Chapter 253 - His Mate or His Girlfriend

Brad tensed as he arrived with Sybl near a crater. It was Devil’s Sinkhole and thanks to the fires created by Sybl, people were steering clear of this entire area. He’d listened to Sybl cackle gleefully over the fact that the news was explaining away this entire war as a forest fire erupting unexpectedly in the Texas State Natural Area. He’d also witnessed Sybl yelling furiously and burning to a crisp two of her little birds that brought her the bad news of most of her army being obliterated.

“No matter,” Sybl spat. “Once Asmodeus has been summoned, I will have power beyond anyone’s imaginings. He will do as I bid and I will bend my enemies to my will using unmatchable power!”

Brad wasn’t a witch but he didn’t need to be one to realise that Sybl was a bit unhinged. What witch in her right mind would ever believe that a prince of hell….a greater demon, would bow down to an earthling? Asmodeus might owe her a favor for summoning him, and he just might spare her life while killing all of them. But someone so powerful would never be her servant, rushing to do her bidding at the drop of a hat.

Another reason Brad was sure Sybl was off her rocker was because she kept talking like she was so sure Melanie would join her. Sybl kept going on and on about her legacy and how Melanie would continue it. It was like Melanie was an extension of her, and Sybl was willing to cause her daughter immense pain as punishment for not going along with her master plan. The lady had no qualms at all when it came to murdering Melanie’s loved ones. Brad was only the first in a long line of people Sybl planned to use against Melanie.

“If she still doesn’t listen after we lift the spell on lover boy here-“ Sybl said, jerking her head towards a stoic Brad. “We kill him before going for Sarea and Aria. Next, her half-sister and the nephew. Then-“ Sybl’s eyes glinted. “-we’ll go after her father…” Sybl cackled. “Stupid Antonio and his tricks. He caught me off-gaurd but I see what he did…” Sybl’s lips quirked upwards in a sinister smile. “Foolish man.”

Luckily, Sybl was so caught up in her own musings and plans that she didn’t notice that Brad was a little slow in executing her commands. He managed to mind-link his pack regarding Sybl’s location right as she began to perform the spell to summon Asmodeus. His stomach turned as she got out an urn that was filled with the blood from all 9 of her victims she’d sacrificed for Asmodeus. The ground began to shake and bats flew up from inside the sinkhole, trying to escape the dark magic surrounding the area. Sybl laughed in glee. Her spell was working. She clapped as a dark red swirl of light began to emit from the bottom of the crater.

Suddenly, an arrow shot out from behind Sybl. She turned just in time, using quik reflexes to stop the arrow with a wave of her hand. Then, Xavier, Tony, and Dylan jumped out, surrounding her. Sybl narrowed her eyes at them.

"Child's play," she muttered, raising her hand to perform a spell to stop them.

Brad was ready, delivering a round house kick which sent her to the ground. He'd caught her offgaurd. This had been the exact opening he'd been waiting for to take her down. Xavier, Tony and Dylan pounced, pinning her hands to the ground and baring their teeth menacingly at her neck. The message was clear, they would not hesitate to kill her.

“One wrong move and you’re dead,” Brad said in an ominous voice.

“No,” Sybl breathed in awe, ignoring the three wolves surrounding her, all various shades of grey and silver. “How is this possible? You broke through my spell?”

Brad got out a small vial from his back pocket and put three drops in each eye. The black ink swirling in them disappeared and he blinked a few times, satisfied that the potion had disspelle the illusion.

“You’re pathetic,” Brad said in disgust. “It’s an embarrassment how you claim to be Melanie’s mother yet know nothing about her. She’s good and everything pure,” Brad sneered. “Unlike you. You’re right, Melanie will have power. But it won’t be because of a power hungry witch like you. It will be because she’s always done the right thing, no matter the cost.”

“How’d you break through my spell?!” Sybl shrieked, panic in her voice.

This definitely threw a wrench in her plans. Who exactly was this weak gamma? And now she was trapped in the paws of these three mangy mutts!

Brad crossed his arms, his trademark infuriating smirk plastered over his face.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Sybl cursed at him. His brothers began to turn one by one and bind Sybl.

“You should go to Melanie,” Xavier said breathlessly. “We’ve got things handled here now that Sybl's tied up in magic suppressing binds.”

“She just summoned a demon from hell to kill all of us.” Brad grit out. He looked at Sybl with narrowed eyhes. “How can we stop him?” he demanded.

Sybl gave him a crazy grin.

“He can’t be stopped!” she exclaimed gleefully. “He is too powerful! He will kill you all for defying me!’

“Pity you’ll be too dead to wtiness it,” Dylan said murderously, brandishing a knife close to her throat.

Suddenly, Brad felt a twang deep in his heart. In surprise, he took a few steps back, holding his palm gainst his chest. Something was wrong….something was wrong with Melanie! He tried mind-linking her but she'd blocked him. Alarm bells were going off in his head. She wouldn't have blocked him out if she hadn't been trying to hide something serious from him. A thousand and one dangerous scenarios went through Brad's head. She'd been caught and put back in Sybl's hideout. Or worse, she'd went to join the foray and been seriously injured!

“She needs you right now,” Xavier said gruffly, hauling Sybl up to stand on her feet. “We’ll figure something out. Go to her.”

“What’s going on with Mel?” Brad asked warily.

There was an awkward silence as wolves slowly gathered around them. The packs were all exhausted and Brad couldn’t help but wonder how they would manage to fight a demon after such a grueling battle. Their energy was depleted. There was no way their people would survive a second battle.

Tony finally spoke.

“Mom’s with her. But you need to go too. You should be there for her. We’ll manage to hold off the demon. If things get bad-“ Tony gulped. “-take our kids and follow our plan of retreat. Go into hiding. We’re counting on you.”

Brad looked at tony warily.

“Why is Mom with Melanie?”

“What’s wrong with Melanie?” Sybl asked in a shrill voice.

If Brad hadn’t known better, he’d think she was actually worried.

“She went into early labor,” Xavier said, finally answering Brad's unspoken question. The strong alphas voice sounded truly sorry.

Brad’s blood ran cold as he took a few steps back, hoping he could physically distance himself from the truth that had just walloped him in the face.

Sybl fell to her knees, a surprised gasp emitting from her lips.

Xavier gulped before he began speaking again. “Mom said they’re going to do their best to make sure both Mel and baby are given a fighting chance but…it doesn’t look all that good. Her body isn't responding well to labor and the baby's heartbeat isn't steady.”

“Melanie was….pregnant?” Sybl asked blankly.

“Guess hiding pregnanices was the only thing she learned from you,” Aria sneered as she walked through the clearing. Her face looked haggard but she’d definitely managed to regain some of her energy before rushing out of the hospital to join the battle. “She’s in early labor thanks to your stunt today. She put way too much stress on her body. Not to mention the way you made her experience the pain of a mate’s betrayal.”

“The pain of mate’s…” Sybl trailed off blankly before suddenly looking up at Brad, eyes filled with newfound realization.

“You!?” was the only word from her lips; an accusation, a question and a statement all wrapped up in one.

Brad was too disoriented to even think about responding.

“And now she might not even survive!” Aria railed at Sybl angrily. “How does it feel Sybl to know this legacy you’ve been working towards might not even become a reality?”

Aria stalked over, raising her hands in a bid to send a harmful spell Sybl’s way but Brad suddenly held up an arm to stop her.

“You’re no better than her if you try to hurt her while she’d defenseless,” Brad intoned grimly. “Figure out how to stop that demon. I’m going to go to Mel.”

“I’m too weak to open a portal for you,” Aria said softly, regret filling her voice.

“But I’m not,” said a new voice. A dark-haired witch with tan skin also entered the clearing. Antonio wasn’t too far behind her in his wolf form. His fur was matted with blood and he looke exhausted, but one could tell from the determination in his eyes that he was ready to go down fighting.

“Maria,” said Aria pleasantly. "Great to see you join the fight!"

Maria winked at Aria before opening up a portal to take Brad to his pack grounds. Just as he exited and the portal closed up behind him, Sybl suddenly ran. Xavier reached out to grab her but she’d caught everyone by surprise. Because she didn’t run towards freedom. If she had, someone would have caught her easily. Instead, she ran in the direction no one had expected. She ran straight towards the sinkhole, jumping into the swirling of red light seeping out of the crater opening. The last thing anyone heard from Sybl was shriek of pain as her body disappeared in the demension of hell.

Xavier cursed.

“What did she just do?!” roared Dylan, worrying that she’d escaped.

“She just sacrificed herself to deplete the demon’s power,” Aria murmured in confusion. “The demon is linked to the summonor. If the summoner dies, it cuts off the demon’s link to Earth.”

A/N: So what do you think was going on Sybl's head? Next update WEDNESDAY!