But he wasn’t about to let the effects of the drug make him helpless and leave his mate to protect herself without him.Reaching for his wolf, he pulled the beast to the forefront, just on the edge of shifting.The poison in the dart burned as pure rage clouded his vision, and all he could see was Hawthorne—lifting that damn rifle to fire again.
Someone slammed into him, and Kaeli let out a cry of alarm.One of the humans slashed a knife toward Solan, and he twisted, caught the male’s wrist, and snapped it.The knife clattered to the ground, and he turned, spinning the male to the side and smashing his elbow into his nose, letting him drop to the ground with a pain-filled groan.
A taser sparked nearby, but Kaeli took the male out with a fireball.
As another male came at him, he ducked under the baseball bat he swung and kicked the male’s legs out from under him.
When he rose to his feet, he saw Kaeli lift her hands, and she called his name in an utterly calm voice.“Solan.”
He turned as a wind whipped up, her hair flying and her eyes burning bright amber and red.The earth trembled under his boots, and the humans shouted in alarm.He heard the click of the tranq being loaded into the gun.
His bond with Kaeli surged inside him like a living thing, powerful and furious.
“We will end this,” she said.
Solan spun and faced Hawthorne, ready to take all the tranqs to keep Kaeli safe.It was clear he realized something had changed, because Hawthorne’s hands trembled as he lifted the rifle, taking a step backward.
Kaeli watched him sight down the barrel at her.She spoke one simple word: “No.”
Her magic rose.North answered first.The asphalt jumped under Hawthorne’s feet like something pushed up from below.Cracks raced outward from where Kaeli stood.The warehouse shuddered, windows cracking.
South was next.
The racing wind around Kaeli turned hot, the wind roaring as it built.Sparks swirled around her fingertips, and flames licked up through the cracks in the pavement.
“By the sentinels of earth and fire, I condemn you, Victor Hawthorne,” she said.“Your reign of terror ends now.”
He fired off a dart, but it fell harmlessly at her feet, stopped by her magics.
Solan felt her drawing him close, and he moved, resting his hand on her neck underneath her hair.The contact snapped something into place between them—witch and wolf together.
She spoke in the language of the ancient Wiccans.The earth quaked hard, a high-pitched whine coming from the ground itself.Hawthorne dropped the rifle and lurched away as the asphalt split apart, revealing the dirt and sand underneath.Fire burst from the cracks in the pavement, and the warehouse walls seemed to buckle.
Hawthorne lost his footing as he tried to get away and landed on his knees.Roots broke through the ground and coiled around his legs.“What are you?”he shouted, digging with his fingers at the roots.
“I’m the one who’s putting a stop to your murderous ways.The earth wants vengeance for those you slaughtered in the name of greed and evil.”
She lifted her hands higher.The roots tightened on him.And then burst into flames.
He shrieked in pain.
She threw her hands wide, and the earth opened like a cavernous maw, and Victor Hawthorne fell through.The rest of the humans were dragged screaming into the hole with him.
She brought her hands back together with a loud clap, and the earth sealed back up, leaving only scorch marks behind.
The wind and quakes stopped, and Kaeli sagged against him.
Leo rushed from the warehouse with Mira in his arms, his father-in-law Rami at his back.Solan held Kaeli close, his heart pounding.
“Nightling?”he asked.
“I’m okay.Drained.Are you hurt?”Her voice was a whisper, as if it took all her remaining strength to speak.
“I’m good.”
The pack joined them, everyone checking on everyone else, a victory cry rising up from their people.
“You really sent that asshole to the depths of the earth, yeah?”Adam asked, hands on his hips, as he surveyed the lot.Most of the humans who had attacked them had been taken by the earth, but a few had fled, and one was captured, held by Dove and Linus.
