Page 35 of Christmas with a Cursed Werewolf

"Or what?" His power lashes out again, this time wrapping around my throat like burning ice. "You'll take another curse for me? Sacrifice more of yourself to protect someone who doesn't want saving?"

The pressure increases, and spots dance at the edges of my vision. Through our mate bond, I feel Briar's fury building like a storm. The castle trembles as she draws on Ember's power, channeling it through the very foundations.

"Enough!" Her voice carries otherworldly authority. Light explodes from her hands, shattering Rurik's hold on me. The twisted wolves yelp and retreat as the castle's magic surges, responding to her call.

I gasp for air as Briar steps forward, her power radiating in visible waves. Books fly from the library shelves, their pages glowing with ancient symbols as they swirl around her like a protective shield.

"You're not welcome here," she declares, and the castle's magic amplifies her words until they seem to shake the very air. "This place, these people—they're not yours to corrupt."

Rurik's eyes narrow as he studies her with new interest. "Impressive. The castle's magic has bonded with you completely." His smile turns cruel. "I wonder what would happen if that bond were... severed."

He moves faster than thought, dark energy coalescing into a spear that shoots straight at Briar's heart. Time seems to slow as I lunge forward, desperate to reach her.

But I needn't have worried. The moment Rurik's attack touches the swirling barrier of books, it shatters. Light explodes outward as Briar's power combines with Ember's, creating a shockwave that sends everyone staggering.

I recover first, shifting back to wolf form as I charge at my brother. This time, I don't hold back. My teeth find his shoulder as we crash through the library doors together, rolling across ancient floors now crackling with competing magics.

The fight becomes a blur of snapping teeth and dark energy. Rurik's power burns where it touches me, but I push through the pain, driven by the need to end this—to protect my mate, my home, my pack.

The curse fights me every step of the way, trying to drag me under, but Briar's presence in my mind keeps me anchored.

Through our bond, I feel her gathering power for something big. The library's magic coalesces around her, books flying faster as ancient knowledge flows into her consciousness. She may be new to her abilities, but her connection to Ember makes her formidable.

"You can't win this, brother," Rurik pants as we break apart. Blood drips from his wounds, but his eyes still burn with maniacal intensity. "The curse is part of you now. Part of all of us. Fighting it only makes it stronger."

"You're wrong." I shift back to human form, standing tall despite the pain. "The curse feeds on isolation, but I'm not alone anymore. None of us are."

As if to prove my point, Briar's power explodes outward. The library's magic responds to her call, centuries of knowledge and power flowing through her into the castle's very foundations. Light blazes from every surface as she taps into something deeper than mere spells—she's accessing the very heart of Frostspire Keep.

"The castle remembers," she says, her voice echoing with Ember's power. "It remembers what you did, Rurik. How you twisted its magic, corrupted its purpose. No more."

The floor beneath our feet begins to pulse with light, ancient symbols appearing in patterns I've never seen before. The twisted wolves whimper and retreat as pure magic fills the air, burning away their corruption like mist in sunlight.

Rurik's face contorts with rage as his creatures abandon him. "You think love can save you?" he snarls, gathering darkness around himself like a cloak. "Love is weakness. Power is the only truth that matters."

He launches himself at Briar, dark magic streaming from his hands. But this time, I'm ready. I meet him halfway, my own power—fueled by love and pack bonds and everything he rejected—rising to match his attack.

The resulting explosion rocks the entire castle. Through the chaos, I catch a glimpse of Rurik's face—twisted with rage and something else. Fear. For the first time since this began, my brother looks afraid.

Then I hear it—Briar's sharp gasp of pain. Through our bond, I feel her magic surge beyond her control, the raw power too much for her untrained abilities. She's drawing too deeply from Ember, channeling more energy than she can safely handle.

"Too much," she whispers, her voice tight with strain. "I can't?—"

Her knees buckle as the magic overwhelms her. Books crash to the floor as her concentration shatters, and I feel her consciousness flickering through our bond. My heart nearly stops when I see blood trickling from her nose.

Rurik seizes his chance, but instead of fleeing immediately, his eyes lock onto Briar with calculated interest.

I lunge to catch Briar. She goes limp in my arms, her skin pale and cold where the magic has drained her. Through our bond, I feel her life force flickering faint but still present.

"Fascinating," he murmurs, dark energy crackling around him. "She's not just connected to the castle—she's bonded with the Arcanum itself. All that knowledge, all those secrets about the Nexus, flowing right into her consciousness."

"Stay back," I snarl, pulling Briar's limp form closer as blood trickles from her nose.

His laugh echoes through the chamber. "Oh brother, you don't even realize what you have, do you? The Council's archives, the secrets of the supernatural world—she can access it all through the library's magic. That's worth more than any curse or currency."

He throws something into the air—a small object that explodes in a burst of absolute darkness. Through the chaos, his voice carries a promise that chills me to my core.

"We'll meet again, dear brother. And next time, I'll take more than just books from your precious library. Your mate's connection to the Arcanum—now that's real power."

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