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Gasping for breath, I struggled to maintain my footing. Casimir closed in, the gap between us narrowing. "Give it up, little sister," he taunted. "You were never meant to stand against me. If you don’t give me what I want, then I will take it. Starting with you."
I was slowly losing this battle, and the weight of that realization pressed down on me. But I couldn't back down, not with my friends relying on me, not with the fate of the Clover pack hanging in the balance. I couldn’t let him take me. I’d never see the light of day again. I wouldn’t escape him twice.
With one final burst of effort, I mustered the last of my strength and unleashed a surge of lightning toward Cas. He staggered back, his grip on his powers faltering as he tried to avoid my blast.
But before I could seize the advantage, a burst of lightning surrounded him, and he vanished in a smoky residue. He had teleported himself out of harm’s way.
“Damn it,” I muttered, scanning the chaotic battlefield for any sign of him.
Suddenly, Cas reappeared, but not near me. No, he reappeared behind Wolfe, who was valiantly fighting for his pack and ripping enemies to shreds with his sharp teeth. Cas powered up, releasing a bolt bigger than I’d ever seen from him so far.
Kai, Wolfe’s loyal second in command, threw himself in front of the vicious attack aimed at Wolfe’s turned back. His limp body hit the ground, and he didn’t stir.
An earth-wielding Fae fell, succumbing to the combined power of Finn and Callan. Finn used his air to hold the Fae down, while Callan pounced, making quick work as he ripped out his throat. Cas's voice rang out as he called back to us, his tone filled with venom and triumph at downing one of ours as they ran to an open portal. I looked around for the halfling that would be needed to keep this portal open, but saw no one. "Remember this. You have one week to find the ring. Find it, or I’ll come back here, and every member of your precious pack will die."
His ominous words hung in the air, and an intense sense of guilt washed over me. It was my past actions, my decision to hide the ring and erase my memories, that had brought this threat to the Clover pack. The weight of that responsibility pushed in, and I knew I had to find a way to protect my newfound family.
Once the enemy had retreated, Kai's mate, a striking she-dove named Elowen, rushed to his side. Her blood-matted white fur shifted to skin, her body elongating, as she returned to her human form. She let out heart-wrenching sobs as she cradled Kai's lifeless body in her arms, and my heart broke for her.
The sight was gut-wrenching. I watched from a distance, my heart heavy with sorrow and guilt. I had no right to comfort her, given I was the reason he had even been fighting in the first place. All of this was my fault. I needed to distance myself, before anyone else got hurt.
My breathing quickened as my anxiety spiked. I shouldn’t have come back to Clover. For everyone’s safety.
I wouldn’t be here when Cas got back.
ChapterTwenty
Elowen's condition was deteriorating rapidly. I watched her, my heart heavy with sorrow, as she lay on a makeshift bed, her breath shallow and labored. This was my first time witnessing the devastating effects of a broken mate bond, and it was horrifying. The room was filled with an oppressive silence, broken only by Elowen's occasional whimpers of pain. My thoughts drifted to my own life.
Callan was mated to Lexi, the very woman who had orchestrated the attack on us. If he succeeded in killing Lexi, Callan would inevitably follow Elowen into the abyss of death. The pain she must be feeling was unimaginable, and the thought of losing him weighed heavily on my heart as I watched Elowen's struggle.
The cruel reality of mate bonds was no joke. When one half of the bond was lost, the other often followed soon after, wasting away until their soul perished, taking them with it. A heartbreaking fate, and one I wouldn't wish on anyone. And yet, would it be Callan’s fate too?
I struggled to find words of comfort or solace with the shifters that trickled in around the clock, but nothing seemed adequate. This was a pain that couldn't be eased with words, and a pain that could have been prevented.
Our pack had gathered in the cabin, faces marked with worry and grief. Wolfe stood at the head of the room, his brow furrowed in thought. Nia, Finn, Oliver, Lily, and the others were scattered around. Nia and Lily stood close together, speaking in low voices as their foreheads almost bumped.
Wolfe cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence. "We can't change what's happening to Elowen," he began, his voice steady despite the weight of the situation. "I would give anything in the world to be able to help her, to turn back the clock and push Kai out of the way.” His voice broke, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “But we can decide what we do next."
He looked around at the faces of his pack, his gaze lingering on me. "Rowan, you've faced these Fae before. Do you have any insights into their tactics or weaknesses?"
I nodded, my mind racing as I recalled our encounters with the Fae. "The Fae are powerful but rely heavily on their elemental magic. The red-haired Fae wields fire, the blue one controls water, and the brown-haired Fae manipulates the earth. We've seen their abilities firsthand, and they're formidable."
Nia raised an eyebrow. "What about you, Rowan? Your lightning magic could be an advantage against them."
I hesitated for a moment before responding. "I'm still learning to control my abilities, but yes.” I didn’t want to give them false hope, when I knew I’d be leaving before it came to that. I just needed the right moment. And selfishly, I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye.
Finn, who had been relatively quiet until now, spoke up. "You need training, more than just elemental magic. You need to learn how to fight as a group, to anticipate each other's moves, and to use our strengths to our advantage."
Lily chimed in, "And we should seek guidance from the Fae. They have centuries of combat experience. If anyone can help us, it's them."
Wolfe nodded in agreement. “We need to prepare ourselves.”
A voice from the back of the room spoke up, its tone dripping with bitterness. "Or we could get rid of the problem altogether. Rowan's presence here has only brought trouble. We should send her away and be done with it."
I turned to see who had spoken, a woman I’d only met in passing. The sentiment hung in the air, and I could feel the eyes of the pack on me, waiting for my response.
Lily, always one to speak her mind, was the first to object. "That's not fair. Rowan's one of us, and she's helped us more than once. We can't just turn our backs on her."
