Finnick’s laughter irritated her very soul as she held on fast. There was no way she was going to let him win. She made a promise to Niamh, and she intended to see it through.
“No one is going to save you now,” Finnick grinned. “You are alone, but you don’t have to be if you submit.”
“I will never submit to someone like you,” Zira sneered.
“I would rather die,” Nina echoed alongside her.
“Pity. We could have done great things together.” Finnick pushed more toward them. “Now you will die. Alone.”
“She’s not alone.” Zira felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Isaiah standing behind her. His spirit was as bright as hers.
“And she will not die.” Another hand belonging to Percy fell on her other shoulder. She didn’t know how they were here, but she was glad for the assistance.
“You, on the other hand, deserve nothing less than a painful death.” Lana appeared and placed her hand on Percy, linking to Zira.
“No, this can’t be,” Finnick said, watching more and more wolves join the fight.
One by one, every werewolf she set free appeared on both sides of her, lending her their strength. Zira turned back to Finnick with a smile on her face as she stood up.
Clary watched as Zira pushed back against Finnick with the help of the other wolves. The sight of it and seeing her fellow white wolves joining the fight was moving. A part of her wanted to join them but her guilt kept her frozen. Why go back when she was the reason this all happened? Who would even forgive her?
“We all make mistakes, Clary,” she heard Zira say and looked at her, “but what you decide right now is going to matter in the end.”
Clary nodded before reaching out her hand to Zira.
“No!” Finnick pulled Clary back, causing her to scream out.
“Break that bastard down,” Niamh growled at him.
“I should’ve done this a long time ago,” Zira said to Finnick as he hissed at her. “Before I take you down, there’s someone else who needs to be free from your control and I made a promise. For Niamh. I, Niamh Limni, reject you as my mate.”
The realization flashed across Finnick’s face before his body curled up in pain. At the same time, Zira reached for Clary while pushing Finnick out. The moment Zira broke free from the mind connection, a white light spread through the entire area. The demon attached to Clary disappeared as the light touched it. The souls of the other white wolves danced around Zira, whispering their thanks for their freedom.
“One down, one to go,” Zira said, placing her hand over the mark on Clary’s chest. “Hold her,” Zira directed Isaiah and Percy. “This is going to hurt like hell.”
After holding her down, Zira pressed into the tattoo on Clary’s chest while Clary screamed out, trying to pull away. Zira dug in deeper until her hand grasped the one thing she was looking for. She pulled the crystal from Clary’s chest as Finnick appeared in front of her.
“You think you’ve won,” he spat at her, “but there are others I have inspired to pick up the torch.”
“Then I guess I’m going to have to light their asses too,” Zira said, dropping the crystal on the ground and stepping on it. Finnick fell to the ground in pain. “This is mercy, Finnick. You deserve so much worse,” she said as she crushed the crystal under her foot until it was nothing but dust on the ground.
The sound of his screams echoed through the open space until his body disappeared into the air. Zira let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. The small burden she felt inside her was finally gone and she felt free. Before she could say anything, a crash took everyone's attention.
“Ahhh!” Hunter flew in with Igor and plopped down near them. They circled around a few times, looking for enemies. It took a while for them to notice that no one was coming after them before Hunter took in the destruction in front of him. “Soooo, I’m guessing no one needs rescuing?”
“Hunter,” Isaiah sighed.
“We must have scared them away,” Hunter said with a boastful attitude. “Good boy, Igor.” Hunter praised Igor with a rub on his head. “No one messes with the HI boys.”
Isaiah started to say something, but he didn’t have any words to say to his Beta, so he laughed instead. Soon, with everything that has happened and the destruction around them, everyone else joined in.
“What,” Hunter asked, “What's so funny?” He clearly didn’t like being left out.
That got even a bigger laugh which eventually made him laugh with everyone before howling. That started such a fuss as all the other warriors began howling in victory. Zira was glad the mood was a bit lighter as she watched everyone spread out, helping the others. She watched a few white wolves create a small plant prison over Malachi, Clary and Ezekiel. Ezekiel was the only one awake as he watched Zira walk over.
“Do you think the Alpha King would forgive us,” he asked solemnly.
Zira gave him a small smile. With everything that Clary did, she would be lucky to leave with her head right now. “I think the Alpha King should know what you did to help us and maybe that might soften the blow, but I can’t promise anything.”
Ezekiel nodded as Zira turned to leave. “Zira?” She turned back to him. “I really am sorry. For everything and thank you for…”
Zira could hear him choking up with emotion and she touched his shoulder through the bars. She could feel what he wanted to say. It was almost enough to bring tears to her eyes before she pulled away.
“You’re welcome, Ezekiel.”
She walked away before he said anything else. Lana gathered a group to help salvage any books that hadn’t been destroyed. Every once and a while, Zira could hear her screaming whenever someone dropped a book or a bookshelf.
“If you want something done, you have to do it yourself,” she growled. “Get out of the way!”
Zira backed away as Lana stormed past her, using her power to navigate a bookshelf to the more stable side of the library. Zira noticed Trixie standing near the Alpha King, who was holding an unconscious Queen Luna in his arms. He looked up as Zira got closer and she bent down towards Queen Luna, placing her hand over her forehead. She healed whatever injuries Queen Luna had but discovered something else.
“We need to hurry and get her back to the Royal Palace,” Zira said, with the Alpha King looking at her with confusion.
“What is wrong,” he asked her.
“Looks like you’re going to be a dad today,” Zira smiled and on cue Queen Luna woke with a scream, clutching her stomach. “Get one of the dragons to fly you back.”
“No,” Queen Luna yelled. “She’s coming now.”
She screamed again as the Alpha King looked around, panicked. “We need a doctor, now,” he roared as everyone looked around, but no one stepped up. “No one knows how to deliver a baby?”
Trixie perked up. “I know someone.”
After a dozen more painful screams, many rounds of werewolves running back and forth with hot towels, and an overflow of tears, everyone could hear the strong cries of the royal baby. Mary quickly wrapped her in a warm towel and handed her back to Queen Luna. Mary struggled to stand as Zed rushed to aid her.
“Are you okay, Mary,” Zira asked.
“Of course,” Mary said. “It’s every girl’s dream to wake up from a mini-coma to dive hands-first into another woman’s vagina and pull out a baby. I'm just peachy.” She didn’t hide the sarcastic smile on her face.
“Wait, but Trixie said you delivered her baby," Zira said as more of a question.
“Oh, I did,” Mary said, “and even then, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing and it was less…messy.”
“Mary, why would you say you would do it then,” Zira asked with a shocked expression on her face.
Mary returned it. “What! I couldn’t say no to the Alpha King.”
Zira couldn’t help but laugh and soon Mary and Zed joined her. While the Alpha King helped Queen Luna get back to the palace, some of his warriors escorted Ezekiel, Malachi, and Clary back to the Royal dungeons for their trial, while the others helped Lana clean up as much as they could.
Zira sat down to rest for a bit before her sight finally fell on Isaiah and Percy, who both stopped what they were doing and met her gaze. She couldn’t help but smile as they made their way to her. She stood up to walk towards them when she felt heaviness on her body and fell forward. She heard them call out to her before she went into darkness.