28. Maxton

28

MAXTON

T he call from Ryder made us both nervous. We decided since we were here, we would check out the last shop quickly before going back to the pack. The magic shop was enormous. I had no clue what we were looking for, but Soren seemed to know his way around just fine.

"Can I help you?"

A woman walked up to us keeping her eyes on me.

"Do you have any artifacts that can make someone powerless? Immobilize their magic?" Soren asked, finally catching her attention.

"I don't believe anything like that exists," she said, looking perplexed.

"Ok do you have any silencing charms and invisibility charms?" he asked, looking at a few objects on a shelf.

"I do," she said, turning away.

"I need a few acid elixirs if you have them too," he said, following her.

"What are these?" I asked, picking up a sunflower.

"Oh, those are my inventions," the woman said, turning around. "They emit a blinding light, like the sun that you can use for a quick getaway."

I nodded.

"I haven't sold a lot, but it's probably from them not being very ingenious," she laughed nervously. "They hold the power of the sun."

"We'll take two," I said, feeling like we needed them, and her face lit up.

"Oh my, thank you!" She grabbed two.

A wave of uneasiness hit. I looked over at Soren who looked up at me. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"Ok, all together is—" Soren threw money at her, grabbing the bag.

"I'm so sorry!" I yelled, as we bolted out of the shop, running to the car.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Someone was watching us, we had caught their attention, but Soren pulled out of the parking lot quickly.

"Her men are there." It wasn't a question.

"I'm sure of it," I said, looking back.

"Taylin?" he asked, looking at the mirror on the top of the window.

"No, I don't think so," I said, shaking my head. "If there are people there, then we have to leave. We aren't safe here anymore."

Soren nodded as he kept looking in the rear-view mirror as worry clawed at me. The moment we got close to the gate my worst nightmare had come true. They had already found us. Soren pulled off the road quickly, my stomach turned sour at the thought of what we were going to find.

"We need to go on foot, maybe scope around," he said, getting out of the car. "We can leave from here in case we need to make a quick getaway."

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat as I got out of the car. This couldn't be it. I had just gotten her back; I thought we had more time.

"Come on," Soren said, but my breathing had gotten quick, blood was roaring in my ears, and I felt like I might throw up.

I couldn't lose her again.

"Maxton!" Soren snapped, holding my face in his hands, bringing me out of my panic. "We aren't going to lose her Maxton. We are all going to grow old together, have babies, and grandkids. Or it could just be us for the rest of our lives, but what matters is that it won't end today."

His voice was full of emotion, but he was right. I wouldn't have her taken away from me ever again.

"You're right, let's go," I said.

"Come on." He took off running and I stayed close.

There was destruction at the gate and only a few people were there.

"I think we should clean up here and make our way in," Soren said. "It might be time to let your dragon out."

"It's too risky." I shook my head. "I'm too clumsy and I could very well kill any of you."

I regretted not taking the time to practice.

"Shit, never mind," he said, looking like he wanted to say something else. "I think if worse comes to worse, you're going to have to leave with her."

"Soren," I clipped. "She won't want that."

"Her safety is the most important thing," he snapped. "Even Addie said if she gets captured, then all of us are dead anyways."

"She won't survive losing any of you," I said, grasping at anything to make him reconsider this insane plan.

"She will if she has one of us and you're her best bet," he said, looking sad. "Take her back to your lands and find your people no matter what it takes. Keep her safe."

"Soren, I won't?—"

"You have to. If it comes to that, you have to get her out of here," he said, scanning the area around us. "There are some islands off the coast of Miami, contact Addie and ask her to get in touch with Barley, tell him Ryder, Soren and Gray sent you."

It wasn't just Oria who was going to miss them. The merry band of bandits had become family, brothers I never had, and I didn't know how I could part with them either.

"Soren, I—" my voice broke as I looked away.

"I know, but do it for her," he said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

We stared at each other before I nodded.

"Take care of her," he said, hugging me quickly before running to the men at the gate.

I shifted into a cheetah, blending into the grass before jumping on one of the guards, sinking my teeth into his neck. The next guy threw fire at me, but his aim was awful so I jumped on him, sinking my claws into his chest.

He yelled from the pain and I dragged my claws down. Soren and I worked our way through the men that were left behind and when we finally got through the gate, my heart stopped. The man working for Laima was throwing magic everywhere as dozens of wolves tried to fight back. My gut felt heavy with remorse that these people didn't deserve this.

This fueled my anger as I started killing people trying to find Oria in the mess. I felt our bond and I followed it until I was hit with something knocking me back. I growled when I was pinned down by an unseen force. Something pushed against my throat, blocking my airway and I thrashed, panicking, desperate to get away, when I decided to shift.

I shifted into a gorilla, immediately seeing the woman who was using her power against me. I felt her magic against me, but I was pushing against it with all of my might. I saw a rock on the floor and I reached for it, throwing it at her. It released her power on me, allowing me to jump on her. I wanted to kill her, but a part of me couldn't, so I hit her hard enough to knock her out.

It was absolute chaos as I looked around at the scene. Then I felt a sharp pain in the bond. My legs threatened to give out and I knew someone was hurt. The pain was excruciating as I pushed through it, seeing Oria's blonde hair. So many people were hurt as I passed by them, but I only had eyes for Oria.

A scream pierced through the noise and I knew it was my Sol. I was tearing through the men quickly ripping limbs off, but there were so many people. That's when I smelled dark magic. She was too close to Oria. I pushed myself harder, finally reaching her when she started to glow. Her shine was so bright, I had to look away and that's when I felt her magic brushing over me and every other wolf who was around me.

She was healing the pack. Wolves got off the floor, but there was a stillness in the air.

"Come back, Oria, and no one else gets hurt," Laima's voice echoed. "I will?—"

A loud boom stopped her words and the chaos ensued. I ran for my mate, anxiety clawing at me, the need to see her was drowning out my other senses. I dodged people, throwing them out of my way, making a path to her.

Her eyes widened when she saw me. As soon as our eyes met, she relaxed. Ryder growled next to her. I shifted quickly, reaching for her to make sure she was ok.

"Max," she whimpered in my embrace, her voice sounding exhausted.

She ran her hands over my back like she was making sure I was ok.

"I didn't know if you were ok," she cried frantically.

"I'm ok," I said against her head that was tucked against my chest. "We need to get out of here."

I pulled away from her, checking our surroundings, but it seemed we were behind a wall of wolves. I felt Ryder's commands as well as Wyman's. They were roughly the same size, but Ryder was slightly bigger.

"I can't leave them," she said, immediately turning around, pulling a charm off her necklace that only had a few stones left on it.

Her eyes scanned the area until she found what she was looking for. She whispered her incantation, throwing it at a particular area that had a lot of men in it. When it hit the floor, a few men yelled in agony. A few made it through the barrier and I shifted immediately to a panther. I was agile enough to weave in and out of the wolves taking down men, hoping they didn't mistake me for the enemy.

"No!" Ryder's yell made the hair on the back of my neck stand up as I scanned for Oria.

I expected to feel pain through the bond except all I felt was anger.

"No!" he yelled again as I saw him jump in the air, hitting the ground. A ripple of power originated from him, knocking down the men all around.

I saw blond hair weaving between the wolves, and I ran toward her, taking out a few men on the way. As soon as I reached her, I saw Ryder's baby brother on the floor gasping for air.

Oria wasted no time in healing him and I felt it again. She was healing the pack. Wolves all around me were glowing in gold as she healed them.

Goddess, she was amazing.

I turned around to protect her so she could continue healing him and the pack. Two men jumped on me, and I snarled, feeling something sharp pierce my back.

"Get away from my mate," Oria snarled.

One of the men was pulled off and I fell on my back, turning quickly to swipe at the man below me. I hit him a few times before he looked unrecognizable. I looked over at Oria who was holding onto the man and he was screaming in pain as she glowed.

His screaming stopped when she let him go, but her eyes were wide like she couldn't believe what she had done.

"Oria!" Laima's right hand yelled, he was close, and I shifted, reaching for Oria, taking her far away from the fighting.

Ryder followed us as a boom threw us forward. I covered Oria with my body, falling on my back to protect her. Howls and screams filled the air. They were getting too close.

Ryder shifted, helping Oria up.

"You need to leave," he said quickly. "Max, you need to shift into a dragon and fly away with her."

"I'm not going anywhere," Oria snapped. "I'm not leaving any of you."

"Max," he pleaded with me.

You promised. Soren's voice was in my head. Take her.

Oria took one look at me and she shook her head. "No, Max."

I swallowed roughly.

Go with him, Sunshine. Gray said. We will see you soon.

"No," Oria snapped her eyes, filling with tears. "No."

She stepped away from me.

"We will meet up with you," Ryder said to her.

"You're lying," she cried. "I rather die?—"

"No, you need to survive, Heaven," Ryder said, bringing her in for a hug. "Live for us and for everyone else. We all depend on you."

"This isn't fair," she cried into his chest. "I just got you, this can't be it. Ryder, I need you. I need all of you. Max, please don't do this."

She grew more panicked, her rambling increased making me want to abandon this stupid plan.

Go now! Gray yelled. Live, Sunshine. Save everyone. In every lifetime.

Ryder pushed Oria against me. "Save her, brother."

"I love you, Heaven." His voice cracked before he ran back into the fight.

"No!" Oria screamed, running after him until one of the twins caught her, telling her something with his hands on her face.

I pushed my transformation before she decided to run after him. It was the quickest I had ever done it. I roared, hoping it would scare the enemy and that's when I felt someone's eyes on me. The tingle of magic hit me, but it wasn't as painful. Anger in me made me want to spread fire everywhere just to make sure all of Laima's army died.

Sol! I yelled, hoping to get her attention.

One of the twins pushed her towards me as I knelt down.

"I'm not leaving you, Sor," she cried. "Don't do this, please."

Go now! Ryder yelled.

"Oria!" Laima screamed.

Soren grabbed her, putting her on my back along with a bag.

"Go, Max!" he yelled.

"NO!" she screamed, as I flapped my wings gaining height.

A ball of magic was thrown at me, narrowly missing us.

"Max, you better not leave," Oria screamed. "They need us!"

I have to, Sol. I was gaining height and I decided to breathe fire onto the enemy and pray no shifters were there. I flew higher and higher, feeling Oria's devastation and I almost went back for them until we flew past Laima. She had magic in her hands watching us leave. Her fury was palpable, and I knew we had made the right decision.