Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
Well, I was angry too.
“We have made our decision. The beast and Adrenna will be put to death,” the echo spoke for the witches, and my hands clenched at my sides. That decision was bullshit.
“And how does that play a part in the balance? That’s your job, right? To keep the balance?”
“How does turning them human play a part?” they countered.
“Because the magic in Adrenna can help us defeat the vampires. Without that, we don’t have the numbers. So many of us will die in this war, and for what? To teach two people who fell in love against your wishes a lesson?” I challenged them.
It wasn’t a smart move, but it was all I could do. I had to change their minds. If I couldn’t, I was going to have to do something worse.
Like ignore them and do what I wanted anyway.
“Is there another offering we can make to change your decision?” Derik asked.
The witches remained still and stoic.
“No. Our decision is final.”
They went to turn away, but I couldn’t let them leave thinking they had the final say.
Maybe they did before, but things were different now. I had the border magic, and if they were worried about then, I was guessing it was enough to hurt them.
“We were asking for permission out of respect. We are still making them human,” I announced.
The air around us grew ice cold, and the sky thundered like wild horses racing. The ground shook as the wolves’ hackles rose.
I faced the witches as they turned with menacing looks in my direction. I didn’t shrink back or let their scare tactics get to me.
My Alphas flanked me, each one huge and overbearing, ready to fight with me. It went against everything they had known and learned, but they were still willing to stand there and fight for what was right.
It made my heart swell for the mates I had been given.
How I got so lucky, I had no idea. But I was winter born, and maybe some curses were actually gifts. At that moment, it felt like it. And I was willing to use that gift.
My shadows swirled inside me, turning with the magic in there, fluid and easy, ready to be used.
That told me everything I needed to know. My magic belonged to the realm too. If what I was doing was so wrong, then why was magic so ready to defend me and execute my will?
“You dare challenge us? Your superiors?”
I scoffed at that. Inflated ego was not on my list of today’s bullshit.
“I dare do what is right for the realm. Who you are doesn’t play a part in that. I thought that doing things right and by the book would mean that the realm would be served. But that is not your intention.”
“The realm balance is ours to maintain how we see fit. We have been given that right by the realm. You do not get to decide otherwise.”
How they could remain so straight-faced through the conversation was impressive, but their eyes told me everything I needed to know. They were angry enough to kill me.
I really hoped it didn’t come to that, but with every word that left my mouth to oppose them, I was pretty sure it took me closer to my own death.
“Maybe the realm has other ideas because my magic is from it too, and it wants this. It is willing to fight for it. Can you say the same? Because I saw your magic, and it wanted me as much as I wanted it. The realm made that happen.”
“You will back down, hybrid. Or we will take forceful action.”
I shook my head, looking behind me at the pack who were glaring at the witches.
My Alphas looked to me.
“We’re with you. Whatever way you want to take this,” Brax said, and the pack agreed, our link stronger, vibrating with a unity we had never reached before.
I smiled at them all, my family, standing there ready to fight to the death for me. I had never had that in anyone other than my mom.
I had to set a good example so they knew I was worth fighting for because I was fighting for them too. For a future that wasn’t ruled by power-hungry witches.
If I could sense that, then the realm could too. That was why I was guessing they were letting me keep my magic, use it to help the wolves.
And it was why I knew it would make me powerful enough to take on the witches.
“I won’t back down. We’re doing what we need to do for the pack, for the realm, and for the balance. If you can get on board with that, then you can stay; if you’re going to get in the way, then you can leave,” I said, my voice firm and holding all of the passive aggressiveness I could muster.
I wanted them to be on board; I didn’t want another species to turn against us. We’d been watching our backs for so long my neck was kinking.
But it didn’t matter what I wanted because the witches were used to being able to tell us what to do. And before, they could. Their word helped the realm balance, and we could respect that.
But with them saying no, there was nothing left to respect.
“You were warned,” the echo said in a deep, dangerous voice.
Then their eyes glowed again.
I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it didn’t feel good.
The ground rumbled again, making us all grab each other.
The witches grew, their bodies stretching up, towering over us, as the sky broke with thunder and lightning.
The torches flickered, the flames struggling against the angry wind. It whistled around us, whipping my hair into my face.
The pack was in the link, staying strong in our connection, showing no fear, ready to defend. But that was hard when the ground was moving beneath us.
And I knew it was up to me. The realm had given me magic, had shown me that I had what I needed, and my shadows were calm inside me.
They were not scared of the witches, and neither was I.
I wasn’t going to let them hurt us.
I stepped away from the Alphas and stood shorter, smaller, and cursed.
When the witches’ magic fell from their eyes and mouths that finally opened, the pack tensed. My Alphas roared, starting to shift, but I didn’t move.
I narrowed my eyes on them, on their magic.
My magic swirled with my shadows and poured out of me.
My magic slammed up against theirs, mine purple with shadows only I could see mixed in against their gold.
It was beautiful and terrifying.
The connection of magic was like a blast; it echoed through the realm, a wave of energy rebounding over all of us.
It blew me back, but my Alphas were right there behind me, holding me up as I fought against the witches’ magic that tried to take me out.
They were fucking strong, stronger than I had expected, but I fought every ounce of magic they had with every piece of my own. My shadows and magic together were strong too, and they were having a blast.
My magic was eating away at theirs, my shadows supporting it like my Alphas were supporting me.
The witches glared, fury in their magic biting down so there was more pressure.
It felt like trying to stop a building from crashing on us. My legs started to shake under the weight of it.
The air became harder to breathe, and maybe that would be my downfall. I had the magic to go against them, but did I have the stamina to outlast them? I wasn’t sure anymore.
My body shuddered as weakness started to roll through it.
“You have three Alphas to keep sated; your stamina is unmatched.” Kai grinned at me, sweating as he pushed his strength through the link to help me. I didn’t want to accept it in case he needed it afterward, but I had no choice.
The witches were keeping me at my limit, and I had no idea if it was theirs.
How long would they keep pushing? How long before I collapsed?
I couldn’t let that happen, so I drew on my Alphas.
I drew on my pack.
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?