Cynes groaned, struggling to his feet as the wolves turned to attack the Hallow, but she didn’t care. She needed Cynes, had to touch him. Had to know he was okay.
“Cynes,” she cried.
He moved, one painful step at a time, and she inched toward him. Warmth spread across her side, agony with it, but she had to get to him.
“Shift, little one. You know how to do it, to heal.”
“It hurts.”
“I know,” Cynes cooed. He was closer, just a few steps away. “But you’re strong. You almost beat your Daddy, remember? You can do it.”
She reached for her change, bolstered by his words and trying to ignore the pain. Her father told her rapid shifting wasn’t easy, but it could heal a wound in a pinch. Isadora morphed, only focusing on her middle, switching between human and wolf.
The partial shift wasn’t normal for her kind, but Isadora wasn’t normal.
“Good. Just like that, Izzy.”
He reached her side, pulling her into his arms just as he collapsed. His weight was too heavy, but she didn’t struggle. At least now she could feel his heartbeat and know he was alive.
They’ll never touch us.
She pushed out her Alpha call, stretching the limits of her gift, and blended it with her Witch Doctor blood. Darkness grew as tendrils spread across the ground before locking around the feet of the Hollows surrounding them.
“Die.”
The darkness lifted, pulling the Hollows into the air before snapping them apart, raining black blood on them all as the Hollows were ripped to shreds.
“Izzy … did you do that?”
“They hurt what’s mine; they deserved it. Tell Silva that’s got to be like a thousand points.”
Cynes chuckled a half-laugh and moved off of her. “You healed me,” he finished in wonder.
“That’s an extra five thousand. I’m sleepy.”
“Not yet, Izzy. Get to the hiding spot.”
She forced herself up on shaky paws and kept going toward the grove. She made it and slipped into the low roots Cynes had created, allowing them to wrap her into a safe den. No one would get through the Fae’s magic and at least she would be safe.
“Kill twenty each, or I won’t play with you tomorrow,” she told her guys.
They only replied with laughter, but she knew they would do it.
My guys are the best guys.
***
“Five Golems spotted in the inner city and Hollows all over.”
Pasquale cursed at the transmission. The Lombardi lands were in full battle, wolves and mages alike trying to keep things contained, if the messages were clear enough. He and Giuliana hadn’t been home yet. They’d decided to spend some time with Kalinda and Silva before heading back for the night. Now, they raced down the highway, dodging the bastards as they went.
“I know you want to get home, but Fabiana needs our help,” Giuliana argued.
Pasquale clenched his teeth. He still didn’t like riding in cars, but running all the way to the Mage Council Headquarters would have been ridiculous. At least now he could be happy they were in a vehicle to get where they needed to go.
Of course, Giuliana wasn’t taking them back to Pack lands.
“I’m an Alpha under Dominicandwe have the Bianchi to worry about.”
