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The sun’s purifying power rushed through the wound and into my veins. I could feel the depths of the infection as I willed my magic to chase it out. I screamed with agony as the power of the witch tried to fight back against me, a lure of power tempting me to allow it to consume me.
I closed my eyes as the forest floor met my knees, my body’s strength going into my power to fight back. I couldn’t allow myself to fall into its grasps, though without my knowledge, it had already nearly reached my mind.
Let us in. Give into the power. You will be stronger. Faster. No one you love will ever be taken from you again. You could be a god. Just give into this fate. Follow the path to power! A voice in my mind tempted.
It began to fill me with images of my abilities should I give into the darkness. The strength it would grant me. The power. It tempted me with the gifts of a god, to make me more powerful than Apollo himself. More powerful than an Alpha King. Stronger than any known vampire or witch in this day and the ages before.
I could see how someone with those kinds of cravings might fall into the darkness. Hell, had I been infected as a kid, I might have fallen for the temptations, but I wasn’t a kid anymore. My tastes for power and belonging had long been diluted with acceptance of my fate. My days of being The Fates mouthpiece have shown me enough to know that I have been given exactly what I can handle, nothing more or less.
Now, my cravings were far simpler.
Images of Madie, round with my child and smiling back at me as my hand pressed against the bump. I could feel the squirming child within, my power reaching out to touch her as her own gifts reached out to me.
Another image of a little girl with fiery red hair like my mother and eyes as blue as the summer sky came to my mind. Her magic, incredible, awakened before the age of thirteen. Powerful and beautiful, like her mother. She danced on the beach as the sun’s rays illuminated her like a spotlight.
Those images were all I needed to push back against the darkness. A roar breaking from my mouth as the fire evaporated the darkness inside me. Only when I felt nothing left of the cold dark magic did I release the flames and fall back against the cold forest floor.
My chest heaving, I struggled to catch my breath as I lifted my eyes to the sky, filled with a sense of awe. The sun’s position now moved closer to the west in the time that it had taken for me to fight off Tristan and the dark magic he had infected me with. I turned my head to the charred body beside me, its smoky scent filling the air as I reached out and set it ablaze once more, ensuring that there would be nothing left for anyone to find.
Struggling to my feet, I watched the embers die down as the wind picked them up and blew them deeper into the forest. I pressed my hand over the mark that was now shown on my shoulder as proof of the infection, though nothing else was left of the dark magic inside me.
“Looks like I won’t be dying anytime soon,” I muttered to the wind, a declaration of survival and defiance.
Then, turning away, I shifted back into the red wolf, driven by a need to return to my mate and leave this ordeal in our past.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Madilyn
As the distant howls of wolves grew closer—a sign they had pinpointed my location, likely because of the strong bond between Brady and me—I felt the anticipation building. The connection vibrated with warmth, signaling Brady’s approach.
Thorne turned towards the sound, his eyebrows raising briefly in surprise before he chuckled. “Well, it would seem that Tristan has reached your mate, Little Wolf. Our time together will soon be over and you will never hear from me or my witch again.”
Doubting his words, I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “As if you won’t still pose a threat to us.”
“We won’t,” he assured, his chair thudding onto all fours as he stood, stretching and cracking his neck while pacing the room. He kept a vigilant watch on the windows, listening to the howling that intensified with every passing moment.
“Bullshit,” I retorted.
“I swear to you, on my maker and the line that binds me to all those sired like me, you will have no trouble from Minerva or myself. May a stake pierce my heart should we ever come face to face again.” He bent at his waist, giving a flourishing bow to me as he smirked.
“I’ll gladly be the one to drive that stake through your heart, then,” I growled in response.
With a chuckle, he straightened up, his hand instinctively pushing back his tousled hair. “Don’t worry. Minerva is now satisfied with what she has seen. It’s time to begin the quest for the next step.”
“The next step in what?” I demanded.
Thorne wagged his finger. “Nuh-uh-uh, Little Wolf. I’ve already said far too much. All you should know is that you are no longer relevant. You all have now served your purpose. I came to realize firsthand that it is impossible to prevent this from happening. It’s just something that we all must accept.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, frowning as his demeanor changed with his confession.
Thorne shrugged and turned to the doorway. I could see the witch’s door opening down the hall. Plumes of smoke billowed from the room, swirling in vibrant hues, carrying with them the enchanting aroma of potent magic.
“Ask Paige what exactly I did at the academy. If you pay close enough attention to the details, you just might understand.” He looked back at the window, a smile spreading across his lips before giving me one last look. “It would seem that you were right, Little Wolf. I’ll be sure to tell any I meet to not make a wager against fate with you. Your mate’s fire was indeed stronger than Tristan’s desire for revenge. Sorry I won’t be able to pay up on the bet, but that further proves that you will never see me again. Goodbye, Little Wolf. Take care.”
As he spoke, the witch materialized behind him, clutching a bag. She extended her hand to Thorne, who grasped it, drawing her close. In an instant, they transformed into a dense plume of smoke.
The stench of dark magic assaulted my senses, provoking a fit of coughing as the magic swirled around. When the air cleared, they had vanished, their presence fading as swiftly as the sound of approaching wolves filled the air.
