(Book 3) – Chapter 44
I was running, leaping, clawing, and biting my way through as many wolves as I could. I could feel my mates around me. The twins had secured Brody inside a tree with the Earth’s help so they could jump back in to help. We were outnumbered and I felt my powers draining.
‘I hope you are close, Bonnie.’ I linked Koda’s mother. He had mentioned they were close so fingers crossed they weren’t exaggerating their location. ‘
‘We see you. Samuel is behind us with your old pack.’ Bonnie replied. ‘We found a few stragglers and hideaways but took them out. Do we need any more survivors?’
‘Just a few of the more powerful ones. They will be the ones they trusted to do more so they will know more.’ I linked back while dodging a blast from a witch hiding in the trees near me. ‘I need you and maybe a few others to go to my left to help my mother. She is taking out the witch that helped kill my parents and my dad is trying to help.’
She agreed and I could feel her pack split up in a few different directions. I had to hope Bonnie made it to my mom soon. I hadn’t seen her since Dad sent me running to help while they took on that crazy witch.
“Duck!” Melissa yelled from beside me.
I didn’t question her, I just jumped down to the ground and crawled forward biting at the wolf in front of me. I felt a blast of heat burn the top of my fur before a blast of ice-cold power go back toward the fire ball witch. It must have been a hit because there was a quick sound of pain and a thump. Must have been skinny with that tiny noise she made hitting the ground.
‘We need back up…soon.’ Roger linked. I could feel the pain in his words. He was hurt, badly. ‘Julian with me. Dark witches trying to corner us.’
‘Samuel, Bonnie said you were right behind her. Roger needs help fast.’ I linked.
‘We are…’ his link what interrupted when a huge black wolf jumped on my back digging their claws into my sides.
Blue started bucking and swaying before dropping to her side and rolling over. Come on girl. We have this. Take this asshat out.
The wolf had to let go when he was squashed. It took a minute to get our bearings, but he was slow to get up anyway. She turned back and leapt at him ripping his throat out.
‘Blue? We ok?’ She was panting harder from the pain.
‘We may neeeee… switch….’ She was wobbling.
I pushed a shift and stumbled back to my two feet. I felt the b***d running down my sides. I used some power to do a quick heal. Id do a better job later.
‘Ryder!’ Samuel yelled in the link.
‘I’m ok. Get to Roger. He is on the cliffs with a few others. He is hurt, badly.’ I showed a picture of where he was to Samuel and closed the link. Couldn’t waste any more concentration on it. I knew I was hurt worse than Blue had let on.
I wobbled to a tree making sure to keep my head on a swivel before sliding down and pushing for the earth to give me a bit of help. The earth updated me on how they were helping and how the enemy was hurting them. That pissed me off, but I had to wait to help.
“Ryder!” Kane yelled as he and Knox ran to kneel beside me. “How bad?”
“I am fine. We need to end this soon. I don’t want the queen and king having a chance to get too far ahead of us.”
“We have a few more of the leaders hidden away to question. Just give the command to kill.” Knox replied wiping the b***d off my stomach.
“You may have to help with your powers to end this faster.” Kane suggested. “I can feel how low you are but we are here to keep you safe. Its ok.”
“Ok, Let’s do this.” I put my arms out so they could both grab them and pull me up. “I need to be more toward the center to focus on everyone. Can you link everyone so they can be ready?”
The twins nodded and started walking me toward the middle of the fight. As we walked each of my mates joined us making a circle around me. Asher was the last one to join us and he was the most injured out of all of them. I made him get in the middle with me and switch places with Knox.
“Have you seen Mel or my mother?” I asked him as we hobbled along. “I have this bad feeling in my stomach, and I hate that I can’t link any witches.”
“Alistair is headed this way with Mel. She is drained but won’t let him take her somewhere safe.” Edgar huffed. “She is just like you. I am just glad Parker isn’t here too. He would be right up our asses.”
“Yea he would.” Andrew agreed laughing. “He would be trying to fight one of us for Ryder being hurt and for not getting the chance to take out Derrick himself.”
“Joke about him all you want but I know my sisters are safe with him back at the pack since Samuel came here.” I stated stepping back from a side attack that almost ran Blake and Koda over. “We are close enough. We will need more reinforcements. I might need some of your strength.”
‘You get to Roger?’ I linked Samuel. ‘Also don’t think we aren’t talking after this mister. I thought you were staying with my sisters and your family. I am failing at focusing on all this with all my family in the unknown and my kids in the hands of a crazy bitch.’
‘We are trying to head your way to help or at least make it to a part of this mountain to keep an eye on you.’ He replied. He seemed to be ok. No pain or anything in his tone. ‘I wondered when you would bring up me coming here. I am sorry. I couldn’t sit out of it when they stole from our pack. He took family because that is what you guys are.’
Of course, he was too sweet to stay mad at. I just told him ok and to let us know what he sees. I told the earth to attach to my power to help zero in on the auras to see who was going to be taken on. I knew the powers of nature were wearing thin, so I had them focus on the closest to the trees.
“Ready?” I asked my mates and Alistair as he put Mel down beside me.
She sat down and put one of her hands on mine while the other was up in the air. She began to chant and my mates each turned to focus on me. We had warriors surrounding us that I didn’t even see come up.
I focused in on the dark auras screaming for their victims’ pain and pushed my pain into theirs. I felt the power making their heart work too hard to keep it up but a second or two longer before giving out. I heard the thumps as each body hit the ground.
Next, I focused on the ones cheating to win against my people. I focused on their b***d but instead of boiling it till they died, I focused on it freezing so hard that the veins broke and shot ice slivers into their hearts. From the screams of pain it seemed just as painful as boiling alive.
I fell forward gasping for breath as the earth let go and went silent. I thanked them and checked on Mel. She was white as a sheet and her grasp on my hand was weak.
“Alistair, take her. Just hold on beside me and let her rest.” I ordered him pulling my hand from Mel’s. “Don’t fight me on this. You aren’t any use dead to me and I won’t let you die doing something stupid.”
She rolled her eyes but fell into Alistair’s lap as soon as he sat down. He thanked me for taking care of her. He wanted me to use his strength, but I declined. I still had my mates. I looked at them and they all just nodded knowing what I was going to ask before I even did.
“Last push.” I told them all.
‘This is the last bit of help I will be. Please use this as a chance to take out the rest of them. We need to end this so we can question the prisoners.’ I linked all of the wolves.
“Wait!” I heard a yell from outside the circle. “I am going to help my daughter.”
Stubborn old goat is what she is. The warriors moved aside at Bonnies command. My mother looked like someone beat the s**t out of her but she was still walking strong. My dad on the other hand was being carried by two of Bonnies pack members. His foot was wrapped in some leaves.
“We will discuss you staying your human butt at home later, mister.” I scolded him and let mom grab my hands. “Ill only use your strength and power if I need to. They may need you after this.”
I ignored her rebuttals and closed my eyes to focus once again on the dark auras. One last push, I got this. I shoved my powers in to all the ones I could reach before yanking theirs and mine back out. I figured that if I could give it then I could take it. I didn’t want it back since it was tainted. I could taste and smell the darkness in it so I pushed it into the earth to help it heal after helping us. After the third shove and pull I saw spots in my vision before going tunnel vision.
“Tap out.” I shouted before passing out completely. Sure hope we win was my last thought.