The Crucial Shift (The Ariane Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  Aries reaches him first, stopping a few feet away. The rest of our group slows down to a stop behind him. Well, everyone except me. I’m nosy enough to want to be at the front. Screw standing in the background. If Travis wants me, I’m not going to make him fight through others to reach me.

  “Watch yourself,” Rion reminds me.

  Orion stops by Aries’ side, Dante is on the other, already in wolf form. I stop beside my mate, Ford on my left.

  “We can settle this between us,” Aries states. “There’s no need to fight and have more lives lost.”

  Travis shrugs. “I’m not worried. And this will happen. It’s the only way I’ll get to Ariane. None of you would let me get a shot at her otherwise.”

  A beautiful white wolf walks up to my side, pushing himself between Ford and me.

  Travis peers down at him, sneering. “I see you’ve welcomed Wake back into the pack. Too bad he already gave me everything I needed to know before I tossed him out. He’s worthless to me and was never a strong fighter. Only good to get details from about my rivals.” Wake growls low, his stance widening, but he doesn’t dare move without his alpha—his father—giving the command.

  I turn my attention to Travis. “Hey!” I snap. “How dare you speak about him like that? You act like everyone is disposable to you.”

  “They are,” he states simply. I shake my head. One day, his pack will realize they’re merely pawns in his game. They won’t be there forever to do his dirty work for him. He doesn’t value them. Everything is about him and furthering his agenda. He doesn’t care who he steps on or who gets killed in the process. The end goal is all that matters. He wants the entire state of North Carolina under his rule.

  “We have no choice, then,” Aries growls. “We’ll fight.”

  “Yes, we will.”

  In one fluid movement, Travis shifts into a grey and white wolf. He’s easily a head taller than Orion. Aries does the same, his white and tan wolf emerging, and the two of them square off in the center of the clearing as paranormals on both sides back off to the perimeter to let them fight.

  Neither wolf makes a move, both stay where they can see each other and then begin to maneuver in a circle. Out of nowhere, Benedict teleports next to Travis. I remember him from Wake’s memories. His white hair tied back from his face. In a flash, he puts his hand on Travis and both are gone from the clearing. Nothing happens at first, but then, everyone on Travis’ side rushes forward. Our side stands their ground, holding steady until they are reached by an attacker.

  It isn’t lost on me how Travis bailed the second things were about to get heated. He’s a coward, leaving his pack and those who chose to side with him to fight his battle. Paranormals will die while he’s probably in a comfortable chair somewhere, sipping a mojito.

  Wolves, cats, bears, foxes, fae, mages, and vampires all come at us from every angle. Vampires teleport in and out. Foxes scurry underfoot to get the shifters off balance so that others can go in for the kill. It’s mayhem at its finest and yet, no one is coming for me. They’re attacking Orion and Ford, however. So much is going on and all at once.

  Orion has his jaws clamped on the neck of a jaguar, as Ford uses his fangs to rip out the throat of a fae male. He’s wise this time. No drinking blood for him. He’s immortal, but he can’t take the chance of being down on the ground from being poisoned and vulnerable for too long.

  Benedict appears at my side, and, before I can react, he grips my wrist hard and teleports us out of the clearing.

  14

  We land in a dense forest. Darkness surrounds us with only bits of sun streaming through. Fortunately, I can still see decently. I’m unsure if it’s the same forest I was just in or a completely different one in another state or part of the world.

  “Let go of me,” I growl, wrenching my arm from Benedict’s grasp. He’s not the only one who’s strong.

  “Ariane,” Travis says in a voice as smooth as silk, as he steps out from behind a tree. “So nice of you to join us.”

  “I seem to forget being asked to attend this impromptu meeting. Although, I could get out of here as fast as I appeared.” I smirk.

  “But you won’t.”

  “No, because there’s something here that’s far more appealing to me than the war going on.”

  The second we reached the clearing, I threw up a solid block on my mind. That doesn’t mean Benedict didn’t read the minds of others who were fighting. He might have found out I’m a wolf unless everyone’s minds were so focused on the task at hand they didn’t think of much else.

  Ford appears at my side. “I’m hurt that you didn’t invite me to your little party. You really should take others’ feelings into consideration, Travis. No one likes being left out.”

  “We knew you’d show,” Travis replies. “Benedict can keep you company.”

  Ford rubs his hands together as his fangs descend. “Perfect.” The two of them start teleporting around the forest. In the distance I hear something big hit the ground. I can’t focus on them, though. I have to put all my attention on Travis.

  “Care to enlighten me as to why you’re up here with me and not fighting with your pack?” I ask. He has no morals. Not that I thought he ever did. But the fact that he’s safe wherever we are, while those fighting for him could be dying right now, bothers me to no end.

  “I don’t want any of them. They’re there to serve a purpose and that’s not to become my friend. No, I only want you, Ariane.”

  Crossing my arms, I ask, “And why is that?”

  “Ever since you popped up on my radar, I’ve been fascinated with you. Sure, I knew who your parents were and that they had a daughter. I always kept tabs on them. But when you and Orion met, the game changed. I knew you were finally ready for our world, and I had to have you as mine. Either that or kill you.” He shrugs one shoulder.

  “So, killing my father was what, a way to show me you care?”

  “It was to show you I always get my way, no matter who stands in it.”

  I bark out a laugh as my wolf stirs inside me, waiting for the moment she can come out. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to have a chance to tear into Travis. “The way to win my heart isn’t by killing those around me, you mangy dog. It’s by proving you’ll protect and fight for not only me, but those I love as well.”

  “I’m not trying to win your heart,” he sneers. “I only want you fighting on my side.”

  “You’re such a romantic. I’m barely able to hold myself back from rushing over to you. It’s taking a lot out of me.” I fan myself with my hand.

  He growls. “You will be mine, or you’ll be dead.”

  “I’d rather die.”

  In the blink of an eye, he shifts into his grey and white wolf and pads his way toward me. Ford lands by my side again, but Benedict doesn’t miss a beat. He’s behind Ford, reaching for his neck. Ford predicts his move. He’s ready for him and swings around. The two of them begin fighting again, both repeatedly teleporting to gain the upper hand.

  Travis growls, drawing my attention back to him. He doesn’t stop until he’s a foot away. Finally, I give over to my wolf. Let’s play.

  She rejoices at me handing over control. The second her four paws hit the ground, I merge with her and we’re one. Not two separate entities like I feel we are when I’m human. She’s allowing me some control in this. I can sway her thoughts if need be, and we’re going to destroy Travis together. I may not like taking lives, but he can’t live. He won’t stop if he does. He’ll keep killing, keep doing whatever he has to so he gets what he wants.

  He pauses at my wolf form but then smiles. That’s right. His wolf smiles. It’s like I just gave him the best gift ever, but I didn’t. I just sentenced him to death. There’s no holding back anymore.

  Every instinct I have kicks in when he lunges at me. My training as a human with Carter and Cash. My fighting with the fae woman and the cheetah. The power and sheer drive of my wolf. But the best instinct we have is the raw, pr
imal need for revenge. It courses through our veins like dark, sinister death, and my wolf is going to unleash it on the one in front of us. He took my father from me. He stole the lives of Rion’s parents and Cace. He took pack members from Merrick. He must die.

  With a loud snarl, my wolf dodges to the left, Travis’ teeth missing her by a fraction of an inch. He’s quick, though, and has hundreds of years on her. He swings back around as she grabs the only part of him she’s able to—his tail. It breaks with ease but doesn’t faze him. He’s gunning for her neck, and if she doesn’t let go, then he’ll get her for sure.

  Releasing him, she jumps away, now facing him head-on. He tries to circle around her, but that isn’t happening. When he fails at getting an edge on her, he jumps up, leaping for her again, but this time, she does the same and meets him mid-air. He might have wisdom on his side, but we have vampire strength, and there’s no way we’re not going to use that to our advantage.

  We collide in a mess of teeth and fur. Crashing to the ground, she doesn’t take the time to assess the best place to hit him, instead, she jumps again. He doesn’t expect it. My wolf lands on his back, her teeth immediately sinking into the back of his neck as he yelps. Blood seeps into her mouth. She uses the metallic taste as fuel for our hatred. Everything she feels and tastes, I do, too. Every time he bleeds, it’s a small victory for us and the ones we lost. I didn’t like the taste of blood before. This is Travis’ though; we’ll gladly shed it all over the forest floor and let it flood my wolf’s mouth if it means he’ll die soon.

  Jerking to the side, my wolf throws him to the ground, her teeth holding strong. He struggles to get up and she lets him believe he can. But the second he moves, her teeth sink in deeper, getting a better hold. He tries to shake her free, but that only results in his flesh tearing and more blood exiting his body. Spitting, she drops his fur and flesh to the ground in a puddle of blood. He doesn’t know who he’s messing with. I’m not some weak girl who can be easily pushed around. I’m a wolf who has many powers.

  Diving in again, my wolf takes hold of the open wound, needing to injure him further. He’s losing a lot of blood, but not enough to kill him. We need to change that.

  Then a pair of hands land on my wolf’s hips, pulling her from Travis. Son of a...! Benedict did not just touch us! He yanks my wolf away from Travis, another piece of his fur staying in her mouth.

  “Ford!” I yell with my mind. “Don’t let Travis get away. I’ll handle Benedict.” We’re nowhere close to done fighting with him, and the last thing we want him to do is run and shift to heal.

  This vampire needs to get his grubby hands off of us. Twisting my body, my wolf tries to clamp down on Benedict, but he only smiles wickedly and drops her, teleporting across to help Travis, who is currently in a headlock, thanks to Ford.

  As soon as Benedict is back by his side, Ford and he go at it, leaving Travis be for the moment. He tries to slink off into the woods. Coward. My wolf gives him chase, catching up with him in seconds. He’s bleeding heavily, energy waning.

  Her teeth latch on to his hind leg and shake it rapidly, knocking him off his feet and tearing the tendon while breaking the bones. There will be no running or even walking away from me at this point. She releases him long enough to grab his other leg and do the same to it, but then Benedict is there, blood pouring from a wound on his neck. He grips Travis by a chunk of fur on his back and teleports all three of us to a home, somewhere in the tropics. Salty air reaches my wolf’s nose and the sounds of waves hitting the shore reach her ears. The sun is bright coming in through the windows.

  “Let him go,” Benedict hisses, then kicks my wolf hard in the ribs on the right side.

  She yelps, releasing Travis. Next thing I know, we’re thrown back. Blood quickly seeps onto the wooden floor from Travis as Benedict stalks toward us, his neck already starting to knit back together. She’s back on her feet in seconds.

  The bones in my wolf’s side begin to mend as Benedict approaches us. I’m beyond grateful for this ability to heal. If not for that, we’d have to shift to mend them, and there is no time for that with the angry vampire almost directly in front of us. Her legs widen. Her lips pull back in a snarl. She’s ready for him. However, he doesn’t approach as he should. He takes the easy way out, teleporting behind her, grasping her tail, then teleporting again. He drops us in the middle of the clearing where a fierce battle has been going on while we were dealing with Travis.

  “Have fun, little wolf,” he hisses, before leaving as fast as he can.

  It’s in that moment of distraction another vampire grabs my wolf’s muzzle, attempting to crush her jaw and teeth. He did not just do that. My wolf relents, allowing me complete control again.

  Quickly, I shift to my human form, his hand falling from me, leaving him stunned for a moment. A regular shifter wouldn’t have let their human have control mid-fight. But I’m not a normal wolf.

  I pull back and swing, landing an uppercut to his jaw before he has time to attack me again. He stumbles back, unable to absorb the punch like he would from a normal human. I’m about to go at him again, when Orion rushes in and sinks his teeth into the vampire’s arm, shaking hard until it tears from his body. I pull out the small, silver knife I slipped in my pocket before all this started. Orion wanted me protected from every threat, and this is the only way to kill a vampire outside of beheading them.

  While the vampire stands there shocked as blood pours from his body, coating the ground in crimson, I strike. The silver pierces his chest, right into his heart. Yes, I learned the exact location of that from Rion. The knife isn’t long enough to go through his body, but it doesn’t need to. All it has to do is touch his heart and bam, he drops to the ground, no longer alive. Night, night, vampy. You tried to mess with the wrong paranormal.

  Bending down, I pull the knife from him and wipe it on the ground. It’s the only one I have, and who knows if I’ll need it again?

  “Are you okay?” Rion asks.

  “Yes.”

  Surprisingly, I am. I thought it would be hard to take more lives, but I’m running on pure adrenaline at this point. And I won’t hesitate to take down anyone who tries to take my life or the lives of those I love. There’s too much on the line, and I can’t stop to evaluate every paranormal who attacks me. If they try to hurt me, I won’t hold back. Either they’re with us or against us. Aries tried to get this to stop before it started, but no deal was made. I’m determined to help win this for the pack.

  A pained cry reaches me and I spin, finding an injured Tessa in human form. She’s attempting to walk away from the battle so she can shift again to heal, but another wolf has her by the calf.

  “Go,” Rion yells. “Get her out of here.”

  I rush to her side and kick the wolf hard in the ribs, but not hard enough to jerk it from her, ripping off her skin. The wolf yelps and releases her. As fast as I can, I take her hand in mine and teleport her to a point on the mountain that’s high and far enough from the battle where she can shift safely.

  We land in a small clearing, only big enough for the two of us. We lucked out. I had no idea where I was taking her, outside of far away from the fighting while not leaving the pack’s property.

  Tessa drops to the ground, gripping her injured leg. Her voice shakes. “My ribs are broken and my leg is on fire.”

  Crouching by her side, I gently place my hand on her shoulder. “You have to shift and keep doing it so you can heal.”

  “I’m so tired,” she says as blood continues to seep from her leg. There’s no doubt in my mind she has more than broken ribs and an injured leg. Her eyes droop. She must have internal injuries.

  Her body lists to the side then falls down completely, her eyes fluttering closed. She’s hurt badly.

  “No, Tessa, don’t go to sleep! You have to shift!” She doesn’t move and her breathing slows. No! Tears well in my eyes. I can’t lose her. How do I make her shift?

  “Orion!” I shout in my head. “I can�
�t make Tessa shift!”

  He’s there in my mind, his breathing labored from fighting. “Shift into a wolf. Call out to Tessa’s wolf and make her shift. Your wolf will know what to do.” Sure. I’ve only been a wolf for what? A day? Let’s leave this all up to chance. Sounds like a solid plan. Here goes nothing.

  I give myself over to my wolf and she quickly takes over. Laying down by her side, my wolf nudges Tessa’s cheek with her snout. I’m nothing more than a spectator. There’s nothing I can do to help. It’s all up to my wolf.

  Tessa stirs, groaning in pain. My wolf nips at her gently to try and get her to keep responding and shift. When that doesn’t work, my wolf lets out a long howl from deep inside. I feel it vibrating through me. It’s sorrowful and desperate. I can’t lose Tessa. I can’t go back down there and tell Cash I let his mate die. My wolf can’t contemplate letting her go either, so she keeps howling. She howls for as long as she can with her eyes closed and her mouth pointed toward the sky. When she glances down, Tessa is in wolf form beside us. Inside, I sag in relief, grateful it worked.

  Tessa’s wolf stares up at us, whimpering. My wolf nudges her again and Tessa shifts back to a human. She does this a few more times before she’s able to stand on four paws and shake her whole body. With a simple nod, she lets us know she’s healed and ready to go.

  I shift back to a human and point down at her. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again! I’m not going to lose you!” She dips her head in understanding.

  Gripping the soft fur on her neck gently, I teleport us back in the fray, immediately slipping on the blood-soaked grass.

  15

  As fast as I can, I stand, not wanting to be vulnerable down on the ground. After a quick internal check to make sure I can still feel Rion and he’s not in need of immediate help, I teleport around the chaos in search of anyone from our side who might need help. I don’t spot anyone, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t lost some or others had to be taken away so they could shift.