Page 18 of His Spellbound Mate

“Wait,” she said, her voice steady but filled with power. “You don’t understand. We’re trying to protect this town, to stop the darkness that’s coming. If you kill us, you’re only making it easier for the real enemy to win.”

The hunters hesitated, their eyes flicking to one another as they weighed her words. Neville could see the doubt in their eyes, the uncertainty that Tamzyn’s words had planted. But it wasn’t enough. The hunters were too disciplined, too committed to their mission.

The lead hunter raised his sword, his eyes narrowing. “Enough talk. Kill them both.”

Everything happened at once. The hunters surged forward, their weapons gleaming in the ever-brightening light of the day as Neville’s wolf roared to life. He shifted in an instant, his body transforming into his powerful, fearsome wolf, his fangs bared and ready for battle.

Tamzyn was beside him, her hands crackling with magic as she unleashed a torrent of energy at the nearest hunter. The man was thrown back, his weapon clattering to the ground, but more were already closing in.

Neville leaped into the fray, his powerful jaws snapping at the hunters as he fought to protect Tamzyn. The air was filled with the sounds of battle—the clash of steel, the crackle of magic, the snarls and growls of a wolf in the heat of the fight.

But the hunters were well-trained, their movements coordinated and precise. They pressed their attack, forcing Neville and Tamzyn to fight back-to-back, their survival hanging by a thread.

Neville fought with everything he had, his wolf driven by the need to protect his mate, to keep her safe. But the hunters were relentless, their numbers overwhelming. For every hunter Neville took down, another seemed to take his place.

Tamzyn was a force to be reckoned with, her magic lashing out at the hunters, creating shields of energy that deflected their attacks. But Neville could see the strain on her face, the toll that the fight was taking on her. They couldn’t keep this up much longer.

Just when it seemed that the hunters would overwhelm them, a deafening roar echoed through the forest. The ground shook, and the hunters faltered, their eyes widening in fear.

Neville didn’t hesitate. He lunged at the lead hunter, his powerful jaws closing around the man’s arm, wrenching the sword from his grasp. The hunter cried out in pain, but before Neville could deliver the killing blow, a blinding light filled the clearing.

The hunters cried out, shielding their eyes as the light intensified, and Neville felt a surge of energy rush through him. He turned to see Tamzyn, her body glowing with an ethereal light, her eyes blazing with power.

“Enough!” she shouted, her voice ringing with authority.

The light exploded outward, knocking the hunters off their feet, sending them crashing to the ground. Neville felt the energy wash over him, but instead of harming him, it filled him with a sense of calm, of peace.

When the light faded, the hunters were gone; their bodies vanished as if they had never been there. The forest was silent once more; the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves in the wind.

Neville shifted back into his human form, breathing heavily as he turned to Tamzyn. She was standing in the center of the clearing, her body still glowing faintly, her eyes wide with shock and exhaustion.

“Tamzyn,” Neville said, his voice rough with concern. “Are you alright?”

She nodded slowly; her gaze distant as if she were still processing what had just happened. “I… I didn’t know I could do that.”

Neville stepped closer, his heart pounding with a mixture of relief and awe. “You saved us.”

She looked up at him, her eyes softening as she took in his words. “We saved each other.”

For a moment, they stood there in the silence of the forest, the growing bond between them strengthening by leaps and bounds. The prophecy, the darkness, the hunters—it was all still there, still a threat—they had faced it together, and they had survived.

As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Neville knew that their fight was far from over. But for the first time, he felt a sense of hope, a sense that they could overcome whatever challenges lay ahead.

Chapter Ten

Tamzyn

The forest was silent, the eerie quietness settling over Tamzyn like a heavy shroud as she stood beside Neville, their breaths still ragged from the battle they had just survived. The hunters were gone, their bodies vanished as if they had never been there, leaving only the lingering sense of magic in the air, a reminder of the power that had surged through Tamzyn moments before.

She could still feel the residual energy thrumming through her veins, a potent reminder of the force she had unleashed. It had been raw, instinctual, and far more powerful than anything she had tapped into before. It both exhilarated and terrified her. The memory of the light, of the way it had exploded outward, taking the hunters with it, was still fresh in her mind. She had never intended it to be so powerful, but something inside her had snapped, had reached out for more when Neville was in danger.

And now, as they stood together in the clearing, the last remnants of that power fading, Tamzyn could feel the weight of the bond between them more keenly than ever. It was as if the magic had drawn them even closer, knitting their fates together in ways she hadn’t fully understood until now. Somehow, she had been able to tap into Neville’s inherent strength, power, and a different kind of magic.

Neville turned to her, his gaze softening as it met hers. There was a rawness in his eyes, an emotion she hadn’t seen before. He was strong and powerful and naked, and yet it wasn’t his nudity that made him appear vulnerable; it was something she could feel flowing from him to her.

“You saved us,” he murmured, his voice rough with lingering adrenaline and something deeper, something more tender.

Tamzyn swallowed hard, the reality of what had just happened settling over her. “We saved each other,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

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