Chapter 191: Chapter 190

Lanie “NO!" | yelled, rushing forward.

But all at once, Xander, Zane, and Braden stepped in front of me.

“You can’t, Lanie” Zane held out his hands to stop me.

But | couldn’t watch Mason die, either. | looked down at Stella, then back at Mason. He shook his head weakly.

This was an impossible decision. Any choice | made would be devastating.

“He’s all talk, Lanie,” Xander said, his wolf rising up in him as he faced his father. “He’s a f ucking coward.”

“You disrespectful little sh it,” Orion said.

“I'd rather be disrespectful than f ucking evil,” Xander snapped. “You're threatening to kill your only two sons all because you want to build an undefeatable army? Really?”

My heart ached for Xander and Mason, especially since they both were such great fathers. And for Zane, trapped in the middle of it all.

If | turned myself in, | couldn’t even make their pain go away. Stella was their child, and | was their mate.

“I'm waiting, Lanie,” Orion growled. “Make your choice.”

“Are you st upid?” Braden asked.

We all looked at him, shock on our faces.

Orion reddened, shaking with fury. “Excuse me, bloodsucker?”

“There’s three of us, and one of you,” Braden said, planting his hands on his hips. “We can take your old as s down in seconds flat.”

Da mn, Braden had some balls. | could tell by the glances Xander and Zane exchanged that they were thinking the same thing.

Asudden stillness fell over all of us, and | wondered what would happen next. | hadn’t made my decision yet, but Orion was growing antsier by the second. His canines had dropped, and so had his claws. But by now everyone was half vampire or werewolf except me.

Orion’s eyes flashed crimson. His gaze swept over everyone, then landed on me.

“Time’s up,” he said, raising Mason off the ground by the throat.

It was like time stood still. | shut my eyes tight, my stomach flip-flopping and my ears ringing.

| waited to hear the thud of Mason’s body, and Orion’s vicious laugh, but instead | heard a whooshing slowly opened my eyes. Braden was holding Mason, now inside the border of the protective spell.

e okay. Lanie,” Zane said. He’d walked over to me, and he was rubbing my back.

“That was easy,” Braden said. “You have no leverage how.”

Too easy, | thought.

And sure enough, Orion’s lips spread into a wicked smirk.

“Come on out boys,” he said.

Suddenly, at least ten High Guards emerged from the trees, walking forward to flank Orion, My heart thudded. They couldn't get to us, could they?

“One problem,” Braden said. “The spell. It can only be broken by the witch who cast it. You can stand out there forever, but Lanie’s never crossing that f ucking line.

“You didn’t think this through did you, old man?” Xander asked.

But Orion's jaw was set defiantly.

“Actually, | did,” he said. He reached behind the nearest tree and pulled out a bound and gagged Rhiannon. Her eyes were big and glassy and full of fear.

S hit. How had he captured her? How did he know she was the witch who'd done the spell?

Orion ripped off her gag and shoved her to the ground.

“Break the spell,” he commanded.

“Don't do it, Rhiannon,” Braden said. “You know you don’t want to.”

Tears streamed down her face.

“She wants to live,” Orion said. “So she doesn’t have a choice. Now DO IT!”

The guards behind Orion stood in warrior pose, ready to attack.

Xander and Braden flexed their fists and did the same. Zane moved in front of me, his arms outstretched.

“I'm sorry,” Rhiannon whispered, before closing her eyes and speaking an incantation in a rough, cracked voice.

Suddenly, there was a burst of light, and then silence.

And then all hell broke loose.

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