603 Fell Away
The wolves bared their teeth, snarling at her.
Ashleigh swallowed and clenched her jaw.
“You took her offer,” she whispered. Then lowered her head. “A part of me hoped that there was still a chance Lily was wrong about you.”
The wolves snarled again; one snapped its jaws.
Ashleigh turned her body, placed her hands down into the snow, and got on her knees to face them.
“You were each once proud Alphas of Winter,” she growled back at them. “But now you make deals with our enemy.”
One of the three took a step toward her.
“If you think I will just stand back and allow you to take my body….”
Her eyes began to glow with the bright light of the moon.
Though he did not step back, one of the alphas stopped growling at the sight.
The second alpha stepped toward her.
“I gave you a chance to redeem yourselves….” Ashleigh whispered. Her voice was low and echoing with another. “Do not blame me for doing what must be done.”
Her fingers in the snow curled as her body shifted into the great white wolf that she was.
She raised her head and howled before focusing on the wolf that dared to step toward her first.
Ashleigh snarled and then darted forward. Catching the first wolf by surprise, she grabbed his throat between her teeth and clamped down as he cried. She pulled him back from the others, yanking at his fur and shaking him violently.
Tossing him aside, Ashleigh made a move on the second wolf. This one was ready for her and snapped back as she tried to grab him. They bared their teeth, circling each other and growling. The wolf made his move, trying to bite at her leg.
Ashleigh jumped back. The wolf nipped at her, his teeth grazing her leg, but not enough to get a hold of her.
The first wolf got back to his feet with a heavy snarl. He dashed forward, slamming his body against Ashleigh’s and knocking her off balance. The second wolf took this opportunity to jump on her and tried to bite at her throat.
Ashleigh twisted and shook, kicking at the second wolf to get him off her. Meanwhile, the first wolf bit at her legs. He managed to get hold of one and clamped down. Ashleigh let out a cry, but she did not stop fighting.
Focusing her strength on pushing the second wolf off her, Ashleigh flipped onto her side. She successfully knocked the second wolf to the ground but exposed herself to the first wolf. An opportunity that he would not let slip by.
The first wolf bit down on her belly, pushing his teeth through the thick fur until he felt flesh tearing and tasted her blood.
Ashleigh let out a pained whimper, and for a moment, she was afraid. Afraid that she overestimated herself. That she had taken too many risks, and this time it wouldn’t pay off.
The second wolf got back to his feet. He turned to her and snarled before lunging for her throat.
Ashleigh squirmed and tried to pull away, barely able to escape the second wolf’s attack. Finally, the first wolf lost his hold on her belly, and she was able to move away enough to stand.
The first and second wolves growled and snarled, baring their teeth as they neared her. Ashleigh took a step back, but her wounds were not insignificant. There was pain and weakness. She wasn’t sure that she could actually survive this fight.
A sudden shift in the air around them drew the attention of all the wolves.
They turned and saw what appeared to be another portal appearing not far from where Ashleigh struggled to stay standing. This one was grey and dark.
Two of the three alphas took a step back as they recognized it.
‘The deadlands….’
The whisper came from one of the alphas. Ashleigh turned back to them. She could see the fear in the eyes of the two wolves before her.
They would fight tooth and claw to stay on this side of that portal.
Ashleigh felt a heaviness in her gut. She needed to win, to survive.
They turned their eyes back on her, their fear turning to rage.
‘I won’t make it easy….’ Ashleigh growled in her mind.
Both wolves charged forward, and Ashleigh prepared to hold her ground. When suddenly, the second wolf cried out. Ashleigh and the first wolf both paused, looking toward the sound.
To their surprise, the third wolf, the third alpha, had finally joined the fray. He held the second wolf’s back leg in his mouth, yanking him backward and crushing the leg between his teeth.
The second wolf cried out, and the third looked at Ashleigh.
‘We have failed Winter,’ he whispered in her thoughts. ‘We do not deserve to leave this place.’
Ashleigh was stunned.
‘You shine with the light of the Goddess.…’ he continued. ‘I’m sorry for my part in all of this.’
Ashleigh didn’t know what to say, and it didn’t matter. The first wolf was unwilling to wait for their conversation to be done as it jumped forward to attack her.
***
The Dark Queen watched with anticipation. Waiting for Ashleigh’s lifeless body to move once more. She was tempted to stab her again, but that would break her oath.
She was still holding Caleb against the wall with several of her smaller vines. Yet, she stood nearer to Ashleigh, looking for any subtle changes.
Caleb had lost the obsidian blade, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t draw a weapon. Now that she was focused elsewhere and had removed the bindings to his arms, he was sure he could escape if he was quick.
Taking a deep breath, he summoned a dagger into each of his hands. He waited to ensure she hadn’t noticed first, then prepared to make his move.
p、A,nd A-n、o、ve,1
The Dark Queen felt the cut and turned as Caleb set himself free.
She growled her frustration and sent a wave of tendrils racing to catch him. He was fast, avoiding each of the vines. She noticed he seemed to have a goal in mind, and the Dark Queen followed his gaze. There she saw the obsidian blade.
She snarled and turned toward Caleb, hurling herself at him quickly and precisely.
Caleb felt the threat moving toward him. He turned just in time to find her long tendrilled fingers stretching to him. He shifted and ducked under her arm, running as fast as he could, but she managed to grab his leg.
Caleb cried out, shifting back to his human form. He tried to reach the vine and cut it. However, the Dark Queen already anticipated his move and appeared before him with a wicked grin on her wooden mask.
Caleb gasped as the thick vine wrapped around his throat, lifting him into the air before slamming him against the wall.
The Dark Queen slithered toward him, leaning her wooden mask near his face.
“I’m going to kill you now–AAAHHH!!!”
The Dark Queen’s words were cut off by her guttural roar as she screamed out from the excruciating pain in her body.
She looked down to see the tip of the obsidian blade sticking out of her body. Then, looking over her shoulder, she saw Ashleigh gasping for breath and holding the sword’s hilt in her hand.
Ashleigh growled and shoved the blade until she couldn’t anymore.
The Dark Queen screamed in agony, letting Caleb fall to the ground.
And then, all around them, the golden walls and road fell away.