Authors: M. R. Merrick
She pulled away at the sound of footsteps and Marcus cleared his throat. His neutral expression was gone, surprise covered his face, and both his eyebrows rose. “I think you two have some serious explaining to do.”
Rayna gave a sheepish grin, and before I could respond, Chief came up beside us. His white tiger was gone and he stood in a pair of torn pants that covered only the necessities. His brown gaze stared into mine and he, too, was covered in blood, but the wounds you’d expect were nowhere to be seen.
“Thank you,” I said.
Chief nodded. “I’m sorry we weren’t here sooner. It took time to gather everyone.”
Gagging and coughing came from behind us and we all turned to see the naked body of Radek Lawson lying on the ground. A large gash bled heavily from his shoulder, all the way across his body. He tried to turn on his side as blood ran from his mouth, but he winced and choked again.
I dropped beside him and carefully turned his body towards me. He screamed in pain, but it forced the blood out of his mouth and gave him air to breathe.
“I’ve…killed them. My own arrogance has…destroyed this pack.” He coughed again.
“Don’t you dare think that. Riley will not win this,” I said. “We’ll find a way to stop him.”
Radek tried to laugh but it caused him to cough. “You can’t stop him. He’s a god and he has gods on either side of him.”
“Let me help you,” I said, pulling my magic to the surface.
“No. I don’t want your filthy magic inside me.” He tried to push me away, but he was too weak.
I brushed his arm to the side and continued. I pulled it up and brought a calm wave of healing power around us. I pushed it into Radek, placing both hands over his marred body and filling him with power. The element swirled around him, pulsating from my hands and into his body. His muscles relaxed and his eyes rolled back in his head. The bleeding slowed and his skin began repairing itself. The wounds took more time than usual to close, but once they had, all that remained were thin white scars that looked like any other wound he’d healed over the years. He fell onto his back, breathing heavily, and light blue eyes stared up at me, looking haunted and angry.
“I said no!” He pushed himself to his feet and released a growl.
“If Chase hadn’t healed you, you could’ve died,” Rayna said.
“Stay out of this you filthy cat. Arian will never get the best of me!”
“Arian?” Chief said.
“That’s right. The big guy’s back and it just so happens, he’s fighting with gods.”
“We will find a way to stop them,” Marcus said.
“You can’t stop them. You think your magic can save you? You can’t compete with a god,” Radek said.
The uninjured wolves began gathering behind Radek and none of them looked pleased.
“We just saved your pack from extermination. I think a
thank you
would be fine,” I said.
“Our pack doesn’t need the likes of you anywhere near us.” Radek spat the words at me.
“You just said yourself your arrogance was to blame. How can you say you don’t need our help?” Rayna asked.
“That’s right, my arrogance of thinking we could fight them. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“You’re going to join with him?”
“You’re damn right I am. If I’m going to war, I want to make sure I’m on the winning side.”
I shook my head. “You don't deserve to lead this pack. You’re a disgrace.”
Radek stepped forward and his eyes shifted as he released his beast. His power pushed on the air in a suffocating force and everyone drew their weapons.
“Enough!” Chief yelled, and it caused even Radek to flinch. “Your war was with Arian, not us, and now you want to align yourself with him? If we put the past behind us and join together, we can stop him.”
“I won’t endanger my people again. If it keeps me and my people safe, it doesn’t matter. And as far as I’m concerned, your people and mine will forever be at war.”
“Then so be it, but for now, we have a common enemy who has more power and resources at his disposal than any of us on our own. Helping him destroy the Underworld isn’t the answer. Your concern shouldn’t be the history between your pack and my pride, but our future as a race. We, as shifters, need to unite against this enemy.”
Radek’s wolf eyes stared out at Chief and a low rumble vibrated through his lips.
“He’s right.” Willy’s voice came. He limped out of the woods using a stick as a crutch, covered in cuts and bruises. His one shoulder had been dislocated and his leg was broken, the white of his bone sticking out of the flesh. He limped with the stick under his good arm, keeping his broken leg from touching the ground.
“Get in line,” Radek commanded.
“No.”
“I said, get in line.” Radek grabbed Willy by the scruff of his neck and pulled him towards him. Willy cried out in pain as he dropped the stick and hobbled on one foot.
Fire tore through my veins and I stepped forward.
“No, Chase,” Willy said. He fought through the pain and looked Radek in the eye. “Ri–, Riley’s going to kill us all, and if I’m going to die, it’ll be fighting for my freedom, not because you’re too cowardly to.”
“How dare you disrespect me!” Radek threw Willy to the ground.
Willy cried out and I stepped forward again, but he put his hand up to stop me. Willy grimaced and a tear rolled down his face as he pushed himself up on one elbow. He took in a deep breath and met Radek’s gaze. “You can call it disrespect, but I’ll die before I bow down to that son of a bitch!” Willy spat the words at him and although glossy with pain, his brown eyes were strong, steady, and unmoving.
Radek stepped forward and the sounds of bones crunching came. He raised a thick, clawed hand and Willy tried to shield his face. The claws cut through the air in an angry strike, and the smack of a hand on skin stopped Radek’s hand inches from Willy’s face.
Radek glared at the hand and Jax stood strong and confident, holding him back.
“Release me,” Radek commanded, but Jax didn’t react. “That’s an order.”
“You will not harm him again.” Jax’s deep voice was quiet and serious.
“You’ve been a good soldier. You’ve earned your place and moved up the ranks. Don’t mess that up now. Stand down.”
“I said no more.”
Radek sighed and turned to Jax. “Are you challenging me?”
“If that’s what it takes. I won’t let you destroy this pack, and I won’t fight for that disgrace. He has no honor.”
Radek growled and pushed his forehead against Jax’s, grabbing either side of his face with now human hands. His bright blue wolf eyes broke through and Jax returned the action, his brown eyes fading and dark red wolf taking over.
“I
will
kill you,” Radek said as a snout pushed from his face.
Jax pushed Radek back and his long fangs dropped into view. “Maybe, but I will not stand by and watch you hurt this pack.”
Radek unleashed his beast and shifted into a solid black wolf. His fur was long and slick, hanging off a massive body that stood nearly six feet high.
Jax changed with ease and everyone stepped back as power filled the air. A circle formed around the pair, and a few shifters crept in to drag Willy away from the duel.
Radek’s eyes gleamed as he bared his fangs and shook his black fur coat. Jax’s gray and white fur was thick and his eyes were blood red, looking demonic against his pale coat. He snarled and Radek lunged in a leap of strength and power. Jax met him in the air and they snapped, clawed, and bit at one another. Blood spilled from both of their bodies and they backed away, circling each other.
Radek attacked again, pinning him to the ground. Jax yelped as white and gray fur flew into the air and Radek pulled his teeth from his neck. Fur hung from his jaws and both paws straddled either side of him. Jax lay on his back, bare spots on his neck showing open wounds against hairless gray skin. He whimpered on the ground, bleeding from his neck in a steady stream. Radek lifted his head and howled into the air, and Jax used the opportunity to get away. He squirmed beneath him until he’d gained enough traction to free himself.
Radek snapped at the air and chased after him, colliding into Jax as he skidded on the dirt. His jaws nipped at his ankles and Jax’s body arched and turned, catching Radek off guard. Wide, angry jaws opened and wrapped around Radek’s throat. He yelped, but Jax didn’t let up. He closed his vicious fangs around him and tore his head back. Black fur and skin ripped off his chest and Jax shook his head, opening his jaws and throwing it to the ground. His dark red eyes stared at Radek, awaiting his reaction.
Radek lashed out, but Jax was ready. He knew Radek wouldn't submit. Not ever. Jax snapped at the open wound, grabbing a mouthful of flesh and pulling it away, tearing the black wolf open. Blood spilled from the wound, and with it came a burst of clear fluid.
Jax pounced back as power filled the air and both wolves shifted into human form.
“This is no longer your pack,” Jax said. He was covered in blood and panting for air. The large gash in his throat was small, but blood still ran down his body.
Radek’s neck and chest were full of bite marks. Blood ran over his body, but still he didn’t stop. He made a final attempt and leapt forward, but Jax dodged and grabbed both his arms, pulling them back behind him.
“Do you concede?” Jax offered.
Radek fought against his grip and Jax pushed his arms together until both shoulders popped and snapped out of place. Radek growled in pain and crumpled to the ground, his skin covered in blood and dirt. He stared at Jax with hatred and jerked his arms until they both snapped back into place. The sound made me shudder and Radek pushed himself up.
“This will never be your pack. They’ll never follow you.” He spit blood at Jax's feet.
Silence filled the air before one shifter finally stepped forward. “I will,” he said.
“So will I,” said another voice.
“And me,” said a third, and soon they were all moving to stand behind Jax.
Radek watched his pack changing sides and he growled, charging towards them. Jax caught his head under his arm and Radek thrashed against him, slamming enraged fists into his body, but Jax didn’t even flinch.
“Just know I never wanted it to come to this,” he said.
“I'll kill you!” Radek screamed.
Jax’s expression was calm, and with a firm twist, Radek’s neck snapped and his body went limp. His body crumpled to the ground and empty blue eyes stared up into the dark sky. His tanned skin began to smoke. Cracks formed over his body and bright red embers shot into the air before he was consumed by flames. Orange, yellow, and red danced over him, and as it faded, he became nothing but a pile of ash.
All the wolves lowered themselves, getting down on one knee and bowing their heads to their new leader. Jax howled and the pack joined in after him, a single tone of wolves now free from an enraged leader.
The howls faded and Jax walked towards me. “It would be my honor to fight by your side.”
“And the werecats?” I asked.
Jax turned his neutral gaze to Chief and nodded. “You were right. Our war was with Arian, not you. Please accept my offer of peace.”
Chief smiled and they had a firm handshake. “May our races unite and fight as one.”
“We shall.” He nodded. “But if you’ll excuse me, as you can see, I have many injured to tend to.” He turned his back and began walking towards the wolves that struggled for life throughout the clearing.
“We,” I said.
“What?” Jax turned to me.
“
We
have many injured to tend to.”
Jax's blank expression watched me closely before he nodded. “We.”
I used my water element to help speed the recovery of the injured wolves. I didn’t have the energy to heal them fully, but I did what I could, and Willy called Grams to help with the rest. As much as Grams acted like she disliked us, she was on our side. She knew if we wanted a chance at stopping Riley, everyone needed to bring their best. She came and fed the wounded some of her healing slop, and I was grateful, but I was happy it wasn’t me who had to drink it this time.
When we returned to the condo, Rayna and I had an extremely awkward conversation with Marcus. I’m not sure what we accomplished, but it was the most uncomfortable hour of my life.
Marcus spent the next few weeks contacting hunters and anyone we thought might join us. If there was a rogue or exiled hunter around, we wanted them on our side. We needed as many people fighting with us as we could get.
Riley had put together a small army and we had defeated them, but nobody expected that to be the end. He would come back with more powerful purebloods, and our numbers wouldn’t suffice. Riley was building an army, and it was time we did the same.
Rai hadn’t strayed far from me since we had returned. She was badly hurt, and two of her four wings were broken. She was healing, but it was a slow process that my magic hadn’t been able to help with.