Rejected
Chapter 22

Liam

It is nearly noon when we reach the hill that overlooks the strange village where Barsali says his people are being held. The buildings are made of stone and the land is nothing but dirt and decaying trees. We shift and send several of our wolves to scout the area and get a location on the captives, but when they return, we are given yet another curveball.

“Alpha, there are more than fifty captives and they are scattered throughout the village. We did not see the enchantress, but we could feel the darkness of her being in the northern structure.” I look to Nadia, awaiting her instructions. Since our talk this morning, I have no doubt that I want to be at her side, no matter the cost.

“It is going to take all of you to get them out. I will face the enchantress, just get the others to safety.” I grab her arm and pull her to me, not willing to let her face off against such evil on her own.

“I am going with you.” She shakes her head defiantly and the fear in her eyes is undeniable.

“NO! You need to help them get the others out of here. I cannot lose you.” My smile at that moment is involuntary, as much as the fact that she just admitted that she doesn’t want to lose me.

“I am going. I will not let my mate run into the dark enchantress’s lair alone.” She stiffens, but I can tell she has already given in.

“Move out!” We all shift and our men head down the east side of the hill while we slip around to the west, following the run down buildings until we reach the one with an unrelenting aura of darkness surrounding it. I follow her lead as she slips through a wooden door on the south side of the building, creeping up the winding stairs to the second floor. The thrumming energy is vibrating in my ears, making my wolf anxious and my senses dull.

“Ah, I was wondering when you would arrive.” A loud, staticky voice sounds out, echoing off the walls and further disorienting me while forcing us both to shift back into our naked human forms. A dark woman, with skin that resembles cracked marble, floats down from some unknown place. As she gets closer, I can see black horns curving around the top of her head with black stringy strands of hair hanging freely around them. I want to step forward, stand between this evil creature and my mate, but my body refuses to move.

“So, you are the dark enchantress? What is your name? Clearly I cannot call you Avalon. And why were you trying to take children from our pack?” The woman cackled wildly, her eyes, shifting pools of black and silver.

“That was a fun ruse while it lasted. No, I am not Avalon, but I turned many of her loyal followers against her, making them believe me to be her. I am Caitlin, but that name will be of little use to you, little wolf. I have taken the souls of countless innocent, just as I intended to do with the children I sent those mutts to collect from you. Did you truly think a wolf could take on the likes of me?” I clench my fists at my side, wanting to reassure my mate, knowing she is stronger than this witch realizes.

“I do, actually. I am certain I can. The real question is, can you stop me?” I watch with horror and pride as Nadia begins to shift, shocking even the enchantress with her sheer power to overcome the magic being cast upon us. Nadia does not fully shift into her wolf, but the half wolf that is somehow more than three times the size it was when she shifted at the nursery.

“What kind of magic is this?!” The enchantress shouts as she takes in the glowing, opalescent figure that is towering over her.

“I will end you. You will pay for what you have done to these people…what you have taken from them.” The sight of her half wolf, half human form speaking in its terrifying voice is something I may never get used to.

“You are nothing more than a filthy mutt with a few useless, albeit unique, parlor tricks up your sleeve. Shall I show you what I do to the filthy mutts who dare to stand against me?” She raises one of her hands, the energy of the room shifting as it is drawn into a dark mass in the palm of her hand. Nadia does not allow her to continue with her demonstration uninterrupted. She lunges at the wicked woman, sinking her teeth into her other arm and dragging her to the ground. An explosion of energy shakes the very foundation of the building, sending Nadia flying into a wall . The energy shift seems to have broken the restraints that bound me and I quickly rush to my mate, but just before I reach her, something slams into my side like a wrecking ball and everything goes black.