Page 43 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

It’s twice the size of any wolf I’ve ever encountered, with black, gleaming scales that reflect the weak sunlight in sickening patterns. Its massive horns curl upward like something out of a nightmare, and its reptilian yellow eyes lock onto me with a predatory focus. Saliva drips from its open mouth, viscous and smoking as it hits the ground.

A demon.

The stories didn’t do it justice. It’s monstrous, and its presence exudes a malignancy that crawls over my skin and makes my magic practically explode. My heart pounds in my chest, but I force myself to stay rooted, summoning my magic to my hands as the demon’s gaze sharpens.

It charges without hesitation.

I hurl a burst of magic toward it. The energy crackles through the air and slams into its side. It staggers, but it doesn’t fall. Instead, it whirls toward me with a guttural roar that shakes the ground under my feet.

“Shit,” I spit, dodging as it lunges. Its claws swipe inches from my face, and I hit the ground hard, rolling to avoid another blow. My magic crackles around me, forming a weak barrier as the demon snarls in frustration.

I push to my feet, forcing the panic down. “All right, big guy. You want to play? Let’s play.”

With a flick of my wrist, I send a pulse of energy toward the demon’s legs. It growls as the magic wraps around its limbs, tangling it in place. But the triumph is short-lived. It thrashes violently, snapping the magical bonds like they’re nothing.

“Fantastic,” I grumble as the demon barrels toward me again. I throw up another barrier, but it only slows the creature down. My breath comes in sharp, frantic bursts as I scramble to come up with a plan.

“Jaslyn!” a familiar voice shouts, cutting through the chaos.

I glance over my shoulder just in time to see Tim and his girlfriend, Amber, running toward me. Relief floods through me for half a second—until I realize how poorly this is about to go.

“What the hell are you two doing here?” I yell, dodging another swipe from the demon.

“We heard the alarm!” Tim shouts back. “Thought you might need some backup!”

“Yeah? Well, unless you’ve got a magic nuke in your pocket, I’d suggest staying back!”

Tim growls as he takes a step closer to the fight, his muscles rippling with the strain of starting his shift. I can see the faint shimmer of his magic as it tries to force the change. His claws elongate, and his jaw begins to reshape.

“We’re not leaving you to handle that thing alone!” he snarls, his voice already deepening as his body prepares for the transformation.

“Tim, stop!” I yell, panic spiking in my chest. He’s not shifting fast enough, and that thing won’t wait for him to finish. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with—”

The demon’s head snaps toward the new arrivals. The transformation process seems to enrage it further, the sight of a shifting wolf igniting something primal and furious in its already chaotic energy.

My stomach twists as the demon rushes toward them. I may not like the guy, but that doesn’t mean I want to see him eviscerated.

“Tim, get her out of here!” I scream. “Now!”

But it’s too late.

The demon closes the distance in a heartbeat, slamming into Tim with enough force to send him flying to the ground mid-shift. His half-formed claws scrape against the dirt as he struggles to push himself up, but the demon is already pivoting, shifting its focus to Amber.

She shrieks as the creature looms over her, and its massive jaws snap inches from her face. Her terror freezes her in place as the beast prepares to lunge.

“No!” My magic bursts forward, stronger than before, and I hurl it toward the demon with everything I have. The blast slams into its side, knocking it away from Amber and sending itskidding across the forest floor. It shakes off the hit with little more than a whimper, but the effort leaves me dizzy and my knees threatening to buckle.

The demon shakes off the hit and turns on me, snarling with renewed fury. I barely have time to react before it’s on me, and its claws rake across my side. Pain explodes through my body, and I cry out, stumbling as blood seeps through my shirt.

“Jaslyn!” Amber’s voice is panicked, but I can’t focus on her. All I can see is the demon circling me like a predator scenting its kill.

My vision blurs as I summon the last of my strength, forcing my magic to the surface. The demon lunges again, and I throw up a barrier, buying myself a precious few seconds.

This is it. If I don’t end this now, it’s over.

I channel every ounce of power I have left, shaping it into a lance of energy. The demon roars as I hurl it forward, and the lance pierces its chest and sends it reeling. It stumbles, and its movements become sluggish as my magic weakens it further.

But it’s not enough.

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