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They weren’t completely tangible, but it seemed those shadows were physically real enough to leap straight at us.
As the closest one jumped from a fair distance back and aimed straight for Finn, he instinctively brought an arm up to deflect it. With a swing, he swatted it to the side.
The wolf rolled until it retreated within itself and vanished, only for more to come even faster.
“Keep them away from the coven!” Kai yelled to our men as we pushed closer, trying to get to them.
Knowing we had no choice but to handle them head-on, we moved in, and I hit my first shadow wolf of many away.
We couldn’t necessarily hurt them, but we could redirect their energy elsewhere. Toss them aside while they dissolved and regenerated from Keres’ place in the middle of the circle.
While their teeth and fangs seemed more like impressions than real ones, I wasn’t willing to test that theory. They were dense and heavy despite being made of shadow, and I had to focus on my natural, human-based strength in order to throw them off. There was no accessing the abilities my wolf once offered me, not while he was absent.
It took a lot out of me, but I couldn’t think about it. I only anticipated their striking movements, then shoved them off as hard as I could.
Determined to reach Willow and help her in whatever way I could, I pushed forward. I wouldn’t let her face it alone.
Breaking through a solid patch of them, the chanting continued in a haunting melody that made my hair stand on end. There was nothing else I could do but brute force it.
Until I stopped in my tracks, disbelieving of what I saw.
Several steps away from me, headed right in my direction, was a wolf I knew all too well.
There was no missing it. Not the drop in my stomach, or the familiarity of it.
It was my wolf, standing in physical form and growling at me.
We locked eyes, even if it lacked the fine details I had expected. My heart clenched, and I couldn’t bring myself to take another step.
I didn’t want to fight it. I couldn’t.
I knew what was at stake, but the thought of hurting that wolf I adored and cherished my entire life was too difficult to bear.
We were one and the same, even if we had just become foes.
The other shifters around me seemed to have the same comprehension as they paused, creating the biggest vulnerability I could’ve imagined for us.
Locking eyes with the wolf ahead, something in me felt weaker than ever. It was like surrendering and acknowledging there was nothing I could do.
But a blood-curdling scream tore me from my stupor.
Momentary relief flooded my chest at the realization that it wasn’t Willow, but that alarm flared again at the unfolding scene.
A witch went down with a wolf clenched around her leg, struggling as she cried out from the pain.
Everything went eerily still, and my pulse pounded in my ears.
Then, the other shoe dropped.
More witches screamed while the wolves lunged at them, and the circle holding Keres in blew away with a gentle breeze.
Before it could be fixed, she put his arms out triumphantly as she floated above them.
The demon was freed.
Chapter 29 - Willow
The circle was broken. It failed, and Keres moved as freely as she wished.
