Page 71 of A Crown of Fates

“What do we do?” I murmur, already hearing the screams of our frightened shifters.

Theo steps in front of me, his body tense and eyes moving around the room as if he’s doing too many things at once. I imagine he’s giving a half dozen commands to those we’ve designated as leaders tonight.

His gaze settles on mine a couple of seconds later. “Exactly what we planned. We kill Orix. Elyn will find a way to close that portal, but until then, don’t touch the shadows. Their darkness will cling to you, sucking the energy from your body and weakening your soul.”

Great. We’re faced with the fight of our lives, and we can’t actually strike the enemy. Still, my wolf surges to the surface, ready and waiting to take over the moment I release her.

This is it. The moment we’ve been preparing for.

Orix’s sinister laughter echoes through the ballroom, and the fight for Selaris has finally begun.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

THEO

Chaos rains down all around us. The pack hall, once a sanctuary of celebration and unity, is now overrun with beasts made of shadows. Dozens of them pour from the portal Orix ripped open in the ceiling, their inky forms swooping low, searching for prey as my people run, unprepared for this form of attack.

Orix stands at the center of it all, a smirk of satisfaction curling his lips as his dark gaze locks onto mine, cold and calculating. “This is what you’ve brought upon them, Theodore. I must admit I’m impressed. I thought you’d face me alone, but like the king before you, you’re sacrificing the people for your own wellbeing.”

I shake my head, my wolf snarling deep within me, his fury echoing through my chest. “No.”

This was never the plan. We were supposed to be stronger together, prepared for whatever Orix threw at us, but none of us could’ve predicted this—an army of shadows, untouchable and relentless.

“Yes,” Orix presses, his accompanying laugh haunting. “You’ve led them to the edge of hell. I’m going to take them from you, one by one, just like I did your last family.”

As if to prove his point, one of the shadows finds its mark, wrapping around a young shifter near the front of the room. His scream cuts through the chaos as his knees buckle, his skin paling as though the life’s being siphoned from his veins.

He claws at the shadows, but his movements cease within seconds.

A surge of helpless fury floods me. I lunge forward, desperate to reach him, but Jerome’s voice sounds through my mind.

“We’ll help the pack as best we can, Sire. You’re the only one who can end Orix.”

He’s right. My people need me to end this nightmare at its source, but my chest constricts with every anguished cry that fills the hall. I won’t lose everyone like before. I refuse.

Cecil’s booming voice sounds above the cacophony. “Use whatever’s at your disposal to protect yourselves. Just don’t let them touch you.”

Estee stands beside me, rigid with tension as she points toward a few of the guards. “Look.”

Three of our wolves have ripped tapestries from the walls and are using the rods holding them up as weapons to swipe at the shadows. With every swing, the inky forms disperse, breaking apart into black mist. Though the figures reassemble within seconds, those fleeting moments of reprieve are enough to give the pack hope.

Cecil and Orion bark orders, rallying the shifters, while Jerome ushers the others toward the exits. It’s chaotic, but they’re holding their ground.

Estee was right. They can handle this, and I need to focus on Orix as I’ve already been told.

Hand-in-hand, we walk toward our biggest threat. He stands near the back wall of the room, taller than I’ve ever seen him. The devious god’s joyful expression never falters, but there’s aglint of uncertainty in his eyes. One I fully intend to draw on until he’s on his knees, drained of my energy.

I bare my teeth, my wolf snarling in unison. Though, I don’t dare shift, having no clue what Orix might do to my wolf with that connection still intact. “You’ll regret this,” I growl, my voice carrying the power of the alpha I’ve always been, even when I allowed myself to forget.

“Hmm,” Orix muses, his tone dripping with mockery. “Maybe, but even if you manage to win today, what will the two of you lose?” His eyes dart to our left.

Estee’s gaze follows and she snarls. “Drea.”

The shifter is alone, swinging a candelabrum at the three shadows closing in on her, herding her into a corner of the room, likely without her even realizing it.

“Go,” I tell Estee, my voice firm. “Help her.”

As much as I’d rather have my mate at my side, Orix is my problem, and Drea’s only here because of me and Estee. I won’t allow either of us to live with that guilt if something happens to her and we did nothing to help prevent it.

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