AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Quick as a snake, Conri bit down around Shane’s shoulder. Shane howled in pain.
Oh, no. I shifted into my wolf, jumped on Conri’s back, and closed my teeth around his side.
With a yelp, Conri let go of Shane and swiped at me, his shadows helping his action and giving him strength. I skidded across the pavement and hit my side on something hard. Pain laced my muscles.
Shane roared and charged Conri again. With renewed energy, Shane got the devil down, but as he straddled Conri, the devil bit his shoulder again. Shane howled but didn’t let go. He swiped at Conri, making him lose his grip.
Then he closed his mouth around Conri’s neck.
The cracking sound echoed through the ring.
I stared as Shane dropped Conri, and the devil's body slumped to the ground.
Conri was dead.
Relief filled me. I almost felt bad for rejoicing in someone’s death, but I couldn’t help it. Conri had ruined our lives and kept us as slaves for so long. There wasn’t one ounce of sympathy or pity inside me, not for him.
Blood dripping from his mouth, Shane rose to his feet and turned to me. He snarled, showing off his sharp teeth.
I shifted back into my human form and raised both hands. “It’s okay,” I said in a soft voice. “We won. You’re okay now. I’m okay now.”
Shane stared at me, like a predator preparing to attack his prey, and I suddenly thought the moment we shared before had been a fluke. He had recognized me, but it had been a fluke. He didn’t recognize me now.
Turning his face to the dark sky, he howled.
Then he charged at me.
My stomach tightened as an ounce of fear spread through me. I pushed it back, though. I stood my ground and faced him head-on. If he hurt me, if he killed … then it was meant to be.
Shane skidded to a stop a foot from me. He lowered his big head to mine and wrapped his big furry arms around me. I was still unsure if he was about to bite me or if this was an awkward embrace …
Before I could find out, he yelped and slipped to the ground.
“Shane.” I went down with him, trying to hold on to such huge wolf as he passed out in my arms. I knelt beside him as his body shimmered and changed back into his human form. A sob of relief lodged in my throat. He was back! But my relief was short-lived as I saw the deep wound in his shoulder.
I opened my mouth to shout for help, but saw the shadow wall still in place. Conri had died but his demon magic was still active.
I frowned. I didn’t think, I just did it. For Shane’s sake. I closed my eyes and focused on the shadows. I reached for them in my mind, I caressed them with my touch, and they wrapped around me like a lost lover. I gasped, but did my best to hold on to that fragile connection. I closed my fists, imagining them coming undone.
And then they did.
The shadow walls melted into the ground as if they had never existed in the first place.
I stared, shocked and scared.
But I forgot all about it as everyone ran toward Shane and me.
“He needs a healer!” I yelled.
Several people came forward. Killian covered Shane’s lower body with a blanket, Lavinia stood by my side and put a jacket back around my shoulders, the other two witches crouched beside Shane, and Jay, our healer, came closer, his hands trembling.
“I c-can help,” he said, sounding a lot braver than I knew he was.
“We’ve got this,” Thea said as she spread her hands over Shane’s body. Almae did the same. A blue shine came from their palms, and slowly, Shane’s wound mended. It didn’t disappear, but it stopped bleeding and it closed well enough. She smiled at me. “He’ll be all right.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
I looked around me. Minsi was to my right with Rue and Tyren. Lucille and Dom were beside them, and the rest of our small pack behind them. To my other side, I saw Ironfang wolves, and directly in front of me were Shane’s friends.
They had come to help us and now we were free.
I looked up at the night sky and inhaled deeply. Emotion filled my chest and my eyes brimmed with tears.
We were finally free.
There were many things to do, many things to figure out, many things to discuss and decide, but those could wait. Right now, right here, we were all right.
And somehow, we would make it last.
