Page 9 of For Her, He Falls

Mother.

Nico said Viktor had a hostage, and it's brilliant in a sick, twisted way. I never would have thought someone capable of keeping their own family captive, but I should have known better. If Viktor was vile enough to use and abuse his niece, it should come as no surprise that he kept his own sister prisoner in secret. No wonder the Night King risked flying across the bridge in spite of the scattered daylight. We laid out a trap for the Banes to divide their forces in the castle, but in the end, Viktor is the one with the perfect bait.

Calculating bastard.

'Nico, talk to me. Please tell me you made it up the tower. I need eyes. I'm in the courtyard, but it's a bloody mess down here. Did she make it over the gate?'

I can't call out to her right now- not when she's testing the limits of her powers for the first time and heading straight for the enemy. I won't risk the slightest distraction. With any luck, Nico made it to a decent enough vantage point to see the action on the bridge.

'Wait, is that the flower girl flying? You've got to be kidding me. Since when can your girlfriend turn into a flock of shimmery albino bats? That's awesome.'

I grunt as one of the Bane wolves grapples me, and I sink my teeth into his hide hard enough to grind his bones.

'Nico!' I howl.

'Right, sorry! Flower girl made it over. She's flying over the bridge. But it's not good, boss; Viktor is surrounded by his soldiers, and he's got another Alpha with him. Looks like the Night King kicking ass, but he'll never last. There are too many of them.'

Shit.

They're going to need backup, and the only way to reach them is by fighting my way across. I never should have let her out of my sight. I'm supposed to keep her safe. I promised I'd protect her.

'Goddess... that's not good...' Nico's voice rings faintly as I kick at one of the wolves snapping at my feet. My claws tear through flesh and fur as I continue to shove my way forward.

'What?' I demand.

'I think the Night King killed the other Alpha, but it looks like he's hurt. Our flower is almost there. She's seconds away from reaching them, but both her parents are down.'

Her parents.

After the life she's lived, I cannot imagine what it must be like to discover that her mother is alive. She only just got her father back, and now both her parents are about to be ripped away from her.

Amara made her decision. So did Mark. So did my mate. Each of us fight and fall for the things we choose. The girl with violet eyes is mine to protect but never to control. She would give anything to save her family, and I would do the same.

'I need you to watch my back from above and talk me through the battleground,' I tell Nico. 'I'm going to help her.'

'But you'll never make it!'

'That wasn't a request,' I snarl.

I told her nothing could ever take her away from me, and I meant it. I told her I'd find her, and that is precisely what I'm going to do.

Whether it's in this life or the next, my love, I'm coming for you.

Chapter Six

My father wraps his arms around the Alpha's neck and snaps it in a single, brutal motion. Marco's red eyes are wide and wild. His breathing is ragged, and his fine black suit is filthy and torn from the fight. I can only pray most of the blood on him is not his as Viktor watches my father slay the other Alpha and prepares to pounce on him.

I barely have time to look at the crumpled figure of the unconscious woman lying on the ground.

In his wolf form, Viktor is even more imposing than he usually is, with a pitch-black coat and icy eyes. There's no grey, no brown, no varying hues on his fur whatsoever, as if his soul had sucked away any light and color. His blue eyes are cold and hard, and I don't have the time to wonder if they bear any resemblance to my mother's.

My uncle lunges toward the Night King, but I hurl myself between them, shifting in midair. I feel myself burn from the inside out as the power courses through me, transforming me as I smash headfirst into Viktor before he can reach my father. We tangle in each other, rolling from the momentum of my impact as dozens of silvery wings flutter and cluster into a single shape, remaking me into my wolf form. Viktor grunts as we finally come to a stop, shoving me off of him with a vicious kick, and I slide back from the blow but manage to land on my feet, my claws sinking into the gravel on the stone surface of the bridge.

'Ungrateful bitch,' Viktor growls at me, and I can't help the shiver than runs down my spine at the sound of his voice in my head. I spent so much time wishing I could manifest a wolf and mindlink with others, but not him. 'I should've killed you when you were still a child.'

But he didn't. Now I'm going to make him regret it.

I glance over my shoulder at my father, who's usually so composed and refined. He looks like a mess, and there are hideous gashes along his chest where the wolves' claws sliced into his porcelain pale skin.

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