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"No. Absolutely not." His grip on me tightens. "We are not trusting that traitor anywhere near the wellspring again."
Thale lays a calming hand on Adar's shoulder. "Peace, brother. Let us discuss this."
The four gods move away, bending their heads together, voices lowered. I wait anxiously.
After a long, tense minute, they return. Thale nods gravely at me.
"We will try again with Eli," he rumbles. "But we will take precautions."
Relief courses through me. Precautions make sense—we can ward the wellspring against Eli somehow, after he becomes guardian. This could work.
Thale turns to Eli, massive arms crossed. "Submit to our restraints, and you may have your chance, Alpha."
Eli nods rapidly. "Anything."
At Thale's direction, Everett binds Eli's hands behind his back with rope. Lucian mutters a spell and draws a glowing sigil on Eli's forehead—a ward against lies and deception. Finally Adar forces a scrap of black cloth into Eli's mouth as a gag.
"Just in case you get any ideas about tricking anyone,” he growls at Eli. “If Fern decides she doesn’t want you there, I’m sure she can throw you out.”
The bound alpha wisely stays silent.
With Eli restrained, we return to the crack in the center of the stones. I shiver as we approach its strange light; being pulled back into its depths is the last thing I want.
But with my mates at my side, I know I'm safe.
Thale and Everett take up positions holding Eli's arms. At my nod, they bring him to his knees.
I move to join Ali at the smooth plinth etched with the alphas' paw print. As I step into place, power thrums through me, resonating with the Mating Circle's ancient magic.
Ali stands tall across from me on the other plinth, etched with the witch's crescent moon symbol. She meets my eyes and nods.
Together, we begin the ritual words:
"Ancient magic, we call to you..."
As our voices ring out in unison, the wellspring stirs. I feel its endless power focused on us, drawn by the ritual. The crack in the stones begins to glow again.
The words pour from Ali and I, echoes of rituals performed here for generations:
"Let the willing guard your ancient halls, and let us keep what once was..."
Wind whips my hair as the wellspring's energy grows. The crack glows brighter, beams of light shining into the sky. I clutch the edges of the plinth, fighting the urge to flee.
At my side, my mates brace themselves against the rising magical force. Even they look uneasy.
But Eli stands calmly as we reach the end of the incantation, gazing yearningly into the wellspring's depths.
I scream out the final line:
"To the earth, the sea, the wind and fire—let them remain, so new power may awaken!"
The wellspring erupts.
A blinding amount of magical power erupts into the air. The force of it knocks Thale and Everett back from Eli. The First Alpha gets down on his hands and knees, ropes falling away, his hair ruffling in the wind of the power.
"No!" I cry out. But too late—the magic snatches Eli, dragging him down into its depths.
I stand frozen, watching the foaming surface settle. My heart pounds. Did it work? Is Eli now the wellspring's guardian?
