Wylla steps forward with her vial. This one has a clear liquid inside as she pours it into the bowl.
“Essence extracted from the blood of the witch Elite.”
My gaze jerks up to Morbal. How? Did he kill her? Is she a prisoner in the dungeons?
Morbal looks to the large doors at my back. “Where the hell are they? How hard is it to find a witch?” His gaze shifts. “Bring over the sacrifice.”
My eyes widen as the guards pull my mother over. No. I tug harder at my confined wrists. Why? Why after I just got her back.
One of the guards takes out a knife and holds it over my mother’s heart, waiting for the signal from Morbal.
“Blood first, for the witch,” Morbal says, trying to contain me, but I just struggle harder.
I cry out in horror as the guard creates a deep gash on my mom’s arm with the knife.
“No!” I scream, tears rolling down my face. “Don’t hurt her.”
“Wylla,” Morbal bellows, his face growing red, power flowing through the room.
Wylla grimaces, her face growing pale. Black veins creep up from around the metal bands, trailing up her arms and down her hands. More peek out of the top of her gown, spreading out like fingers.
My mom gives her a small smile. “It’s okay, Wylla. You don’t have a choice.”
When Wylla takes a step toward my mom, the black recedes. A tic forms in her jaw as she dips her fingers in my mom’s blood, then applies it to the spots along her face and arms where the dried blood resides.
My heart is racing as I fight Morbal’s hold.
Guards burst in. “Head alpha! We’re being attacked.”
Morbal stiffens. “You’re lying, I don’t sense anyone.” His grip tightens on me.
The guards fidget, unsure what to do. “Fine,” Morbal says, jaw tight. “Get the stryxes to take care of them. Marcus. Take her.” Morbal thrusts me into Marcus’ arms.
Bile rises, sweat lining my upper lip as Marcus moves behind me. With the combination of his putrid scent and presence so close to mine, my body rebels even more.
My shift is close to the surface. If I tap into it, maybe I could save us. Or I’ll just get us all killed faster. But it seems backup is close. Maybe I can hold on a little longer before acting.
Marcus keeps a hold of me, forcing my arm above the bowl.
“They’re almost here, sire,” one of the guards says.
Morbal places his hands on either side of the bowl and scowls down at it. “We can’t wait any longer. Wylla, bring the stryx over,” Morbal commands.
The stryx locked in Wylla’s magic is lifted off the ground and floated forward.
When the stryx is near, he tries to bite Morbal.
Morbal snarls and partial-shifts his hand, slicing a nail across the stryx’s throat. Blood sprays everywhere, landing all over the ground, bowl, and Morbal.
“Over the bowl,” Morbal commands Wylla, and the dead stryx floats above the bowl, blood weeping out of the gash on his neck and into the bowl.
My stomach turns, and I turn my head as puke pushes out of my mouth to cover Marcus’ shoes.
“Disgusting.” Marcus curses and pushes on my head to keep it down.
“Wylla, start the spell. Guard, bring the sacrifice closer.”
She hesitates, and another wave of power passes Morbal’s lips. “Now.”
Wylla begins a chant.
Panic rises. No. I can’t wait for Wylla or anyone else, not when my mom’s life is in the balance.
Focusing on my essence, I partial-shift my hands. It comes so much faster than when I first started.
I dig the claws of my free hand into Marcus’ exposed arms that grip my wrist.
Marcus hisses and grabs hold of my hair. He pulls back hard while tightening his grip on my wrist. The sound of my bone snapping is the first thing I register before sharp pain flares to life. A scream rips from my throat as I release him.
But then I start slashing at anything near me as everything goes hazy.
I’m overwhelmed with pain, but I continue to claw anything I touch. I hear broken pieces of their argument.
“Fool! Why did you take her bands off?”
“Can’t we just have the witch confine her?”
The question sends an ice bucket of water through me. The next thing I know, wisps of magic are in my line of vision. Marcus and Morbal are in front of me, beside the bowl and pillar.
My head snaps to Wylla, who’s just to the left of Morbal.
Wylla’s wisps of magic waver as she points to her bands. My brows scrunch together as I hold my wrist to my stomach. Is she wanting me to remove them? I can’t get them off. I don’t have the device, and Marcus left it somewhere in the dungeon.
She mouths the word, shift.
It clicks.
I know what she wants me to do.
Tapping into my essences again, I let my shift sweep through me. The shackles bite into my skin as my arms morph. My wrist kills, but I force myself to ignore it. Focusing only on my body as I completely transform into a wolf.
“Witch,” Morbal bellows as both he and Marcus jump away from me, almost knocking the bowl over. Marcus’ body morphs as he shifts, but Morbal spins and grabs the bowl. He brings it to his mouth and chugs it down.
Unease settles in my gut, my stomach churns at the sight. But I ignore it and leap, passing them.
I jump on top of Wylla, knocking her over and clamping part of my mouth around one of her metal bands.
“Do it,” she grits out through clenched teeth, her gaze is unwavering.
I slowly apply pressure and hear the band crack under my jaw. She screams and I yelp as an electrifying current shoots through me, leaving me numb.
I’m sluggish as I try to move, but Wylla replaces her wrist with the other one in my mouth.
“Last one, Ellie.”
I whimper, but before I can apply pressure, I’m distracted by a commotion behind us.
“Ellie!” Ash’s roar reverberates through the room.
Ash? He’s here? Tears well up as joy bursts from me. It’s quickly replaced with white-hot pain across my hide. Claws rake across my back and dig into my flesh, trying to pull me away from Wylla.
A growl vibrates deep in my throat.
“Focus, Ellie.” My attention snaps back to Wylla, and she nods as we make eye contact. “That’s it,” she says, perspiration dotting her forehead. “Once I’m free, I’ll make sure to get him off you—I swear it.”
Trying to calm my racing heart, I focus on applying enough pressure to break her band, but not her wrist. I know it works when that same electrifying current shoots through us once more. My limbs go weak, and I’m just able to force myself away so as not to collapse completely on her.
I’m limp and numb, laying on the ground. My body vibrates and tingles, but not the kind I get when Ash and I touch. Growls, snarls, and grunts sound in the room. I blink until my vision comes back.
Wylla cries as she pries the bands off. She throws them aside as blood drips down from her fingers, staining her dress. She stumbles up and raises her arms, focusing on Morbal as wisps of her magic appear, wrapping around him and prying him off me. I hadn’t even realized he shifted and was the one attacking me.
Morbal snarls at her like a rabid dog as she lifts him into the air.
Wylla screams, her face contorted in pain, as the bands tighten around him and her hair floats around her. I’m completely mesmerized.
My eyes wander until they connect with Ash.
My Ash.
Light-purple magic wraps around Morbal, prying him off Ellie. Morbal roars when Logan bites into his leg.
Ellie lies limp on the floor, still in her wolf form. My soul aches to be near her, to hold her.
Her eyes lock onto mine. I hope she can see just how sorry I am that it took me so long to get here. Octavia was able to track Ellie by tasting my blood. Since I marked Ellie, some of her essence flows through me from the bond.
Teeth skim
my side, reminding me that I can’t be distracted right now.
Marcus, in wolf form, nips at my arms and legs, but it’s easy to dodge him as a man with my speed. As long as I’m paying attention. For a bitten, he’s abnormally strong and fast.
Marcus swipes at me, trying to catch me with his claws.
I snatch one of them and throw a punch into his snout. Pulling him closer, I knee him in the throat and push him away.
He pants and stumbles away as I stride toward him.
I hate him for what he’s done to Ellie. The sick bastard took pleasure in harming and scarring her.
But no more.
There’s a shift in the air, and my gaze is drawn back to the scene where Morbal is.
The magic around him shatters as the woman it came from collapses, but thankfully Logan is still there to attack him.
My head snaps back to Marcus as he tries to escape.
Just as I reach him, movement on my right diverts my attention. There’s not enough time to react as Morbal barrels into my side and slams me against the wall, forcing the air out of my lungs.
The pressure is unbearable as I try to catch my breath. I attempt to pry him off, scratching him with my claws.
Glancing over his shoulder, I find Logan in his wolf form struggling to stand up, coughing up blood.
How is this possible?
On our way up we were battling with lycans and stryxes alike, but that shouldn’t have inhibited Logan’s ability to fight Morbal. And Logan trained with his father, an Original. He should be able to hold his own longer than a few minutes.
I dig my claws into Morbal’s fur, deep into his side.
He jerks away, and I drop to the ground, clenching my ribs. My chest is tight from the hit, and there’s a sharp throbbing in my side.
I probably gained a few broken ribs.
More lycans and stryxes pile in through the open door as I stand. But none from our side. I’m grateful for Octavia and her stryxes. She’s taking down two at a time on the other side of the room.
Arlo and Russell should be moving in by now. We just need to be able to hold out long enough for them to make it.
My side aches when I shift into my wolf.
Russell, how far out? I ask through the pack bond.
Just breached the front door. Even while communicating with me, Russell isn’t distracted. I can sense his undeterred concentration on the fight at hand.
I focus on my own battle as Marcus and Morbal close in. I should be larger than Marcus, but both he and Morbal tower over me. They corner me, but there’s not much I can do about it.
When I see an opening, I lower my head and nip at Marcus’ front legs as he steps forward for the next onslaught.
I taste metal as his blood enters my mouth.
I rip a chunk out of his leg and spit it onto the ground then jump toward Morbal.
But Morbal is ready. He stands on his hind legs, making him as tall as a giant grizzly. His eyes glow brighter, and his body grows larger by the second. How is that possible? How is he getting bigger? He snarls as his teeth sharpen and elongate even farther.
But I don’t back down.
I ram into his stomach. He drops his weight, crushing me.
He seems to get heavier as he presses his weight into me.
Pushing on the ground underneath me, I try to dislodge him, but he doesn’t budge.
Is my mind playing tricks on me, or is Morbal getting stronger?
Morbal repositions, freeing my lower half.
Why did he move?
Morbal holds my front down as Marcus’ claws slash across my hind legs. Agony shoots through me as Marcus carves a path down my side.
My desperation to get away increases, but my hind legs give out.
Morbal rises off me and stands while Marcus shifts back into human form. Marcus grins down at me.
“Ah, the mighty alpha, protector of Eleanor, the pureblood.” Marcus laughs. “How does it feel to be defeated by me?”
He partial-shifts his hand and leans in close.
I snarl and gnash my teeth.
He jerks back and sneers. “Just give up. The end is near. It’s obvious who will win this.”
I glance to my side as snarls erupt near the entrance. Arlo and Russell have made it in with our packs. And they’re headed straight for Morbal.
Breathing deeply, I center myself and focus on my prey.
Marcus takes a step back but thinks better of it and shifts back into wolf form.
He lunges for my stomach.
And I allow it.
Adrenaline pumps through me. Once he connects, I lower my head and latch onto his neck.
His entire body freezes, his teeth still embedded in my side.
But I don’t let him move or think about what’s about to happen.
I dig my teeth in deeper and rip my head away, tearing his throat out.
I shove him away and watch him collapse as I spit his flesh onto the ground. A death rattle leaves his body, and his eyes grow dim.
Relief floods through me. I wish I felt more satisfaction from ending him, but all I can think about is Ellie and how she’s safe from him now.
Turning away from Marcus’ prone body, I find another battle behind me. Morbal is holding his own against Arlo and Russell, but they’re at a stalemate. I know I’ll need to join to turn the tides. But first, I look around for Ellie.
I see her not far from where she was last time. But she’s no longer a wolf. She’s helping a woman hold up the witch from earlier.
She’s still okay. She’s safe.
Seeing her, even for a brief moment, lifts a weight off my chest before I stride into another battle.
Foster is just finishing his own fight, so I call him over and together we corral Morbal from the back as he focuses on Arlo and Russell.
Foster bites down on one of Morbal’s hind legs and pulls. And I do the same to the other.
Morbal snarls, his teeth on show as he fights us, trying to tug his legs free.
Stupid pup, Morbal’s voice enters my mind.
My body tenses. How is he able to speak to me? He doesn’t have an amulet. Is it because of the potion he took? I growl and sink my teeth deeper into his leg.
I should have killed your parents in front of you.
His words hit like a bucket of cold water.
Morbal turns his head toward me. Ah. There’s the despair I was hoping to see. His laugh sounds in my mind as he slips loose. He kicks me with his now-free hind leg, and I fly backward.
I crash into the black pillar in the center of the room, my back cracks, and pain flares through my body. My legs shake as I stand back up.
Blind fury overrides the pain. He killed them.
I rush back to Morbal. Another lycan has taken my place. The other lycan and Foster pull together, force Morbal off balance, and yank him onto the ground.
Morbal claws the ground as they drag him back. I jump on top of him to help hold him down. I grind my teeth as I dig my claws into his side. He snarls and turns, snapping at me.
You’ll regret this, Morbal says.
I drive my claws deeper. I don’t think I will.
Russell jumps on Morbal’s other side while Arlo clamps down on Morbal’s neck. Arlo keeps his teeth firmly in Morbal’s throat as Morbal squirms.
Morbal uses his front claws to try to pry Arlo off. I turn my head and bite down on one of his front legs to keep it away from Arlo while Russell takes the other. My teeth sink into his flesh, and he tries to twist out of our hold. Arlo’s jaw tightens, remaining in place.
Morbal’s movements slow, his efforts pointless as his strength wanes. But Arlo doesn’t let go until Morbal’s body is completely still and limp.
Morbal is dead.
I release Morbal’s leg from my mouth and step away. I lift my head and search for Ellie as I shift.
Shifting probably isn’t a good idea right now when I’m not sure what’s damaged, but I want to hold Ellie in my arms. To feel her
body against mine.
When my eyes finally lock onto her, ice-cold dread seizes me.
A stryx is latched onto her neck.
A roar sounds behind me as the stryx detaches from my neck, grinning with a mouth full of blood and fangs.
My hand goes to my throat and comes back red and wet. With each heartbeat the wound throbs, but the pain is minimal compared to other injuries I’ve suffered.
His eyes widen as we stare at one another and nothing happens.
The stryx’s top lip curls into a sneer. He changes his stance, and his black, elongated nails catch the light as he holds his hands up.
Before he can attack, Ash, now a man, is behind him.
Ash thrusts his partial-shifted hand into the stryx’s back.
When Ash pulls his hand back out, it’s grasping the stryx’s heart. Life drains from the stryx’s eyes, and he slumps to the ground.
Ash lets the heart fall from his hand with disgust and steps over the body.
He shakes the blood off his hand and reaches for me. “Can you move your arms and legs?” With his clean hand, he searches for any injuries. “Do you feel sick?”
I grab his hand to still his movements. “I’m okay.”
Ash meets my gaze, his eyes full of surprise and wonder. “How is this possible?”
“What do you mean?” I glance over my body—nothing out of the normal cuts and scrapes.
He stills. “I think we found your special ability.”
“What?”
A small smile forms on his face. “You’re immune to stryx bites.”
I blink, trying to comprehend what just happened.
“No paralyzing effects, and no signs of their poison spreading.” He cups the side of my neck. “Even the bite is healing.”
“Actually,” I say, “it’s because of my family line...” My eyes trail down his face and lock onto his abdomen.
Flashbacks to the barn where I first met him filter through my mind.
My hands shake as they lift to his wounds.
I’m seeing too much of his insides for him to be standing like this. “Ash,” I say. My voice wavers as bile rises in my throat.
“What?” He looks down at himself and chuckles without humor. He meets my gaze again, blood draining from his face. “It seems adrenaline masked the wound.” His knees buckle under him, and I jump to catch him.
Saving Ellie (Lycans Book 1) Page 38