Wolf Pack Chronicles Box Set

by Amelia Wilson

  He lifted his enormous shadowy body, his fur as black as night. With a powerful slam, he rammed himself against the ceiling of the tunnel, again and again. Krista felt someone slam into her shoulder, Sam. "We need to pull back," Sam warned.

  "Sulous is trying to get out!" Krista shouted. "If he leaves these tunnels, he'll expose the shifter world to the humans."

  Sam gave her an understanding nod, then shifted back into a large white wolf, rejoining the remains of her pack. Their army had tried to get to the Wolf God, nipping at its heels to no avail. Sulous took notice of them and swept his jaws down to try to scoop them up into his mouth.

  At once, Krista was brought back to her vision. The Oracle had revealed to her a solution if only she could find the chance to apply it. There was an image of a woman, the pure spirit of the oracle, as she approached the wolf monster.

  "I need to get closer," she told Tristan. "I can stop him, but I can't get there alone."

  “What about Ryland?” Tristan asked. “He’s not gone, is he?”

  “I don’t know,” Krista said. “He could still be in there somewhere.”

  Her eyes darted about the room. She had yet to summon the oracle fully, since she had left her apartment. Fear was already beginning to set in once more, and there was not a single quiet place for her to gather her power.

  Screw it, she thought. I’ll do it here if I have to, and it looks like I have to.

  “I need some cover,” she said. “Just for a moment.”

  Tristan stepped forward, trying to keep his gaze on what the Wolf God would do next. The other alpha’s caught sight of him, each of them hopping over destroyed concrete to get in position.

  “What’s the deal?” Declan asked.

  “Surround Krista,” Tristan said.

  “The hell is that going to do?” Rizz’s eyes widened in terror.

  "Just trust me," Krista said. Then, to each of the alpha's surprise, she sat cross-legged on what was left of the ground. Water was rising around her, but she forced herself to concentrate.

  Rizz, Sam, Ben, Declan, and Tristan. Together, they locked arms in a circle to protect Krista the best that they could. It wasn’t much, but Krista was thankful for them. Come on, she thought, focus... the roaring of the Wolf God, and the cracking of the concrete as the ceiling was on the brink of collapse was all too much for her to hear, and she struggled to reach for her power.

  She heard her mother’s voice. Look for the light, Krista…concentrate on the light. And this time, she saw it. It shone bright and clear in her mind's eye, a white glow. She saw flashes of Ryland and felt the touch of his hand against her skin. She saw the alphas and their heart's intentions focusing on her. She even caught a glimpse of Mrs. Remy, and the beautiful scarf she had gifted her. Finally, she saw her smiling mother standing in front of her in a white void. “You’re doing great,” she told her as if she were whispering the words right into her ear.

  Krista felt the wind rushing through her hair, surrounding her in a wild vortex—the power coursing through her veins. I am the oracle, she told herself, and I have all the strength that I need.

  In a rush of electricity, a ball of energy began to form from Krista’s forehead. She kept her eyes closed, ignoring the chaos surrounding her. The energy grew larger, brighter and blue until it surrounded her completely in the form of an enormous orb. She felt her body being lifted from the ground weightless as her hair swept wildly at her face.

  She spread out her arms, feeling the oracle working her magic. As she opened her eyes, blue fire emerged from them, illuminating the chamber and nearly blinding everyone around her.

  The orb carried her off her feet until her body stood dead center. She refused to let go, her sights locked onto the monster turning to face her. Krista found herself just mere inches from Sulous's jaws that were filled with blood-stained teeth. To her surprise, the Wolf God shrunk back as her orb drew closer, not wanting to be touched by its magic.

  “I should have known your arrival was imminent, Oracle,” Sulous’s voice boomed.

  "Then you know full well what happens next," Krista's voice was just as loud, as powerful as a raging ocean. The Wolf God was unmoved, but the fire in his eyes flickered with uncertainty. "I will lay this world to waste," he roared. "And only you will live to walk amongst the ashes."

  “Oh, please,” Krista said. “That’s honestly supposed to scare me?” She would not let on that deep down she was trembling, but the excitement inside of her was somewhat comforting. She was prepared for whatever was going to happen. Just as in her vision, she propelled herself forward, her arm outstretched towards the wolf’s open mouth.

  Sulous crushed another cultist under his paw as he ran for Krista, panting furiously. Fire shot out from between his teeth, ready to consume her entire being. But Krista wasn’t afraid. She had to get Ryland back by any means necessary.

  As they met in the middle, their two spirits collided. Krista, expected to be swallowed whole, but stayed put in her force field. It began to expand as she planted her hand firmly on the chilling wetness of the Wolf God's nose. Then, time stopped.

  Sulous and Krista were frozen, the wolf in a permanent leap in midair, his teeth yearning for a bite he would never obtain, and Krista with her hand held against him as she was bathed in blue light.

  Krista hadn’t been prepared for this part. Nothing about her vision had included her body careening through a rainbow tunnel. She could hear millions of voices flying past her. It was cold, freezing, but Krista didn’t shiver as she plummeted, down, down into an unknown realm.

  The colors around her began to fade, dissolving into a murky blackness until she finally slowed to a soft hover at the bottom. She continued to float, searching, though she wasn't quite sure for what. There was only darkness in every direction, and not a single light to guide her except for her own.

  She flew through the void as if flying through never-ending space. Finally, she spotted a soft white light approaching. A cold, wisplike presence revealed itself to her. It was a bearded man, but he was a ghost, his body completely translucent. He stopped when he saw her, squinting to get a better look.

  "Are you an angel?" He asked, his voice hollow.

  “No,” Krista asked. “I’m looking for someone. His name is Ryland Iker.”

  "I'm not quite sure what that is…a name…I think I've forgotten mine. Forgotten…." He kept repeating to himself as he floated away, disappearing into the dark. A few others approached her. Some of them were lost but didn't know what they were looking for. Others just gave her an unblinking glance as they disappeared.

  Krista found herself alone, until a woman’s voice cried out in fear. “Hello? Is someone there? Can somebody please help me?” Krista headed straight for the source. Maybe they could help her find Ryland in this place.

  Eventually, she found a woman lying on the non-existent floor. She was struggling to get up. Krista tried to take her hand, but the woman passed right through her, ghostlike.

  "You…your spirit is still alive," the woman said in shock as she stared up at Krista. "How did you get here?"

  “I’m looking for someone,” Krista said. “Ryland Iker. Do you know him?”

  “Ryland’s here too?” The woman’s face contorted into deep sadness. “Oh my God…those shifters…they must have…”

  “Wait,” Krista realized. “You’re Henna. Ryland’s strategist.”

  “Yes…” the woman’s eyes widened. “That was my name! I had almost forgotten it.”

  With ease, she was able to stand up from the ground. It was then that Krista began to realize. She had somehow entered the spirit world, a realm where the dead roamed aimlessly. The oracle’s power must have unlocked it when she had touched the Wolf God.

  “Ryland’s spirit is trapped here too, and it is not his time yet. I need to retrieve him. Does this place ever end?” Krista asked.

  “There’s a place where not even the dead will roam,” Henna said, pointing into the dark. “Keep going
, and eventually you will feel it. But, don’t get too close. Whatever it consumes is doomed to stay here.”

  “I wish there was some other way to help you,” Krista’s heart sank at the sight of Henna forever trapped in the dark.

  “You helped me remember,” Henna said. “If I can hold onto my name, I can find my way back to where the others dwell, in the bright space.” A smile crossed her lips. Krista still couldn’t quite understand what Henna meant. Even though she was the oracle, there were still things that simply could not be explained, not even the mysteries of the spiritual realm.

  All she knew was that there was still hope for Ryland, and the thought alone carried her forward in the dark.

  “Ryland!” She called out to him. Despite the vastness of the realm, her words didn’t carry far, as if a wall was constantly in front of her. It became suffocating after several moments, and Krista began to panic. She didn’t know how much time she had in this place.

  After what felt like hours of searching, she saw something other than darkness. There were white wisps, like clouds of smoke, aimlessly floating in a contained space. She felt a sharp pain in her chest, and she realized that she was in the place the dead had feared to tread.

  Right in the center of the smoke, with his body being tossed around by the smoky tendrils, was Ryland. His eyes were closed, his spirit being attacked by a harbinger of death.

  “Ryland!!” He couldn’t hear her. Krista moved closer, still remembering Henna’s warning. If the tendrils grabbed her, she’d find herself pulled in as well.

  But she couldn't leave Ryland behind. She moved forward anyway until he was at an arm's length. She reached out, relieved that she could still feel the softness of his hair. He was still solid, but he was barely hanging on. His weakened head rose to look at what was touching him.

  “Krista,” he said, his eyebrows furrowed. “How did you get here?”

  “Ryland, I can’t explain right now,” Krista’s gaze kept drifting up to the white tendrils. They hadn’t taken an interest in her yet, and she wanted to hurry and get Ryland out before they did.

  “You have to hang on—you have to come with me!”

  “I can’t…I’m so tired…” Ryland rolled over in the white tendrils as if they were carrying him off to a deep sleep. Krista’s eyes widened in horror.

  “Ryland, the Wolf God has been awakened,” her voice was more panicked now, as a tendril spiraled like a snake, turning from side to side waiting to attack her any second. “You have to get out of here so we can stop him!”

  “Wolf God?” Ryland was struggling to remember. Death was approaching, coming to slowly pick apart his memory for good.

  “Sulous is here. Give me your hand and I’ll pull you out!”

  “I can’t…so…tired…It’s warm on the other side.”

  “No! Ryland, stay with me! That’s a lie, okay? Just listen to me! If you give in, you’ll be dead forever.” She was losing hope, but she remembered the words he had spoken to her before, as they lay on his bed and he stroked her hair. It seemed like a century ago.

  “You’ve only failed if you give up,” she reminded him. “You can’t give up now, Ryland. Think about what’s waiting for you on the other side.”

  “I don’t have a pack anymore,” Ryland said. “They’ve all left.”

  “No, just you wait and see. Your pack is still strong. They’re waiting for you to come out and lead them.” Krista couldn’t bear to stand around and watch any longer. She threw out her hands, grabbing hold of Ryland’s shoulders.

  "You have to remember," Krista said. She felt like she was underwater now, her cries only lost in a wall of bubbles. Ryland swayed helplessly in her grip, but she refused to let go.

  "Remember when you and I were on the hill?" She asked. "I told you that you didn't have a heart-line? Remember, playing baseball with your little brother? Or Tristan and his silly schedules and notes? You can't have forgotten about that!"

  A white tendril lashed out around her arm. Krista cried out in pain. She couldn’t hear the oracle’s voice in here, to guide her. It was all up to her now. The tendril tightened its grip around her, pulsing as it seemed to drain the energy right out of her. She understood now why Ryland had a hard time leaving.

  “Please, Ryland!” Her voice was desperate now as another tendril wrapped itself around her waist. It would only be a matter of time before it pulled her in as well. “We’re not going to die here,” she said. “I have a shop to run, and you have a pack to lead. Look at me!”

  Ryland weakly lifted his head with all the strength he could muster. “Every shifter faction has joined together, because of you,” she said. “Hell, even Declan is out there fighting to save your stubborn ass!”

  She saw a glimmer in Ryland’s eyes, as the olive green returned to them. It was working. He was slowly remembering. Krista felt herself being pulled further into the white smoky void. Her grip was loosening on Ryland.

  “You are the strongest because you never give up, and you said that no matter what, you’d be even better tomorrow,” she said, her head heavy and tired. “We have to make it to tomorrow, Ryland. I just want you to be there with me…”

  Suddenly she felt herself giving in, despite her deep struggle the overwhelming comfort was washing over her. But then, she felt a pair of strong arms pulling her away from the smoking tendrils. Krista was drifting in and out as the darkness swept past her.

  Her eyes fluttered open as soft warm lips pressed against hers. Electricity pulsed between her and Ryland and her heart pounded in her chest as they exchanged a powerful, passionate kiss. She felt his strength engulfing her now, and when he pulled away, she saw that Ryland was glowing with life.

  "Let's get to tomorrow," he said with a firm nod. He placed Krista down, and they wrapped their arms around each other, their foreheads pressed together. Krista concentrated, calling on her power.

  As soon as she did, she felt her and Ryland being pulled back again as if someone had pressed a rewind button. The spirit realm whipped past them, pitch-black fading into a tunnel full of color once again. Ryland buried his face in Krista's hair, his body heavy against hers as they approached a blinding white light hurtling towards them.

  20. PEACE

  Krista awoke, breathing in life. She was still in her orb, her hand on Sulous. Time had stood still between them, but the blinding light had followed her here, emanating from her touch on the Wolf God’s muzzle. It expanded, filling the entire room until a massive explosion of magic launched her backward. A deep blue ring of light stretched out as her sphere shattered like glass, flying through every inch of the chamber and the tunnels surrounding it.

  Krista flew back and hit a concrete wall, the wind knocked from her lungs as she fell to her knees. The alphas gathered around her, helping her to her tired feet. The world felt heavier here, the gravity pressing on her entire body.

  She stared ahead at the Wolf God, now shaky on his feet. The remaining shifters watched in horror as Sulous swayed back and forth, the bright light on his muzzle engulfing his entire body. "No!" He shouted a final booming note that resonated in Krista's chest. The light quenched the shadows that made up his body, and he lifted his head in agony, giving one last roar before he fell.

  His body crushed the concrete pathways, sending waves of dirty water through the tunnels. The Wolf God shrunk down as the shadows around him were eaten away. He opened his jaws a final time, but only smoke emanated from them, trailing out like a ghostly fog.

  Then, he was silenced. Everyone stood back as faint blue shadows, spirits, flew up and disappeared into the air with long exasperated sighs. The light faltered, expanding and contracting until it finally began to fade, a low musical hum vibrating throughout the room.

  The shifters crept out from their hiding places, the cultists mixed in with the five factions. Each alpha followed after Krista as she walked towards the light.

  There, where Sulous's mighty body had once stood proudly, was a tired and battered Ryland
. He was lying face-up, the light hovering above him. It was barely the size of a marble and drifted down into Ryland's open mouth. As it disappeared, a glow radiated throughout his body.

  The dark strands of Sulous's spirit dissolved from under his skin as if they had never taken hold of him in the first place. He was healing, turning back into the Ryland that Krista had grown so attached to.

  Once the light disappeared, Ryland’s eyes fluttered open. Krista leaned over him, caressing his face with her fingers. She bent down to place a tender kiss on his forehead. Ryland’s arms shot out around her, pulling her closer so he could give her a proper kiss to express his gratitude.

  A wild chorus of cheers surrounded them from the shifters. Even Tristan had clapped once he saw his alpha alive and well.

  Krista melted into his arms. It was such a relief to have him back. She pulled away, looking into those soft green eyes of his.

  “Hey,” she said, feeling her heart beating against his bare chest.

  “Hey,” Ryland gave a weak and tired smile. “I just had a strange dream about you…”

  “Yeah, that wasn’t a dream,” Krista said. “It was very real.”

  "Look! You're blue!" Even though it wasn't really a curse attached to Ryland, it seemed that a huge entity had been lifted from him. His entire personality had flipped on its head, and he was filled with new, brighter energy.

  Krista looked down at her skin—a soft blue glow was slowly fading.

  “Oh, about that…” She began.

  “You don’t have to tell me,” he said. “I can clearly see from here that you’re an incredibly sexy oracle.”

  Krista’s face grew hot. She gave a nervous glance around the room, reminding Ryland that there were hundreds of eyes watching them. Ryland winked at her, and she moved aside to help him to his feet.

  He was shaky at first, but with some help from the other alphas and Tristan, he gained some balance. The crowd began to separate, leaving one other person who had seemed to disappear during the chaos.