by Ryan Michele
Tired, Sabrea returns.
Max is going to die. Get over here now! Kenly chides just as another Lobo wolf darts for her, but this time Thor is next to her and takes the wolf out.
Sabrea! he thinks, shaking his head, the wolf’s throat between his teeth.
Coming. Even through the pack link, Thor can hear her energy disappearing fast.
Move your ass! Zara is lost, Stella is dead. I need your help or Max will be next! Kenly barks.
Sabrea uses up every bit of energy she can muster to trot over to where Max lies on the ground. Thor nuzzles her then takes off and attacks whoever is around, wiping the slate almost clean of the Lobos.
What do we do? Sabrea asks Kenly.
Shift. Sabrea nods her head and shifts to human, checking to make sure no one is around and coming up clear. Kenly is next to shift back.
“All right. Grab hands and touch Max at the same time. See if it will help him,” Kenly instructs and Sabrea agrees.
ZARA’S HEAD HURTS. She’s pretty sure that she got hit badly with something. She slowly opens her eyes and Seth stands before her in human-form. She quickly realizes that she has changed to human-form as well.
“Bout time you woke up to enjoy the party.” Zara’s insides turn. “I’m going to fuck you then I’m going to kill you and that alpha of yours. Or maybe I’ll do like I planned before and keep you for my play toy. You heard that, didn’t you? That’s why you freaked out?” Seth grabs Zara by the neck and begins to crush her windpipe. “If I would have taken you out that night, none of this would be happening.”
Zara clutches the hands around her and tries to pry them from her throat, unable to catch her breath. Her claws extend as she swipes roughly at Seth’s chest, leaving some damaging cuts in the process.
“You fucking bitch.” Seth rears back and slaps Zara so hard across the cheekbone that stars alight behind her eyes. Zara’s wolf takes over, bursting out again, just as Seth’s does the same. Zara is intimidated by the size and magnitude of Seth’s wolf next to hers, but refuses to give up without a fight.
Xavier! Where in the hell are you? she screams through the pack link.
Coming. Other wolves attacking. I’ll get to you, baby. Swear it. Zara’s panic does not lessen at Xavier’s words. If anything, it makes her fear increase because it’s unknown if he will be able to reach her in time. Zara tries not to show fear, but she reeks of the scent. She pulls in every amount of strength she can and prepares to fight.
Seth comes at her, snarling and chomping. Zara doesn’t back away. She does the same, knowing there is no way she can beat a male wolf in a fight, especially at his size. Both wolves’ snouts and faces are being nipped at. Blood begins to fall into Zara’s eyes, and the hope that she once felt when she found Xavier starts to fade, but she continues to fight.
“Stop!” a dominant male voice yells and Seth freezes as Zara falls to all fours. Zara’s eyes grow wide at the sight in front of her. “Zara, change to human.” Zara isn’t stupid by any means, but what this male is holding makes Zara do exactly that. “Good girl,” the male says like she is a pet dog, only more condescending. “Seth, you too,” he commands and Seth does the same.
Zara cannot breath. It’s lodged in her throat and about ready to choke her.
“Zara!” a tiny voice says with tears falling down her small precious face. Natalie.
“It’s okay, baby,” Zara consoles, just as Seth grabs Zara around the neck from behind, pulling her to his front.
“After I finish you off, I’ll take her with us. I’ve never been into pups, but what the hell,” Seth says in Zara’s ear. Lava flows into Zara’s veins at the thought of Natalie being hurt. Zara has no idea what Natalie is doing out of the den. She’s supposed to be under lock and key with three females and Maggie, but now isn’t the time to dwell on logistics. Right now, that male has Zara’s heart in his hands.
“Leave her alone,” she says through clenched teeth and Seth grips her tighter, cutting off her air.
“Aww, isn’t she cute, Donte?” Seth taunts, and Zara’s stomach falls to the ground. The male is the alpha of the Lobo pack. Fucking hell.
Xavier! Donte has Natalie! she yells internally.
Fuck! Xavier roars in her head. I’ve got two wolves to take out. I’m on my way.
Zara keeps her eyes peeled to little Natalie, trying to come up with a scenario that will work, but nothing is coming into play at the moment.
“Seth, you were right. That one,” Donte points to Zara, “is going to be fun to take back and play with. This one, though,” Donte’s index claw comes out to a sharp point, “we don’t need.” He places the claw against little Natalie’s throat and Zara lets out a blood curdling cry.
“READY?” KENLY ASKS Sabrea who nods. Kenly grabs her hand at the same time they touch Max. Upon contact, light shoots up from the three of them and dissipates just as quickly as it came, and they disconnect. Neither Kenly nor Sabrea feel any different.
Kenly’s hands glide over a now-human Max who moans with each touch. “Max, how do you feel?” she asks, hoping he’s all right.
“Tired,” he groans. Kenly inspects the cuts on his body.
“Shift. You need to heal,” she tells him.
Max pulls in as much strength as he can and shifts, but lies there unmoving. Feel any different? Kenly asks him.
A little, but could really use a healer. The one thing that they no longer have. Stella is gone. Shit.
Zara, Kenly thinks just as Xavier runs up to their small huddle. Thor also returns with blood caking his snout.
“Donte and Seth have Zara and Natalie,” Xavier says once he shifts to human. “We need to find them now,” he states, almost in a panic, but keeps his shit together, barely. He looks down at Max on the ground. “Fuck, is he okay?”
“He needs a healer,” Kenly says softly.
“Let me get some of our wolves here to guard Max and then we need to find Zara.” Xavier shifts back to wolf and sniffs the air for his mate, not seeing any Lobos around. He contacts some of the remaining wolves from the Raber pack and they come quickly. Kenly kisses Max’s fur then shifts back into a wolf and follows everyone.
She’s over there, Xavier says. Thor, Kenly, Sabrea, and Gary follow.
“ZARA!” NATALIE’S frightened scream has white flashing behind Zara’s eyes. Donte places his claw on the edge of Natalie’s neck, poking it in and Natalie screams.
The next seconds happen in a blur of movement. So quick that humans would never be able to catch it with the naked eye, but would feel the burst of air.
I’m coming! Xavier yells and Zara shifts, spinning around so fast it catches Seth off guard. That second is the moment that Zara digs deep into Seth’s throat and rips it from his body. The kill isn’t celebrated, isn’t even on Zara’s radar.
No, only getting her girl is.
She begins moving closer to Donte, who stands there almost in shock like he didn’t think that Zara would fight for what was hers. Like she’d roll over and play dead. Fuck no. Donte definitely underestimated Zara.
Go up behind him, Zara tells Xavier, who nods to the wolves with him. Sabrea and Kenly, powers! she yells.
Kenly stares at Donte intently and shakes her head after a few moments. It’s not working! she yells, frustrated and pissed as hell.
Mine either, Sabrea adds.
Shit, he must have our powers blocked, Zara thinks.
DONTE’S CLAW INSERTS deeper into the young pup’s flesh, and he smiles sadistically at her screams. He’s never been in to killing kids, but the fact that this pup means something to that fucker Xavier and his mate, makes it utterly delicious.
The pup grips Donte’s arm, sinking her small fingernails into his skin, and he feels the small bite of it, but doesn’t stop what he’s doing. Donte can smell and hear the other wolves coming up behind him. He’s glad he forced that witch to put a blocking spell on him. Every link in the Lobo pack is broken and he’s the only one left, but he refuses to go out
without taking someone that Xavier loves with him. He continues slicing her skin, making the incision deeper.
The place on his arm where the pup had dug in her nails begins to burn like acid on his skin. Each small second that passes, it gets more painful and his movements halt on the pup’s neck.
LITTLE NATALIE DOESN’T know what is happening. She suddenly feels really, really hot and her tummy turns in circles like she’s going to throw up. Zara is right there and Natalie knows that Zara will help her. She just wishes Zara would get to her quicker as the hurt in her neck is bad, really bad. The crystal around her neck begins to glow, illuminating the space in front of her just as she gets hotter. Something is happening to her body. Fear wafts off of her.
XAVIER SNARLS. That fucking prick. I’ll fucking destroy him! he says to his pack through the link. The other wolves feel the pain deeply and want their piece of the ass who has their pack pup.
Not if we get to him first. The light. Both of you, come, Zara thinks to Kenly and Sabrea.
Xavier and the wolves following him separate so that some are coming from the left of Donte and the others from the right.
Like some magnetic force pulls them forward, happening so fast that even the wolves have a hard time seeing it, Zara, Kenly, and Sabrea reach little Natalie, shift to human, and grab on to her body in a flash. The instant their hands make contact, blinding orange light shoots up through Natalie’s body, rocketing from the ground to the Heavens above. The wolves close their eyes against the shock of brightness that hits them so hard, they try not to take a step back, but some of them falter.
Natalie! Zara screams, blinking her eyes repeatedly at the light, but clenching on to the little pup.
Male screams and yelps stifle the air as the light recedes. Natalie slumps into the three females’ arms and the four tumble down onto the grass as Donte’s body, nothing but ashes, floats to the ground.
Holy fucking shit! Zara says, pulling Natalie into her arms only. She checks her little body everywhere, seeing no visible marks. Her neck is healed completely.
Xavier and the rest of the wolves come up quickly, shifting into human-form.
“What’s going on?” Xavier asks, looking at all four of the females on the ground.
Zara cups Natalie’s face, ignoring Xavier. “Come on, little one. I need to you to open your eyes for me,” she coos and shakes her slightly. The crystal that Zara’s Nana O gave her all those years ago hangs around her little neck. Tears spring from Zara’s eyes as she pulls the small lifeless body up to her ear to make for certain it’s her heartbeat she hears. Thank the Heavens. It is.
“Zara?” a tiny voice asks, and Zara wastes no time crushing the little pup’s body to hers, all the while stroking her hair back and forth and rocking her.
“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Zara says repeatedly.
XAVIER LETS OUT a deep sigh. He never knew the pain would be so harsh at the thought of losing the child who he’s grown to love as his very own. His chest is tight, but with each breath and heartbeat of Natalie’s, it loosens.
“Max!” Kenly yells, causing everyone to jump. “He’s telling me bye again. I can’t lose him!” she screeches and runs off in the direction they had left Max. The rest follow, with Zara carrying little Natalie.
Max’s large furry form lies on the grassy ground, his chest slowly rising and falling, but each breath becoming more difficult to take.
“No!” Kenly screams, falling to the ground beside her mate and hugging him tightly.
Baby, I’m gonna have to go, Max tells Kenly through their mating link and Kenly’s tears turn into sobs, slowly taking her under.
“We have to do something,” Kenly tells the group of Raber wolves and their allies around them. Now that the threat is gone, they have all come to help.
“The three of us,” Zara says, handing Natalie over to Xavier, but she clutches tightly to Zara.
“Me too, Zara,” Natalie says, stunning the group around her.
“What are you talking about?” Zara asks, while Max is still fighting to stay in this life.
“Nana O said I’m the one. I don’t know what it means, but she told me that I had to help.” Natalie looks up at Zara with all the confidence of a full-grown wolf.
“So the four of us?” Zara asks Natalie, completely confused, but not willing to waste another second. Natalie nods and pulls out of Zara’s grasp, walking up to Max. “The four of us, ladies,” Zara commands.
Zara, Kenly, Sabrea, and Natalie all join hands, with Natalie and Kenly’s hands touching Max. Each of their bodies jerk, but they do not let go of one another. Lights the color of rainbows beam up into the air, one after another, from each of their connections. The four’s bodies pulsate with each change in color, but no pain is felt.
Xavier, Thor, Gary, Lily, and the remaining wolves take a small step back from the lights and watch the beautiful show they are putting on. Xavier’s heart thumps in anticipation.
In a burst so strong, an orange light expels from each of the females’, including little Natalie’s bodies. The light is so powerful it knocks every wolf standing to the ground, knocking the wind out of each.
The light dissipates.
Zara, Sabrea, Kenly, and Natalie let go of one another. Each shocked in their own way. Zara is in awe of the power she felt throughout her body. Sabrea feels more powerful and healthy than she ever has in her life. Natalie feels great. Not scared at all anymore.
Kenly frantically touches Max. “Max, come on,” she begs as the fear grasps her. Max’s heartbeat is about the same as before and her stomach drops. “Wake up! I can’t lose you!” she screams into his muzzle while looking at his closed eyes. She shakes him, trying to get him to wake up when he doesn’t respond. He’s still alive and the links are still there, but no response.
“What do I do?” Kenly asks Xavier with pleading eyes, hoping that he knows something to help.
Xavier has no idea. Stella has always healed the pack when needed. He’s never been in this situation before and he feels useless for one of the few times in his life.
Kenly shakes Max harder and begins yelling, “You wake the hell up! You hear me, Max! I did not change into a furry wolf to be left!” Kenly’s heart beats so rapidly, she feels as if it will bounce out of her chest.
I’m here, babe. Max says through their link and Kenly stops. Would you stop shaking me though?
Kenly immediately lets go of him.
“What’s wrong?” Sabrea asks with Thor next to her, arms wrapped tightly around her body.
“He’s okay,” Kenly says softly as Max shifts to human. Kenly quickly sweeps his body, noting no more cuts or tears on his skin. Elation hits her hard as she throws her arms around him tight, vowing never to let him go.
“Thank the Heavens,” Xavier says, feeling a small weight off of his shoulders. It’s only small because now as he looks around, the carnage that has become the Raber wolf pack and the other wolves is painful.
“Sabrea!” Sarah runs up to her daughter, clutching her in her arms. “I lost him,” she wails. “And Savannah. I can’t find Sydney.” Sarah cries as does Sabrea, no doubt the loss of her family leaving a horrible mark on her for eternity.
“Round up,” Xavier orders Thor and a now-sitting Max. He hates to do it to Max so soon, but he needs to make sure who is left, see them in the flesh.
The Raber Wolf Pack—The Six
Zara
“EXPLAIN TO ME why in the hell you let a child out of that locked room when Xavier ordered you to keep them all in there protected!” I’m beyond livid at my Nana. I know in my heart that it needed to happen or we wouldn’t have saved Max, but I can’t help but unleash my anger once we enter the den.
All of our hearts are heavy at the amount of loss this battle took. The entire Lobo pack was wiped out. Fifty-seven of our alliance wolves were taken out and thirty-six of our own wolves. The grief is too much and I shouldn’t be laying into my Nana so hard, but I have a right to be pissed at her and
I need something to focus on before I lose my shit!
“The Heavens told me what I was to do. I followed what they said,” Nana says, calm as can be.
I turn to Maggie. “Did you know this shit?”
“No, child. I knew nothing of it, but if Opal says that she was told to do so, I believe it,” Maggie responds. I let out a piercing scream, needing to get some of my frustration out or my wolf will be making an appearance.
“Zara. This was the plan. In order for you all to live, Natalie needed to be a part of it,” Nana says. “You, Kenly, and Sabrea each have the light. Zara, you can heal yourself, but not others. Kenly and Sabrea’s really only work on themselves. Natalie is your conductor. She is the ultimate healer, but since she is so young, her skills are not yet refined. Natalie needed to draw from your combined lights to heal,” Nana O explains, and I’m puzzled.
“Then how in the hell did Donte burn?”
Nana chuckles. “Because Little Natalie here has a gift that no one has ever seen before.” I start to snap a comeback, but she raises her hand and halts my words. “I know you are angry,” she says. Well, no shit there, Nana, I shoot off in my head but hold my tongue. “But when I saw Natalie playing with the crystal, a vision came to me, telling me what I needed to do. I did it. I’m not sorry I did it, but I am sorry that I put her life in danger.”
My temper cools a bit and for the first time, I let the pain of loss hit me and I fall to my knees, sobbing.
Sabrea
I LOST MY FATHER and my sister Savanah. Sydney was hurt, but then hid and was able to live. The loss of my father has hit me hard. I love him. I loved him. The tears haven’t stopped from the moment my mother told me as she held me. She cried, too, but her tears were more silent as she was trying to comfort me.
