15. Fifteen

"Are you okay, princess?" Corentin asks as my silence over the last few minutes stretches on.

I'm not okay. I'm mad, madder than mad. I'm fucking livid. How was everyone here just going to let an innocent man die at the hands of that trash, when he was submitting? I understand shifter culture. I've poured myself over whatever piece of information Draken or Vince has taught me, and during challenges, even ones like this, you're supposed to respect submission. If Rylan hadn't submitted, it'd be different. He'd be signing his own death warrant.

Looking over the arena to where he's now being healed up, his Primary is throwing herself all over him, tears flowing down her face as she checks every inch of him, and my blood boils even hotter, my eyes growing heavy as I fight back my tears of rage.

I guess I'm a little hypocritical because if I were in my dragon form right now, I'd rip Kael's head clean off his fucking body regardless if he submitted or not.

"Those are some pretty homicidal thoughts you got going on, little warrior," Tillman comments, obviously not respecting my private seething.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm pissed. That was bullshit, and no one was going to stop him," I reply angerly, plopping down in my seat and crossing my arms.

"I understand your anger. He was submitting, and Kael should've backed off, but it's the rules of the Alpha trials. All contenders know what they're signing up for. There's no telling how the pack or the others here would've reacted if we had stepped in, Willow. It could've drawn far more attention to us than we could handle right now. It was far too risky." Corentin tries to reason, but I don't want to hear it right now. I just want to stew in my anger.

"Well, for what it's worth, I was ready to jump over the railing with you," Oakly says cheerfully, causing a small twitch in my lips.

"She was. We had to hold her back as soon as you took a step. You two look for trouble, I swear." Ry's complaining causes a smirk to pull at my lips. We're barely any trouble.

"We could've kicked his ass. I want to rip his head off right now." I turn to look at Oakly, since she's the only one on my side.

"Okay, well, I wasn't going to take it that far, but if that's what you want to do, I completely support you." She smiles at me a little warily before laughing.

"If murdering him is what will make you feel better, Primary, we can work something out," Caspian hums. Glancing over at him, he's staring at me like he's about to sweep me off my feet and my face flushes.

Well damn, I guess all I need to do to get his hungry looks is to plan someone's demise.

"I'll join too. Me and my little wanderer can play catch in our dragon forms," Draken says, smiling from ear to ear.

"Enough. No one is murdering anyone today. Fucking hell," Corentin barks, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Spoilsport.

Our back and forth is enough to cool the raging inferno that's brewing inside of me. I still find it completely unjust despite Corentin's reasonable arguments, but there's no point continuing that line of discussion right now. There are only a few minutes of a break before the Alpha Challenge starts and I need to be prepared for whatever is about to happen.

The emotional faces of the shifters speak clearly and it's easy to see they would've been highly upset if Kael had carried through with killing Rylan. So it seems there's now a shift in support of Lyker. Not like they all have much of a choice now, though. It's just the two of them.

As the sun rises higher in the sky, its warm rays seem to cast a halo around the center of the arena, secluding the center for the bloody battle to come. The energy of the crowd is thick with anticipation, charged with eagerness and worry for the approaching fight that will determine the fate of the pack.

"Terravile Pack and honored guests, I present to you, our two finalists. Kael Black and Lyker Quinn. As the final echoes of howls ring, let the realm bear witness to this sacred challenge. May the bravest prevail, may the strongest endure, and may the chosen Alpha rise with the blessing of Elementra," an Elder announces before turning to bow at Lyker and Kael then moves out of the center.

I can't help but feel a knot of nervous energy tighten in my stomach, my heartbeat echoing in my ears as my eyes fixate on the final two, the would-be alphas. Each of their stances seem magnified, carrying the weight of fierce determination and fate.

The two of them lock eyes in a moment that seems to stretch into eternity, their gazes assessing each other's strengths and weaknesses. My breathing matches the labored breaths they're taking as I watch their muscles grow taut, timing their attacks perfectly.

The tension and emotions rolling off my men are coming in waves. I feel the primal connection filtering in me through Draken, his dragon paying keen attention to the two other beasts about to battle. Tillman's a statue, unmoving, his face the mask of an expectant leader, but I can feel his pride and unwavering resolve for Lyker in this moment.

Corentin's coiled tighter than a snake ready to strike, his eyes locked on the two in the center, but I have no doubt he's taken in every feature of our surroundings and has every face of the enemies sitting across from us memorized. And Caspian is jittering with a bloodthirsty excitement. He couldn't care less that Kael wasn't one of the men who played a part in his kidnapping. He wants his blood spilled for the simple fact of association.

My palms are sweaty, and indented nail marks mar the middle of my tightly clenched fist. A shiver races down my spine as they release their elements at the same time, water and earth clashing in the middle, sending frozen shards of wooden spears exploding between them.

They continue to throw out their elements with lethal accuracy, but they're too evenly matched for any strikes to land. As they grow closer together, their elements swiftly change to spiked stone and icicled fist. One blow with the deadly weapons of their hands will bring about a devastating end.

With a lightning-fast swing, Kael's barely able to lean out of reach as Lyker nicks him across his cheek, tearing the skin open, and blood pours from the wound. The crowd roars as the first drop of blood spills and I feel the collective pulse of the pack, their emotions entangling with the fate of their potential leader. Some wolves clench their jaws in silent solidarity, while other shifters exchange intense glances that speak volumes.

Whipping his head around, Kael lets out a fully charged growl, one that Lyker responds to instantly as light takes over their forms, their wolves now joining the fight. My dragon raises her head with unfiltered fascination.

Hope, fear, and raw determination intermingle within me. Just like Draken, I find myself swept up in the emotional tides of the crowd, a silent member in the primal collective, watching with keenness, waiting to see who the most dominant victor will be.

The wolves lunge at each other, a swirl of fur and claws crashing with a force that seems to quake the ground beneath them. Their movements are a mixture of graceful agility and growing desperation, fucking ruthless, brutal strikes that are leaving behind piles of fur and puddles of blood.

They're a tornado of slashing claws, snapping jaws and powerful leaps I can barely keep up with. They both have pink-tinged teeth and blood-soaked coats. I honestly have no clue who's getting the better of the other at this moment.

Kael tackles Lyker with the drive of a wrecking ball, flattening him on his back as he tries tirelessly to get his jaws locked around Lyker's throat. I'm on the edge of my seat, silently commanding Lyker to get him the fuck off, do something, don't give up. I can barely pull air into my lungs, I'm so tense.

A loud yelp of pain echoes throughout the arena as Lyker drives his claws into Kael's underbelly, flipping him over the top of him, slinging him through the sand. I gape at the bloody sight of Kael's stomach. He's badly wounded, but he's refusing to surrender, standing unbalanced on wobbly legs.

A hush falls over the arena; the only noise filling the air is the two wolves growling their final commands. We all know, we can feel it in the palpable tension, that this is it. One of them is about to end it.

I gasp, my breath catching as Kael lunges with a sudden burst of energy. Time seems to slow as Lyker sidesteps him then dives, latching his jaws around his throat, dragging him down to the sand, releasing a fierce growl.

Growling once more, the warning's clear, surrender or die, and we all sit in silence, waiting for the verdict. It feels like a century has passed before a whine resounds through the arena. Kael's submission echoes through the mountains and beyond, followed by an immense surge of power sending a shock wave through the arena.

There's a charged moment of silence before everyone erupts in deafening cheers and shouts. I mean everyone, even my group, are on our feet, applauding Lyker as he backs away from Kael and shifts into his human form, his Nexus scaling the rail and surrounding him in seconds.

"Fuck yeah, Lyker," Tillman cheers and whistles. All my guys are on their feet, cheering and clapping as Lyker and his Nexus stand in the center, waving to his new pack.

Kael's Nexus carries him out as the Elders enter the center and bow their heads to Lyker. We watch as they each lay their heads to his hand and show him their respects.

"Terravile Pack, I give you your new Alpha, Lyker Quinn," yells an Elder, causing another wave of cheers to go up. "Preparations are underway for our feast where you all will have a chance to show your respects. Please begin making your way to the community center where our Alpha will join us shortly to eat and celebrate."

I can't help the smile stretching across my face. When I first had my vision of him coming here, there was no way to tell if he was going to win or not. There were far too many possible paths to follow from then until now.

Him winning is both huge for himself, his Nexus, and what's to come for them, but also for our fight in this war against the Mastery. I'm also fucking ecstatic that my second vision of him didn't come to fruition at all. With that out of the way, all I need to do is tell him the most important reason he was sent here, and that'll happen as soon as the guys can introduce me to him.

Closing my eyes, leaning my head back, I take a moment to appreciate and enjoy the moment of peace with the sun's warm rays covering my face. Listening to my Nexus and friends laughing, feeding off the excited energy in the air. Our group decides to stay seated for a few minutes longer as we let the huge crowd make their way out ahead of us.

I was just getting ready to open my eyes and make a comment about Draken bitching about being hungry when my blissful moment shatters as my body stiffens and my sight glosses over.

Unlike my other visions where I've seen things that are to come in the coming weeks, this one starts out showing the exact scene that's happening currently.

Our group is sitting in the stands laughing, cutting up before it begins to fast forward a few moments in time. As the last of the crowd makes their way out of the arena, Lyker and his Nexus are still standing in the center, celebrating amongst themselves, when a blazing fireball sears the side of one of Lyker's brothers' face. The rest of them don't even have time to react to him as shifters and humans alike descend on them.

That one hit to his brother will cost them all their lives…

I stay trapped in the vision as I watch the multiple paths play across my mind, showing me alternatives to every different action taken.

Then it rewinds, the fireball fizzles out, never hitting Kian, Lyker's brother, and then they all fall into fighting positions as the shifted and non-shifted flood through the gate and transport into the center.

Lyker's shoulder to shoulder with his Nexus brothers, brutally fighting off the attacks. They deliver savage blows, casting their elements out every which way possible. Lyker's holding nothing back as he swipes partially shifted claws across throats, driving them into the fur coats of beasts, and sends bodies flying left and right as more and more try to pile on top of them.

I'm thrown out of the vision so quickly, I have to hold in the choking gasp trying to escape me. Fuck me, I was wrong, so wrong. The future hasn't changed. It just hasn't happened yet. I just saw the moment that the attack begins and possibly meets with the vision I've already seen.

Forcing my body to relax, tears are beginning to build in my eyes, and I bite my tongue to force my mind on something other than crying. I have to interfere before Lyker's brother gets hit or all this will be for nothing.

Fuck.

I keep my eyes locked on the thinning crowd, mentally counting the moments. My heartbeat is drowning out the surrounding sound, a war drum pounding in my chest, preparing for the battle about to start.

"Come on, little wanderer, I'm really starving now and we're going to be the last to join the party." Draken's bright smile and outstretched hand are like a knife through my chest. I desperately want to tell him we won't be getting lunch anytime soon.

"Let's just stay a few more minutes. The feast isn't going anywhere while the new alpha is still out here." I try to keep my voice level, but a slight tremor slinks through, and all my guys turn their heads toward me, but I don't dare look at any of them. My eyes stay trained on the last of the pack members leaving the arena.

Three…

"Is everything okay, Willow?" Corentin asks, concern lacing his tone, but still, I ignore him.

Two…

"Primary," Caspian urges.

One…

"Watch out!" I scream as I propel myself out of my seat.

Launching myself over the railing and right onto the center with a current of my air, my feet take off the moment I hit the ground. Lyker's entire Nexus turns to look at me rather than pay attention to the fireball flying toward them.

Commanding the air, I suck the oxygen out of the fire just in time as they all turn back to see what I'm racing toward. I hear the pounding of feet closing in behind me and I know my Nexus and our entire group followed me over the edge.

A flood of shifters and non-shifters pile into the center, elements ready to be cast out the moment they enter with us. Turning my head over my shoulder, I stop in my tracks as my group catches up with me, my Nexus immediately surrounding me.

"No matter what, Lyker Quinn does not die. I'm so sorry I couldn't tell any of you this, but it's time to fight." I pant, catching my breath, looking at all of them with an apology in my eyes.

"We got you, little wanderer," Draken immediately agrees, shifting his hands into claws, coating his skin in scales, and jumping into the fray with a bloodthirsty smirk.

"Palace team," Tillman bellows before giving my forehead a kiss and runs behind Draken, diving headfirst into the chaos.

With no time left to waste, Caspian and Corentin take a side each, sandwiching me between them as we run behind the others. Following Draken's lead, I call my dragon forth, letting my nails elongate into claws and my skin shimmers silver.

My heart jumps into my throat as three wolves ambush us as we try to force our way to the middle of the brawl to get closer to Lyker and his guys. All of Tillman's training and my own from my Memoria stone flee my mind as I freeze for a millisecond as the wolf heading straight for me leaps in the air, jaws open, ready to take my ass down.

Luckily, my dragon's instincts flood me, knocking me out of my stupor, and with a savage growl, I duck under them, running the length of my sharp claws from the base of their throat, down the underside of their belly, flaying them open.

I know the wolf isn't getting up from a wound like that, and I shove the feelings of guilt over the fact that I just took another life way down. It's kill or be killed right now, and I'm not going to be the one to die today.

Searching for my men as I continue to hit whoever comes close to me with either an element or my claws, I spot Caspian wrapping some sort of big cat in a dim shadow. The sun's rays are blocking out most of the darkness, but there are enough bodies casting shadows that he's able to manipulate those.

Although he isn't deterred in the slightest over it, he's forcing his water down throats and caging their heads in water bubbles as he moves through the slew of people as if he's dancing in the wind. Every move is perfectly calculated and deadly. He's completely in his element, and it should worry me he's so comfortable doing this, but instead, I'm in awe. It's like watching the god of revenge take back what's rightfully his.

Corentin's moving swiftly in and out of the light, disappearing and emerging so much I can hardly keep my eyes trained on him, but every time I look for him, I find him looking at me, keeping me locked in his sights.

Draken's a fucking beast and my dragon purrs in my chest, appreciating the way her mate's showing off his strength, wreaking havoc on these lower scale shifters. He's giving no mercy as he commands shifters to bow at his feet, slicing through throats and frying any who come within his reach.

Lastly, I see Tillman. He's right in the middle of everything, standing a few feet in front of Lyker. Left and right, he's sending people flying with his earth element. There's no command he could cast that wouldn't listen to him. Standing inches above everyone else around him, he's a formidable fortress, and no one can penetrate his walls.

The air fills with the smell of blood, and the noise is a booming roar bouncing off the walls of the arena. This is a full-fledged battle. My muscles are screaming at me, but my elements flow freely through my veins and my feet are swift as I try to fight my way to join Tillman.

Oakly's holding her own, casting out whips of water, slashing fur right off the backs of shifters. Nikoli, San, and Jamie are all around her, fighting tooth and nail, trying to move closer to where Ry is more in the middle with Tillman and Lyker's Nexus.

There are so many more shifters, other than wolves, now in their animal forms. I knew they were all Mastery, but I can't tell if all the non-shifted we're fighting are a part of the society as well or just pissed off pack members, but regardless, if they're here fighting against us, they're the enemy, and we aren't pulling our punches for their sake.

I'm only a few feet away from Tillman when my ass gets sent flying backward, out of the ring that's been created surrounding them. My air shoots out of me, slowing my descent and I'm back to charging ahead as soon as my feet touch dirt.

A few strides in, everything begins moving in slow motion. The chaos in front of me transforms into a slow rolling scene as my vision grows hazy.

Fuck, this is not a good time sight.

I'm kind of in the middle of something.

It doesn't matter how hard I try to push the vision off, trying to force my way back to where I was, the sight pushes harder.

Tillman's standing a few feet in front of Lyker and his brothers, battling hard to protect his back, when in slow motion, I watch as a dagger soars through the open space, impaling him right in his chest. A mound of shifters descend, piling on top of him, tearing him limb from limb.

No, no, no. That's not what's supposed to happen.

Show me alternatives now!

The scenes begin to rapidly fire across my mind. Any scenario where Tillman's hit with the dagger, he dies. A terrible, gruesome death.

My ears are ringing with the sound of Tillman's screams. Still trapped in my daze-like vision state, tears drip down my face and I can taste bile collecting in my mouth. The knowledge that Tillman is about to die is causing my body to become physically ill. I won't survive that. Our Nexus won't carry on without him.

Please, there must be another way…

A powerful, commanding growl fills the air. The shifters and wolves that are ambushing Lyker and his brothers hit the ground, bowing their heads, whimpering. Lyker turns on his heel, looking around, when suddenly, in slow motion, I watch as a dagger soars through the open space, impaling him right in his chest.

He pulls the dagger out and looks at it before slamming to his knees, clutching his chest, his healing never kicking in. I watch as black goop pours from the wound. No, not goop, tar. He looks right into my eyes, his brothers kneeling around him, screaming for healing vials and holding a shirt to his wound. He slumps forward, their arms catching him before he faceplants the ground.

It doesn't matter that I'm here with the cure. The dagger embeds deep enough into his chest, that it pierces his heart. We don't have enough time to stop both the deadly poison and the damage done to his heart. He's going to die regardless.

No, no, no, this isn't right. I've prepared. I've been planning this moment out for weeks as best as I could to save him. And now it's showing me either Tillman must die, or Lyker does. It's an obvious choice for me, but absolute fucking carnage will ensue with either scenario.

Please, one more way, show me what to do.

There's only one alternative to keep either scenario from coming true and the sight won't show me how it ends. I'll be going in blind, not knowing the outcome of what I just watched.

My vision clears and the arena is still moving at a snail's pace. The visions may have felt like minutes to me, but only milliseconds have truly passed. As time seems to catch up, the thunder of shouts and snarls fill my ears, and bodies are back to throwing vicious attacks.

Fear has my feet frozen in my spot as the life I've just started begins filtering through my thoughts. Oakly, my sister, born through a bond rather than blood. Standing beside me through thick and thin in our short time together. I can see us growing old, continuing to cause trouble for our Nexuses. Gaster, the strongest familial love I've ever known. His wisdom and protective care over me wraps my heart in a warm blanket.

And most importantly, my loving Nexus. Their fierce, overprotective, and possessive ways that light my body aflame. Their hungry gazes morph into soft caresses. The way they've supported me, taught me, and cared for me since coming here despite the challenges we've already faced together. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with them, learning and growing as we go. This battle won't take that away from me.

Deep breath.

On my exhale, I take off, my feet pounding into the blood-soaked sand as I push myself back to the large gathering of bodies in the center. A small rumble builds in the depths of my chest. Building and building, stronger by the second, but I keep a lock on it as I push all my dominance into the budding power that wants to escape my throat.

"Picture in your mind who you want to direct your dominance at. If it's a large group, focus your mind on eliminating those you don't want to be influenced by your power. Once they're directed out of your aim, then release your command.A command strong enough will keep a weaker shifter locked in a stasis for many hours or until you release them."

Vince's teaching plays through my mind as I map out the center in my head, focusing on eliminating the entire group we brought with us, even though most of them aren't even shifters. Then I focus on Rhett and his Nexus, marking them as safe from my command. Lastly, Lyker and his Nexus. He's the only shifter amongst them, but still, I group them together as one.

Come on, give it all you got.

Finally, when I feel like my chest may burst open at the seams, I release the most powerful growl I've ever commanded. Ordering every shifter in the arena to their knees, bowing before us until I decide they can rise again.

Yelps and whimpers fill the air, mingling with the sound of the stone cracking around the seating sections of the arena. Bodies of both human and animal shifters hit the sand with thuds that make the ground beneath my feet shake. Pulling on my air element, it fights me. Sensing my intentions, it doesn't want to be cast out against a member of my Nexus.

Listen to me. I'm not harming him in any sort of way.

I'm saving his life.

Now move him!

I bellow my orders over and over in my mind until finally, my element relents and listens to my command. Sending out a vortex of air, I lift Tillman up and fling him as gently as I can out of the center of the ring where he was standing right in front of Lyker. He lands just a few feet away from Draken, who within seconds grabs him under his arms and lifts him to his feet.

Lyker's head whips around, looking for who was responsible for the growl that just brought down every shifter in the vicinity but a select few. Just like in my vision, time seems to slow as I watch a man, non-shifter, reach for the sheathed dagger that's attached to his belt. Pulling his hand over his shoulder, he sends the dagger soaring through the air with deadly accuracy, aimed directly at Lyker.

Shoving my air beneath my feet, my body becomes weightless as I sail through the open space, aligning myself perfectly in front of him. Calling on my dragon's fire, I send an inferno of purple flames toward the man who just threw the dagger. I'll give no mercy to anyone who dares take a life with one of the deadly poisons.

As my flames engulf him, the dagger embeds itself deep into my stomach. The force of it sends me flying backward, but strong arms catch me out of the air and cushion my fall. I can instantly feel the poison taking root, spreading through me rapidly, but I still have enough sense to feel and know the arms I'm currently in do not belong to one of my men.

"Your eyes—Who are you? Why would you do that?" Lyker yells. His familiar steely gray-blue eyes are wild as he holds my gaze before looking at the dagger protruding from my gut. As his hand reaches for the handle of the dagger, I'm barely able to choke my words out.

"Don't…remove it…spread faster."

"WILLOW." My Draken, my dragon. His voice echoing through the center has my own dragon whimpering in my chest, needing him closer.

Fuck, I need them all.

Draken slams down on his knees at my side, shoving Lyker away from me with a growl as he takes my hand in his. I can still feel our bond keenly in my chest, and he's panicking. I know he can feel me slipping away. As his eyes travel down my body, he stops on the black sludge dripping out of the wound around the dagger.

He tries to reach for it, and unlike how I was able to warn Lyker, I can't warn him. My voice no longer works as the tar thickens in my vocal cords. Before he can wrap his fingers around the hilt of the dagger, a hand squeezes his shoulder, causing him to whip around and snarl.

"She said not to remove it. It would spread faster," Lyker says, strained as Draken continues to growl at him.

"What would spread faster? What the fuck does that mean?" he yells.

"Primary." "Little warrior." "Princess." My men all whisper as they fall to their knees, surrounding me. Their emotions trample through my chest, adding to the pain of the poison spreading throughout my body.

Shit, how the hell do I explain what to do?