Page 73 of A Crown of Fates
There’s a roar pulsing in my ears, a thunderous pounding of unfiltered power as I reclaim the god energy he’s stolen from me. The rush is intoxicating—a storm of strength and purpose coursing through my veins, filling the void Orix created. His essence bleeds into the air like the last notes of a dying song, and my rightful energy settles into every fractured piece of me.
“You’re more like me than I wanted to admit,” Orix garbles, his once-commanding voice raspy and weak. “Congratulations, Theodore. Just remember, this kind of power always comes with a price.”
His words are hollow, laced with malice and mockery, but I don’t falter. The pulsing desire to never hear his vile voice again is all I need to ignore his words, focusing only on his once-untouchable form as it trembles and shudders.
The heat from the dagger begins to brand my palm, the transfer of power reaching its peak. I’m tempted to let go, but I don’t. Maybe it’s my greed or just the desire to be done with this nightmare, but I hold on tighter, fighting for the moment this god finally takes his last breath.
My fingers start to blister and no matter how hard I try to stay focused, the burns moving up my arm shatter my concentration. The first thing I hear is Orix’s haunting laughter and then…
The screams. And not just any screams.
Estee.
Her s cut through my haze like a blade, and I drop the dagger without a second thought, ready to find my mate. I whip my head to the side, my gaze sweeping around the chaos. The shadow beasts are everywhere, their inky shapes latching onto my people, possessing their bodies, and turning them into weapons against one another. Jerome and Cecil are among the few still standing, rallying those who remain fighting, but even they look moments from collapse.
But I don’t see her. I don’t see the one person who matters most.
“Where are you?”I yell through our bond.
“Foun…tain.”
Her voice is labored, but she’s alive. I spot her then, her silver wolf shaking with determination amidst the chaos. My heart clenches at the sight. She’s cornered, the darkness closing in, and she’s trembling with exhaustion yet refusing to yield. The shadows slither closer, circling her like predators savoring their prey.
“Shift back and fight!”I command, knowing her wolf’s bite will do nothing against these incorporeal beings.
“She’s faster than I am right now,”Estee pants.“I need her.”
“No, you need me,”I murmur, a wave of helplessness surging through me.
I can’t fail. Not again. Not like before.
I glance down at Orix, still pinned beneath me, his blackened blood pooling around the dagger. He’s alive, though barely, his hand weakly reaching toward me. My teeth clench, rage and despair warring within me as Estee’s voice screams through the bond.
“Finish him, Theo!”Her plea is desperate, commanding even, but I can hear the fear in it, the unspoken knowledge that we’re running out of time.
“I can’t,” I rasp, my voice breaking under the weight of my memories. My mind flashes back to my old pack, to the blood and the bodies, the screams that have haunted my nights. I won’t let it happen again. I won’t be the only survivor. Not this time.
“This isn’t like before,”Estee reminds me.“You can do this, Theo.”
Her words are the anchor I need to bring me back to the present. I made the choice to forgive myself for the past and to move forward. I can’t go back now. I vowed to be better, and this is the time for me to prove that I can be.
The sooner I end this, the safer they’ll all be.
Except I’ve already paused for too long and lost my advantage. Orix’s hand shoots up, clamping around my throat with supernatural strength. His grip tightens, and I feel the god energy I’ve reclaimed slipping back into him.
“You’re pathetic,” he snarls as he pushes me off him while reversing our positions, his black eyes glinting with triumph. “Unworthy of the power you’ve been given.”
The edges of my vision blur, spots of darkness creeping in as his energy drains me. I can feel my strength waning, my body succumbing to the intensity of his power. But then, above it all, Estee’s voice slices through, raw and filled with fire.
“You made me promises, Theo Northcroft. Don’t you dare give up.”
Her strength and belief in me ignite something primal and unyielding from deep within me, a reminder that I’m more than just a wolf shifter.
Orix can take my energy, but that doesn’t change who I am. An Alpha King, a shifter who is more god than wolf. I’ve bowed to this monster for too long and I’m done.
His nails cut into my throat, keeping me pinned as my lungs burn for air. I close my eyes, blocking out the pain, and searchinside me for the power I need, something Orix will never be able to take from me.
The love I have for my people.