Untamed - Book 2

Coralie

We began the march to Kalenfall City, the home of the Were Council, nearly two days ago and have less than five miles before we will see the lights of the city we are all wresting with anxiousness that only grows with each step. After how our meeting with the leaders went the evening before we left, I had been surprised to find that no one left. Everyone is holding on to the hope that the Lycan Queen can save them and set them free, but I have my doubts. What if I am not the savior they are looking for? What if I can’t be the hero they want me to be?

“We should be there in under two hours, just after sunset.” Danny calls out as he comes back from scouting the path ahead.

“Good. We will stop a mile out so everyone can prepare.” We continue on until we are about a mile out of the city and everyone rests and prepares themselves for the battle ahead.

The lights of the city come into view and our plan immediately begins to unfold. The first group, led by Darius, heads through the sewers while the rest of us break off. One group takes the western side, another takes the southern, one to the North and Jordan’s and my group push through the east.

We move swiftly and silently through the city, eliminating the patrols. The four group groups merge at the city center, standing in front of the council hall where the Were Council not only convenes, but where they also lay their heads. We all silently wait for Darius’s signal, our excitement and anxiousness is boiling over until the minute we see the cloud of black mist flowing out of a sewer grate.

“Move!” We all rush through the archway that leads to the grounds that sit before the council hall and by the time we make it to the doors, Darius and his men have already cleared the guards and are pulling the doors open for us to charge in. The Were Council is far more impressive than the witch’s council ever could have hoped to be. It consists of 78 members, all from ancient bloodlines, all alphas and all purebred. We split up, covering every door and corridor as we sweep through the building. We reach the main hall, two large wooden doors with intricate carvings of wolves in a forest adorn the lower half while at the center of the two doors in a large full moon. I push the doors open to be blasted by an energy that nearly had my knees buckling and successfully brings several of our men to the ground.

“We were beginning to think you might have made the right choice and abandoned your foolish plans to dismantle the council, but it seems we gave you far too much credit.” Marius, the eldest of the council, calls out from the other side of the room.

“I believe that means I win our little bet, brother.” Tyrus, Marius’s younger brother chuckles out as his eyes scan the room before returning to meet his brother’s gaze.

“As you can see, we took precautions just in case you decided to come. An old friend of mine owed me a favor after they hired me to kill your mother. You remember Layla, don’t you?” We watch as a woman steps out from behind Marius, her face has aged, but it is one I could never forget.

“You look just like your mother. What a shame.” Layla hisses out in an inhuman, raspy voice. I take a step closer, pushing against the waves of her energy with every ounce of my strength. I force my hand out, pushing my energy forward until she stumbles just enough to distract her. The moment her pulsing barrier drops, everyone charges into the room. Layla’s focus remains on me, my little distraction has made her angry. I see the dark mass forming in her hands, but as she launches it toward me, Luca jumps in front of me and it slams into his chest. I drop to my knees and hold his head in my lap, ignoring the battle taking place around me. Luca’s eyes are black as pitch as he stares at me, void of emotion. I place one hand on his chest and one on his head, slowly drawing the darkness from him and letting it flow through me. Danny rushes over and drops down beside me with fear in his eyes as he stares at Luca.

“Take him and go.” He carefully picks him up and runs out the door with him as I return to my feet, the darkness coursing through me.

“Awe, the little witch tainted herself to save her brother. How sweet.” I feel the energy around us crackling intensely as she slowly steps closer.

“Too bad your mother didn’t have time to properly train you. A weak witch is a useless witch.” Each word she speaks causes the darkness to spread, slowly consuming me.

“You think me to be a weak witch? One problem…I’m no witch.” I give her a sinister smile as my beast tears through, my once white fur is black and I see the spark of fer in her eyes.

“What the hell are you?” I snarl at her and take a large step forward.

“That’s impossible.” Marius gasps out from behind her. I lunge forward, snapping my jaws closed around the witch’s head and instantly severing it from her body. I drop her head and shift back, slowly stalking toward Marius. I watch as he attempts to shift, but I hold out my hand and force his wolf back. As soon as I am close enough to reach him, I grab his face in my hands, forcing the darkness out of me and sending it into him like a plague. I watch as his body slowly deteriorates, desiccating beneath my hands until he collapses in a pile of bones and rotting flesh. Another charges at me, Tyrus, and I grab his throat, delivering to him the same fate as his brother, though much more quickly. I eliminate them one by one, leaving a trail of desiccated corpses in my wake.

“Alpha!” The voice of one of Jordan’s men grips my attention tightly and I turn to see Weyland, the fourth head of the council, rushing at Jordan with a silver dagger gripped tightly in his hand. I don’t even have time t think before my body reacts, throwing my hands forward and expelling the darkness, willing it forward as it wraps around him, slithering into every orifice like serpents as the blade crashes to the ground at Jordan’s feet. I watch in eager fascination as the dark mist suffocates him and drains the very life from him until he falls to the ground, withered and decayed.

“Cora?” My eyes meet Jordan’s and I can see his worry as the mist slowly returns to me, seeping into my skin.

“Darius!” I turn my head toward Darius as Jordan is pointing at me with a shocked and worried expression. The last of the council falls as Darius traces over to me, grabbing my cheeks and forcing me to meet his gaze.

“You, my child, will surely be the death of me.” He slides a hand into my hair and yanks my head to the side before sinking his teeth into me. I hear screaming, shouting, angry voices but it all fades into darkness.