Chapter 119 WOLFSBANE
WILLA'S POV
By the second I rushed out of my shared room with Gallahan, I could practically taste my children's fear in the air with how palpable and potent it was. Even then, my mind stayed very clear with one ultimate goal: get my children to safety.
It didn't matter if my kill count, which had not changed since the end of the war, would get an increase by a hundred tonight.
If that was the number of lives I had to take to ensure Calisto and Gillian would be safe and sound, then so be it.
I was ready for it.
Adrenaline pumped rapidly in my veins while my inner wolf clamored to be let out, itching to claw and bite off whoever dared to lay a finger on my twins.
But I only allowed myself a minor shift. All four of my cuspids elongated until they were of the same size and sharpness as my wolf form's canines, and my nails grew and slightly curled into my long and cutting claws. I also had no doubts that my eyes were glowing in their usual bright yet deep green hue.
"Cal! Gil!" I cried out as I flung the door open, sending it banging against the wall. And I must've miscalculated my force because the upper hinge broke, leaving the door awkwardly hanging diagonally as it slightly swung to and fro.
But I couldn't care less about it. Because to my utter horror, the sight that welcomed me was of Calisto and Gillian trying to fend off five burly men from taking them away. Both of them had somehow managed a partial transformation, much like my current form. And they were valiantly trying to stay in place while desperately attempting to deal some damage to the creature hunters.
But given that they were still young cubs with strength and claws that were a far cry from adult werewolves, their efforts to hurt the men were barely bearing fruit.
"Fucking hell," one of the creature hunters cursed, giving one painful tug on Gillian's legs to drag her away.
Such harsh treatment towards my daughter ripped a rough and loud snarl from my throat.
"Mommy!"
Fear was clear in Calisto's and Gillian's eyes and tear-stained faces, and it seized my heart and crushed it, nearly leaving me breathless.
"Get away from my children!" I roared in fury just as two of the masked and fully-clad men launched themselves at me.
I quickly sidestepped the first one, and then I ducked down to avoid the second one's incoming punch. I then took the opportunity to slash his stomach open, uncaring about the generous amount of blood that gushed and splattered out.
"MOMMY, DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY!"
The twins cried and yelled as two creature hunters harshly pulled at them with more urgency now.
It became very obvious that they weren't here to kill. Their intention was just to take the children away and make a quick and clean escape through the open window, which they must've used to sneak in.
But Calisto and Gillian were quite the fighters. They were giving their all just to remain unmoved.
Gillian was clinging to her bed's headboard, her tiny claws leaving marks in the process. Her feet were also busy thrashing and kicking, giving the creature hunters a hard time. Calisto, on the other hand, clung to his sister with one arm wrapped around her shoulders, while his free hand pushed and scratched at the two relentless men.
So without an ounce of hesitation, I darted towards them. But the first man who had tried to attack me grabbed my left arm and yanked me backward. It caused me to stagger a little, but I repaid him by gripping his wrist with my right hand and twisting his arm to free myself from him.
A scream of pain then mingled with the twins' loud cries. Then a clear crack of bones resounded just as the scream took a crescendo.
I shoved him to the floor, leaving him cradling his broken arm as he continued to wail.
Another one of the creature hunters then tried his luck in subjugating me in a fight he wouldn't win. But I easily avoided the silver-bladed dagger he was pathetically slashing at me to no avail.
Losing patience, I gave him a hard kick, sending him out of my way.
The two men who had their hands on the twins cursed at the same time.
Having no choice but to defend themselves, they dropped their hold on the twins to focus on the big threat in the room. Me.
"Cal, Gil! Run! Now!"
"But Mommy-"
"I said now!"
But one of the creature hunters yelled, "Don't let them get away!"
The one I just kicked and sent sprawling on the floor clambered back on their feet and tried to get to the twins. But I was quicker than him.
My left hand landed on his back, sinking my claws through his clothes and tearing the flesh underneath.
Much to my shock, one of the still-standing creature hunters made a harrowing yell when the man slumped and fell to the floor. "No!!!"
But I didn't allow myself a second to dwell on it. I went on to claw at another creature hunter, successfully cutting his arm.
"Run and hide! Now!" I bellowed impatiently when I noticed how Calisto and Gillian were just gaping at the unraveling scene before them.
Thankfully, this spurred them into action, scrambling to leave the room. But it didn't escape my notice that Gillian fished something from beneath her pillow before jumping down from her bed and dashing out of the room.
A sprinkle of relief instantaneously rained down on me, knowing that the twins were at least out of direct danger.
I just hoped they could find a safe place to hide. If only I had taught them how to use the magical access of our home to the Manor...
But it was too late for that now.
What I needed to do instead was to end this fight and find them later.
"Fuck! You will have to suffice."
Oh, they were changing targets then.
I grinned. "Good luck with that."
They took this as a challenge because right then and there, the two still-standing creature hunters unsheathed their daggers and lunged themselves at me at the same time.
Too bad for them, Grandpa had taught me quite well to make an enemy drop their weapons.
So when they thrust their daggers, one aimed at my arm and another at my leg-a clear sign they just wanted to incapacitate rather than kill-I easily evaded and swiftly caught their wrists. Then, with a clean twist, they fell to their knees as they groaned in pain. Adding a little bit more pressure did the trick, their daggers falling with a clunk at the same time their bones broke.
Immediately, I kicked the silver-bladed weapons away, ensuring that they wouldn't be within their reach.
But then suddenly, as I was about to deliver a finishing blow, something thin and long like a needle was stabbed in my arm.
My attention immediately shifted to this little attack, finding that man whose arm I had cleanly snapped like a twig had plunged a syringe into me.
My heart thudded with a force that could've put a horse's kick to shame.
"Wolfsbane," I murmured in horror.
"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart," the man replied with arrogance. But his attempt fell a little flat given the way his voice quivered and his breath ragged. "It's a whole lot less potent than the usual Wolfsbane poison. And what I gave you is just enough dose to weaken you."