Page 107 of Shattered Omega

UMBRA

Untethering: when an alpha with critically damaged aura chooses to release it. The aura begins to draw energy directly from the alpha’s body, enabling them to wield their power without restriction. However, once the existing energy is exhausted, the aura dies, and the alpha with it.

“We don’t need you.” Flynn was almost laughing. “All of this, to come and show us you’re worthless to us?”

In my peripheral, I could see two things.

First, was Eric edging along the wall to his pack mates. And second, was Dusk, statuesque as he waited for the injection of the cleaving drug to take effect.

It never would.

He’d injected nothing but saline. I’d long guessed he would plan something like this. Long known he would believe it was on him to protect me.

But our pack had always needed him more. I was spent and broken, as worthless as a trick coin.

He was still waiting as I straightened, closing my eyes for just a moment, picturing a golden goddess.

My Nightshade.

A shooting star I had never been meant to catch—not even if I scarred my skin until there was nothing left of it.

They knew they could take her, which meant he couldn’t leave.

I felt the faintest flash of worry from Dusk in the bond. He’d taken his injection, but his plan wasn’t working.

He didn’t know why.

That was okay.

I reached out, just for a moment, to touch him on the shoulder. I wanted to meet his eyes, even for a second. Wanted him to know it was going to be okay.

I couldn’t, though.

I wasn’t strong enough.

So, without taking my eyes from the alpha ahead, the alpha who’d stolen my life, I did the thing I shouldn’t be able to. Something only alphas who’d lost their packs could do.

But I’d been burned alive, torn to shreds by drug after drug, ripped apart and put back together, and left to cling to an alpha who saw me as nothing, just so my bones didn’t turn to dust before my eyes.

Just so I didn’t lose everything.

Again.

It felt like the most natural thing in the world, that I could un-tether my aura. That I could step into the void and let it have the last thing it had been hunting all this time.

The power leached into the room like a fog; heavy and unnatural, and I faced it differently this time. Different to when Shatter had been there to save me the day Dusk had touched Flynn, and my own aura had tried to burn me alive.

She had been there, and everything since was extra. A gift she had given me, far beyond what I deserved.

It could have me now, but first, I would use it to break the monsters that had begun this.

They were the last left to kill, and finally, I was out of time.

I stepped across the threshold, giving myself to the void, hoping she would forgive me, and maybe, one day, I would see her again.

THIRTY-EIGHT

DUSK

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