice carrying a dark satisfaction. “Look who finally found his way home.”
“This isn’t my home anymore,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “And I won’t let you destroy it.”
Kieran chuckled, his gaze flicking over to Iyonna with interest. “So you’ve got yourself a witch, hmm? Think she’s enough to save you?”
Iyonna took a step forward, her chin raised defiantly. “Try me.”
Without another word, they lunged, and dark magic surged through the clearing. I felt the energy pulse beneath my feet, the ley lines responding to the pack’s intrusion. I reached out, connecting with the earth’s energy, drawing it up through me, letting it course through my veins. It was painful, searing, but I held on, using the power to push back against the pack’s influence.
Iyonna was beside me, her magic flaring, brilliant and fierce. Together, our power created a barrier, holding the pack at bay as they snarled and clawed, desperate to break through.
Kieran’s grin faded, his expression twisting with anger. “You can’t hold us off forever, Griff. The ley lines are ours now, and soon, you’ll be nothing but a memory.”
He sent a blast of energy toward us, dark and menacing, but Iyonna countered, her magic intertwining with mine, creating a shield that absorbed the blow. The power surged between us, and for a moment, I could feel her—truly feel her, her strength, her determination, her refusal to back down. It was intoxicating, a reminder of everything I’d been missing, everything I could never have.
Together, we pushed forward, our combined magic slicing through the pack’s influence. The ley lines pulsed beneath us, reacting to our power, breaking free of the dark magic that had been binding them. But Kieran wasn’t done yet. He let out a roar, his form shifting, transforming into the wolf I remembered all too well, his eyes gleaming with a twisted fury.
Iyonna’s grip on my hand tightened, and I could feel her strength pouring into me. “We can do this,” she murmured, her voice a steady anchor in the chaos.
I nodded, focusing on the ley lines, pulling them toward us, redirecting the energy into a wave of pure power. The ground trembled beneath us as the ley lines surged, breaking through the pack’s hold, shattering their influence. Kieran staggered back, his eyes wide with rage and disbelief.
“This isn’t over,” he spat, his voice a venomous promise.
But Iyonna stepped forward, her magic crackling around her like a storm. “Yes, it is.”
With one final surge, we sent a blast of energy toward the pack, forcing them back, severing their connection to the ley lines. The power dissipated, the dark magic unraveling, leaving only the pure, untamed energy of the earth beneath us.
The pack scattered, their forms dissolving into the shadows, but I knew they’d be back. But for now, we’d won. The ley lines were safe, the town protected, and Iyonna… she was still here, her hand still in mine, her eyes shining with triumph and something else—something deeper.
I turned to her, my heart pounding, my chest tight with a mix of relief and gratitude. “Thank you, Iyonna. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
She smiled, a soft, genuine smile that made my breath hitch. “You don’t have to do this alone, Griff. Not anymore.”
And for the first time in a long time, I believed her.