Nikita’s POVI manage to push his huge, heavy body off from on top of me. Blood spills in a river from his mouth over me and sinks into my fur. More blood leaks from the wound in his side, but the sword stems the flow. The silver working its way through his body, destroying him from the inside out. I manage to slip from under him and make my way quickly over to Celeste who is on the floor in a heap. My breath catches in my throat with concern. Finn and Freya start bawling, their cries are loud in the silence of the forest. At least they are ok. As I reach where they lay together Celeste slips away, her body is broken and her face has a deep gash across it from where she face planted the floor to save the babies from being hurt. I quickly take untie them from her back and put them together in a nest of pillows that I’ve pulled from Celeste’s backpack. They are hungry but I don’t have time to feed them right now. I need to check Celeste first. Their cries elicit an unex
Ebony’s POV It doesn’t take long for Jermiah to fall asleep. His snores make the windows rattle and the air smell of his stale, smelly breath. He still hasn’t snapped back to his normal self. Elara was very chatty over dinner, possibly due to the four hundred years of having only a monstrous crocodile for company. I can’t imagine he is very good for a conversation. The weight of solving the riddle rests with me, the hopes of saving our race from the slavery that has plagued our kind for centuries is in my hands. My ancestors and my brethren deserve to see our people raise, above the footsteps od the people who wish to oppress us and use us against our will to their own ends. I felt I would look a bit ignorant and nonchalant if I asked Elara to repeat the riddle, instead I opted to ask for a pen and paper to write down what I could remember and see if I can somehow unpick it to get the answer she is looking for. I didn’t realise my memory was so bad before now. What th
Channon’s POV ‘What do you mean, She left Jermiah in the swamp?’ She looks at me like I just told her I ate the last slice of lemon meringue pie. ‘Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I’m only telling you what she said to me. The good news is she has the Tears of Dawna and will be back here tonight with them.’ At least she calms down a bit with that news. Everyone is so highly strung, which isn’t surprising really. The camp where the witches has set up seems to have grown over night, their numbers have swelled far beyond our own. Our only real hope of winning this war is by breaking the curse and setting witches slaves free. If we set our people free my hope is they will turn on those that have enslaved them and rip them to pieces. I know I would in their shoes. I would want to kill them all. My intention isn’t to destroy the race of witches. No, simply to make them leave us alone, forever. Keeva on the other hand, or more Selina, would be quite happy to see them wiped clean from the face
Keeva’s POV‘You smell funny.’ I move in closer to Channon and sniff him all over, up and down. ‘Have you wet yourself?’ I blurt out and he steps back. I wrinkle my nose at the pungent odour and feel a bit sick. ‘He stinks of fear.’ Selina moves forwards and our consciousness combines, I feel her sense of smell over take my own. It’s not just his fear he reeks of, it’s the other Alpha’s fear scent that has stuck to him too. Selina moves back in to my mind and curls up, absorbed in her own thoughts on the situation. ‘Why are you all so scared?’ He looks at me and I can see his is genuinely worried. ‘The vampires have joined forces with the witches Keeva, I don’t know how we are going to win this thing.’ His eyes fill and her turns away. ‘I’m going for a shower.’ I let him go. At least he can get rid of the awful smells that cling to him and then I will go help relieve him of some of his frustration and anger. ‘Keeva.’ I turn to the door and see Ebony. She looks so tired
Alessia’s POVEach step takes me past the long, tooth filled snout of a chained werewolf. Their snarls and growls fill the air along with the crack of whips that send whimpering howls in to the darkening sky. I smile and observe the scent around me. All the werewolves, held under the High Councils control have been brough from all corners of the land to us here. They are the muscles behind the vision of destroying or controlling these beasts, once and for all. I finish moving through the stinking area where they are being kept. My shoes are covered in their excrement that I try and wipe off on the grass in disgust. I feel bile rise in my throat but manage to hold it back. The last rays of sunlight dip behind the trees and the tents around me stir with the occupants that start to rise. I quicken my pace and my heart rate picks up as vampires start to emerge from their sleeping quarters. As I reach the biggest tent in the centre of their camp I’m greeted by Admis himself
Celeste’s POVI can feel it in the air as the witching hour approaches. ‘Nikita, I need to go to my alter to perform the ritual and try to break the curse. It is the place with the strongest concentration of elemental magic.’ Her hands are soft and warm in mine and her tears make my soul weep. I would give anything not to leave her and our babies, but if I don’t do this and succeed then we are all doomed. Finn and Freya sleep peacefully in their cot next to the bed and I look down on them. The love I have for these little guys is more than I thought capable of ever feeling. It’s for them that I go out tonight and fight for our survival. ‘Celeste, please don’t go.’ Nikita pleads with me, her eyes are full of tears and desperation in her voice. ‘Let one of the other witches do it.’ She doesn’t understand and none of my reasons will ever be good enough for her. ‘I am the strongest witch here. If I can’t do it then we have no one on our side that can.’ The bond between us
Celeste’s POV My hands are clamped over my ears to try to block out the horrendous sounds of battle from consuming me. Grief pulls me to the floor and I sob into the cold earth. Even from here the floor shakes beneath me from the pounds paws and feet of the battle and bodies being slammed in to the ground. Barks of anger still pierce through my hands, the pain of hundreds of souls is palpable in the air. My skin crawls with the feeling of being watched and I don’t dare move from my curled-up position on the floor. Surely if It was Keeva or someone from the pack who knows me they would have announced their arrival. ‘Who’s there?’ I’m ashamed of how small and meek my voice is betraying the gut-wrenching fear inside of me. ‘Why do you care so deeply for them?’ This is the first time I have heard his deep, rumbling voice. I look up and am shocked to find White Claw sat just inside the clearing watching me. ‘What do you mean?’ His eyes follow me as I stand up and regain so
Keeva’s POV‘Celeste we are going under here. There are too many of them. Please, help us.’ There are too many of them. My silver fur is soaked through with the dark, stinking blood of vampires and the earthy copper red blood of werewolves. The Witches hide in the tress like the coward they are. Sending their pets into do the hard work. ‘Ebony, Blake, Bleiz. Get into the trees near the river and start taking out the witches. We need to break down their command. ‘Go, now.’ Supreme Alpha seconds my command instantly. I know he thinks Selina is control but the truth is it’s all me. Keeva. Selina has shut down and hidden away in the deep darkness of my mind. The next wave of vampires joins the fray. The frenzied ferocity of which they attack takes me by surprise. They are starved and the scent of blood has them crazed beyond my comprehension and understanding. High pitched screeches pierce the battle field, the blood lust of the undead being sated from the corpses that lit
Channon’s POVThe air is so much fresher up here, in the mountains. Keeva snuggles into me as we watch the newest pack of the North put on a show of ancient tribal dances. Their face are painted white and red, their eyes glow yellow form the wolves that lay just below the surface. I made a commitment to them all, all those years ago. I would like to think I have fulfilled my promise to help them build a pack, far away from the hustle and bustle of civilisation where they can be safe and heal from the wounds of their past. A fire rages in the middle of the dances, who leap and spin around it in a big, moving circle. I laugh and clap along with the music, content to just sit and watch the display. Keeva, as usual, has other ideas. She jumps up and grabs my hands, pulling me reluctantly to my feet. ‘Keeva, no..’ I try and plop back down on my bum but she pulls harder and before I can protest anymore I’m in the throng of dancers. I feel silly and the burn of redness slowly
ALMOST TEN YEARS LATER Nikita’s POV The years have passed quickly since the great battle. I watch Finn and Freya play together in the long, green grass, care free and happy. Celeste chases after them and they whoop and scream in delight. She is their Mom, not in blood but in every other way possible. Her promise to keep the legend of White Claw alive has stayed with her every day since. We have a yearly festival to commemorate all those that gave their lives that day. The packs who joined us to defeat the evil that wanted to destroy us all come and pay tribute too. Their whole packs descend upon us, overrunning the huge pack house and surrounding smaller houses. Celeste looks up at me and her eyes meet mine. Finn wriggles on the floor beneath her hand as she tickles his tummy. Huge shrieks of laughter fill the air. ‘You ok love?’ Her voice sounds a bit older and wiser now than it did back then. She has learned more about pack life and the hierarchy that defines out p
Nikita’s POVFinn and Freya sleep soundly in their cot, unaware of the battle that has raged on for hours outside. When I see Celeste again she is in big trouble. I can’t believe she sealed us in here. I know she would have done it to protect us, but I’m quite capable of looking after myself. I feel her pain and exhaustion increase minute my minute through our bind to the point I can’t walk and my whole-body aches. ‘Celeste. Come home.’ I finally decide to call out to her, my silence was supposed to have been a punishment for her act of love, but all it has done is punish me. What if something had happened to her and she thought for even a moment that I didn’t love her. Tears spring to my heavy eyes and pour down my cheeks. I don’t know when I fell asleep but morning is starting to break when the door to the kitchen is flung wide open. Celeste burst into the room. She looks awful. Covered in blood and mud, her hair is a mess and her clothes half gone. I don’t care. I r
Ebony’s POVI see him on the floor and towering over him is a tall, thin woman. She sends a bolt of dark magic straight into his chest from her hand. The pain that rips through me takes my breath away and I crumple to the floor, smashing into a tree from the speed I was going. ‘Don’t stop Blake, save him.’ I whimper through the pain. My vision has blurred from the lack of oxygen to my brain. The pain is so intense it makes me want to die, just so I can’t feel it anymore. She is too engrossed in torturing our mate to even notice Blake's huge wolf streaking towards her. My vision clears just enough to see Blake pounce on her. Her scream bounces from tree to tree and fills this part of the forest with the sound of death. He mauls at her and when her head pops off and rolls along the floor the pain completely vanishes. The wicked witch is dead. I can finally breath properly again. Blake leaves her mangled bloody body on the floor and goes to Bleiz. I stagger to my four leg
Keeva’s POV‘Celeste we are going under here. There are too many of them. Please, help us.’ There are too many of them. My silver fur is soaked through with the dark, stinking blood of vampires and the earthy copper red blood of werewolves. The Witches hide in the tress like the coward they are. Sending their pets into do the hard work. ‘Ebony, Blake, Bleiz. Get into the trees near the river and start taking out the witches. We need to break down their command. ‘Go, now.’ Supreme Alpha seconds my command instantly. I know he thinks Selina is control but the truth is it’s all me. Keeva. Selina has shut down and hidden away in the deep darkness of my mind. The next wave of vampires joins the fray. The frenzied ferocity of which they attack takes me by surprise. They are starved and the scent of blood has them crazed beyond my comprehension and understanding. High pitched screeches pierce the battle field, the blood lust of the undead being sated from the corpses that lit
Celeste’s POV My hands are clamped over my ears to try to block out the horrendous sounds of battle from consuming me. Grief pulls me to the floor and I sob into the cold earth. Even from here the floor shakes beneath me from the pounds paws and feet of the battle and bodies being slammed in to the ground. Barks of anger still pierce through my hands, the pain of hundreds of souls is palpable in the air. My skin crawls with the feeling of being watched and I don’t dare move from my curled-up position on the floor. Surely if It was Keeva or someone from the pack who knows me they would have announced their arrival. ‘Who’s there?’ I’m ashamed of how small and meek my voice is betraying the gut-wrenching fear inside of me. ‘Why do you care so deeply for them?’ This is the first time I have heard his deep, rumbling voice. I look up and am shocked to find White Claw sat just inside the clearing watching me. ‘What do you mean?’ His eyes follow me as I stand up and regain so
Celeste’s POVI can feel it in the air as the witching hour approaches. ‘Nikita, I need to go to my alter to perform the ritual and try to break the curse. It is the place with the strongest concentration of elemental magic.’ Her hands are soft and warm in mine and her tears make my soul weep. I would give anything not to leave her and our babies, but if I don’t do this and succeed then we are all doomed. Finn and Freya sleep peacefully in their cot next to the bed and I look down on them. The love I have for these little guys is more than I thought capable of ever feeling. It’s for them that I go out tonight and fight for our survival. ‘Celeste, please don’t go.’ Nikita pleads with me, her eyes are full of tears and desperation in her voice. ‘Let one of the other witches do it.’ She doesn’t understand and none of my reasons will ever be good enough for her. ‘I am the strongest witch here. If I can’t do it then we have no one on our side that can.’ The bond between us
Alessia’s POVEach step takes me past the long, tooth filled snout of a chained werewolf. Their snarls and growls fill the air along with the crack of whips that send whimpering howls in to the darkening sky. I smile and observe the scent around me. All the werewolves, held under the High Councils control have been brough from all corners of the land to us here. They are the muscles behind the vision of destroying or controlling these beasts, once and for all. I finish moving through the stinking area where they are being kept. My shoes are covered in their excrement that I try and wipe off on the grass in disgust. I feel bile rise in my throat but manage to hold it back. The last rays of sunlight dip behind the trees and the tents around me stir with the occupants that start to rise. I quicken my pace and my heart rate picks up as vampires start to emerge from their sleeping quarters. As I reach the biggest tent in the centre of their camp I’m greeted by Admis himself
Keeva’s POV‘You smell funny.’ I move in closer to Channon and sniff him all over, up and down. ‘Have you wet yourself?’ I blurt out and he steps back. I wrinkle my nose at the pungent odour and feel a bit sick. ‘He stinks of fear.’ Selina moves forwards and our consciousness combines, I feel her sense of smell over take my own. It’s not just his fear he reeks of, it’s the other Alpha’s fear scent that has stuck to him too. Selina moves back in to my mind and curls up, absorbed in her own thoughts on the situation. ‘Why are you all so scared?’ He looks at me and I can see his is genuinely worried. ‘The vampires have joined forces with the witches Keeva, I don’t know how we are going to win this thing.’ His eyes fill and her turns away. ‘I’m going for a shower.’ I let him go. At least he can get rid of the awful smells that cling to him and then I will go help relieve him of some of his frustration and anger. ‘Keeva.’ I turn to the door and see Ebony. She looks so tired