The wolves' colliding bodies sounded like loud thumps as more rogues descended upon them. Deacon maneuvered as best as he could, taking down a rogue every step of the way, but they seemed to be multiplying. He did his best to concentrate, but every now and then he would feel pain in his body.
Zira. He had to get to her but there were too many obstacles in the way.
Portals are open, George linked him.
Deacon immediately started running towards George when a rogue jumped right in front of him. Maybe it was because he was only a few minutes away from her but he felt a new kind of energy surge through him. The rogue lounged at Alex, who slightly sidestepped the rogue while grabbing its neck in the process. He placed his front paws on the back of the trapped rogue and ripped its neck from its body in one take.
He continued his path until he saw Alexi, Zack’s wolf, motioning behind some trees where they shifted. George dropped down beside them.
“Harry said we had to hurry. There was a shield keeping us from going in but it's down now. For how long? We don’t know.”
“I’ll stay behind and try to keep the bulk on us,” Zack said.
“They’re going to overrun you if we don’t get back up soon,” Isaiah said, looking out onto the massacre. “And we need it like yesterday.”
“Don’t worry about us. Go save your family.” Zack gave Isaiah’s shoulder a squeeze.
Isaiah gave a sharp nod as they all shifted back into their wolves, moving towards the portals. One moment it was a clear shot and the next they were surrounded by rogues. They backed into each other as the rogues closed in. Right when two rogues lunged for Isaiah, they heard a howl and a black blur took down the two rogues.
The she-wolf clamped down on one of the wolves’ necks while using its hind legs to kick the second rogue into a tree. With a sharp jerk of her body, she slammed the rogue in her mouth to the ground with an audible cracking sound. The second rogue stood up and was about to attack when a copper wolf jumped on its back and took it down in a swift motion.
The black wolf nuzzled the copper wolf before making their way over.Isaiah looked around and saw other wolves taking care of the rogues that surrounded them. She gave him a sniff before shifting and staring at him.
“Why do you smell like my brother,” questioned Isabella. Isaiah shifted and Isabella stepped back. “Who are you?”
“James?” The copper wolf shifted into Victoria.
Isaiah smiled while ripping off his necklace and shifted back to James. “It was part of the plan but this," James said, motioning to the cavalry, "wasn’t. I thought Isaiah told you guys to stay back.”
Isabella crossed her arms. “My brother doesn’t tell me what to do, especially when it’s something like this.” She looked around as her entourage pushed most of the rogues back. “Where is he?”
*****************************
“Alaia, stop!” James yelled at her and tried to move, but she was still holding him. He could only watch as Alaia flung Zira around the room like a rag doll.
Help me, he whispered to no one in particular.
Zira cringed in pain as Alaia flung Nina into another pillar. Nina collapsed to the floor, breathing slowly. Zira took back control and pulled herself up using the pillar. There was no way she could fight Alaia when she couldn’t even get near her. Nina watched Alaia walking closer to her. She materialized a knife in her hand with a sickly grin on her face. James could tell Alaia was going to kill Zira if he didn’t do something now.
“I reject her,” James yelled, getting Alaia’s attention. “Are you happy now?”
Alaia turned to him with her eyes bleeding black. She looked even more menacing and ghastly than before.
“Say it like you mean,” Alaia growled at him. James looked at Zira, who was staring at him with disbelief and tears running down her face.
“James-”
“I, James Edward Magus, reject Zira Amethyst Lake as my mate.”
Zira screamed and fell to the floor. She couldn’t believe he actually said the words. She expected more pain than what she was experiencing at the moment. The words did hurt her, but it wasn’t as crippling as she thought it would be. She felt Nina trying to reassure her, but she couldn’t hear past her own whirling thoughts.
Alaia jumped with delight and ran to James. She planted kisses all over his face as he stared hopelessly at Zira. The pain on her face was too much for him to bear. He wanted to change at the moment just so she could see that it was all part of the plan.
“That was so sweet of you James, alas, it’s not enough,” Alaia said, walking back to Zira and lifting her face with the tip of her knife. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a while.”
Before Alaia could attack, she moved quickly as a dagger skirted past her face and lodged itself into the wall behind her. She turned to the direction the knife came from and saw Mirja standing in the doorway.
“Mirja, so nice of you to have joined us, though a bit dramatic don’t you think?” Alaia reached up and touched the place where the knife grazed her skin.
“Just pulling from your playbook, Alaia.”
One by one, rogues appeared out of the shadows, awaiting for Alaia’s signal to attack. Alaia halted them, for Mirja didn’t look scared at all. She had something up her sleeve and Alaia wanted to know what it was.
“Maybe you skipped a few chapters about coming alone,” Alaia said with a grin. She knew the rogues were keeping her brother and entourage busy outside. She had nothing to worry about.
Mirja wasn’t intimidated at all. She knew Harry was successful in opening the portals, she just needed to buy time. She kept her hands loose over her guns while keeping an eye on the rogues around them.
“As much as I would love to have fun with you, I think there's someone here who would enjoy your company way more than me.”
Alaia stepped aside as Nas moved from behind her. Mirja saw he was under her control as well. Alaia whispered something and Nas grinned about shifting into his wolf. The other rogues followed suit. With one howl from Nas, the rogues descended upon Mirja like a wave.
She withdrew her pistols and started taking them down one by one while dodging the ones that got too close. She could keep them at bay, but not for long. If only she could get to the dagger, she could at least gain the upper hand.
While Mirja was busy, Alaia turned her attention back to Zira, who had disappeared from the room along with James. Her frustrated scream filled the entire room as she stalked towards the doorway.
It took a moment for Zira to come to realize she was being carried. She looked up and saw James, who noticed she was back.
“I have to get you out of here,” James said as he proceeded down the long hallway. They made it down a few hallways before Zira squirmed out of James’ hold.
“No,” Zira screamed. “We have to get Arias. We have to find him.”
As if she made a wish, Zira could hear the cries of her baby. At the end of the hall stood Mary holding a fussy Arias. Zira hesitated to run to them, thinking it was another trick, but a part of her didn’t care. The moment Arias saw her, he held out his hands, beckoning her forward.
Zira pulled Arias into a loving embrace with James encompassing them both. She took a moment to breathe all of this in before turning her attention to Mary.
“Thank you, thank you.” Zira sighed with relief. Everything she wanted was right here but, of course it didn’t last long. A creepy laugh interrupted their moment as Alaia walked down the hallway clapping her hands.
“Well, isn’t this Hallmark worthy? Family reunited. A family that was supposed to be mine,” Alaia growled. She quickly threw a knife at Zira but James moved to block it. The force pushed him away from them into a nearby wall.
“No!” Zira and Alaia yelled.
Alaia made it to James before Zira and glared at her. “I’m tired of you getting in my way.”
With her hand, she flicked Zira through a wall. Zira curled her body to protect Arias as much as she could. She tumbled a bit before hitting a wall. Her vision blurred and she heard the muffled cries of Arias. She could feel the blood sliding down her face while she checked to make sure Arias was okay.
She looked up to see Alaia slowly making her way towards them. Black mist surrounded her body, her eyes were black as coal, and her skin was even paler. Through the pain, Zira sat up and covered Arias with as much of herself as she could. She could feel herself drifting into the darkness but soon that was replaced by a warm, comforting feeling.
Alaia stood over them as the voices beckoned her to take the baby. She was using way too much power and it was literally draining her. He has immense power,” the voice cooed. Take it as your own. Live forever. Live powerfully.
That prospect was enough to drive Alaia to reach out. The moment her hand got close, a bright light pushed her back only a bit. Alaia looked as Arias stared at her. He’s protecting her, Alaia thought to herself. The thought alone made her even more angry. This baby-this power-was supposed to be hers.
The voices purred inside her head once again. Drain him, they said. Make him use more. Alaia used both her hands and threw two knives towards the shield. It didn’t go through but at least it stuck. She was determined to get through. Determined to take what was rightfully hers.
She smiled as she saw the cracks forming in the shield. She was so close, so close. Right before it broke, she turned to brace for a hit she saw too late. She smashed into a wall, breaking several bones in her body. Her power immediately healed them as she stood up to face her attacker.
*****************************
Isabella, Victoria, James, and Zack took down their fair share of rogues blocking the way to the portals. They shifted from their wolves when they came upon the portals.
“We’ll stay out here and keep the rogues at bay,” Victoria said, keeping an eye out on the battlefield. Zack nodded and went through with a group of his men. James was about to go through but was stopped by Isabella. She was sweating and breathing heavily.
“Whatever happens, don’t let his hesitation be our downfall.”
Isabella knew her brother well. Even now she could feel his conflicted emotions, his pain. She didn't have much hope that he had what it took. James understood this and reassured Isabella before going through the portal. They met up with Harry on the other side.
“I tried reaching Mirja and Mary through these but they’re radio silenced right now.”
“Don’t worry, I can sense her,” Zack said, not wasting time to shift into Alexi and follow Mirja’s scent.
It didn't take them long to get to her position and see she was in danger. Nas had Mirja by the throat ready to make the kill, when Alexi growled loud enough to pull his attention. A second later, Mirja fell to the ground clutching her throat as Nas and Alexi collided into a wall, breaking the bracelet controlling Nas. Nas stepped back, shaking his head as if he was coming out of a dream.
“What the hell,” Nas growled at no one in particular. He looked around and saw what was happening. Then he spotted Mirja standing next to the wolf that attacked him. “Mirja…”
“Yes, I’m alive. No thanks to you, you asshole. Now I think it’s time for you to pay for your part in all of this,” Mirja said right as Alexi brushed past her towards Nas. Nas quickly shifted before Alexi collided with him and they both rolled until they crashed into a pillar.
While Alexi fought Nas, Mirja shimmied her way up the wall to get the dagger with Alaia’s blood. Once she got ahold of it, she grabbed her bag and pulled out the grimoire.
“Second time the charm. Deleatur,” she yelled, bringing the dagger down and into the grimoire.
The dagger went through like butter and Mirja couldn’t have been happier. When she removed the dagger, the book was still held. Nothing happened. No puncture wounds at all. Something was wrong. Mirja opened the grimoire and the pages still looked brand new. She found the page with Alaia and it came to her. This grimoire was only a shell, which meant Alaia…
Mirja immediately got up. “We have to get to Alaia, now.”
“We’re kind of busy at the moment.” Alexi got distracted for a second, giving Nas the perfect chance to use his hind legs and kicked Alexi into the wall. He then set his sights on Mirja while she barely paid him any attention. He charged her ready to attack when she quickly lifted her gun and shot in his direction.
Nas stopped dead in his tracks, thinking he was hit but she missed. He looked at Mirja who was staring at him with a smirk on her face. Her eyes moved above him and his eyes followed her gaze just in time to see Alexi’s mouth clamped down on his neck. Mirja kept Nas’s gaze until the satisfying crunch echoed in the room.
Alexi dropped Nas’ limp body and ran by Mirja, who jumped on his back. Alexi had the scent of their next victim and moved on her position.
One down and one to go.