Page 61 of Rebel for Claws
"The prophecy speaks of harmony and unity," Thorne continued, his voice rising with barely controlled fury. "But I've built a world of order, of proper hierarchy, of shifters knowing their place in the natural order. Your precious harmony would destroy everything I've accomplished."
Everything he's accomplished. Murder, manipulation, genocide, and the systematic destruction of our people's potential.
Vivian's tactical mind processed the positioning of every operative, the silver content of their weapons, and the fact that Thorne had positioned himself within striking distance. Her enhanced senses picked up the subtle tells that indicated several operatives were nervous, uncertain about their orders.
Some of them don't want to be here. Some of them are questioning what they're doing.
"But tonight," Thorne said with renewed confidence, "we end this charade permanently. No more prophecies, no more hybrid abominations, and no more challenges to the proper order of things."
Through the shattered windows, Vivian caught a glimpse of more energy pulses rippling across the moonlit landscape—the ongoing effects of her completed mate bond with Alaric spreading ancient magic through every shifter bloodline in the territory.
Whatever abilities are awakening in our people right now, I pray it's enough to turn the tide of this war.
Through their completed bond, Vivian felt Alaric's tactical awareness merge with her own—fifteen human operatives positioned throughout his personal gym, silver-enhanced weapons trained on their vital points, and two of the operatives near the shattered eastern window whose attention had drifted toward something outside.
There. The gap we need.
She caught Alaric's eye, seeing her own predatory calculation reflected in his gold-blazing gaze. His slight nod confirmed what she already knew—they'd spotted the same opening simultaneously.
"Now," she breathed, barely audible.
They moved as one lethal unit, their completed mate bond creating perfect synchronization between their enhanced abilities. Vivian's partial shift activated instinctively—owl eyestracking multiple targets while panther reflexes launched her toward the nearest operative. Alaric's ancient magic blazed through their connection as he disarmed two guards with brutal Alpha efficiency.
Perfect partners in every way.
The battle became a deadly dance, their movements fluid and instinctive. Vivian's twin swords sang through the air, cutting down operatives with precision strikes while Alaric's enhanced strength and speed made him an unstoppable force of controlled violence. They fought back-to-back, then separated to divide their enemies' focus, their tactical awareness flowing seamlessly between them.
A silver bullet tore through Vivian's shoulder, spinning her around. Another caught Alaric in the thigh, but neither of them faltered.
The silver should be weakening us. Should be poisoning our blood and slowing our healing.
Instead, she felt stronger. The wounds sealed themselves with supernatural speed, the silver bullets pushed out by her body's enhanced healing abilities. Through their bond, she sensed Alaric experiencing the same miraculous resistance.
"Impossible," Thorne snarled, his icy blue eyes widening with shock as he watched them systematically eliminate his operatives. "Silver poisoning should have dropped you both by now."
Vivian drove her blade through the final operative's chest, her eyes blazing with ancient magic as she turned to face Thorne.
"Your experiments taught you to manipulate individual bloodlines," she said, stepping over the fallen bodies. "But you never understood what happens when two ancient bloodlines unite completely under the power of love."
Silver resistance. Enhanced healing. If we have these abilities, then every shifter in the territory does too. The energypulses from our completed mate bond awakened dormant genes in all of them.
Hope exploded through her chest—fierce, brilliant, and uncontainable. The war had just shifted completely in their favor.
"The human operatives' primary advantage was silver weaponry," Alaric growled, his commanding presence filling the room as he stalked toward Thorne. "Without that, your genocide becomes significantly more challenging."
Thorne's composure cracked completely. "You've destroyed everything! Three centuries of careful planning, ruined by four hybrid abominations!"
He turned to flee, but Vivian and Alaric shifted simultaneously—her white wolf form with silver shooting stars and his massive black wolf with silver streaks intercepting Thorne at the gym's entrance.
Time to end this monster's reign of terror forever.
Thorne's shift revealed the true extent of his corruption—his wolf form was grotesquely oversized, dark gray fur crackling with unnatural energy. Whatever genetic cocktails he'd created from centuries of experimentation had transformed him into something beyond normal shifter capabilities.
He's more powerful than we anticipated. But he's also desperate and cornered.
The final battle erupted with primal savagery. Thorne's enhanced abilities made him a formidable opponent—his claws could shatter stone, and his speed rivaled Vivian's enhanced reflexes. But his centuries of relying on manipulation and psychological control had made him predictable in direct combat.
Vivian darted in and out, her smaller form allowing for quick strikes while Alaric used his Alpha strength to absorb Thorne'smost devastating attacks. Their coordination remained flawless, each protecting the other while seeking the perfect opening.
