Chapter 23

Chapter 23
After getting everyone concealed in the forest, Easel and Shadow slowly make their way to the source of the pungent odor that hung in the air around them. When Easel’s steps faltered, Shadow wrapped her arm around her waist.
“I know this is hard, but we are saving lives and destroying people who wish to harm the ones worthy of being saved. Follow my lead, and I promise that when this is over, all the good that we’ve done will far outweigh the bad that we’ve done,” Shadow murmured softly to Easel.
She nodded before following Shadow along the treeline to the pack house. Easel stayed close to Shadow’s side as she sent fire racing along the ground to round everybody up while they continued to walk down the road-like path. Bones cracked behind them, and Easel stopped to look back. Shadow forced her face back around, shaking her head.
“You don’t need to see that, sweetheart. Those are the bad wolves. I have asked my fire to bring them here before they are killed. When Merlot and his siblings come, they will need a warning. This is that warning.”
Easel swallowed hard but nodded. “Okay.”
By the time they got to the large 5-story house, there were about 20 people walking fearfully behind them. Shadow left Easel outside with the group of people while she went inside to find the Alpha. She walked through the hallways, growing more frustrated the longer she searched. Where were these fuckers? Where were the triplets? She went back outside to Easel, who was pacing nervously. Shadow took her hands, raised them to her mouth, and kissed her knuckles.
“Relax, Easel. I’m here with you. Trust me.”
“I do. This is just unusual to me.”
“I know. Everything will be okay.”
Shadow looked over the small group of people in front of them, smiling assuredly. “Where does your Alpha spend his time?”
One of the men hesitantly pointed at the pack house. “The training grounds are that way.”
“Thank you.” She pointed back at the way she and Easel had come from. “There is a small group of people that way. Please, go stay with them, and we will call you when it’s safe for you to come back.”
They all bowed their heads before scampering in the direction Shadow ordered them to go as she took Easel’s hand. They cautiously made their way around the building, trying to find their way to a location that was not seen from the pack house. The sound of an earth-shaking bellow drew Shadow’s attention. She picked up her speed, hurrying them toward the noise. A mile into the woods, the trees started to thin out before abruptly disappearing to create a large field where six wolves were lunging and striking at a large reptile while a man was on his knees with a blade to his throat. A woman stood a few feet away with tears flowing down her face, begging the wolves to stop hurting the reptile.
“PLEASE, PLEASE! WE’LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! JUST, PLEASE, DON’T HURT HER!”
Shadow put her finger to her lips as she leaned close to Easel. “Do you think you could cover the man with the blade to his throat, the screaming woman, and the dinosaur with your soil?” Shadow whispered. Easel nodded. “Okay, good, do it on the count of 3. 1. 2. 3.”
As soon as she said three, fire erupted out of Shadow’s body, and at the same time, the earth exploded upward to shield the three that Shadow had requested Easel to protect. Screams pierced the air as Shadow’s fire started to consume the wolves.
They twitched and tried to roll around on the ground in an attempt to put the fire out, but Shadow focused on it, making it burn hotter. Easel gagged beside her as the putrid scent of burning flesh poisoned the area. Shadow started making her way out of the trees while Easel vomited. When she was sure that all the wolves were dead, she let the fires go out before calling softly to Easel as she beckoned her over. Easel approached her slowly, obviously very distressed about what she had just witnessed.
“Let your soil fall, honey. We should go talk to the triplets.”
Easel did as she asked, and the man immediately jumped to his feet, singing. Easel cried out as her hands flew up to cover her ears as she screamed in pain. Shadow sent her fire, whipping around Easel to protect her while she glared at the man.
“Stop it!” She growled. “Can’t you see that you’re hurting her? We are here to take you away. Please, stop singing.”
His voice was immediately cut off as Shadow sank to her knees in front of Easel. She pulled Easel into her arms, soothingly whispering to her until she had calmed down enough to talk without sobbing. Shadow shot the man another glare, clearly not happy with him, making him shift nervously.
“Who are you?” The woman next to him asked.
“My name is Shadow, and this is Easel. We were taken, just like you. It is now our mission to save the rest of our family that was taken.” She met the man’s eyes. “Now, are we going to be friends, or am I going to have to kill you for hurting my woman?”
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.
Shadow tugged Easel to her feet. “Come on. We need to get you guys back to the pack house. We have a few more packs to hit, and we need to stay ahead of Merlot and his team.” She led Easel away, groaning when she realized the triplets weren’t following them. “Look, you can stay here and fend for yourselves, or you can let me put you somewhere that will lead you to the people you were meant to be with. It’s your choice. I’m not going to force you.”
The woman, who had been a brachiosaurus a few minutes beforehand, stepped toward Shadow. “What do you mean the people we were meant to be with?”
“You are no longer human. You have something called mates.” Shadow paused to look at Easel. “They will be your soul mates. They will love you for eternity and protect you. They will be coming for you soon. So if you want to give them a chance, come with us. If you don’t, then I don’t care where you go, but I would suggest you give them a chance. They will help you through your new life. So what’s it going to be?”
They all nodded. “Let’s go.”
Shadow led everybody back to the packhouse before releasing several balls of fire out to bring the others to the packhouse. When the group arrived, Shadow gestured to them to go inside. She made sure everybody was comfortable before clapping her hands to quiet them down.
“My name is Shadow. This is Easel. We are going to leave you here. You will be safe. Once we leave, we will barricade the outside of the packhouse so that only Merlot and his siblings can gain entry. For those of you who don’t know who they are, Merlot and his siblings are the Vampire Queen’s children, great-grandchildren of the current King of Kings, and nieces and nephews of the current Mother of Dragons and Secunda Regina. They will take you in and find you somewhere safe to go. They are good people.” She fell silent for a moment before taking Easel’s hand. “When they come, if you would pass along a message to one of them for us. We need a message passed to Gary. Tell her that I promise to bring Easel safely back to her.”
Easel smiled softly at Shadow. “And tell her that I miss her and can’t wait to see her. Tell her that I’m okay.”
Shadow kissed the back of Easel’s hand before looking over the group. “I do apologize that you are caught in this war, but you are all survivors. When they come to get you, I’m sure they can help you with whatever you need. Please don’t hesitate to ask them for whatever can help you. We are going to leave now. Don’t try to leave the packhouse until they come. It’s not safe out there. In here it is.”
Shadow almost dragged an unwilling Easel behind her as she exited the packhouse. As soon as the door shut, she pushed Easel against the wall, kissing her passionately. “I know you don’t like doing these things, Easel, but if you try to leave me, I will hunt you down. You are mine, and I refuse to let you go.”
Easel tried to turn her face away as tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m scared, Shadow.”
“I know you are, but I’m here with you. Trust me.”
Easel sighed. “Okay.”
Shadow pecked her lips again. “Let’s cocoon the house, and then we will move on. I can feel my magic waking back up. We can use portals.”
Shadow guided Easel through covering the packhouse in a mud-like substance before surrounding it with her fire. They walked down the stairs hand in hand before Shadow managed to open a portal after the third try. Before they stepped into it, Shadow sent balls of fire flying around the territory with orders to destroy everything that had been built. She smiled at Easel.
“We have to leave a hint for the team to find so that they come here next, and then we can go to the next pack.”
Easel nodded. “I’ll follow you, Shadow. Whereever you go.”
A whimper snapped Shadow awake. Easel trembled beside her on the hard ground. Shadow rolled toward Easel, brushing her hair back as she spoke softly to her, trying to coax Easel awake instead of doing it abruptly. When Easel finally opened her eyes, Shadow smiled at her.
“Bad dreams, baby?” Easel nodded. Shadow leaned down to kiss her softly. “Next time, call to me, and I will come to protect you.”
Easel sighed. “How do I call you? I don’t even know your name.”
Shadow tipped her face up, searching her face for a moment. “My name is Saphire.”
Easel’s eyes widened. “Saphire?”
Saphire nodded, grinning. “Yep, but don’t tell anybody. That’s only for you to know.”
“Why?”
Saphire cuddled back into Easel. “I thought you would have figured it out by now.”
“Figured what out?” Easel asked.
“You’re my mate, Easel, and I love you.”
Easel linked their fingers together. “I love you, too, Saphire.”
Saphire kissed Easel’s shoulder. “Sleep, baby. Tomorrow, we fight another pack. We gotta rescue our Air. She’s waiting for us.”
Easel yawned. “I’m going to make all the bad guys eat dirt!”
Saphire laughed as she kissed Easel’s neck. “That’s my girl.”