Chapter 17 #2
When in the history of the world has telling someone to calm down ever worked?
When Amri and my brothers fail to stop or even slow down, Circe drops my leash. Stunned and confused, I blink at the gold links glinting in the sand as she shouts, “I’m not going to hurt him!”
Bodi half-shifts and shouts as he leaps for the sorceress. “Malik, run!”
My thoughts spiral as I stare down at the chain no longer in the sorceress’ clutches. Run? Where? And leave you behind? Like you left me?
Circe throws up one hand, creating a shield at the last minute.
Bodi lands on the magical barrier, clinging and tearing at it like a cat on a piece of furniture.
With her other hand, Circe twirls her fingers, and thick vines shoot out of the ground, grabbing Amri’s legs.
My mate swipes at them with her claws, but they regrow just as fast, clinging to her thighs, hips, waist …
A strangled sound escapes her throat, and everything goes white.
My mate is in danger.
My beast’s will shoves me further back into the recesses of his mind, but I cling to consciousness.
I need to be here for Amri. My paws sink into the deep sand as I sprint to Amri’s side, curling my large body in front of her, protecting her while she struggles to free herself.
I snarl, crouched and ready to strike, letting everyone on this beach know that this shifter is mine.
Kat shouts, “Hey!”
I have no idea what she hopes to accomplish since she no longer has her magic thanks to Circe, but at the very least, her exclamation has distracted the sorceress.
And then Kat whips her arm forward, aiming a gun right at Circe’s face.
My brother’s mate glares at the sorceress like she’s not at all phased at facing down one of the most powerful witches in history.
She is a worthy mate for Rian. He is lucky to have such a fierce partner.
With Circe momentarily preoccupied, I turn to Amri, carefully sliding my claws into the vines tightly wrapped around her, biting a few as they climb towards her shoulders.
With a quick glance, I see Bodi still fighting against the barrier, trying to get to Circe.
Rian is weaving signs to protect his mate who’s still holding that gun with steady hands.
Alexandros has a protection spell up around Sadie, a boosting spell on Bodi, and a heat spell that’s melting the sand under Circe’s feet.
Stars, I knew Bodi’s beta was powerful, but fucking hell.
Even as Amri’s trembling hands work to free herself, she whispers, “You need to get out of here while you can.”
That timer continues to count down in my head.
Click, thunk.
Click, thunk.
Why does everyone think I’m capable of just leaving them to face Circe on their own? A soft bark of denial rumbles from my throat, and I snap two more climbing vines as they attempt to wrap around Amri’s arms.
Amri stops struggling. “Malik. Go. Go to the La Cabra Saltadora in Barcelona. Ask for Adan. Tell him I sent you and he’ll hide you. Malik, go?—”
I butt my nose against her face, staring into her eyes as I growl. Even if I had the power to get off this island, I wouldn’t leave my mate. I won’t .
Amri’s shoulders slump, and she shakes her head. “Of course you won’t go. Stupid, stubborn alpha.”
Your alpha.
“Hmm.” Amri looks down at herself. “Seems as long as I don’t struggle, the vines stop spreading.”
Boom!
Sand sprays into the air at Circe’s feet as Kat fires the gun. For a few long seconds, all I hear is a loud, high-pitched ringing, and I shake my head at the discomfort. Amri opens her mouth, cracking her jaw, probably trying to pop her ears.
Kat’s voice breaks through as the ringing fades. “Step away from Malik. We’ll all be leaving now, thank you very much.”
Circe stares at the gun, and for a second, hope flares as I think she’s going to let us go. But then the sorceress sighs, makes a big circle in the air with her arm, and says, “Enough.”
The barrier flexes then explodes, sending Bodi flying.
Sadie shouts, and Alexandros sprints to catch his mate, but Bodi lands on his feet like the feline he is, his snarl still firmly on his face.
While this happens, the gun in Kat’s hand dissolves into a bouquet of flowers.
She looks at the daisies and peonies with a shocked expression before opening her hand and letting the blooms scatter to the sand at her feet.
Enough indeed.
I leap, my leash clicking behind me like the tail of a kite.
Circe’s eyes go wide as she sees her death in my claws and fangs, but she quickly recovers, holding her palm up before her lips and blows.
Glowing blue smoke billows from her empty hand, and the second it hits my face, my eyes water, my muscles go limp, and I thud to the sand, landing heavily on my side.
Everything is fuzzy, and a pressure burns at the base of my skull, reminiscent of when my brothers tried to reach me down our bond, back before I gave up on such hope.
Then, as if in a dream, everything moves in slow motion as my family runs … towards me.
Bodi, determined and steady, kicks up sand as he rushes across the beach. Alexandros and Sadie sprint from my left. Rian and Kat scramble in my direction from my right. My family creates a shield in front of me and my mate. They stand strong, united.
Shame threatens to drag me under. I am such an asshole for assuming they’d run away.
Rian backs up until he presses his body against my side. I haven’t touched either of my brothers in over a year, and my legs almost collapse from the overwhelming emotion of having Rian’s back steady against my fur. He rumbles, “We’ve got you, Malik. We’ve got you.”
I can’t keep my body from trembling. My brothers are here, they are fighting, and all I can think is that I don’t deserve this, not after allowing my self-pity to fester this past year until it became hate—a hate towards my brothers , these males so bravely standing in harm’s way for me.
Hate was easier than hope. I didn’t want to believe in them because I didn’t believe in myself.
Circe takes a step towards us, and I let go of my stupid human thoughts.
I don’t have time for such weakness. I release a warning bark that would chase off the fiercest of predators, and Circe takes a gratifying step back.
I get my feet back under me, the sorceress’ spell wearing off, which is surprising considering how powerful she is.
Circe holds up her arms, palms out, as if silently begging us to stop.
But I don’t want to stop. I want to rip my freedom from this woman, from Leonora. I want to feel the bones crunch in my jaws of any hand that would hold my leash ever again.
My muzzle pulls back with my deepening growl.
I keep my narrowed gaze on Circe with her arms still raised, and she stares back.
I take a step, towering over my brothers and their mates in my beast form.
Half-shifted, Bodi stands with feet spread, sharp claws extended.
And Rian, sweet Rian, lifts his arm and places his hand on my front leg.
Touch. Simple, comforting, letting me know I’m not alone .
I reform my truth—to what it used to be, to what I should have been holding onto this whole time—as the love of my family smacks me in the face.
My brothers are good males, and I know I’d do it all again.
If I found myself in that throne room again with Leonora looming, I’d stay behind so my brothers could escape.
Of course, I’d use the one and only key to free Rian.
I’d take any punishment to spare Askari.
I’d peel my own skin off to spare Amri from a single moment of pain. I’d give my life for my family.
My muscles coil, flexing under my midnight fur, and my tail curls protectively around my pride as I scream with a growled yowl of sound that promises death and destruction.
Circe takes another step back, then another, her eyes wide with the first flicker of fear. Good. She takes another step back. Another.
A rustling comes from behind me, and a second later, Amri steps to my side, brushing off the vines.
Her adorable wolverine ears flick in her short blond hair, her thick tail thrashing behind her.
Her claws glint in the sunlight, and sandy-colored fur edged in black trails down her shoulders to her elbows.
She’s glorious.
Circe, arms still lifted, swallows and then whispers, “Wait, just …” She flicks her fingers.
Click .
For the first time in over a year, there’s nothing around my neck. I blink down at the gold collar where it sits half-buried in the sand.
What?
Circe’s voice, now holding a little more strength, carries on the sea breeze, cutting through the stunned silence.
“I told you I wasn’t going to hurt Malik.
” I look at her, my brain slogging through this new reality, unable to accept what just happened.
Circe holds my gaze as she says, “He’s my brother. ”
What!
A nervous smile tugs at her lips as she nods at me, then looks at Rian, then at Bodi. No one moves. I think we’re all frozen in shock. Circe smiles. “All three of you are my brothers. Well, half-brothers.”