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“Which means,” he continues, “thatyouare the reason your mate can use his magic.” His sneer turns into a sick grin. “You really are interesting. Perhaps Bates will let me have you once he’s done with you. I wonder how loudly you’ll scream for mercy when I cut you open, piece by piece, to see what’s so different about you.”
ChapterNineteen
Grove is saying all the things he knows will wind up my mates in the hopes it will cause them to lose control and attack blindly, making stupid mistakes in the process. Thanks to the bond, I’m able to help my mates stay in control, but his words have a profound effect on them nonetheless.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard all this before from the psychotic alpha and others just like him when I was in the werewolf city for the trials, so it doesn’t have the same effect on me. Sure, it makes me sick to my stomach, but if anything, it just makes me more determined to make sure that Grove doesn’t leave here alive. His reign of terror is over.
Reaching within myself, I pull my power together, letting it grow and build around me as stars, surrounding us in a halo of light. Grove snarls at the show of magic, but he doesn’t move, not giving any signs of being disturbed. His wolves aren’t able to hide their fear and disgust though, shifting their weight from foot to foot and glancing at their alpha, looking as though they don’t know if they are fighting or fleeing.
I’m so focused on collecting my power and keeping it controlled that I don’t notice how one of my mates strains against the bond until it’s become like a tight leash around his neck. It’s only as my concentration slips for a second that he finally reaches his limit, the constant threats on my life becoming too much for him to handle.
I shouldn’t be surprised, especially as I realise which one of my mates it is, yet it causes my control to slip.
Syn.
Several things happen in unison.
Eyes glowing and lips pulled back in a ferocious snarl, Syn leaps forward, his powerful legs helping him cross the space in a matter of seconds. With only meters to go, he leaps towards them and shifts into his wolf form mid-air, aiming for Grove’s neck.
Meanwhile, the stars I collected around us are free of my control. Full of power that is uncontainable, the stars shoot out in a burst of light, much like what happened in the cavern when Maliki attacked me, burning everything they touch. The damage to the hallway is immense.
My magic seems to have acted like a starting gun in a sports race, everyone springing into action at once. Glancing around at the chaos, I note with a sigh of relief that the arches that hold the hallway seem to have remained undamaged, maintaining the weight of the building above us.
One of Grove’s wolves was taken down with a wayward star and is now being tackled by Scott in wolf form. Nicolai and Atlas stand together, the latter giving instructions as they use their magic to slow the progress of Grove’s wolves. Joel is currently fighting the two werewolves still in human form hand-to-hand simultaneously, and he seems to be coming out on top.
With a battle cry that almost makes my heart stop, Luna throws herself into the fray. She may be without magic, but a small dagger gleams in her hand, and she is intent on using it.
Grove manages to move just in time to avoid Syn’s bite, but not quickly enough to avoid being tackled to the ground. I watch with my heart in my throat as they grapple, my magic buzzing inside me and demanding to be used. Syn whines as he receives a bite to his flank, one of Grove’s wolves having joined the fray. Without me even having to direct her, Star races forward and tackles the wolf who dared attack our mate.
Reaching for my power, I pull only a small amount and hold it in the palm of my hands, shaping it as Luna taught me. Soon, I’m holding two glowing spears. Picking my target, I hurl the spear towards the wolf Star is fighting, knocking him off Syn with a yelp. My attack isn’t particularly strong, but because my weapons are made of stars, I have control over them and can guide them to hit my target every time.
I continue with this over and over, my power starting to feel a little strained in my chest. It’s the strangest feeling, becauseIdon’t feel like my magic is waning, but it’s as though I’m using too much in one go. During this whole process, I notice the distinct lack of the dark presence within me. Now that I’ve got better control over my power, I don’t feel as vulnerable as I once did thanks to my training. There’s no need for a mysterious being to swoop in and save me, because I can save myself now.
You’ve always had the power, little moon. You just finally learned to accept it, the goddess whispers into my mind, taking me by surprise and making me stumble as I throw my next spear.
That’s when I finally realise the dark presence within me was never a separate being, but a part of myself that I sectioned off and hid away. It felt dangerous and untouchable, so I pushed it away and made sure never to use it. It was always the dark part of my mind that stepped in to help me. I’m no saint, I can admit that I have dark thoughts and desires sometimes, but the difference between that and being evil is knowing when not to act on those impulses. I didn’t understand that before. It reflected my darkest thoughts, so somehow, my mind created a part of me who would use the magic when I felt I couldn’t.
Now that I’ve accepted all of my magic, I’m stronger. I noticed it when I started training in earnest after the first trial. I was no longer going to be ashamed of my power or who I am. I have goddess blood in my veins, therefore my power can’t be inherently good or bad. It’s what I choose that makes the difference.
“Laelia!” Joel cries out, the warning in his voice snapping me from my revelations.
I see a large male barrelling towards me, his face twisted into a grotesque smile. With only enough time to brace myself for impact, I shift my stance and raise the spear of starlight. The impact of his body against mine feels like being hit by a freight train, my body crying out in pain as I’m knocked to the ground. A crack in my chest makes me yell out as he lands on top of me, snapping at least one of my ribs.
“Don’t kill her. Bates wants her alive!” Grove shouts, snarls and grunts surrounding me.
The male on top of me groans, shifting a little but continuing to pin me down.Why isn’t he getting off me?I think to myself, my chest screaming in pain, but my more pressing issue is the fact that I can’t breathe with his weight on me.
Warmth begins to spread across my torso, and panic makes me believe that it’s my injury causing it, and that I’m bleeding out. However, as the male shifts again, he braces his hands on either side of me and pushes up with a pained groan. My gasp for air is immediate, and although it’s agonising, I fill my lungs with as much of it as I can. It’s in that moment when I see the warmth I felt wasblood, but not my own. As the male tackled me, my spear pierced his abdomen.
His arms give way, and he falls back onto me, jostling my broken rib and causing me to cry out in pain. Several of my mates call my name, but I’m once more out of breath and unable to reply. This male is dying on top of me and crushing me in the process. He’s now unconscious from the blood loss, and if I turn my head enough, I can see the tip of the spear protruding from his back. Just the sight makes me queasy, but I know I’ve got to get him off me if I want to stand a chance.
Placing my hands under his shoulders, I push up with all my strength, but my hands are shaking and slippery with his blood. I come to the realisation that the spear won’t be helping my efforts in moving him off me, so I close my eyes and call the magic back to me.
A familiar presence appears at my side, and I open my eyes to find Nicolai kneeling beside me, grabbing the body and hauling it from me. Helping as best as I can, I push and attempt to wiggle away at the same time. This male is much larger than Nicolai and dead weight, so it takes a couple of tries. When I’m finally free, I get to my knees and press my forehead against the floor, allowing the panic to leave my body.
“Are you okay?” Nicolai’s voice is soft, and I can tell he wants to reach out and pull me into his arms, yet he holds off. I was being suffocated, and even though he’s my mate and his touch usually brings me peace, the last thing I want right now is to be touched. Pushing my gratitude and love for him through our connection, I slowly sit up and rub my hands across my face.
I quickly scan my body for injuries, wincing at the sharp pain in my side. His eyes cloud with anger as he takes in my pained expression, but he waits for my reply.
