Everything about this situation was eerie.
The hair on the back of her neck stood alert. She knew something was wrong. Her entire body screamed danger as of that moment, and if she knew one thing, it was to never ever doubt her instincts. She had been raised on that premise. No matter how unlikely something seemed, if her gut feeling said something was off, she went with it. She never made the mistake of disregarding her feeling.
She’d known the soldier ever since she came to the den. He was among the strongest ones on the force and one of Fergus’ most trusted troopers. Did Nina really have a reason to doubt him?
She thought about it for a moment and realized that he had always been there to protect the cubs and to take care of them. Although, at that point, his eyes told a different story, and that shook Nina to the very core. She couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to him.
Resorting to the conclusion that she would know for sure only after getting him to speak to her, she turned her head in his direction and questioned him inquisitively. “So, how have the cubs been doing?”
The soldier raised an eyebrow as though offended, which was odd. There was no reason to be offended in this case. It was a simple question.
She added quickly, “Don’t you remember? I haven’t been by for quite some time.”
His mouth curved into a circle as he said, “Ohhhh! Right!” He offered her a tiny smirk that disappeared almost immediately.
Nina was now sure that something was definitely wrong. She had known the soldier long enough, and he had never seemed this distraught. It felt as though someone else entirely was in his body, or sitting up in his brain. He should have known already that she had come to the nursery after quite some time. It was impossible for him to have forgotten. Fergus had informed his entire pack about her bad condition in order to get them to be alert and on their feet all the time, so what was the confusion about?
Something was definitely wrong.
Nina considered her options. She could call out the soldier directly on his peculiarity and risk unleashing his wrath upon everyone if her guess turned out to be true. She would have done it, too, if her baby weren’t draining all of her energy. Under normal circumstances, she knew she was strong enough to fend for herself but at that time, she decided it would be stupid because she would be unable to do anything if a fight broke out because of her baby. And if anything happened to the cubs because of her, she would never be able to forgive herself.
A light bulb came to life atop her head.
Immediately, she used her mating bond to call Kevin and hoped that the baby wasn’t making that weak, too. If anything, she should be making it stronger, being the product of their love. She hoped that Kevin would understand and bring as much back up as he could.
Now that she knew help was on the way, she filled a seat next to the pack’s nanny and took to writing a small note on her hand and made sure no one noticed her doing so. If the soldier discovered that she was onto him, it could cause all sorts of trouble, and she was aware of that. Right now, all she had to do was stall him until Kevin and company arrived.
“So,” she started speaking once again, in her most forced giddy voice, “who wants to play a game?”
The cubs cheered happily and ran to sit at her feet. If there was any way she could pass the time and keep everyone busy, this was it. Once the cubs started playing, it would take hours to put them down, and Nina would make sure that they played until everyone got to the nursery, too.
“Great! What do you want to play? Nina asked, scanning the crowd to pick one of the cubs who had excitedly raised their hands to offer a suggestion.
“SIMON SAYS!”
“NO, HIDE AND SEEK!”
“NOOOO, LET’S HAVE A DANCE PARTY!”
Nina laughed, trying to ensure that the soldier didn’t suspect anything. She eyed him cautiously to try to make out what had been going through his mind. Instead of engaging in the activities like he normally did, the soldier stood erect with his eyes still maliciously fixed on the cubs.
Nina shivered in fear.
A laugh escaped from the lips of the nanny who sat next to her.
“Actually,” she interrupted, “it’s time for the cubs to take a bath. You can play with them after they’re all clean.”
Nina frowned, searching her mind for excuses through which she could make the cubs stay. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words left it, the cubs started whining loudly while one of them protested, “But, we’ve already taken our bath for the day! We don’t want to take another one.”
Time stood still, and Nina’s eyes met with the soldier’s, who in turn realized immediately that his cover had been blown. His eyes widened, as did Nina’s. She had been trying to avoid this particular situation, and yet, all of a sudden, she was met with it, and now the cubs’ safety was in her hands.
Without wasting another second, Asther exuded his wrath upon the cubs, channeling all his energy into a fireball and throwing it in their direction. But Nina was already on her feet and in his way. She raised her hands protectively and stopped it midair before it got close to the cubs.
“Get out! Leave!”
She was screaming instructions at them. She had to make them leave the nursery if they wanted to be safe. The cubs were reluctant to leave the pregnant witch alone to fend for herself. It wasn’t just her who was at risk–it was her baby, too.
Seeing their hesitation, Nina used a fireball to try to coax Asther into moving toward the exit. With hands aflame, she moved toward him, raging eyes staring him down, trying to make him rue the day he decided to cause the cubs harm. She threw the fireball at him, making him stumble backward and lose his balance. He dropped to the floor with a loud thud but rose back up immediately, running in her direction.
Asther was aware that he could do more damage while stationed inside the nursery, and he countered Nina’s every attack that was meant to drive him out. He was onto the witch’s plan, and he wasn’t about to let her win.
Nina’s heart raced, and she had to fight for air. She felt herself losing strength while fighting to keep Asther away from the cubs. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold him off.
Once more, she used the mating bond to tell her mate that she needed help. She was sure that she couldn’t fight any longer.
“Where are you, Kevin?”
She didn’t mean to say it out loud, but Asther laughed out loud in response to her plea. “Foolish witch! No one is going to come to save you! Not even your precious little mate!”
She noticed the scorn in his voice and the anger in his eyes.
Nina built all the courage she had in her and scoffed loudly, ignoring the pain shooting through her body. She remarked, “You couldn’t kill me before; you won’t be able to do it this time, either.”
He locked his eyes with hers and clenched his fists. His lips curved into an evil smile as he raised his hand again.
Chapter 13
Asther’s eyes widened with realization. His head spun as things started falling into place for him.
“That’s right,” he snarled. “It all makes sense now.”
Nina stared at him, unwilling to let on to how scared she had been feeling. Her heart raced at an unbelievable rate. She clutched her heart and pleaded desperately for it to slow down but to no avail. She was afraid. And not for her own life. She was afraid for her baby and the cubs.
She already knew that Asther wouldn’t be able to kill her. She wondered if her baby was just as immune to his wickedness as she was. She silently hoped she was, but she wasn’t going to risk her life just to find out. Thinking about the way Asther would torture her baby if he got his hands on her shook Nina to her very core. It also flooded her with a feeling of over-protectiveness, the sort that only grew in a mother’s heart.
She spat out once again, “You can’t kill me.”
“You’re right, little witch. I can’t kill you.” Asther squinted his eyes in fury but a smirk remained
on his face. “But,” he continued, “that doesn’t mean I won’t try.” He looked smug, and Nina felt like ripping his heart to a million little pieces. However, Asther had the upper hand at that time because she was weak.
With a flick of his wrist, Nina was raised up from the ground, and she fought to come back into contact with it. Her clenched fists were wrapped in her flame, and she struggled to concentrate enough to be able to fight back. Her mind was fuzzy, and the lack of air stopped her from thinking straight.
Just then, Kevin burst into the room as though on cue, and a wave of relief flooded Nina. Her eyes thanked him and begged him to help her. Seeing his mate in pain drove his animal wild, and he growled loudly as he ran toward Asther to take him down.
However, the bear was no match for the cruel fairy, and he was thrown effortlessly to a far corner of the room. He collided against the wall and fell to the ground, losing consciousness immediately.
Once again, Asther turned his attention toward Nina and proceeded toward the witch who had now retreated to the ground as well. Her hand rested on her belly protectively, and her features were twisted into an angry snarl. Although her insides raged, she was too weak to fight back, and she hated herself for it. If Asther were to hurt her now, she wouldn’t be able to protect herself. Even worse, she wouldn’t be able to save her baby. She had no energy left within her to fight. Was she really giving up?
She eyed her mate desperately once again, but this time, she felt nothing but guilt for pulling him into this fight.
She wondered where everyone else was. Surely, Kevin wouldn’t be dumb enough to come alone. He should’ve known better. He would’ve known better than to come without backup. So where were the rest of the people? Why did he show up alone? She hoped that things weren’t as bad outside the nursery as they were inside it.
Now, Asther was just about to attack her again. He moved in her direction with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. He was sure that he had her now. She was his to torture. He would have his fun with her. She was the reason the mating bond between Kalen and Ammara had grown so strong. He would take out his anger on her. He would make her rue the day she was brought into this world. He would make her despise her parents for creating her.
The thought of his plan finally falling into place brought him such satisfaction that he couldn’t contain it. An evil laugh escaped his throat, and it danced amid the air, mocking Nina and taunting her for the way she let him defeat her so easily.
Part of her knew it wasn’t her fault. Without the baby, she would’ve easily taken him on. The other part of her couldn’t help but blame her. She shut her eyes, thinking of a time when Asther was far from her problems. She had no idea of his existence. She and Kevin had been so happy. Everyone had been so happy.
How did things spiral out of control so drastically?
Suddenly, as though out of nowhere, Kalen appeared before Nina’s eyes. Where had he come from? She didn’t know, but she was grateful, so it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he was there now.
He threw himself between the witch and the fairy and positioned himself in such a way that Nina was completely protected from Asther. His rage was now evident in his eyes, and it was clear that only one of them would come out of this situation alive.
Grinding his teeth, he spoke to his evil brother, “I never thought my own flesh and blood would harbor so much hatred for me. All these years, Asther! And you still resent me?”
Asther scoffed, “Where was flesh and blood when you stole the woman I loved from me?”
Kalen’s heart sank. “I didn’t steal her, Asther. She chose me.”
“And that,” she roared, “is exactly why everyone must pay! Starting with her precious little daughter!”
He was shouting now, and his voice echoed in the room.
He noticed the shifters now running into the scene. Luke, Fergus, and Diana repeatedly attacked Asther, helping Kalen as much as they could. They made a beeline for Asther, pouncing on him from afar, hell-bent on ripping him to shreds.
Asther, however, didn’t seem affected by their presence, for they were no match for an all-powerful fairy. He tossed them aside like weightless dolls and focused on obliterating Kalen. Having all the support he needed now, Kevin gathered his strength and lifted himself from the ground.
Meanwhile, Cassie and Abigail rushed out of the nursery. They knew they had to get the pack to safety, and the only way to do that was to evacuate the den immediately. It was now a danger zone, and its inhabitants were prone to all sorts of peril.
The pack was no longer safe here. Somehow, Asther had managed to penetrate Ammara’s barrier. Nothing could stop him, and that was very clear to them now.
“Evacuate the den!”
“Now!”
“Leave everything and go!”
“Go, go, go!”
Orders filled the air. The pack fell into a state of tumult. People were now shouting, looking for their loved ones, seeking an exit out of the den. No one knew what was happening, but they knew they had to follow the orders. No one stopped to question them, and Abigail and Cassie were glad.
The houses had now been emptied completely, and the confused shifters filled the field that led to the main exit when, suddenly, they all stopped.
Cassie and Abigail noticed their expressions twisting and changing completely. They were no longer confused, rather, they now looked vengeful. They looked at each other, confused and scared at what they were witnessing.
South from them now stood Ammara across the army of shifters, wearing the same puzzled expression as them. They waited in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Almost immediately, without any warning, the pack fell into a killing frenzy in the exact same fashion as Fergus’ pack had. Seconds barely elapsed before the blood of the bears flowed from their torn and scratched bodies. They screamed and growled out of pain but continued on harming each other anyway.
Cassie and Abigail froze in place, unable to decide what to do next out of shock. They weren’t expecting this to happen at all. However, Ammara was one step ahead of them. As soon as the goriness started, she froze the bear pack as well. Now they, too, resembled a picture.
Two packs stayed frozen in time as the mission to exterminate the creator of all the trouble sustained.
“Asther has to be stopped immediately!” Ammara declared, eliciting a nod from the Cassie and Abigail.
“I hope the other shifter packs are still safe,” commented the bear alpha, voicing Abigail’s thoughts.
“Hold on,” Ammara said softly, closing her eyes for a second before speaking. “They are. For now.”
She received a sigh in response.
Returning back to the nursery where they knew they would be needed, the trio readied themselves to attack Asther once again, but as soon as Asther laid eyes on them, Ammara stumbled backward, raising her hand to her head.
“Ammara!”
Most everyone in the room, save the evil fairy, screamed in unison, worried at the sudden shift in posture of the witch.
“Are you all right?” Kalen questioned his mate, tension coloring his voice. His heart had now leapt to his throat.
“I…umm…”
Ammara struggled to breathe, panting loudly. Asther smirked, satisfied. He found his chance to take his revenge.
Centuries had passed. He had been plotting his revenge since the very day Ammara had put herself in a deep sleep, and now this was his chance. The witch was finally weak enough to kill once and for all.
Nina’s baby did for him what he couldn’t do himself. The baby sucked on Nina’s energy while Nina sucked on Ammara’s, and now both witches were weak and defenseless.
“Finally!” Asther roared out of excitement. “Here’s my chance to finish you off.”
He bent his hand in a weird manner, and Ammara coughed, fighting for air. Her face went blue as her eyes widened, when she realized that her end was near.
As Ammara lost consciousness, the m
ating bond grew weaker. It wobbled under the weight of Asther’s hatred, trying to stay in place, until it finally snapped.
“You should have chosen me,” Asther spat out in anger. “None of this would’ve happened had you just chosen me.” He eyed her, now assured that no one could harm him in any way. Both witches and his brother were down. The shifters were no match for his power.
He kept speaking to Ammara as though apologizing, but feeling no regret whatsoever. “If you had chosen me, you wouldn’t be at your end now. What did he give you that I wouldn’t have been able to?”
Ammara tried to respond to his bitterness, but the restriction didn’t permit her to do so.
“I was ready to give the world to you, Ammara. Look what you’ve brought me to now.”
He towered over her like a giant. He felt like a god as he saw her whimpering like an injured puppy. Seeing her in that condition brought him so much joy that he stopped to savor it, wanting the picture to save itself into his memory.
At the corner of the room, Nina’s eyes fluttered open, although she was still weak. She knew she wouldn’t be able to get up. Her eyes met Kevin’s, and he knew what to do.
Signaling to the wolf alphas, he made a straight dash toward the evil fairy who stumbled backward at the suddenness of the attack.
Fergus and Diana covered Kevin, fighting back all of Asther’s attacks, protecting Nina’s mate. In the span of a couple of seconds, the bear shifter stood face to face with the fairy who laughed, impressed by his audacity and their team work, but his expression was one that was meant to mock him.
He spoke as he laughed at the shifter, “You can do nothing to harm me, you fool. But give me your best shot. I’d like to see what you got.”
Kevin was hoping that Asther would say something like that.
He laughed. “You just made the worst mistake of your entire life.”
Suddenly, Nina released a loud growl as Kevin arched his back and growled as well in response. When he looked back down at Asther, the blackness in his eyes had disappeared, completely covered with white, and he smiled at him evilly as the fairy realized how much trouble he was in now.
The Broken Barrier (Shadow Claw Book 4) Page 10