Violet

"You..." I trembled in rage.

That horrid woman was watching me with such a happy look on her face. That gleam in her wolf’s eyes was making me run mad.

I launched myself at her.

The distance between us vanished in a heartbeat, my body moving faster than it ever had. I was so angry that my fury burned through every hesitation I had ever carried. My syzygy erupted outward, a shockwave of force that sent sand spiralling into the air around me.

Palisa didn’t move.

Her wolves did.

They surged forward as one, a wall of teeth and muscle throwing themselves between me and their Supreme Alpha. Six of them hit me at once, their combined weight driving me back.

Throwing her wolves at me like this...

But if they thought I was retreating, they were dead wrong!

I caught the first one with my syzygy and hurled it so hard through the others that I heard bones shatter on impact. Within that same breath, another wolf clamped its jaws around my forearm. Pain lanced up my arm but I barely registered it. I seized the wolf’s skull with my free hand and squeezed.

It released me with a strangled yelp.

I refused to let it go even at that. I crushed as hard as I could and flung it aside. Two more wolves replaced it before I was even done, immediately lunging for my throat and my legs.

A roar ripped through the air, along with a shockwave that sent the wolves crowding me spiralling across the sand.

Screams filled the air after as two wolves landed into one of the nearby pools.

I paused and for the first time, actually stopped to focus on the sheer number of wolves all around. There were literally close to thirty of them.

Before I could even process the absolute absurdity of amassing so many wolves after me, my gaze snagged on Damon.

I should have known—

Five wolves bore down on me, I turned to defend myself only for Zephyr to slam into them.

Her massive form tore through the attackers like they were made of paper. Her jaws closed around the nearest wolf’s spine and she wrenched sideways with a savage twist that ended the fight instantly. The other wolf scrambled backward, eyes wide with terror, but Zephyr was already on it.

I didn’t watch. I was already moving again, closing the distance toward Palisa.

Three more wolves blocked my path while more were already starting to hesitate.

I had already had enough of this. The sun was high overhead and my energy was surging through my veins. Just grabbing them all like I did that day at the summit would be sufficient enough.

Especially that rotten woman! 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

I was already spreading out my syzygy when something very terrifying happened.

And it had happened in a split second.

I felt it before I saw it.

Palisa had literally been in front of me paces away. A massive silhouette against the pink sand. Then the very next second when I had almost had her within my hold, her jaws were already around my throat.

The world stopped.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. Her teeth pressed against the sides of my neck, not yet closed, the points of her fangs dimpling my skin. Her breath was hot and wet against my pulse, and I could feel the coiled power in her jaw, ready to snap shut.

I had never seen anyone move that fast.

No one moved that fast.

In the fraction of a second before her jaws clamped down on my throat, I tore myself sideways.

Skin ripped. Pain screamed across my throat. But I was free, stumbling, falling, hitting the sand hard on my shoulder.

Zephyr’s roar split the air.

My wolf launched herself at Palisa with a fury that shook the ground. Their massive bodies collided and the impact sent a shockwave rolling across the clearing. Sand erupted around them as they crashed into each other, teeth and claws tearing, snarling, twisting in a vicious brawl that was almost too fast to follow.

I was on the ground. My ears were ringing. My hand flew to my neck and came away red.

Blood. A lot of it. The scrape was deep, running from just below my ear to my collarbone. It wasn’t enough to kill me, but it was close. So terrifyingly close.

One more second and she would have taken my head off.

I was stunned.

She had chased me all the way here with so many wolves just to kill me?!

I pressed my palm harder against the wound, forcing my syzygy inward to close the torn flesh. The skin knitted quickly and painfully, but I could feel the warmth of healing energy fighting against the steady leak of blood between my fingers.

Behind me, Zephyr and Palisa were tearing into each other. I could hear the crack of jaws snapping shut, the wet rip of flesh, and the thunderous impact of two enormous wolves hurling each other across the sand.

I could feel Zephyr’s rage through our bond, white-hot and relentless.

Zephyr was just as fast as Palisa, but for a chilling moment, I was terrified at just how fast Palisa was moving.

That was not normal.

Something about her energy was wrong too.

Movement nearby immediately snapped me to the present. This wasn’t over. More wolves were coming.

With Zephyr occupied and me on the ground bleeding, they had seen their opening.

I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the burning in my neck as my body healed.

They charged at me.

I had no time to waste. I needed to help Zephyr and get rid of that demon. Supreme Alpha or not, I was going to end her!

Someone that evil should not be allowed to rule anything!

My syzygy lashed outward and seized the first few wolves. I didn’t throw them or hold them or give them a chance to struggle. I simply crushed in that very moment before letting them drop to the ground.

The remaining wolves skidded to a halt.