Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
His grin grew, and it was Elias’s eyes I saw in my brother’s face.
“I didn’t think you’d come. You’re either very brave or very stupid.” He grinned.
I shrugged. “Both.”
“Hmmm. And have you come to a decision? Are you willing to join us?” he asked, his voice echoing in the crypt.
“You and I both know I was never going to say yes, that’s why you made me come here,” I said, and he chuckled.
“Very true. I was hoping we could have some fun before I add your shadows to my collection,” he said, and I frowned.
I still didn’t understand why he needed sacrifices.
“Why do you need sacrifices? You already have my brother and his shadows.”
“You’ll find out.”
He grinned, and I gritted my teeth. I wanted to know what his plan was so I could stop it, but he seemed more interested in inching closer, his greedy eyes looking over me.
His shadows were sending power waves over me, like an aura, poking and prodding me. One I refused to acknowledge or give in to.
“So that’s the plan? Kill me, claim my shadows? And then what?” I demanded.
“And then I make humans the top of the food chain, where they belong…and werewolves extinct, where they belong.”
My blood boiled at that, and so did my shadows. I almost hissed at him the way he talked of erasing an entire race just because he was scared of them.
And that’s all it was. The werewolves had the power he wanted, and he was trying to take it instead of earn it.
That wasn’t going to work for me, so I knew what it was going to come down to. A fight for my life. A battle of wills and power.
I just hoped my will was stronger.
45. The Battle
I wasn’t strong enough.
Every time Elias’s shadows hit me, I went down. He blew through mine easily, like I wasn’t even an issue.
I grimaced as I hit the concrete wall of the crypt, Elias’s shadows, mixed with my brother’s, poured over me, sliding over my body as they pinned me there.
When they let me go, I dropped to the ground, wincing as Elias chuckled, straightening his clothes, patiently waiting for me to get back up and try again.
Because that’s what I kept doing.
I had no choice, I couldn’t give up like my sore, aching muscles wanted me to.
I gritted my teeth and climbed to my feet again, rolling my shoulders back. My stomach turned, my forehead beading with sweat as I reached for the link and my alphas’ powers that connected us.
I needed their strength, but the link was getting weaker and I had no idea what that meant, whether it was because I was weaker or because my alphas were in trouble.
Either way, I had to end this thing–and fast.
I summoned everything I had, connecting as strongly as I could to my alphas and my shadows, throwing them back at him.
Elias flicked his wrist, and mine hit his. His were much darker, pushing against mine. But it didn’t even look like he was straining. There was no sweat, no falter in the shadows that were slowly overtaking mine.
I shoved harder, pushing more against him, but with another flick of his wrist, Elias threw me back against the wall. My head hit with a harsh crack, and I slumped to the ground, my head spinning.
I swallowed hard and used the wall to help me stand up, breathing heavily as I felt the back of my head. Warm blood seeped out of a cut there, and I clenched my fists shut.
I turned to my brother.
“Is this what you want?! To kill me? How will that help? The wolves will still stop you from hurting them,” I snapped.
“I don’t want to kill you, sister. I want you to pay for choosing the werewolves over your own kind and for choosing them over me!” Lucas bit back, and my jaw fell open.
“So it really is you? You’re letting Elias do this?”
“I’m sacrificing myself for our race,” he said, his chin held high.
I shook my head, which hurt more than I had expected.
“No, you’re not. The humans aren’t in any danger, they don’t need rescuing from anyone but Elias. Do you really think he’ll stop there? He’ll be happy just taking over the werewolves?
“That’s not how it will happen, Lucas. He’ll take the werewolves, then the vampires, and then there will be no one left to control but the humans, and he’ll take them too. It’s how greed works,” I said, trying to get through to him because I knew physically I didn’t have enough strength in my shadows.
Not while Elias was a part of him.
And maybe it was hesitation. I didn’t want to kill my brother, but I wanted Elias dead. I had no idea how to make that happen, so I was going in blind to it all.
“Elias promised the humans would be safe.”
“And you trust that? How has he ever proven his word?” I argued.
Lucas hesitated. I could see it in his eyes, even the shadows that I could feel lingering from him growing weaker.
“The wolves need to stop having control of us. We should not serve them,” Lucas said, but there was less conviction in his voice.
“So we’ll discuss it with them. They probably don’t even know that humans want more. When do we ever tell them? We don’t have to go to war over this,” I tried, and his face fell, his eyes dropping as he looked over his hands and stepped back.
I stepped forward.
“I don’t know who to trust or what to believe,” Lucas murmured, and that was better than refusing me, so I came forward, closer than I should have because Elias took advantage, probably letting Lucas take over to trick me.
He took control back from my brother in a second and grabbed me, swinging me into him, my back against his front as he brought the stolen dagger to my throat.
“It doesn’t matter what you convince your brother of. He has already promised himself to me and my cause. He’s mine. And you will be too.”
He grinned against me and I struggled against him, my shadows pushing him back, but he held my throat tight.
I swallowed past the blade, wincing as it nicked my skin.
“So you bleed me dry like your other victims and then steal my shadows? They won’t be loyal to you,” I said, knowing that for sure.
“It won’t matter. Mine are strong enough with your brother’s to suffocate them. I will still be able to use their power, even if they resist.”
He chuckled maliciously, and I gripped his wrist, trying to pry him off, but his shadows covered his hand, burning me whenever I tried to get near them.
Then they moved down my body, coating me in them so mine couldn’t get out. I tried to push them out to help, but they were locked inside me, thrashing and angry as they tried to help but couldn’t.
I’d never had a chance. Not while Elias was some kind of ghost controlling my brother. But I wasn’t just a winter born with shadows, and he had forgotten that.
So had I for a while there.
But I had been bullied my entire life, and I knew how to defend myself.
I brought my elbow into his gut, smashing the point into him hard. He let out a huff of breath before I stamped down on his foot with my boot.
His hold on me loosened, and I grabbed his hand, gritting my teeth against the burn, twisting his wrist until he dropped the dagger.
He yelped and I grabbed it, ready to sink it into him, when he met my gaze and dared me to do it. I froze.
“Do it. Kill your brother. His sacrifice will be most appreciated,” Elias growled, and I frowned, looking down at the dagger, then back at him.
“And what happens to you?”
“I find another angry human to take his place. They won’t hold me very well, not being winter born, but I can move through hosts like underwear. Their deaths will only add to my cause, and their blood will be on your hands.” He shrugged.
I stepped back, the dagger still poised in my hand but my will diminishing. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill my brother. But maybe hurting him would be enough.
Adrenaline pumping, my heart in my chest, not sure whether I was going to be quick enough, I dropped the sacrificial dagger then knelt down, yanking my own dagger from my boot, going for his leg with the blade.
But it wasn’t his leg in front of me. The blade plunged into his shoulder, his face twisting as the air rushed out of my body, the dead stare of Elias right in front of me.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?