38
Savannah
The monstrous white wolf thundered down the hill, hackles raised and growling.
Jaxson’s claws erupted, and he moved between us, ready to shift mid-leap.
I snapped my hands back and summoned my shadows. Their dark, cold magic wrapped around my arms and billowed like a cape behind me. Energy crackled over my hands and fingers, and I stood my ground.
We needed to make peace, but the ghost wolf alpha seemed intent on tearing us apart.
With two quick steps, the monster closed the distance. His head snapped toward Jaxson, who leapt back.
Deftly avoiding the creature’s jaws, my mate ducked and rolled to my side, and I unleashed the reservoir of magic from my hand. “Stay back!”
The shadows leapt across the space between us and cascaded over the white wolf’s body. I tried to fashion the magic into a barricade like I had with the stone lions, but the chains of energy dissipated into nothing.
Shit.
The beast whipped his head toward me, and I threw up a wall of shadows between us and turned to run, grabbing Jaxson’s hand.
But the giant wolf slowed to a halt…and laughed. Darkness does not affect me. I can see your souls shining like bonfires in the night, and yours is broken, shadow creature. You are draped with cursed magic and bring true death into the Deadlands. Leave my domain, or you will perish here.
His thundering words froze me in place, and my gut tumbled in dread. He could see all that? Fuck.
Every nerve in my body urged me to flee, but I resisted Jaxson’s pull and held my ground. We needed the ghost wolf alpha’s help. My wolf was in his land, and he would know where she was. Somehow, we had to face him.
I dismissed the wall of shadows and the magic from my other hand, leaving myself unarmed and exposed.
Before I could formulate my thoughts, Stephanie spoke. “Great alpha, I lead one of your ghost packs. I brought these two to your lands to seek a missing part of her wolf’s soul.”
I know who you are, and I know what she seeks. Neither matters. Take them back to the land of the living, where they belong,the great beast snarled in our minds.
Shock rolled through me. He knew I was looking for my wolf’s shard? What was this creature? A god?
I took a hesitant step toward the giant alpha wolf. “Please, help us find my wolf. Without her, I can’t be whole.”
The alpha mirrored my step, and he lowered his head to look me in the eyes. She is part of my pack. I will not let her return to you. She is mine now.
His answer rumbled through me as low as an earthquake, but anger overran my initial shock. Alpha or god, how dare he lay claim to a part of me?
Before I could rein in my emotions, my fear dropped away, and I growled, “She is mine.”
The giant wolf’s voice shook my mind. I see everything, the living and the dead. I see the spells wrapped around your body. Spells you put there to bind your wolf. You are a monster.
My chest constricted beneath iron bands of guilt and anger and doubt.
He knew. My corrupt soul was naked before him. How could I justify what I’d done to an all-powerful creature like this?
My breath shortened, and my mind spun as I tried to think. He was an alpha, a pack leader like Jaxson. I could appeal to that.
I licked my dry lips. “My pack is in danger. The Dark Wolf God has returned to our world. He seized control of my wolf because she was broken. I did what I had to do to protect my pack.”
The great white wolf turned away from me and headed toward the trees. As he walked, he spoke in my mind. You are the one who is broken. Only a broken person could do such a thing.
It was an arrow through my heart, but it was true.
“Yes, I’m broken,” I shouted after him, “but I’m trying to put the pieces back together, and that begins with her!”
He looked over his shoulder. I will not let you take what is mine to be your captive. Be gone.
Desperation and rage clawed at me. “You won’t let me visit her or talk to her? Then she’s your captive, chained to you as much as my wolf is chained to me!”
The giant wolf whipped around, clearly agitated, as he began pacing back and forth—as if considering whether to take a bite out of me. She is part of the ghost wolf pack now.
“She has no choice to leave?”
He planted his paws and growled. She is happy here. She will not wish to leave.What right do you have to ask her? You—a monster who has bound her wolf.
Tears of rage crept into my eyes.