136

136
Maeve's POV

Darkness surrounds me again. It moves like breath. It tastes like iron and old rain.

Valeriese’s chains loop around my ribs, slick with shadow, humming with a lullaby that isn’t meant to soothe so much as wear me down.

But the bond won’t let me sleep. And all I want to do is sleep. Im so tired of fighting but I can feel the bond tugging harder and harder.

Kieran burns through my veins first, his shadows carresing my mind. He feels like a blade I taught how to cut. Brinley follows, her heart reaching out, trying to stitch me back together, shes trying to anchor me.. ITs like a heartbeat that matches mine even when I’m drowning. Rowen last, I feel his love for me pulling on a tight rope. I can feel every onspoken word he's held back from me. All the love he regrets not showing me.

HE felt safe knowing he had Brinley, but his love stretched so far that I could tell he regrets so many things he had done.

We’re here love, Kieran rasps along the tether.

Hold on Mae.. Brinley breathes. Please hold on for us..

Don’t go, Rowen orders, voice breaking. Don’t leave me baby..

Stormi presses into my side inside the cage, golden fur singed, breath hot. Up, she snarls. Up, little wolf. Up.

The battle around me rages on, I keep seeing glimpses of it through my mates eyes and through my own. Everything around me smells like a tangy metallic taste bitter in my mouth

So much death becasue of me. All because I couldnt get my shit together. I let the darkness win. I fed from the earth knowing it would kill me faster. I fucked up.

I wanted war agasint my mother and her coven.. But looking back.. I had this darkness for years.. Since the first time my mom left me in the basement crying and screaming till. my throat was raw.

I felt so afraid, alone.. But there was always a part of me that knew, Id end her for everything she did to me..

Scary I know, I wanted to kill my mother for the years of torment but I still loved her.. In her own twisted way she protected me from further darkness, yes she broke me, and sure she wanted to use me as a weapon.. But I just wish everything could have been different.

A year ago I didnt know werewolves were real.. Vampires, fae, witches anything.. And here I am, a fucking mutt. A hybrid. A witch.. Wait a minute.. Im a fucking witch! Im not just a golden wolf.. Not two prophecies. Im a witch. Goddess how could I even forget. All my power, the shadows everything.. thought that was becasue I was a golden wolf, but I have always seen the shadows. Theyve always been there. The spirits I had seen my whole life. The ones that had protected me, mocked me..

Goddess above im so stupid.

I failed my dad.. Sure he wasnt much of a father, but I know he just didnt know what to do. Bringing me into this life sure wasnt the smartest move, but It brought me my mates. It brought me a family, it took me away from everything toxic. Sure I hated him at first, but he shows me more compassion more love then my mother ever could.. And for that im greatful. Goddess what has my life become? A year ago I would have laughed at all of this, and sent myself to a mental hospital. To think how much my life has changed in the last year is crazy.. But to think.. I may not live to see my 17th birthday.. Get to see the twins turn 18, Brinley turn 17.. It breaks my heart but I know deep down this is what I have to do. I am a tornado, I am choas. And I'm done being a scared fragile girl. Im not letting her win. I will not be pusehd around. I WILL protect the people I love. Im tired of being manipulated and my choices made for me. This is my choice. This is my redemption.

Stromi wined beside me, knowing she cant stop me. My train of thought stopped abruptly when I heard the battlefield roars around me.

I heard screaming everywhere. All the creatures we had brought here were either winning or dying out I couldnt tell from the small glimpses I was seeing.

I saw Lucien leading the armies towards me. They all screamed and yelled, in pain, and passing in trying to fix and kill everything I broke.

I heard a loud howl.. It was Onyx howling for my attention.

THEY WILL NOT DIE Today, I tell Stormi.

My fingers close around the bars. My palms split open, as I let my magic sprawl through me, like how my teacher taught me. Refusing to pull from the shadows, I pulled from the sky, I pulled from the air, from the energy around me. I pulled and pulled untill everything around me hummed. I used all my pain, my anger, my love, every emotion I could pull out and let out a loud scream. It echoed around me untill I heard her.

Valeriese laughs softly. "You really think thats going to work?"

“Yes, because I know who I am. And I know how I want this to end.” I say, and tear everything around me open. White light rips through the dark of my mind like bone spearing skin. For a heartbeat I see everything: Kieran’s mouth shaped around my name, Brinley’s eyes bright with fury and faith, Rowen running as if the earth will open if he slows. The cage screamed. I screamed back.

And a crack sprawls thorugh my mind, through the veil into the real world. I drag the light into me, using it to try and push the shadows out. Im not sure if this will work but If I can contain her on at least for a few minutes than I may be able to finish my plan.. A plan I couldnt even think about too much because she would know what my plan was, what the end goal was.

I used the bond and pulled on the twins, and on Brinley, "Guys I am so sorry.. Please forgive me"

Before they could say anything back I shut the mindlink closed. Fear trickling over me.

If this doesnt work this will all have been for nothing.

White explodes through black like a sunrise with knives.

For a heartbeat the void itself is a bright mouth gasping.

My vision goes blurry.

Somewhere, someone drops a sword.. The light rushes out of me and up through the veil.

It punches into the sky so hard the storm stutters.

I hear it hit the battlefield with a sound like thunder trying not to cry.

I throw my shoulders forward and shove everything I am through the opening—the witch, the wolf, the girl, the rage, the love.

I open my mouth and the scream that leaves me is not just pain.

It is power

The world around me goes white.