Chapter 15 Two Become One
The white wolf and black wolf moved together like water.
When Mara jumped left, Zevran jumped right. When Zevran bit high, Mara bit low.
The Monster King swung his massive paw at them. They both dodged at the exact same moment. His claws hit empty air.
"Hold still!" the monster roared.
But they would not hold still. They were too fast. Too connected.
Mara could feel everything Zevran felt. His thoughts were her thoughts. His movements were her movements.
It was strange and wonderful and terrifying all at once.
Duck! Zevran's voice said in her mind.
Mara ducked. The Monster King's jaws snapped shut right where her head had been.
Now! Bite his leg!
They both bit the monster's back legs at the same time. He howled and stumbled.
"You insects!" he screamed. "I will crush you!"
He turned to swing at Mara. But Zevran jumped on his back and bit his ear. Hard.
The monster screamed and spun around. Zevran went flying. He hit the ground and rolled.
Are you okay? Mara thought.
Fine. Keep him distracted!
Mara ran at the monster's face. She jumped and scratched his nose. The monster roared and swatted at her.
She dodged and ran between his legs. He tried to stomp on her but she was too fast.
Behind him, Zevran was climbing up his back again. The monster did not see him.
Now! Together!
Mara jumped at the monster's throat from the front. Zevran bit the back of his neck from behind.
The Monster King screamed. He thrashed and bucked. He threw them both off.
But he was bleeding now. A lot.
"You... you hurt me?" The monster sounded confused. "That is impossible! I am invincible!"
"Nothing is invincible," Mara said in his mind. "Everything can be beaten."
"Not me! I am the KING!"
He charged at them. Faster than before. Angrier.
Mara and Zevran jumped aside. The monster could not stop. He crashed into a tree. The tree broke in half.
While he was dazed, Mara and Zevran attacked again. Bite after bite. Claw after claw.
The monster was covered in wounds now. He was slowing down.
"This... cannot be happening," he wheezed. "I drank so much blood. I should be unstoppable!"
"Blood magic always has a price," Nyra called from the safe house. "You made yourself strong. But you also made yourself weak!"
"What are you talking about, witch?"
"The more blood you drink, the more vulnerable you become to Moon Magic!" Nyra pointed at Mara. "And she is the Moon Wolf! You made yourself her perfect target!"
The Monster King's red eyes went wide. "No. No!"
He tried to run. But Mara and Zevran blocked his path.
"You killed Selene," Zevran said. His voice was cold. "You cursed me for ten years. You tried to kill Mara. You murdered your own son."
"He was weak!" the monster snarled.
"He was your child! And you killed him because you were too afraid to face the truth!"
"I am not afraid of anything!"
"Yes you are," Mara said. "You are afraid of losing power. That is why you did all those terrible things. Because you are a coward."
"I AM NOT A COWARD!"
The Monster King lunged at Mara with all his remaining strength.
But Mara did not move. She stood perfectly still.
Zevran, she thought. Trust me.
Always, he replied.
Golden light exploded from Mara's white wolf body. It wrapped around the monster like chains.
He could not move. Could not speak. Could only stare with his red eyes.
"You wanted power," Mara said. "So I will give you power. The power to see what you really are."
The golden light grew brighter. It forced the Monster King to transform. His huge body shrank. The dark fur fell away. The red eyes faded.
In seconds, he was just a man again. King Darius. Old and tired and covered in scars.
He fell to his knees.
"What did you do to me?" he whispered.
"I took away your monster form," Mara said. She transformed back to human too. "The blood magic is gone. You are just yourself now."
"No! Give it back! I need that power!"
"Why? So you can hurt more people?"
King Darius looked around. At the dead soldiers. At the broken trees. At the blood covering the mountain.
"I did all this," he said slowly. "I killed all these wolves. My own people."
"Yes," Zevran said. He transformed back to human and stood beside Mara. "You did."
"I just wanted to be strong. I just wanted to be a good king." Tears ran down Darius's face. "But I became a monster."
"You were always a monster," Elder Marcus said. He limped forward. His wolf form was injured but alive. "You just hid it better before."
"What happens now?" Darius asked. "Will you kill me?"
Mara looked at Zevran. What do you want to do?
I want him dead, Zevran thought back. For everything he took from me. But that is revenge. Not justice.
So what is justice?
I do not know. You decide.
Mara looked at the broken man kneeling before her. She should hate him. He had made her life miserable. He had tried to kill her many times.
But looking at him now, she just felt sad.
"You will stand trial," she said. "In front of all the packs. They will decide your fate."
"They will choose death," Darius said.
"Maybe. But it will be their choice. Not ours."
"Take him away," Zevran ordered. Two wolves stepped forward and grabbed Darius's arms. "Put him in chains. Real chains this time."
They dragged the former king away. He did not fight. He just hung his head.
Mara felt exhausted. She fell to her knees.
Zevran caught her. "Are you alright?"
"Tired. Using that much power... it takes everything out of me."
"Rest then. The battle is over."
"Is it?" Mara looked around at all the wounded wolves. "This was just one battle. There is still so much to do."
"Not today. Today we rest. Tomorrow we worry about the rest."
Riven walked over. His gray wolf form had many wounds. "That was the bravest thing I have ever seen, daughter. You showed mercy even to your enemy."
"He was not really my enemy," Mara said. "He was just a scared man who made bad choices."
"Most enemies are," Riven agreed.
Luna limped over too. "The army has surrendered. Most of them anyway. Some ran away. But the ones who stayed want to swear loyalty to Zevran."
"To me?" Zevran looked surprised. "Why?"
"Because you are the true king," Marcus said. He had transformed back to human. Blood dripped from a wound on his shoulder. "You always were. And now everyone knows it."
"I do not want to be king," Zevran said.
Everyone stared at him.
"What?" Luna asked. "But you are the rightful heir!"
"I know. But I spent ten years cursed and alone. I do not want to spend the rest of my life locked in a palace." Zevran looked at Mara. "I want to be free. With my mate."
Mara's heart swelled. "But what about the kingdom? Someone has to lead."
"Then let them choose their own leader," Zevran said. "Let all the packs vote. Let them decide who they want to follow."
"That is madness," Marcus said. But he was smiling. "No king has ever given up power willingly before."
"Then I will be the first."
"What about you?" Luna asked Mara. "You are the Moon Wolf. You could lead if you wanted."
"Me? Lead?" Mara laughed. "I was a slave three days ago. I do not know anything about leading."
"You led us through that battle," Riven pointed out. "You made the hard choices. That is what leaders do."
"I just did what felt right."
"Exactly. That is all any leader can do."
Mara did not know what to say. The idea of leading scared her. But it also excited her.
"Can I think about it?" she asked.
"Of course," Marcus said. "We have time now. King Darius is defeated. The curse is broken. We can take our time deciding what comes next."
A young wolf ran up to them. "Elder Marcus! We found something!"