Pack Bound: Pack Bound Series Book 1, page 32
Skye had canted the spell! She’d accepted her power as he’d told her to. But it was wild. Uncontrolled. Then something in it changed. More magic, alien and yet familiar, pushed forward, linking with Skye’s power, binding it, melding with it.
Light exploded in his mind and he faltered with the impact. In his mind, alongside Skye’s Pack Witch bond, he saw two more bond threads spring into existence, a brilliant golden-orange and a vibrant amethyst purple.
Bron and Shelley.
Somehow, they were now linked to the pack. He had no idea how Skye had managed to do it, or how Shelley and Bron managed to maintain the links—it should be impossible—but there they were, as bright as day in a terrifying night. Two threads that were the saviours of his pack.
Howling at the moon above him, he surged forward with even more speed than before, his brother echoing his howl of triumph and revenge at his side as he too saw the new bonds form.
The pack might be safe, but Skye and her twin were still in mortal danger. He must save them or the joy of what had been given would turn into a grief that would never end.
28
Fire bloomed inside Skye’s chest, but it wasn’t the cold fire of her grandpa and it wasn’t the hot, burning fire from Morrigan’s poison. It was her own.
Her own power, but mixed, changed. And for the first time, she was in control of it.
It filled her and it was magnificent. Within it was the freshness of rain, the tang of the fire, the wildness of the wind, the deep musk of the earth.
She wasn’t just the fire.
She was everything.
The magic pressing her down, those invisible manacles, seemed suddenly insignificant. Too easily, she used her new awareness to blow it away.
Alfrere’s eyes widened above her and then he screamed, slapping at his skin as blue fire skated across it.
‘No!’ Morrigan cried out, her scream of confused rage insignificant.
There was a growl from beside her as River sat up. Then a growling howl from the other side of the room. A large gold and silver wolf leaped in front of her, its jaws angled to grasp Alfrere by the throat.
His scream cut off in a gurgling cry as the copper tang of blood scented the air.
The green-blue tinge of lightning brightened the darkness of the cave. Sitting up, Skye saw Morrigan facing a large pitch-black wolf. Lightning snapped out of the ancient witch’s fingertips, aimed at the wolf. He dived aside. The gold and silver wolf joined him, his snarling muzzle covered in blood.
‘No! No!’ Morrigan screamed as she backed away, her lightning keeping the wolves at bay, hitting the walls, bringing down dirt and rocks between her and them.
A golden-rainbow blaze sparked to light on Skye’s left. But it sputtered, broken by darkness.
She turned to see what it was and gasped. Russet-coloured fur covered River’s chest and face, his hands were curved into vicious claws and his mouth and nose were pointed in a muzzle. Lips curling back over glistening sharp teeth, he snarled and leapt forward. He’d changed, but only halfway.
‘Oh, God. River!’
His head swung to face her, hazel eyes fogged by pain, his muzzle twisted by the scars marring the left side of his face. Then he turned back to Morrigan and leapt towards her, swiping with his clawed hand.
‘No!’ Morrigan screamed, sending a blaze of magic towards River. The lash of fire barely missed him as he dived sideways. Gaining his feet, he turned to leap at Morrigan again. Her fire lashed at the ceiling. There was a loud explosion and large chunks of rock rained down.
River yelped as he was caught under the fall.
‘River!’ Skye screamed, the sound lost in the wail of the wind she created around her. She aimed her magic at Morrigan. A burst of wind hit the ancient witch and she was flung against the wall with a nasty crack. Floppy as a rag doll, she fell to the floor. Skye turned her attention to her twin. He lay still, partially covered by the roof’s debris. She raised her hand and the rocks lifted in the air and then flew to smack against the far wall.
River didn’t move.
She wanted to run to him but didn’t dare go near him with her power flaring around her like this. ‘River! River, answer me!’ she yelled over the noise of her own magic. ‘Please tell me you’re okay.’
Still no movement. No flutter of awareness through their twin bond.
Fear scarred her throat. Was he dead? Had she failed to save him?
Panic, guilt and grief whirled inside her, a maelstrom that only grew stronger, feeding into her magic, flipping the switch until it was a roaring hurricane. She tried to move towards him, but power snapped and snarled around her, fear and anger lending it weight. She seemed bound to the altar where her life had almost ended, where her magic, hidden and cowed into almost non-existence, was finally let free. And it wasn’t about to be reined in so easily. Not even to check on her brother.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jason’s wolf approach her. She shook her head, barely able to see now through the flickering blue of the flame and lightning surrounding her body, snapping out in uncontrolled licks.
‘Don’t come near me, Jason. I’ll hurt you.’
‘You’ll never hurt me.’
‘Please, check on River. He’s more important.’
There was a shimmering of golden rainbows, so beautiful it made her chest hurt with longing as wolf became man. Hunkering down at River’s side, the black Adam-wolf at his shoulder, Jason ran his hand over her twin.
‘He’s breathing,’ he said, directly into her mind like he did when he’d been in his wolf form. ‘He’s been cut up a bit by the falling rocks, but nothing serious. I think he was just knocked out.’
Skye breathed in properly. But the power didn’t wane as she expected. Instead, it increased as Jason shouted over the noise to Adam, ‘Take him to Bron. She’s a healer. She might be able to help him.’
Skye could barely see now through the blue of fire and wind and rain that surrounded her. The scent of earth was thick in her nose and mouth. She tried to speak, to plead with them not to take River away. She needed him. He was the only one who could ground her now.
But nothing came. No sound except for the howl of her wind magic in her ears.
Fearful now of what she might do to those she loved, she remained as still as she could, unwilling to even gesture slightly in case she unleashed something that might destroy any one of them.
The thought of River being hurt or dying was bad enough, but Jason? He must live. A world without him just wouldn’t be complete. He was too important. To her. To others. He, more than any other, must leave. He had so many to protect. And now that Shelley and Bron had been pulled into the Packbond, he had the chance to do just that.
She needed to tell him; tried to use the mind-speech again, but her head was too full of power for her to use what had allowed her to communicate that way only moments before. ‘Jason,’ she managed to say past the wind and earth that filled her mouth, hoping he would still hear her. ‘Go. Get out of here. My power is building and I won’t be able to control it. Anyone who stays will be burnt to cinders. You have to go.’
Jason shook his head. ‘I’m not leaving you.’ Adam growled. Jason turned to his brother, fire in his eyes. ‘Don’t argue. Take River and go. I’ll look after Skye.’
The black wolf hesitated, as Skye screamed, ‘You have to go too! You think there’s no reason to live, but there is. I’m bonded to Shelley and Bron. They helped me release my power and when they did that, part of my power surged back into them and tied them to you. They’re part of the pack. They’re your new Pack Witches. They’ll make certain the Curse doesn’t affect you anymore’
‘I know. I felt it when it happened.’
‘You have them now. You have to let me go.’
‘No! I won’t do that.’
‘Jason. Please! You don’t have a choice. My power … it’s too much.’ The words were almost swallowed in the snap of fire and blow of wind, but she could tell by the stubborn look on his face that Jason had heard them.
‘I’ll never leave you,’ he said, expression fierce. ‘Ever. You are my life. The bond is almost complete. If you are to die tonight, then so will I.’
Skye’s scream of grief was echoed by the black wolf as he howled.
Jason made a sharp gesture with his hand. ‘No arguments, Adam. Go. Trust me. I know what I must do.’ The black wolf sidled up to Jason, whimpered a question and butted his head against his leg. ‘I know,’ Jason said, ruffling the wolf’s fur. ‘I know. Now go. River needs saving, too.’
Adam changed in a blaze of sparking golden light and before the change was even complete, bent to pick up River.
As he straightened, a shot of lightning ripped towards him. ‘Fuck me! What the hell was that?’ he said as the lightning missed him by bare inches. Jason had gone on alert, looking towards Morrigan. She was still passed out against the wall where Skye had flung her. They slowly turned to look at Skye.
‘I’m sorry,’ Skye gasped, horrified her magic had lashed out at Adam. ‘I can’t … I can’t stop it. Go. You have to go. All of you.’
Adam slung River over his shoulder, ducking and darting as Skye’s lightning lashed towards him. Then he was gone up the tunnel, disappearing into the dark.
Skye’s magic crackled around her, hitting the walls and ceiling, large and small chunks raining down around Jason. ‘Please. Go.’
‘No. I am your mate. I am your channel. All you have to do is accept. Open yourself to it. Use me.’ Jason took a step towards her. Another.
She tried to take control of the lashing power, to push him back, make him leave.
Wind hit him, but he kept moving towards her.
She tried again, but her power slipped. Lightning lashed at him, flame licked at his skin, but still he came, not giving an inch even though he must be in agony.
‘Jason,’ she cried. ‘I don’t want to kill you.’
‘You won’t kill me,’ he said, sounding so assured. ‘I am your life as you are mine. Let me help you.’
‘Nothing can help me now.’ Wind whipped around her, ripping at her hair, tearing her eyes. ‘You’re wrong. I’m not yours. I can never have children.’
‘Do you think I care about that?’
‘You must.’
The magic burned through her, shredding her thoughts, her emotions, until she was terrified that very soon, no particle of Skye would remain. But no matter how she tried, she couldn’t gain control.
And still he moved towards her.
Jason leaped onto the altar, his skin covered in her blue fire. But rather than burning him, turning him to ash as she feared, it was a warm caress across his skin.
Smiling, he reached out, touched her face. Lightning lashed at the ceiling, bringing down a large chunk right behind him. But he didn’t notice, only looked at his Skye, the most beautiful, precious thing he’d ever seen.
A tear trembled down her cheek. ‘Jason,’ she pleaded once more.
He shook his head. ‘Do you love me, Skye?’
‘You know I do, but—’
‘There are no buts. Trust me. I’m your channel, but only if you open yourself to the mating bond.’
‘I can’t. I can’t tie you to me and a life without family.’
‘I should have said it before, but you are all the family I need.’
She was still shaking her head, but his hands firmed on her. ‘Don’t fight what’s inevitable. Accept me. Accept us. Become one with me.’ Then, despite the flames and the wind, the torrent of rain, the earth that crumbled from the ceiling, he folded her into his arms and held tight. ‘Together. We will face eternity together. That’s how it will always be,’ he whispered in her ear.
He could feel his words resonate through her with the impact of his touch and then without warning, the barriers she’d built up to protect herself from him fell away and there was only the bond—a bright, golden-rainbow light with a centre of lightning-struck blue and emerald as green as her eyes twined around them until there was no telling the separate essences apart.
They were one.
‘My mate!’ Jason’s exultant cry melded with hers as magic rippled out of her, surging into him. But instead of shrivelling him to ash, it filled him with energy and a joy so true it brought tears to his eyes. Turning his head, he kissed her with a longing that would never end, holding her tight as the power rocked them both.
The magic flared, a brilliant flash of blue fire, but instead of consuming them as she’d feared, it was sucked down, into her, through Jason and into the Packbond.
Light streamed through him and into a thousand threads of a pack that had been too long without its Pack Witch—too long without the release and relief of the change. Across the globe, a thousand minds howled in joy as the bright light of Skye’s magic slid through them, warming them with a love he knew was an incredible gift, and a power that was astounding. As one, a thousand minds gave over to the change and joy filled him—a joy he never knew was possible.
The warmth of tears slid down his face.
They would be strong again. No. They were strong again. And all because of the woman in his arms, who had been willing to give her life to save all of them.
The light died. Everything went deathly quiet.
Jason held her even tighter and breaking the quiet, whispered against her lips, ‘You are a gift.’
Skye leaned back a little to meet his gaze. ‘No, you are mine. You saved me,’ she said, wonderingly.
He smiled—that crooked smile she so loved. ‘As you saved me.’
‘Yes,’ she murmured. ‘I love you.’
‘I love you too.’
He smiled down at her, filling her with warmth and love. And yet, there was still the sadness that would never go away.
A tear fell from her eye. ‘I can’t believe you made me do that to you. We’re mated now, which means you can never have children.’
Jason brushed the tear away with his thumb and touched his nose to hers. ‘Children are never a certainty. It’s true they are precious, but a mating bond is more so. What kind of Alpha would I have been if I couldn’t show our pack the most important of lessons?’
‘What? To love, warts and all?’
He laughed and brushed a kiss over her mouth. ‘You may be a witch, but there are no warts. That I would know. You are perfect. Besides, we might not be able to have children of our own but we have Tom to raise. And we can always adopt. There are many children out there who need a family. We can give them that.’
She gasped. ‘You would do that? Bring a human child into the pack?’
‘Why not? Now we’ve got Wiccans as Pack Witches, the sky’s the limit.’ His smile died, his gaze piercing hers with serious intent. ‘If I’ve learned anything from recent events, it’s that we can’t only hold tight to the past. We have to look to the future.’
His words echoed exactly how she felt. She reached up to kiss him again, but her legs gave way.
Jason caught her.
She laughed. ‘I seem to have a habit of doing that with you.’
‘I don’t mind,’ he said, his lips lingering against hers.
But before she gave herself up to his kiss, she gasped and pulled back. Jason had killed Alfrere but she didn’t know if … ‘Morrigan!’
They turned. Morrigan was gone.
‘Did I destroy her?’
Jason scanned the cavern, his eyes narrowed. ‘I don’t know.’
He shifted his body a little, but not before she saw the blackened body with his throat ripped out lying in the corner—Alfrere. There was no sign of another body.
‘She got away.’ The bitterness at that thought was thick in the back of Skye’s throat.
Jason nodded. ‘There’s no sign of her scent. She must have managed to get out before your magic flowed through the caves. Alfrere wasn’t so lucky.’
‘I’m glad. He deserved to be killed. But I wish you’d let me finish him off.’
Jason tipped her chin, looking deep into her eyes. ‘No, you don’t. To kill … Even when justified, it still places a darkness on your soul. I would never wish that for you.’
Skye swallowed. ‘And you think I want that for you?’
‘No. But it is done and I cannot be sorry for it.’
‘As I can’t be sorry for my wish to avenge myself on Morrigan. For what she did to all of us. She deserves to be wiped from this world with no trace she ever existed. And I want to be the one to do it.’
Jason took in a deep breath. ‘I know how you feel. I vowed to the Dark Moon I would get revenge on the one who had brought insanity and death to my pack. But I don’t want you going after her. She is your grandmother.’
‘That bitch is not my grandmother. She murdered my grandmother and Ferris.’ Grief gripped her throat, but she pushed it back. Her grieving could wait. ‘She deserves to die.’
‘Yes, she does. Together then?’
‘Together.’
He brushed her hair back from her face, staring into her eyes. ‘You are so strong.’
‘I’m not. Not in the way you mean. But when the power swept through me, I thought nothing could stop me. I was everything.’ She frowned, cupped his face. ‘It was so foolish what you did. How on earth did you stop me? How did you stop my power from going nova and killing us all?’ she asked him, her voice filled with wonder. If she’d incinerated Alfrere then Jason should be dead too.
He brushed hair from her face. ‘As Alpha, I can channel a witch’s magic.’
‘But my magic is more than a normal witch’s. It should have killed you.’
‘I am your mate as you are mine. I’m stronger because we are joined. When you accepted the mating bond and focused your magic at me, I was able to channel it through the Packbond to every member of the pack, turning the power into harmless energy that did what it was always meant to do—give hope and life.’ He chuckled. ‘There’s probably a bunch of surprised wolves dancing in the moonlight right now.’
Skye laughed with him, but then her laughter died. ‘Do you think the magic helped River change fully too?’
Jason closed his eyes and she knew he was contacting Adam through the Packbond.
