Page 52 of Fat Enemy Mate

The witch's head whips round, the flicker stuttering between her hands. Luna is out of the second truck behind ours within moments, and Anya is already past her, running across the road until she’s almost next to me. The magic falters enough for me to stand again, and I look as Anya raises her hands the same as Madelina's, except the flicker between Anya's palms isn't pale; it's white, and hot.

"Anya," the witch says, and her voice is full of surprise. "You shouldn't be here."

"You shouldn't be here either, Madelina," Anya replies. "Get away from him."

With the witch distracted, I take the chance to advance with Connor and Nick at my back, and the others flanking us to the left. Reyhan hands Lara off to one of the other rogues, and I try not to get distracted by the blood on her head or how hard she’s fighting. He comes at me as one of the other rogues lunges for Connor. My wolf comes up under me, hot and violent as we shift and collide. Nick joins me, and for a moment, I think we have the situation, but Reyhan is surprisingly strong, no doubt the dark magic, and when I bite down, my wolf is hit by the pure shock of dark magic that fills my mouth and recoils. I glance at Nick as he feels the same, and Reyhan shakes us both off. But we’ve dealt with Cheslem filth before and circle before going again.

Suddenly, the pressure returns, forcing us back, and Reyhan laughs as we turn to the witch, who is ignoring Anya and has begun pushing her magic. White light flickers across the road in pulsing waves as Anya and Luna try to block her.

“Finish them,” Reyhan yells to the witch, Madelina.

She turns and glares at him, but doesn’t reply, sweat covering her face as whatever Luna and Anya are doing obviously starts to take its toll, and she staggers backward for a moment before righting herself. Suddenly, there’s a loud crack that seems to split the air around us, and Anya screams something that sounds like pure frustration. A flash of white light follows that makes everyone cower, and when we look up, the witch is gone.

“Dammit,” Anya screams, standing on the asphalt staring at the empty space where Madelina was half a second ago.

"Cloaked," Luna says, to no one in particular. "She cloaked. Anya…can you …"

"No," Anya snaps. "She's gone. Properly gone. I can't follow that."

Without Madelina’s magic, everything speeds up, and the rogues feel it too. With no witch to help them, we turn on them full force. Caleb and Bryan take on one, Dylan goes for the other, but he slips back and launches at Luna. I see Nick turn and immediately race after him, shifting mid-air and smashing into him, rolling into the ground hard. Reyhan grabs Lara and shouts at her, demanding that she use her voice. He’s shaking her harder and harder, but she’s refusing to speak. I launch at him, but one of the rogues has broken free and grabs my leg. Ethan’s there in a second, ripping him off me and holding him down. The Cheslem magic is evident in their super strength, and I know he needs help, but he shouts.

"Go," he says. "Thomas and I will deal."

Reyhan is between me and his truck, where he’s got Lara braced against the stricken truck. I don't go around him because there isn't time. I come straight at him, and he meets me halfway, and we roll across the verge and into the road, and his teeth come up for my throat.

He sinks his teeth in and twists.

I feel it the second it happens. A wolf goes for the front of the throat when he means to finish a thing, and Reyhan locks down hard. There’s no pain, and I know that is worse, and I am down on my back on the road with Reyhan over me. I get my back legs into his belly and kick hard, sending him flying back. I’m losing too much blood, but I’m still mobile, and I know I’m running out of time to finish this. I’m dimly aware of Lara shouting my name, and then he comes at me again. I stagger but stay upright, knowing I’ll fight to the end. For her.

"STOP."

The sound is louder than almost anything I’ve ever heard—certainly from a human.

It hits the road like the strongest magic, reverberating off the asphalt and sending the wolves to the ground. I watch as Reyhan tries to stand, tries to fight it, but when she repeats the scream, the talismans around his neck, all three of them, shatter. The sound echoes around the trees as the magic escapes the discs, and Reyhan howls in frustration as he falls to his knees. I feel the moment she falls silent, and then the pressure drops enough for me to move. I lunge forward, taking Reyhan down as my strength completely gives way. Ethan and Connor are there in a second, dragging Reyhan out from under me, and I’m dimly aware of the fight that finishes him as everything grows dark and the voices of concern are the last thing I hear before my wolf gives way.

"Lara," I say, but my voice doesn't even sound like mine; everything feels wet and broken, and I know the tear in my throat is bad.

"Wilf…" I hear her voice distantly, but I can’t reply.

I hear the commotion of others arriving next to me and Lara’s voice as her hands settle in my fur.

“He’s dying,” she sobs, “do something, you’ve got to do something.”

More voices, more movement as someone rolls me onto my side, and I feel them packing my wound.

“Lara,” Luna says, “give us a chance to work.”

“He can heal,” Dylan is saying.

“Is it a through-and-through?” Nick is asking.

I try to nod, but I’m still incapacitated. I just want to reach for her and tell her I’m going to be ok. I can feel my wolfhealing, and I want to reassure her, but it’s taking too long. The Cheslem dark magic corrupts everything it touches and can block healing.

"Wilf, please…don’t leave me." She says, tears lining every word. I can feel her hands shaking, and I try to lift my hand to hers.

I’m vaguely aware of Luna and Anya sitting next to me and chanting something, and the dark magic seems to recede, allowing the healing to speed up. Lara grips my fur harder and whispers, “I love you, Wilf, please don’t leave me. Just stay.”

I feel the exact moment I regain use of my arms and instantly reach for her, pulling her closer. She buries her head against me, not even caring as I begin the painful shift back to human form. She lifts her hair and looks amazed as she gasps, tears filling my eyes.