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As much as Pac deserved everything that was coming to him, I was thankful he noticed the danger immediately. Yelping, he patted them down until the flames were extinguished. I could feel Lira’s disappointment, but a wildfire was not something we needed to deal with, and I told Lira as much. She looked over and gave me a pout, but I knew she agreed.
A howl came from behind Pac, and we watched as the leaves on the trees started swaying, as if a breeze had lightly touched them. The wind picked up, and the trees started swaying back and forth as if a hurricane was coming. The howling had gotten louder, and when the first scream came echoing through the trees, I knew we had a chance.
Pac’s face had paled. “Who is it?”
“My ancestors,” Lira said. “And I have many.”
“Who are you?” Pac said, his attention now completely focused on Lira.
I broke through my brothers, who didn’t try to block me anymore, and inched closer toward her.
“I’m descended from a long line of witches, one of the oldest families around, and I’m proud of it. You’ll pay for what you started today, Pac. I promise you that.”
More screams came, almost back-to-back, and at this, Luc gave the command to charge. Me and my brothers ran to our mates first, eliminating the shifters holding them captive. Once our mates were running back into the house, we turned and focused on the battle in front of us.
I was tearing into a wolf’s neck when I saw the first spirit come through. It was Loralie, and she had the look of someone crazed and out for a hunt. I was glad they were on our side. Many ran away screaming, having never seen a sight like this before. But they didn’t get far; their screams died not far from the house.
Ghosts were everywhere, and they kept coming. Witches threw potions at the ghosts, but the potions went right through their bodies. Every chant or incantation was cut short by a blade to the neck, a strangling, or just a simple whoosh of the ghost flying through them and coming out the other end with their soul. At first, I was shocked by the ghosts’ ability to physically handle weapons or remove someone’s life force, but then I remembered Lira saying Charli was able to still make food for them using her magic. I had always had a deep respect for Miti but knowing that she would still have that kind of power even after death shook me to my bones.
With Lira’s family’s help, we took down the wolves and witches that had come against us. Pac was the last one standing. He was held captive by Luc, both having shifted back to human form.
“You think you’re about to get rid of me,” he said with a laugh. “But this is so much bigger than you think. We were only the vanguard. I assure you, there’s more to come.”
Miti walked over. “You could have had a good life, Pac. One with a whole family around you who loved you.”
Pac spat on the ground. “None of you cared about me like you do each other. I was always the odd one out.”
“Esmi has poisoned your brain,” Miti said.
I could feel a sadness roll through me. It came from all my family members, and even some of the older pack members who had known Pac from the beginning.
“Esmi will destroy you all. Every last one of you,” Pac warned.
But before he could say more, Luc snapped his neck, and Pac fell, crumpling to the ground. There were gasps all around, and I could tell Miti and Bubbie were feeling teary, but when Jill walked over to hold Luc’s hand, a blanket of silence swept across the pack.
We all focused in on Luc. “He was not the Pac we knew. That Pac died a long time ago,” he said firmly. Luc looked at Jill as he added to us all, “He became someone who conducted experiments on innocents. He used them as his own property. Let his punishment be a lesson to anyone here if they are thinking of betraying the McCullough Pack.”
I was wrong about thinking we needed Dad; Luc was going to make a fine alpha.
Luc turned to the spirits. “Thank you for your help.”
They nodded and slowly dissipated.
“Bruno,” I heard Lira say.
I turned and ran to her, shifting back to human form to take her into my arms. “You were magnificent,” I told her fiercely. Not wanting to let her go but needing to know she was okay, I started checking her over for any injuries, but she pushed me away.
“I’m fine, Bruno. You’re the one that should be checked out. You’ve got blood everywhere!”
“I heal fast, don’t worry about me.”
“I wonder . . .”
Lira placed a hand on my chest, and I felt the warmth spread across my body this time instead of arrowing to my heart. My wounds started closing, and I was back to normal in seconds.
“Lira—”
“I know how to save your dad,” she suddenly gasped out.
