Chapter 158 Stabbed
❀ Maeve ❀
A calm washed over me—an indication of impending loss of control. But I didn’t fear it anymore. I craved it.
Past the pack settlement and fortress, the open fields of the territory sprawled endlessly. The moon stabbed shards of silvery light over us, but the forest lining the end of the inhabitable area stood dark and still, like a painting.
Between that imposing forest and IronWolf pack marched the largest army of feral vampires I had ever seen.
Growls and hisses. The earth vibrated from their pounding feet and moving bodies. The stench was rank. Putrid.
There were easily two thousand of them. No banners, no formation. Just teeth, claws, and hunger.
From the distance, their eyes were a thousand pinpricks of red light.
“That’s a serious swarm,” Ashar muttered.
Alpha Mordane stood at the fore, Bastian and Commander Leif beside him. I stood with Ashar, Drusilla, Lilith, Sorin, and Yara.
Behind us were about a thousand werewolf soldiers, and pack members who’d risen for this impromptu battle.
“The mortal is bold, I’ll give him that,” Drusilla said. Then she turned to me. “You don’t have to be involved. Return with us to Veilmoor.”
“What?” How could she even say that? “This is my pack. My home—”
“And it’s about to be razed by snarling, spitting ferals double the number they have to defend with.”
“I’m not leaving. In fact, I order you to assemble the forces of Veilmoor and trace them here. This is as much my home as Veilmoor.”
Drusilla’s head snapped back, like I’d slapped her. “Are you insane?”
“I gave an order.”
“We heard you clearly, queen.” Lilth said. “Only… you forget your subjects can’t trace. The three of us are the last Crimsons alive. We’re not infallible, and can only trace small groups at a time.”
“Then get to tracing,” I snapped, claws curling.
Drusilla narrowed her eyes. “I had such high hopes for you.”
“And I’m shattering them.” I softened my voice. “I’ve never said this, but I do appreciate you, aunt. Without you, I’d be dead.”
“Because I’d have killed you myself.”
“Exactly. But this threat isn’t just IronWolf’s to fight. If Graves prevails here, where do you think he’ll march next?”
“She’s right,” Ashar interrupted. “So… please, beautiful vampiresses. Lend us your arms.”
Lilith rolled her eyes.
“Killing Graves will end this swiftly,” Alpha Mordane rumbled.
Graves had used a combination of his blood and my mother’s in the creation of his army: her blood to turn them, his to control them. Once a sire died, their progeny followed suit.
My eyes widened.
“Tammy!” I blurted. “When did you last see Tammy? Nikolai turned her… if she’s alive…”
“He’ll be,” Lilith breathed.
“Focus,” Drusilla snapped at us. “We’ll check for Tammy. But the primary directive is to trace those soldiers here. We’ll trace our forces behind Graves’ horde, boxing them in.”
“Ashar, Bastian—do not let the horde get past you, anywhere near the pack.” He spun to face the incoming storm. “I will take care of Graves.” His eyes flashed blue in the darkness, the air around him crackling with violence.
I had never seen his beast, but somehow I knew it would be formidable.
The horde neared by the second.
Bastian grasped me aside. “You can’t risk yourself this way. Go with Drusilla—hold down Veilmoor.”
“You forget I have a bone to pick as well, Bastian. I will fight. I have to, if only as a distraction.”
My chest clenched at the thought of Nikolai.
He gave a curt nod, but I saw the light dim in his eyes. I was hurting my wolf by mourning my vampire.
I reached out, having nothing to say, but he’d already faced ahead.
Lilith and Drusilla had disappeared. And I hoped I hadn’t doomed one queendom to save another.
The horde was close enough to feel now. Close enough to see the veins bursting in their eyes.
The Alpha glanced back once more, his fangs sharp and menacing. “Leif will cover me as I charge for Graves. Do not break this defense!”
“Hold the line!” the army behind us echoed back.
My heart pounded in my chest, gaze flicking to those around me. They’d give their lives for their home. And so would I.
The crackling sound of bones rearranging already punctuated the night. The air was heavy with impending carnage.
I tapped into that darkness within me.
My wolf responded—muscles bulging, skin tearing and reshaping.
My vision pulsed red, fangs throbbing for blood in my gums.
As the wrath bubbled to the fore, I repeated a mantra over and over.
Kill the ferals. Decimate the enemy. Do not attack my friends, my packmates. Hold the line!
For my mother. For Nikolai. For the thousands Graves had enslaved into his feral army.
Suddenly, the ferals stopped short—not more than a hundred yards from us.
Alpha Mordane had already shifted. So had everyone else, except Commander Leif.
A sense of foreboding hit me.
Leif drew an object from his hip. It glinted ominously in the muted light of the moon.
A Crimson dagger?
I lunged. “No!”
Too late.
Leif plunged the weapon into my father’s back.