The battlefield quieted as the Vampire King’s forces retreated into the shadows, leaving Isla and Draven to survey the devastation around them. Eryon lay motionless, his breathing shallow, blood seeping from his wound. Isla knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she pressed against the gaping injury.
“Eryon, stay with me,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Draven stood guard, his claws dripping with blood as he scanned the treeline for signs of another attack.
Misery appeared from the shadows, her face pale but determined. “He’s losing too much blood,” she said, her crimson eyes flicking to Isla. “If we don’t move him, he won’t make it.”
Before they could respond, Seraphine and Eira emerged, their presence radiating power. Draven growled low in his throat, his body tensing. “What are you doing here?”
“To help,” Seraphine said coldly, her silver eyes narrowing. “The King wants him alive, and that’s not an outcome I’m willing to allow.”
Draven bared his teeth. “Why should we trust you?”
“You don’t have a choice,” Eira snapped, her tone venomous. “Without us, you’ll lose him.”
Misery stepped closer to Eryon, brushing her fingers against his clammy forehead. “We need to decide now,” she said softly. “He can’t survive another attack.”
Isla hesitated, her instincts screaming to reject their offer, but the sight of Eryon’s pale face overrode her doubt. “Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “But this is temporary.”
The uneasy alliance fought off the shadow creatures that lingered in the distance, their combined power driving back the remnants of the King’s forces. Seraphine’s dark magic clashed with Isla and Draven’s raw ferocity, while Eira summoned spectral wolves to cut through their enemies.
As the last of the creatures vanished, the Vampire King’s voice echoed through the clearing, chilling them all.
“You’ve already lost,” he said, his tone dripping with malice. “He’s going to die, and when he does, Lyra will be mine.”
The King’s laughter lingered long after he was gone.
***
The group retreated to a hidden sanctuary deep in the forest, its protective wards cast by Seraphine offering a temporary reprieve. Inside, Eryon lay on a stone slab, his face ghostly pale. Isla worked tirelessly to clean his wound, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
“He’s slipping away,” Misery murmured, sitting beside him. She clutched his hand tightly, her crimson eyes glistening. “Don’t leave me. Not like this.”
Seraphine moved closer, her hands glowing faintly as she attempted to stabilize him with her magic. A web of silvery light covered the wound, but the moment she pulled back, the blood began to flow again. She shook her head, frustration etched across her face. “It’s too deep. The blade was enchanted. I can’t undo the damage.”
Draven paced the room, his anger barely contained. “Then what do we do? Just let him die?”
“We need to get him back to the pack,” Isla said, her voice rising. “They’ll know how to help.”
Draven scoffed. “He won’t survive the journey, and you know it.”
Misery stood abruptly, her voice trembling as she said, “I’ll turn him.”
The room fell into stunned silence. Isla’s eyes widened in shock, and Draven’s growl echoed through the sanctuary. “You’ll what?” he snarled.
Misery squared her shoulders, her determination evident. “I’ll turn him into a vampire. It’s the only way to save him.”
“Absolutely not,” Isla said, her voice sharp. “He’s a wolf. Our brother. He wouldn’t want this.”
“He wouldn’t want to die either!” Misery shot back, tears streaming down her face. “This isn’t about what any of us want. It’s about what he needs.”
Draven’s claws extended, his fury barely in check. “You don’t get to make that decision.”
Misery stepped forward, her hands trembling but her gaze steady. “You think I want this? That I’d do this if there was any other way? I love him! I’m not going to stand here and watch him die when I can save him.”
Seraphine, who had been silent, finally spoke. “It would work,” she said, her voice cold and calculated. “But it would change him. Forever.”
Draven turned on her, his voice a snarl. “And you’re fine with that?”
“I care about results,” Seraphine replied, her silver eyes unyielding. “If this is what it takes to keep him alive, so be it.”