Chapter 36
Jaxon
A blinding rage stronger than I’d ever felt grabbed me by the throat as I stepped inside the circle of gilded statues standing witness to the blood bath. Tisiphone smiled at me. Her teal hair was wild and tangled. Blood and dirt streaked her pretty face.
I almost hadn’t been able to find her.
The entire war camp was cast in a sort of cloaking spell that confused the senses and muted noise to the outside world.
All the tents looked the same. The paths wound uselessly to nowhere.
It’d take someone with strong instinct or muscle memory to find their way around.
If it wasn’t for the storm clouds gathering above this specific tent…
I shuddered to think of what would’ve happened if it’d taken me longer to get here.
The roots of the earth grabbed surrounding warlocks who’d flanked Vincent, crushing them in their holds and swallowing them back to the soil’s depths as I walked by.
From whence we came, we all must return.
But I took my time with Vincent. Smaller vines crept up, wrapping around his legs, and the large root tightened around his midsection.
I was going to slowly break each of his bones.
“You.” Vincent’s eyes widened in delight, one that didn’t match his current circumstances. “You’re the one I need.”
“You won’t touch him.” Tisiphone snarled, moving to block me from the warlock’s view.
I smiled to myself.
She cares for me.
I was going to enjoy ripping Vincent’s heart out for touching my mate.
The power of the earth drummed through me. Vast and expansive in all her glory. It begged for more blood. I’d give it to her.
For Tisiphone.
“The vision.” Calla panted as she threw open the flap to the tent. I’d passed her on my way inside, leaving her and Gentry to tend to the drugged witches. “I think I remember now.”
Vincent used my moment of distraction to call the elements. Lightning struck, burning the roots from his flesh and leaving him unscathed.
He raised his hands, a gleam in his eye, as he called down more.
In turn, I reached for the power of the earth and the ground beneath us began to shake as vines shot out, breaking the pews into shredded wood.
The unmistakable sound of bones shifting was followed by a cry I never wanted to hear again.
“No!” Calla screamed.
Tisiphone’s wolf howled as she leapt over the cracking earth, clamping her jaw around Vincent’s neck and tearing out his throat.
I blinked.
The wolf shook her head, spraying blood all over the stage and staining the teal tips of her fur coat crimson red. She dropped the warlock’s dead body and whined softly before trotting up to me.
Tisiphone’s wolf sat at my feet and lifted one dainty paw, licking the blood with another whine.
“Oh gods…” Calla panted, looking nervously at the statues. “Well, I… Never mind. I didn’t see that one coming.”
A disbelieving laugh burst from me as Tisiphone’s wolf whined again, shaking her paw.
I don’t know what’s so funny. My wolf panicked, barking orders. My mate needs a bath. Either you clean her or I will.
*
With Tisiphone’s wolf in my arms, I walked right out of the war camp, leaving the trail of carnage behind. The magic festival continued as normal, none the wiser to the evil that happened just down the road.
If there was one observation I’d made after witnessing all I had, it was this. That life continued despite cruelty, and that was how it should be. Earth didn’t pause her rotation because of winter. Spring still came every year.
The witches and warlocks would know what happened soon enough. But it wasn’t my job to clean things up. This was Alpha Liam’s territory, and it was past time I returned to my own.
With my mate.
I didn’t even stop at my tent. Traveling with a bag would only slow me down, if the bag made it back at all. I looked at the reason in my arms, smiling at my little curse.
She’s perfect.
Tisiphone’s wolf had grown tired of trying to clean her fur. One matted teal and crimson tuft stuck up straight behind her ear. She huffed at me as if I was the cause of all this.
I tightened my hold, pressing her to my chest and breathing in her scent to calm my own beast. My heart still raced too fast. All my senses were heightened.
Calla’s wolves rushed to greet her before we’d even crossed the Ossory border back into Anubis territory, but they gave me a wide berth, baring their necks in respect. Sage and her daughters came running forward. So did half the Cerberus encampment.
“What happened?” Alpha Kera was in full battle mode, with the twins flanking her on either side. Had it only been minutes since I sent them away? It felt like a lifetime.
Tisiphone’s wolf gave a bossy yip before she wiggled from my arms. She shifted into her human body. I was vaguely aware that she did it for my own benefit, so that she could relay the events without using her pack link, but the minute I saw her naked body, I could no longer think straight.
Growling, I ripped the shirt from my chest, needing to cover her flesh. To wrap her in my scent. To protect her from anyone who dared to get close.
“I thought I could figure out a better way to stop him, but when I felt his power, I knew he couldn’t be saved. It was too strong. He was too far gone with it.” Tisiphone paused to shove her arm in my shirt sleeve, giving me a funny look. “So I killed him.”
Alpha Kera started barking orders as her sisters surrounded Tisiphone.
Alec laughed. “Nice.”
“What were you thinking?” Meg cried.
“I really want a bath.” Tisiphone did a full body shiver. Bits of blood caked her hair that hadn’t let go in the shift.
I didn’t realize I was still growling, and growing louder by the second, until everyone stopped to look at me.
“I thought the rut was a myth,” Meg whispered to her sister.
“But have you ever seen anyone take this long to mate?” Alec whispered back.
Tisiphone’s strange look was now full of concern. “Jaxon, what’s happening?”
Her touch on my chest soothed me. But it wasn’t enough. I needed more. I needed…
“You almost died.” I gritted out through clenched teeth. “I almost lost you.”
“But I didn’t.” Shame colored her cheeks as she offered me a small smile. “And we saved the day.”
“It’s okay, Alpha. You’ve got her now.” Kera was suddenly beside me, her Alpha tone breaking through my animalistic haze. “I know what it feels like. Get her out of here. Somewhere safe. We’ll handle the rest.”
She turned to address her niece. “And you.”
Tisiphone gulped. My shoulders seemed to widen as I moved to put her behind my back, but my mate refused and stood her ground.
Kera rested a hand on Tisiphone’s shoulder. “You did good, pup—er—Beta. I’m proud of you. Now take your mate out of here and finally seal that damn bond before he goes full beast.”
Tisiphone’s spine straightened as she looked me over. Understanding dawned in her pretty brown eyes. She took a step back. Then another. The coy smile never left her face.
“Yes, Alpha.” Tisiphone reached for the hem, and then pulled off my shirt as she started to shift. “But he’s got to catch me first.”