Three

ELARA'S P.O.V.

“NO!” Alpha Broderick shouted, turning his back to me and Luna Raine. His body was shaking, on the verge of shifting, and I glanced down to his claws at his side.

He was ready to attack. He had just lost his mate and his son… he had nothing left to lose. “You can’t take her, too!”

It was just the distraction I needed. I would not let someone die when I had the power to save them.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the poison and damage it had caused. Without her attacker sitting inside the poison, driving it to her heart and brain, it was easy to control it now, and I pushed every bit of strength I had into her.

A bead of sweat dripped down my temple as I felt the darkness lick at my ankles before slowly slithering up my legs.

It felt so very warm compared to the cold room, and I tried to ignore the hold the darkness had on me as I focused on the Luna.

“You’re meddling with my work, healer.” Death warned, the low growl in my head making me lose my focus as my wolf pushed forward again.

She was excited by him… his attention.

I was terrified.

Yet, I needed him. My mother had struck a deal with the Shadow Wolf, and he was it. He had to be. All of my answers sat with him, but I wasn’t going to let someone die just to get them.

I could still feel the life inside of the Luna, but I had the feeling it would be gone soon if I didn’t act quickly.

Once Death touched her, there would be no turning back.

“You cannot have her until she is dead.” I spat through gritted teeth, and almost jumped when he chuckled. The dark, yet amused sound set off alarm bells.

He was enjoying this, watching me fight with everything I had to save the soul he was there to claim.

I couldn’t afford the distraction of looking up at him, but I was very aware of his dark presence as he watched me work.

Quickly, his amusement switched to anger, and he released a low, threatening growl that shook me to my core.

I tensed, anticipating an attack. I wasn’t usure if it was due to my continued defiance, or because Alpha Broderick had finally snapped. From the corner of my eyes, I watched as Alpha Broderick lunged at Death..

My eyes snapped open as the Alpha flew backward into the wall behind him.

The sound of bone cracking filled the room as he dropped from the wall and landed atop the dresser, but he pushed himself up quickly, stalking toward Death, without any sign of pain or discomfort.

The only thing to be seen was his obvious anger. He looked feral. His eyes were black, and he was partially shifted.

“Come on,” I said under my breath, knowing I didn’t have much time left, and neither did the Luna.

Her body twitched as I continued to fight the poison, pulling it back to the wound so I could cut it or bleed it out before the mage or wolf who created it realized she wasn’t dead yet.

My body felt weak as I gave the Luna all of my power and energy, exhaustion taking over. The room started to spin, but I carefully repositioned my feet to hold myself steady.

The color hadn’t returned to the Luna’s cheeks, but she looked different, and I listened carefully as I felt a slight thump.

Was that…

It thumped again, and I laughed in victory.

“She’s alive,” I whispered, leaning in closer as I heard a beat. “She’s alive! Now, you are owed nothing!”

Alpha Broderick’s ears twitched as I shouted it, and he slowly backed away from Death until he was at his mate's side again.

“She won’t be for long,” Death warned, but I pulled back from Luna Raine and faced the monster head on.

The darkness filling the room, rushed back to the wall it had come out of.

My eyes widened as I realized that while I had honored the gift the Goddess had blessed me with, I had just angered the only person who could give me the answers I desperately sought to clear my parents' names and free my sister.

I gasped as my legs were freed from the dark fog, and the freezing air in the room washed over me, shocking me back to life.

The Shadow Wolf was only feet away, and my lips parted to plead him to stay so I could learn about my parents, but he had already turned and was walking away.

Instinctively, I stepped forward to go after him but was stopped.

“You’re not going anywhere! Heal her! Finish healing her!” Alpha Broderick shouted, grabbing my wrist and pulling it quickly until I was facing Luna Raine again.

But her heart was beating again, while I couldn't say that my parents' was doing the same.

The only person who would know the answer to that was about to step into the darkness. I didn’t know when or if I would ever see him again.

Panic flared in my chest, and my breathing came faster as I debated my next move.

He was my only hope. I couldn’t let him go, not without getting answers.

I ripped my wrist from Alpha Broderick’s grip, his claws slicing into the sensitive flesh there.

A hiss left my lips, but I pushed down the sting of pain as I turned and raced straight toward the dark portal closing against the far wall.

If I let him go now, my parents would never have their names cleared.

I had no choice.

“Elara! Stop!” Alpha Broderick growled, but he was too late. I had already jumped, my body cutting through the darkness until I had been consumed by it.

The portal closed behind me, leaving me in a void.

It seemed empty, but felt alive.

The darkness that had been wrapped around me before rushed forward again, this time weaving around my torso and arms as I held them out in front of me to feel for my surroundings, trapping me like a spiderweb.

An almost metallic clicking noise began in the distance, and I swallowed hard, realizing that it wasn’t as empty as it had initially seemed.

There were other creatures in here, and, from the low, threatening growls that filled the void as I stepped forward with the intention of running, they were hungry.

I didn’t make it this far just to be killed by a damned bogyman hiding in the shadows!

There had been no time, and I hadn’t thought this through. I had no weapon and nothing to defend myself with.

I cried out in shock as a thick arm wrapped around my waist, and I was pulled into someone’s side.

“You foolish woman.” The familiar voice of Death growled against my ear, the stubble of his beard brushing against my temple and cheek as the giant man leaned down to scold me. “You have no idea what you have just walked into.”