As the scream ended, she flickered out of existence. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears; I felt dizzy.

Commotion from behind us made me snap out of it, and the Alpha’s howl sent shivers down my spine. Lathen quickly shot up and, nodding at us, ran towards the direction of the great oak.

“Lex, let’s go!” Leo urged.

We dodged and fled behind the trees as we moved forward. We were trying to avoid the fighting and chasing. As we got closer to the oak, we were closer to pack territory.

We came across more fighting than the expected quietness.

It seemed more of Magnus’ forces were playing a part as every rainbow colour flew in the air, attacking the never-ending onslaught of Cornelius’ army.

“Watch out!” A voice shouted.

A shadow grew above Leo and me.

I let go of Leo’s hand and pushed him away from the large mass—a felled wolf covered in blood.

“Go quickly!” The same voice turned, facing away from me, using a purplish gale to push back his enemy.

I took the opportunity and ran right to go around the fallen warrior, only to halt my steps.

Cornelius’s pale blue eyes caught mine, and he blurred forward. The alpha was nowhere to be found. I quickly uttered the same spell Quinn used.

“Sanctis.”

I watched in satisfaction as Cornelius bounced back into a tree, breaking it in two. Only to spot two of his minions coming towards me. Behind them, I watched Seri swiftly move over the fallen tree with no one chasing her.

I looked left; no one followed Lathen as he disappeared through the tree line.

They were after me.

“Lexi, run!” Leo shouted, stepping in front of me and taking care of the two in front of me.

“Leo! It’s me they are after-”

“I know.”

He looked over his shoulder at me, “I know Lex.”

“Go. I’ll follow.”

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I continued to run through my blurred vision.

I weaved through the trees, trying to spread the scent of my blood to confuse them.

My lungs burned and protested with each heavy breath. The further away from the Oak I got, the quieter the forest had become. I lost track of Leo.

I prayed the others made it to the Oak.

I rested against the bark, desperately catching my breath. My breath claimed ragged gasps; each inhale burned my lungs, my throat sore, and magic was nearly empty. I felt blood trickle down my side. It mingled with the sweat and dirt covering my body.

I was dizzy, fighting to keep my eyes open, but I couldn’t afford to faint. Not now.

I took a moment, listening out for movement.

The forest was quiet. I leaned back and closed my eyes.

I could breathe for a moment.

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Victoria

She watched the young witch fling her son away like he was dust. Cracking a tree in two, he lay longer than he should have.

Was he knocked out?

She strutted over to the broken tree, not caring about the bodies she walked over or who she pushed out of her way to get to her child.

She effortlessly hopped over the broken branches to find him sitting up, clutching his head.

“I am hoping she knocked some sense into you,” Victoria announced, standing behind him.

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Cornelius’ spine straightened as he heard his Dames voice. She knew he would try to bolt like his brothers and sisters. She clutched his neck and jaw, forcing him to tilt his head back.

His eyes refused to meet hers.

“What the hell were you thinking?” she demanded, twisting his head to a near snap.

“I wanted to rid you! To rid the Council! I did this for us-”

“Bullshit. What, you’ve magically found your balls and two brain cells?”

For a moment, Cornelius’ anger spat out, “Fuck you, Vikki.”

He stared directly into her eyes. She had him.

“Who gave you this plan?” Her eyes flashed demanding.

“B-B…” Blood seeped from his mouth.

“No!” she screamed, putting her fingers into his mouth and prying it open. Only to stare at the blood pouring from his severed tongue.

“You bitch,” she muttered.

He chewed his tongue off to save his secrets.

She hauled him up by his collar and brought attention to the bloodied child of hers.

“Silencio! Stand down. Your sire has fallen…”

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Jack

Jack sighed, and they got there in time. That bumbling detective did have some tricks up his sleeves. He will give him that.

He pleaded with the alpha to widen the patrol; it wasn’t until he brought up the debt they owed to their witch.

Now, he was trying to search for the other witch, Blackspit. She disappeared quickly as the wolves started.

“Jack!”

He turned to find Corey out of breath next to him.

“What’s wrong, kid?” Jack asked, picking up a tattered piece of cloth from a thornbush.

“The alpha is injured…”

A cold chill went down his spine as he immediately asked Corey to lead the way. He rushed forward, praying to the moon goddess. Jack did not want to go through another fight for the pack leader.

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Lexi

The moment came and passed.

Blackspit stood before me. I heard no footsteps, no breath, not even her usual crows. A twisted grin peeked out under her hood; she enjoyed this.

“You look like you’ve been through hell, Lexi,” she taunted, her voice dripping with venom.

I pushed myself from the resting place; I felt my legs tremble but held firm.

I chuckled, “Hell’s got nothing on me. You know that.”

“Hm. Yet you still keep coming back like mold,” she growled, lunging forward.

I grasped her hands, blocking their swing; her magic tingled the ends of her fingertips. She meant business.

“You couldn’t leave him be,” she muttered, going for me again.

As her onslaught continued, I stepped back into the solid tree, and the bark scraped my back.

“You couldn’t just die. You had to make a deal with Hecate!”

“Hecate?”

My confusion at her saying the goddess’s name made me drop my guard for a second; she swung and landed an uppercut to my waist. I choked as the wind left me.

I retaliated; instead of blocking, I placed a solid punch on her lip, splitting it open. She staggered back, momentarily stunned.

But my victory was short-lived. Blackspit didn’t play around. With a snarl of fury, she pulled a gleaming knife from her black robe. My eyes widened as I saw the weapon; my body was too slow to react in its weakened state.

“You’re done, Lexi,” she hissed, her voice filled with a dark triumph.

Before I could muster a defense, she plunged the knife into my side. The pain was immediate and excruciating, a white-hot agony that stole my breath once again.

I gasped in shock and grabbed her wrist as she pulled it out. I sagged against the bark, clutching the wound.

“This is for Megan.” She thrust the bloodied knife into both my thighs. The quick jabs made me fall to my knees.

She leaned in close, breath hot and rancid against my ear.

“This is the end for you.”

A final blow. I mustered up the little amount of fire I had left. She carefully pierced between two ribs. She was going for a lung, and I went for her face.

I hear a piercing scream. It sounded similar to the banshee.

My vision blurred; tears of pain mixed with the blood on my face. I watched my assailant grumble over her new wound, trying to heal it. I watched as light brown hair escaped her cloak.

‘Turn around,’ I willed.

‘I have to see. WHO is it?’

“Who are you?” I whispered brokenly.

“Lexi!?” I heard the echo of Leo’s voice.

Blackspit cursed and fled the scene. Forgoing the knife, still embedded within my chest. All I saw of Blackspit was the brown hair and bloodied lip.

I tried to drag myself up, only to slip down from the pool of blood beneath me. I found myself looking up into the trees.

Familiarity clicked in my brain. I watched the same swaying branches I would wake up to in the astral.

“Leo?!” I coughed, staring into the blurry treetops.

“Lexi!” Leo responded. I could hear his footsteps; he was close.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I heard him mutter as he found me.

“I’m here! I’m here…” he leaned over me, his face pale and blue eyes glassy.

“Soona,” he commanded, his blue magic spreading over me.

I smiled sadly and reached out, stopping his shaky hand.

“It’s time,” I whisper.

“No!”

I looked to the left at the familiar kind smile and blonde perm hovering just over his shoulder, “I see her… My grandma, it’s time.”

“No, Lex. I only just got you back-” he pleaded.

“Shh,” I shushed, “Just be here with me… Pull it out and hold me?”

With tears dripping down his face, he complied with my request. I couldn’t help but cough more as he carefully pulled it out and applied pressure.

He moved us from the blood pool, leaned against a different three, and settled me onto his lap.

I gazed again into the swaying trees, relaxing in Leo’s embrace.

“Do you recognise it?” I whisper.

“What?” he sniffles, confused.

“The trees, this is just like the astral.”

He took a moment to look around. I only saw uneasiness and confusion. The blood everywhere covered the usually picturesque, quiet scene. I coughed once more, and I could taste the bitter metal of blood.

Leo wiped away the bloody spittle.

“Lexi, I love you. I am sorry it took so long-”

I placed a finger to his lips, interrupting him.

“I love you too…”

‘Maybe next time. I will love you longer.’

“I will love you in another life, I promise,” he vowed.

I gently nodded, “I promise…”

I felt each heartbeat, each shallow breath. The edges of my world darkened, and I felt the pull of the abyss.

This time, I was more prepared.

The pain began to fade, and the volume of my suffering was turned down. The burning in my lungs, the throbbing of my head, even the ache in my muscles – ebb away. I felt my body sink into Leo’s further, the familiar disentanglement of physical body and spirit.

There was no more pain. No more struggle.

The forest, battles, and Blackspit seemed so far away now. They were echoes of a life I once lived. Memories flashed before me, fleeting glimpses of moments I had cherished. Laughter with friends, the sun's warmth on my face, the thrill of casting my first spell. Each memory was a thread that weaved into a tapestry of my short life.

I stepped away from Leo and listened with a broken heart at the harrowing cries he left behind. I stayed longer, watching him wipe away stray hairs from my face.

“You again?”

I looked away from Leo, holding me, to find a hooded figure.

The Grim had come for me.