Page 63 of Sinful Shifters

I wonder if they have any idea at all that she's a wolf-witch hybrid.

Making my way to her and Rina, I catch them in the middle of a low discussion. The alpha's voice is furious as she explains that there's no reason why they should need to give over their wellspring in the middle of battle, but I catch her in something key.

"Your mate won't be able to use the power the way I can. He has no idea how to—"

"He's capable of channeling ancient magic," I tell her, "just like you can channel ancestral magic. He'll be able to use the wellspring even better than you can. Surely you can see that, witnessing the magic all around us."

Her eyes dart to me nervously, and as she looks around, she admits, "I can only see my family's magic. The natural magic... I can see its affects, but not its channeling."

That's a limit I've heard of before, but it's meant to be rare, mostly seen among witches born to human families. Maybe it comes from her werewolf side; a limitation in capacity. Just like I can't see the threads that connect werewolves to each other and to the land around them.

Though sometimes, I swear that I see a shining silver thread at my feet, stretching out into the distance and vanishing. I know that it must be a mirage, though.

"I'm Ali," I call out to the wolf-witch hybrid, "and you can trust me. I'm a witch who was born to werewolves, and I live among them. We're here to help you."

She grunts. "I'm Victoria, the alpha of this pack. I'll never stop protecting my people, no matter who or what comes along."

"That's one thing we agree on," I tell her. "These four men fighting with magic are the ancient gods of your pack and three others—the Destiny Packs. Rina's mate Everett wants to take over your River Pack because he's destined to be their leader."

She believes me faster than I expected. "We know of the Father of the Oceans. It's said that when his time comes, he'll lead our pack to its destiny. But there's no way—"

Victoria pauses, narrowing her eyes at Everett. Slowly, she murmurs, "He's channeling our wellspring's water magic."

"See? It's him, I swear," Rina says. Her voice has a light, fawning tone, and I can smell a strange perfume in the air. She must be using her omega abilities to calm the alpha down. "Surely you can see that fate demands he step up to be your pack's alpha."

"It's the only explanation. But I won't leave my land or my people," she argues fiercely, digging her toes into the ground like she thinks she might be able to fuse with it. "I'm meant to be here, with the River Pack."

Rina says, "I can see that. Your threads are very strong—they connect you to the pack, to the land, and to the wellspring. Not to mention to your mate, who is very far away. There's no reason why you should leave the pack when you're meant to be a part of it."

"My mate?" Victoria blinks and shakes the surprise off. "Of course you can see the mating threads. I'll give you whatever you need. Tell me, now, so we can save the pack."

As if on cue, Teller breaks through my shield and comes roaring at the River Pack's warriors.

Victoria flings a hand out, lending them her strength. Her jaw flexes as she pulls on more magic than a hybrid witch like her should, risking burnout.

So I return my attention to the enemy at hand, trusting that Rina will be able to handle the rest of it.

Chapter53

Rina

Ican see the threads that connect Victoria to the wellspring. They're strong, but with her permission, they flow to my fingers, eager to jump to my hands.

So I call Everett over. He bursts through the vampires in a hail of ice and races to my side. As soon as he's close enough, I throw the wellspring threads at him.

They flow between us like water, curling around him like a stream jumping from its banks.

At the same moment, Victoria digs into her powers to give her people more strength. Her magic flows to them, buoying their strength. Everything they see or feel, she sees and feels. She cries out in agony as one of her warriors goes down beneath Teller's feet, destroyed by his powerful magic.

Her grief makes her reach out to more magic. I feel the land around us respond to her as her ancestors rise up.

Everett throws his magic out to protect the pack, folding them into his threads. I aid him, making him their leader, their alpha, and their protector. Threads spring to life all around us, so strong that they nearly blind me with their light. I weave them together, forging fated mate bonds and reinforcing the warriors' ability to feel and anticipate each other.

And suddenly, all the power of the wellspring is at Everett's feet. Connected to his people like this, he's able to summon enough magic to blast all the vampires around us through their portals.

Teller's strength snaps at the same moment. Without the River Pack vulnerable to him, he isn't able to siphon nearly so much ancient magic. And he's abused the Fury Pack wellspring so much that it looks sad and dull in his fingers, its stone turned to a sad grey instead of the bright and shining silver it should be.

I see an opportunity, and I know it's time to take it. "Ali!"

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