Shadows

Shadows
Paige

We arrived at the state park parking lot, the San Diego packs trailing in behind us. The lot filled quickly with vans and trucks packed with werewolves. Stepping out of Nyte’s car, I held the pendulum in my hand as Alpha Alexander approached with a map. Thankfully, the park ranger was a shifter; otherwise, we might have faced issues with the number of people entering the area.

Alexander spread the map across the hood of the car while I dangled the pendulum above it. It buzzed with magic, spinning and swaying as I hovered it over each path. The heat intensified in my hand as the pendulum's speed increased the closer I got to our destination.

The map indicated the area as pure wilderness, with no marked trails. There were warnings about straying off the paths, cautioning that rescue would come at the cost of any wandering hikers. The vampires had chosen their hiding place well. Only the most adventurous humans would have wandered near, and those unfortunate souls would have become just another lost hiker in the California wilds.

“We need to head west,” I informed Nyte and the others, pulling out a marker to circle our target. “This path will get us closest, but we need to move off the trail from there.”

Nyte leaned in to see where I marked, nodding to Madi to join us. “Madi, spread the word to the other Betas. We’re taking this path first and then breaking to surround the area. Everyone needs to be on high alert; the sun is setting soon, and that means the vampires will be more active.”

“Got it,” Madi replied before darting off to Thompson and Jose, who stood with another Beta from his pack.

“How should we proceed, Alpha Nyte?” Alpha Blake, Nyte’s uncle, asked as he joined us.

Nyte glanced at him, then pointed to a spot just north of our target. “There’s a cave system where the vampires are keeping the missing wolves. I want you to position your pack over the entrance. If you need to shift, do it. We need to ambush the vampires as they exit the caves. No one escapes this time.”

“Understood,” Alpha Blake nodded, relaying the plan to his Beta. 

Alexander looked at Nyte, waiting for the Coronado pack’s orders. Nyte responded immediately. “Alexander, you’ll lead the others to surround the cave once we locate it. While my uncle’s pack ambushes from above, you’ll corral the vampires and prevent them from escaping.”

“Where will you be?” Alexander asked, glancing between Nyte and me.

“The Ancient and his witch are at the deepest point of the cave system,” I explained. “There’s no ceiling there; they could escape that way. We need to pinpoint that area and have the Oceanside pack ambush from that position. The pack will push the vampires out while Nyte and I confront the witch and the Ancient.”

Alexander nodded in understanding. “Where do you suggest we split then?”

Nyte answered, “We’ll first locate the cave. Once we’ve found it, we’ll split to our designated positions outside.”

“We’ll have limited time, so ensure every pack knows their role,” I added. “There’s a spell over the cave area. When I break through it and reveal the cave, the witch will notice.” I glanced at Nyte’s uncle as he returned, nodding in comprehension.

“How long do you think we’ll have to get organized?” he asked.

“A matter of minutes,” I replied. “She’s a strong witch. The ripple from my magic breaking could alert the vampires before she even has to warn them.”

“How can you be so certain you’ll break through?” Alexander asked.

I smiled at him. “Because I’ve seen it happen. The fates showed me what to do. If you all follow my instructions, we’ll emerge from this stronger than ever.”

The Alphas nodded, turning to summon their Betas to the base of the path we were about to take. I held the pendulum, letting it guide me along the trail to know when to split and head into the unmarked forest. The sun dipped below the horizon, darkness quickly enveloping the area beneath the trees. Time was short, but my instincts told me we would succeed. We had to.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nyte asked, placing his hand on the small of my back. Worry filled his eyes as he glanced at my flat belly, as if he could see the life growing within me.

“I’m fine, Nyte. Trust me, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think the baby and I could handle this,” I reassured him with a smile. “The baby is safe. Witch children aren’t affected by magic in the womb; if needed, I can always create an extra barrier to protect our child.”

“How do witches fight if magic doesn’t affect them?” Nyte frowned.

“When a witch receives their magic, the protections vanish. They have to rely on their own abilities for defense. But until then, they have safeguards.” 

With my eyes closed, I placed my hand over my stomach, feeling the gentle hum of the natural magic shielding our child from external influences. 

It wouldn’t have been the same against werewolf magic had Markus attempted to remove Nyte’s mark. That was why I had placed the extra barrier around my womb. But regardless of what curses the dark witch cast, my baby would remain unharmed. Only if she managed to kill me would my child be at risk. But that wouldn’t happen. I was determined to walk away from this with Nyte by my side. I saw it in my vision, and with the packs supporting us, it would come to pass.

The pendulum pulsed in my hand at a bend in the path, pulling in a specific direction. 

“This way,” I instructed Nyte, allowing him to lead. His instinct was to protect me, and after what Markus had done, I was more than willing to let Nyte follow his instincts. The pack needed a clear leader; while the Luna stands beside the Alpha, he leads the pack. I had to respect that tradition for our survival.

As we left the path, I could hear the wolves sniffing the air, memorizing our route to ensure a swift exit once we completed our mission. Some likely hoped to catch the scent of a wolf or a vampire to follow, but I knew they wouldn’t. The witch’s spell still cloaked everything. While my pendulum could find them, any scents would remain hidden from the wolves.

My pendulum spun in my hand before pointing in a new direction, guiding us around a rocky bend. The air buzzed with magic, the taste of darkness souring the familiar sensation of spellwork, sending a shiver down my spine.

“We’re getting closer,” I whispered to Nyte. “I can feel her magic everywhere.”

Nyte looked at me, concern etched on his face as his gaze shifted to the pendulum, which urged us forward. He kept the lead, glancing back at the pendulum to confirm we were on the right path. The further we advanced, the heavier the air felt, but only I seemed to notice. The magic was thick—dark and ominous, almost visible as it pulsed through the forest.

Then I spotted the first of the mushrooms in an unnatural line. 

“Wait,” I said, grabbing Nyte’s arm. He raised his hand to signal the packs following us to halt, looking down as I pointed to the mushrooms. “She created a fairy circle. That’s how she’s concealing such a vast area. She’s using the mushrooms.”

“What does that mean?” Madi asked from behind me, stepping closer to examine the mushrooms. “What would have happened if we hadn’t stopped?”

“Everyone would have forgotten why they were here. It’s ancient magic—used by witches when humans believed in fairy folk to keep them away from sacred sites and ritual grounds.” I knelt beside the mushrooms. “Mushrooms have roots that differ from other plants. They connect for miles, communicating through mycelium.” I began to trace a sigil I had learned as a child.

Nyte and Madi stood close behind me, watching and listening as I worked and explained how the magic operated.

“Fairy circles aren’t usually this large, but they can be just as effective. Because mushrooms communicate, they act as a continuous conduit for magic.” I finished the sigil, feeling the magic sputter before reaching out and plucking a mushroom. “Removing just one from the circle will break the spell.”

“Oh, my gods,” Madi gasped, sniffing the air as her eyes widened. “I can smell them!”

She wasn’t alone. An uproar stirred behind us; the Alphas worked to calm their packs. Nyte stood tall beside me, letting out a sharp bark that held an Alpha command I couldn’t comprehend, but every wolf in the forest understood. They reacted, baring their necks, some dropping to their knees and tilting their heads.

“You’ve all been given your orders,” he reminded them. “I understand many of you have family among the stolen packs. Be they your mother, father, sister, or brother, if you want to see them through this, stick to the orders you’ve received.”

Silence fell over the packs. “Escondido Pack, find a way above the cave entrance. With the scents of the wolves and vampires uncovered, you should be able to position yourselves downwind. Coronado Pack, surround the entrance and stay hidden in the trees. You must not let any vampires pass if they evade Escondido’s ambush. Oceanside Pack, you come with us.”

Nyte held out his hand, pulling me onto his back before taking off at a sprint. He was faster than I had ever realized a wolf could be. I looked over my shoulder to see Madi follow us; Thompson and the other Oceanside wolves struggled to keep up with Nyte as he dashed through the forest. Chase remained with Alexander, leading his pack to surround the cave as ordered. Only Madi stayed with us, Nyte’s Beta now an Oceanside wolf.

Trees blurred past us as the magic thickened in the air. I pointed in the direction I felt it coming from. “Nyte! That way!”

He turned sharply, his claws digging into a tree to pivot. The ground sloped upward, the tree line ahead familiar to me. Nyte skidded to a halt just before the forest opened up, the sound of rushing water and a waterfall echoing into the cave.

He let me slide down his back, his eyes scanning the opening for the ancient vampire we would face. A frenzy of vampires swarmed below, panicked as they ran about. They knew we were here. No doubt the witch felt the break in her magic. She would know it was me. She had been in the vision with me, likely aware of everything I had seen—and more.

“What are your orders, Alpha?” Madi asked, standing at his side, her back straight with anticipation.

“No vampire leaves here alive,” he commanded. “We can’t afford any of them spreading word of what happened here. We don’t need an ambitious vampire trying this elsewhere.”

Madi nodded, turning to Thompson to relay the order to the pack. Nyte took my hand, drawing my gaze away from the Betas and up to him.

“Don’t you dare die tonight,” he growled.

“I won’t if you won’t,” I replied, cupping his cheek. I rose on my toes to press my lips to his, feeling the anguish he carried—the dread that this might be our last kiss. I couldn’t let him think that way. “I’ve seen our victory, Nyte. We will go home together. You just have to trust me.”

Something shifted in his eyes before he nodded, cupping my cheek as I held his. “I trust you, Paige.”

He kissed me once more before turning away and jumping into the cave, the pack quickly following him. Only Madi and Thompson remained at my side, bound by their Beta duties to protect their Luna with their lives. 

I looked between the two of them. “Which one of you is going to help me down there? I have a witch to cleanse.”