Sacrifice

Jaxon

I stood there, stunned. Anthony had turned Vulpes’ first line of defense into a bloodbath. The wolves that had been a constant pain for our kind were now wiped out. Anthony’s forces had won, but at a terrible price.

The bodies scattered on the ground were once my friends. My pack. It was a punch to the gut to see them dead, all for Anthony’s twisted cause. Their lives were lost because of a madman’s whims. And because I had left them behind.

But I couldn’t afford to wallow in guilt. Quinn was still in danger. With the battle over, I couldn’t hide anymore. My only choice was to blend in with the survivors, nursing their wounds and mourning their losses.

I kept my head down, stepping carefully around the bodies. If I drew attention, who knew what would happen? The survivors watched me with bloodshot eyes, their pain clear.

“Got off easy, did ya?” an older soldier called out, wrapping a bandage around his mangled arm.

I nodded and moved on, heading for the grand staircase. It was now a grim monument to the fallen. The injured moaned as I passed, reaching out for help. I wanted to stop, to help them. Maybe that would make up for my failures.

But I couldn’t. I had to find Quinn. My loyalty was to her now, not my pack. Not the best mindset for an Alpha, but it was all I had left.

I made it to the stairs, avoiding the desperate hands reaching out to me. I prayed that Quinn was safe somewhere up there. If she wasn’t... I didn’t know what I’d do.

Just as I started up the stairs, a familiar voice rang out.

“Attention! Your Alpha approaches.”

~Ryland.~

Footsteps echoed closer. I dropped to the ground, pretending to be injured. I brushed my hair over my face, hoping to hide my identity.

Through the strands of hair, I saw a group of nine approaching. Five wolves and three humans. Two of them were Anthony and Ryland, their boots caked in mud and blood.

The third set of feet was bare, delicate, and fair.

~Quinn!~

I wanted to run to her, but I knew that would be a death sentence.

Anthony’s group stopped at the foot of the stairs, surveying the room.

“Goodness, what a mess we made,” Anthony said, his voice dry.

He turned to Ryland. “What are our losses, Beta?”

~Ryland’s a Beta now? That’s why he betrayed me?~

“We lost at least half, sir. Perhaps more,” Ryland reported. “But we managed to eradicate every member of Vulpes in sight.”

Anthony smiled.

“Excellent.”

“But I fear, sir, that our depleted forces will not be able to sustain another onslaught of this scale.”

“These lives come cheap, Beta,” Anthony dismissed. “We can always recruit more to join us.”

His indifference made my blood boil. He didn’t care about the lives lost, only the victory.

Then, Anthony turned to Quinn.

“What do you say, girl?” he sneered. “Care to take up arms with the rest of us in the cause of glory?”

Quinn spat in his face.

“Vile bitch!” Anthony shouted, slapping Quinn across the face.

I wanted to tear him apart. But if I intervened, who knew what he’d do to Quinn.

I bit back a grunt as Quinn cried out in pain.

~Shit. Did he hear me?~

Anthony took a deep breath, then started to laugh.

“Very well. If you refuse to join my new empire, then I’m afraid I have no use for you.”

He pulled out a knife, holding it to Quinn’s throat.

I couldn’t stand by any longer.

“No!” I shouted, launching myself at Anthony.

Ryland tried to stop me, but I knocked him down. I grabbed Anthony, trying to wrestle him to the ground.

“What a fool you are!” Anthony grunted. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist helping your precious mate.”

“Let her the fuck go, Anthony!” I yelled.

He laughed.

“You don’t have near enough leverage to be making any demands, Jax!”

I tightened my grip on his hands. The knife was slipping from his grasp.

“Get him!” Anthony ordered.

Three wolves jumped on me, pulling me away from Anthony. I tried to fight them off, but it was no use.

Anthony laughed as the wolves tore into me.

“Jax! No!” Quinn screamed.

Then everything went silent. The world faded to black.

I was falling into the cold, endless void of death.

It was cold.

And strangely familiar.

Quinn

~This had all happened before... Why must he keep dying. How many deaths does he have to die?~

My heart was drowning in the sorrow of losing Jax, my mate, for the third time.

~How did this happen?~

I’d been given two chances to save him from death, and both times, I’d failed.

The pain was too much to bear.

I couldn’t stand the thought of living anymore.

If my existence meant Jax’s death, then I wanted no part of it.

“Don’t worry,” Anthony snarled, “you’ll be joining him soon.”

I felt no fear as he pulled back his knife, ready to plunge it into my heart.

I knew I wouldn’t feel a thing.

My heart was already numb.

Death was all I had left.

But just as Anthony’s blade was about to pierce my skin, a loud howl echoed through the air.

He turned to see where it came from.

Three wolves came charging around the corner, bounding up the stairs toward him.

“What the hell is this? The cavalry?” Anthony sneered. “Take them down!”

His pack of five wolves lunged at the newcomers.

~Who are they?~

I watched as they slashed their claws at Anthony’s guards.

It took a moment to see their faces through the chaos.

One wolf had a light grey coat and bright blue eyes that, even in the heat of battle, held a certain innocence.

Another wolf moved with a grace that was almost elegant. Its tan fur remained untouched as it dodged each attack. Its deep hazel eyes were filled with a calculating intelligence.

In the middle was a particularly large wolf with jet-black fur and a determined look in its eyes.

Then it hit me.

It was Alex…and Zara…and Sky!

They’d come to save me.

Anthony must have seen the recognition in my eyes.

“Ahh! Friends of yours. Maybe you’d like to watch them die too,” he taunted with a cruel laugh.

~No.~

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I wouldn’t be the cause of any more deaths.

The only one who needed to die to reset this loop was ~me.~

I had to protect them.

When Anthony turned to face them, I reached out and grabbed his knife-wielding hand.

“What the hell are you doing?” he shouted.

Before he could react, I pulled his arm toward me.

The blade seared when it made contact.

But it also brought relief.

Peace.

I knew that soon, I’d be back on the floor in front of Jodie.

Anthony’s face was a mix of shock and outrage. It was as if he was insulted that I’d taken away his chance to kill me.

Behind him, I saw my friends’ eyes welling up with tears.

They were stunned.

Heartbroken.

And then, they sprang into action. Before the blade could reach my heart, Zara shifted into her wolf form and lunged at Anthony, sending us both sprawling in opposite directions.

I was bleeding—hurting—but I was still alive.

And now, Anthony’s pack had Zara, Alex, and Sky surrounded.

After Zara’s attack on Anthony, there was no way they’d make it out alive.

I had to help them.

I couldn’t watch them all die.

With the last of my strength, I cast a spell I’d never used before—a protection spell.

When I saw how it took form, my jaw dropped.

Standing between my friends and Anthony’s pack was the ghost of my late friend.

~Harper.~