Chapter 52 — Sky

Sparks danced around Fagua as she took a step closer to her mother. My wolf shuddered as the power rolled off her in waves. The other wolves felt it too because they snarled and howled, shaking their heads and scampering backward.

Husk was on the ground, unconscious, but he was too far for me to check on him. Winter and I had our own issues with wolves surrounding us and Fagua's mother able to use magic.

The power around Fagua grew thicker. Her eyes were as bright as two fiery coals. The heat of her magic seared through the air.

"What is taking so long?" Fagua's father barked. "Kill all the wolves except our daughter."

"You're not worthy of being an alpha," Fagua spat. "You're not even a wolf; you're a monster."

"A monster who has saved us."

"At what cost?" Fagua gestured to her mother. "She—you killed my mate."

Husk was dead? A pain hit my chest and I couldn't breathe.

Her father roared, throwing his head back. "None of these are your mate. I've agreed to your bonding with the Storm pack's alpha."

"This is your only warning, father." Fagua's skin glowed with her magic. "Stop this now and we can live in peace. No one else has to pay the price for your ego."

Her mother stepped behind her father. "Come with me, child."

Fagua shook her head. "You betrayed me. I'm not going anywhere with you." She turned to her father. "I won't let you do this."

Her father grinned, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I'm doing this for you. You'll see that soon."

"You're doing this for yourself."

"I am your alpha!" her father yelled. "Do as I command... kill them."

"No." Fagua held up her hands and magic shot from her palms and into every wolf around. "You can't control them anymore. If they want to fight, then it is their choice."

The wolves shook their heads as though clearing it of something. Half of them shifted back into their human forms, looking around as though waking from a nightmare. A few more peeled off, running down the street.

"Your time is over, father." Her gaze raked the wolves. "No longer do you have to obey your alpha," she said to them.

Many wolves around us broke into loud yelps and started running through the streets, away from the battle. But not all of them.

Two wolves rushed toward me, but both stopped dead in their tracks at Fagua's magic swirling overhead. They each took a step back, but then stood their ground as though waiting for her to drop her guard and then they'd attack. Not on my watch. My fur bristled and my lips curled. I would pay them all back for what happened to Husk.

A glow surrounded Fagua, and she lifted off the ground. The blue light radiating from her skin was so brilliant it was hard to even look at her.

"Enough," her father roared. "We're wolves, not witches."

Her mother flinched at his comment but said nothing.

"I challenge your mates to a duel." Her father tilted his head. "If either of them can best me in a fair fight, then I'll yield."

"Bring it, old man," Winter said, then shifted back into his wolf form.

Something wasn't right. I could smell it. Two of us against her father?

Before I could shift and ask any questions, Winter lunged. Her father crashed into him. He tossed Winter aside and into a tree like he was no threat. Winter yelped, struggling to stand.

How was her father that strong? It shouldn't be possible.

We'd fought other wolves, and even alphas, in the past and always held our own.

I shoved aside my thoughts and charged, changing direction at the last second to come up on his flank.

Her father spun so fast I didn't have time to stop. I collided into a boulder. A snap of pain had blood gushing from my nose.

"Sky," Fagua said, tears running down her cheeks.

I couldn't let her father win. He'd kill us, and they'd already killed Husk.

I rolled over and crawled to my feet, staggering toward Winter, who struggled to stand.

I was in too much pain to win. I knew that. Only one thing to do. I lunged.

Her father knocked me aside and I hit the side of a building with enough force to leave a huge dent in the metal siding. I managed to stand, shaking and ready to fight again.

Fagua's mother let out a scream when her mate tossed Winter against a nearby wall on the other side of the street.

A flash of red blazed through my vision. I couldn't think; I could only attack. My body reacted on its own. Winter lay on the ground, bleeding. I couldn't let him die. Fagua was my family. She wouldn't let me die. I'd be strong for her. I had to be.

I jumped at her father. He swiped at me, but I dodged and sank my teeth into his back leg. He kicked out at me and I rolled over, narrowly missing the brunt of the blow.

I shook my head, blinking the blood from my eyes and then charged again. This time I ducked when he lowered his head like he was going to bite me.

I darted in and caught his leg again. Grabbing hold, I yanked. He stumbled, only to right himself before I could do any damage. I swung around and rammed my shoulder into his ribs. But he twisted and tossed me ten feet into the air. I hit the ground and rolled, my lungs burning as I gasped for breath.

I took a second to breathe and then charged.

I changed direction, ducking and weaving. Everything I could think of to try to avoid him.

But he never attacked directly.

Was he playing with me? That's what it felt like.

I couldn't believe it. This was a fight to the death and he was playing with me.

I dove low, but he was too fast and he caught me by the ear. I howled, turning to get away from him. Pain lashing across my flesh.

Winter limped forward, his amber eyes meeting mine. We had to end this or Fagua would be sold to another pack; another alpha besides us would touch her.

My hackles rose and I growled low in my throat.

****

Fagua

"They can't defeat him," my mother whispered.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my hands clenched at my sides to keep the magic from lashing out and possibly harming Winter or Sky. But there was a weight crushing my chest at the loss of Husk. Of how our differences and past didn't matter. I just wanted to see him smile one more time. To feel his arms around me. Kiss him until there was nothing between us except pleasure and desire.

I glanced at my dad again, seeing a fuzzy haze along his aura now that I was looking closer and not watching my men.

"Wait." I turned to her. "He's got some kind of spell on him, doesn't he?"

"H-he made me. Said it would keep us safe."

My father used my mother's magic to control me and keep me here. She used her magic to get everyone in town to do whatever he wanted.

"This ends now." I gathered my magic to me, not caring if it would put me in a coma as Husk warned me about. Not caring if it killed me. It would be worth it to avenge Husk and to keep Winter and Sky alive. I'm doing this for me and everyone else. Power popped along my arms and I kept gathering from deeper and deeper inside of me.

"Husk is dead because of you!" I yelled.

A bright light burst out of me, racing at my father.

"Fagua, no!" Ma grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

"What are you doing?"

"You can't do this. It will kill you."

"I don't care." I twisted free of her. "I want him to pay."

Pa shifted into his human form with a grin. "I don't care if the whole pack dies." He looked at the others who were shifting back into their human forms. "I will always be alpha."

My heart pounded.

"I'm so sorry," Ma said with a sob, tears falling down her cheeks.

His aura flared as he punched Sky again. He had to be seeing double. Sky growled at him, but my father still had the upper hand. I'd never seen him so strong, so powerful.

I had to help my men before it was too late.

"This ends now." I gritted my teeth, pushing the magic further than I ever had before. I held my hands out, my palms up, and the magic gathered at my fingertips. It felt different than it had before. I could feel it connecting to the magic around me. But that wasn't the same either. The magic around me was muted. Weak. Still, I pushed with everything I had, breaking through the spell. Little by little, it fractured like glass.

"How dare you!" my father yelled. "I gave you everything!"

"No." With the last of the spell broken, my magic died and I fell to my knees. "You used me. Controlled me like you've done everyone here." I lifted my chin, pain and exhaustion crawling through me. "You let your ego destroy your pack."

"You're an abomination," he snarled. "No daughter of mine will talk back to me. You're a traitor," my father roared. "I'll—"

Ma lifted a trembling hand and my father's words died on his lips.

She turned to me. "Are you ready to take over the pack as our leader with your alphas?"

I nodded, not sure I was going to last. "I am."

"Fagua," she said, "he is a danger to the pack and to your mates."

I nodded, tears clogging my throat. "Anything but kill him. I'm not like him and won't murder people who oppose me."

Ma walked over and stood behind him. But she didn't do anything to him. Instead, she faced the fleeing wolves. "Follow Fagua or you're an enemy of the pack."

A few grumbled but nodded. More smiled at me, and my heart lightened just a little.

My injured father lay on the ground, crying. He looked so old—older than I remembered—and fragile. Like now that the mind control he had through my mother's magic was gone, he’d crumbled. He couldn't dictate his will any more.

"What will you do with him?" I asked.

"He'll live out his days in our jail along with any who don't swear fealty to you and your men." Ma gave me a soft smile. "I'm so sorry I didn't help you sooner."

A crowd of people came over to her, patting her on the back. I pushed to my feet, thankful that I wasn't unconscious after using that much magic. The world spun but I kept one foot in front of the other. I had to get to Husk.

I had used magic to knock my father off his pedestal and I survived. And I knew why. Because I'd truly bonded with Husk now, but he was dead. My throat closed and I swallowed against the pain.

I knelt beside Husk. He wasn't breathing. My magic couldn't bring him back.

"Husk," I whispered, my chest so heavy I could barely breathe.

Tears filled my eyes and I couldn't stop crying.

"I don't know how to bring him back." I pressed my lips to his forehead. "Wake up, Husk."

Ma rushed over and dropped to her knees beside me. "Take my power. Use it to bring him back."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

She nodded.

Winter and Sky came up next to me on either side.

"Use our energy too," Sky said, his voice tight.

"It won't help." I closed my eyes and pulled. "He's already gone."

I knew their injuries made it hard for them to help.

"It's okay," I whispered, brushing my fingers down Husk's cheek. "I love you." I swallowed the sob trying to claw out of my throat.

Ma cupped my cheek, her eyes ringed with red. "I'm so sorry, Fagua. So sorry."

I didn't have the ability to tell her that I believed she was. I just nodded and buried my face against his chest, the sobs racking my body.

I'd lost Husk.

I still had Winter, Sky, and the rest of my pack, but I couldn't let Husk go. Not without trying.

Wiping away my tears, I focused on pulling magic from them. I could feel their auras flickering as they got weaker and weaker.

I closed my eyes and reached for my magic, calling on theirs to aid me.

I pressed my hands to Husk's head and focused. I could feel him on the other side. He was warm and very much alive. I'd never felt so much love for Husk. So much pride in him.

"Come back to me, Husk," I said, my voice breaking.

Sparks of magic popped along my skin. I pushed everything I had into Husk.

"Husk, please," I begged, my magic flowing like never before. My whole body shook. The magic inside of me went through him, searching for the tiniest scrap of magic left inside of him. But there was nothing.

The magic slipped away and I gasped, sinking into Sky's side. I'd failed. My chest felt as if it were being crushed. Tears choked me.

Husk's eyes popped open and he looked around in confusion. I cried out and flung myself onto him.

"Hey, baby," he rasped.

I couldn't stop crying. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, not letting him go.

"Hey." He cupped my cheeks and brushed his thumbs along my wet cheeks. "How are you doing?"

"I thought you were dead."

He chuckled, but it was cut off with a cough. "Can't get rid of me that easily."

I nodded, my head spinning.

"I've been so stupid, Fagua," he said. "When I thought I was going to lose you, I broke. I couldn't lose you. I don't care about you being mated with my brothers. You're mine too."

And then Husk was kissing me. I held him tight, not wanting to ever let go.

He pulled back, kissing down my jaw to my neck. "I love you, Fagua."

"Oh, Husk," I said, my voice coming out breathy from crying so hard. The words shook out of me in a sob; they weren't even words anymore. They were groans of relief and need and want. "I love you too."