“You don’t deserve to lead anyone,” he growled.
“Why? Because I think only of myself?” Cole asked. “You claim you would die for your people, but you’re no better than me. Your worthless human and your child come first.”
“And you think my relationships weaken me? You still can’t fuck with what is mine, Cole. And they’re all mine. Every single one of them. From the pups to the elderly, even Hugo and New Finn. Whether they fear me or love me, they are mine.”
“And they are mine.”
Cole’s eyes widened at the newcomer’s voice. She snuck in like a thief, masked and ready to fight for the pack, just as when they hunted the Hunters. Rebecca strolled barefoot into the hall and stepped over a body to stand next to him. She was naked, and she looked fearsome. Her red hair looked like flames on top of her head, and her eyes glowed like a vengeful spirit.
Her anger was a force on its own.
He made the right choice for Hope and Layla. Rebecca would take care of the pack when he was gone.
Layla’s mother looked around the room and saw her child and grandchild in the crowd. And then she growled. Even he felt goosebumps. Rebecca had years to learn all her strengths, which Layla never got to do.
The lights flickered, and a calm settled over the room. The witches lowered their hands just a fraction, responding to Rebecca’s call.
And that split second was their downfall. He used his speed to run around the room, dispatching them one by one until none were left. And with each one that died, the magical binds loosened around his wolves.
“No! No, what are you doing?” Cole screamed.
When he stood in front of Cole again, the Alpha was frantic. His fear multiplied. When he saw that he lost, he ordered Hugo and Finn to attack him and ran towards the door. But he smacked into a ward that pushed him back with so much force he landed on his ass on the bloody floor.
Diedre stood near the door, finally free, her lips moving as she silently chanted. Her violet eyes sparkled as the strength of all the generations of witches before her bent to her will. No potions, no talismans. Her magic flooded the room, pushing back all traces of the darkness gripping them.
“You think you’ve won?” Cole shouted.
There was a scream and a whimper.
Brit and Hope suddenly pulled forward, back in Cole’s magical grip. His heart dropped when he saw the fear in his pup’s eyes. He’d still failed to save her.
“I’ll still win, even if you kill me,” Cole shouted. “Your filthy spawn will die with me.”
Brit wrapped her arms around Hope, and the fear drained from her eyes. Her hazel eyes sparked and then glowed, a beautiful green colour like her sister’s and her mum’s.
Britney growled, and the threat of death had never been so clear.
Rebecca growled beside him, bending her knees, ready to attack.
And then, behind him, another growl echoed through the room.
This one brought the pack to their knees.
Chapter 77
Layla struggled to breathe. She could feel Lincoln’s large hand crushing her windpipe, even though part of him was twitching on the floor in front of her. Her mind was foggy with the lack of oxygen, but the fear that crippled her disappeared.
Jax had taken charge now. Everything would be okay.
Her eyes fluttered and then closed even with all the commotion around her. The cut-off screams. The scent of blood that even her nose could pick up.
And when she heard her mother’s voice, she breathed a sigh of relief. Rebecca’s wolf was stronger than Nia. She would never allow anyone to hurt her family.
She relaxed entirely until Britney's scream brought her back to the present.
Her heart lurched as she sat up and saw Alpha Cole drag her and Hope towards him. Maybe Cole didn’t have a wolf, or he wasn’t shifting because he knew he was outnumbered. But there was no denying he had enough dark magic to follow through with his threats. She could almost smell it even though she was less than human.
Her child. Britney. Her family was in danger.