Page 152 of Wrath

But I couldn’t focus on that. I had disassociated from everything but the scene before me.

Z had used this dagger to stop the kings. The insidious magic Aaliyah had gifted them had seeped into Z, turning her into a version of my mate that terrified me.

What would happen now that she was using it on Aaliyah? If even a fraction of all that dark magic corrupted her…

As I watched, horrified, inky black veins slithered and danced beneath Z’s skin.

“Z!” I cried, but the boom of thunder drowned out my voice.

Maybe this would work.

Maybe it would stop Aaliyah.

But I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, we would lose Z in the process.

FIFTY-SIX

DAIR

Iused my magic to draw the blood out of the approaching banshee. Almost immediately, she fell to the ground in a collection of pitch-black hair and gangly limbs.

Sweat beaded on my forehead, and my muscles strained. I’d pushed myself in a way I never had before.

Behind me, Jolene hurried from bed to bed, applying bandages and cleaning wounds. Kelsey—the pregnant woman we met weeks ago—helped her. More and more soldiers were being brought every second. There wasn’t enough space in this diminutive room to hold them all.

Fur bristled on Jolene’s arms when a human helper accidentally ran into her. She snarled, baring her teeth, before getting herself under control.

Being this close to Aaliyah—without the protection of Lilith—took its toll on not only her but all the shifters. It made me worry for Lupe.

Movement farther down the hall tightened my stomach muscles. I froze, my hands raised, my heart thumping a mile a minute.

Three skeletons wobbled down the hall, their bones a sickly shade of yellow and their mouths open in silent screams.

“Motherfucker,” I hissed, instantly lowering my hands.

This wasn’t a monster I could help with. They had no blood I could manipulate, no organs I could crush.

Behind me, a soldier let out a pitiful whimper, and another one began to scream as Kelsey applied an ointment to his wound.

These men and women counted on me. At the moment, they couldn’t protect themselves. It was up to me.

I gripped the wheels of my chair and positioned myself in front of the doorway. I debated my options. I could, potentially, ram my chair into them, hoping it would break some bones. But would I be able to get all of them at the same time? I couldn’t risk even one getting past me. I had a weapon, but I didn’t know how useful a sword would be in this situation.

Fear and determination battled for dominance inside of me. The latter won.

I would do what I could to stop these monsters, consequences be damned. I’d told Z that I no longer saw myself as less of a man because of my chair, and I meant it. I just had to get creative.

My knuckles bleached white from how tightly I gripped my wheels. I narrowed my eyes at the rapidly approaching creatures, the rattling of their bones ominously loud.

And then…they fell to the ground, their bones scattering in every direction before dissolving to dust.

What the fuck?

I gaped in disbelief, unsure of what the fuck I just saw, but then instantly went on alert when another figure turned the corner. I only relaxed when I saw it was Axel—bloody, bruised, and limping, but alive.

Axel’s gaze immediately homed in on the dust piles before focusing on me.

“What the hell is going on?” I demanded.

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