Lyla

Lyla POV:

The chaos of the battle swirled around me, a maelstrom of snarls, growls, and the harsh clatter of combat. My wolf form, torn between Noah's persuasions and the innate instincts that rebelled against them, faced Cameron and Samuel with a mix of confusion and aggression.

Cameron's voice, tinged with pain and frustration, reached out to me.

"Lyla, this isn't you. You're being deceived. He's not your mate."

Samuel's eyes mirrored his brother's desperation.

"Listen to your wolf, Lyla. She knows the truth. We would never harm you."

Their words battled against the conviction Noah had seeded in my mind. Why couldn't they see? Noah was my mate, wasn't he? But deep within, my wolf snarled in disagreement, causing a tumultuous war within my own mind.

Suddenly, an immobilizing force gripped my body, halting my advance. My eyes darted around, trying to make sense of this new development, and landed on Alana. Surrounded by a circle of witches, their voices melded in a powerful chant, sh