The old Invictus Witch watched as dozens of zombified wolves disappeared into the Veil. With building agitation, Calypso realised Esmerelda would be alone fighting off an entire pack. While she did not care much for the Caeruleum people or its Queen, Esmerelda raised her. She owed her life to the woman.

Calypso grabbed Mihnea's hand and whispered a few familiar words. Then, in a blink, she transported them both to the portal. Looking over to Visena, still being held in the Malum Witches' embrace, Cal sighed. She had waited a long time to face the scheming bitch, and now her retribution would be cut short.

With the flick of her wrist, Calypso cast a spell against her, stealing her voice. The Witch clawed at her throat, releasing the girl. However, despite the glassiness in Visena's eyes clearing, her affliction did not.

"Do not forget who you are!" Calypso had to shout over the growing winds. "And do not forget what you are capable of." Then, without another word, she ran into the Veil with Mihnea in tow, after the deranged animals.

"Let's go," she yelled, staring into Mihnea's black eyes. He cast a look over his shoulder and grinned back at the witch.

"Lead the way."

*

Zeir snarled as Calypso disappeared through the portal but quickly calmed himself. He assumed one witch and Vampire would be no match for a hundred bloodthirsty wolves, not after what he had done to them.

However, just as Mihnea and Calypso's forms became a blur, a cacophony of shrieks and hisses entered the clearing. Jed, Liam and Eve spun to look at the intruders with a question on their lips.

A beautiful Vampire dressed head to toe in leather and kevlar strutted forward to the wolves. "Mihnea sent for us. We're here for Visena."

Liam cleared his throat. "Who are you?" His eyes twinkled slightly, and he stood taller.

She was a fearsome creature to behold, and her responding grin was equally divine. "The name's Thana."

This time Zeir could not hold back his fury. "Kill them!" he shrieked at the Earth Fae leaders, believing it was finally time they kept their end of the bargain.

Oren and Elowen shared a look before ordering their people to strike with a calculating nod. The humanoid figures crept forward; their bodies appeared coated in tree bark and foliage. The one feature remotely human was the eyes, yet they all looked dark and lifeless, not a single spattering of white to be seen framing their iris.

The Vampires immediately pushed past the wolves and began tearing through the lumbering Fae. Their speed, strength and tolerance to wolfsbane gave the wolves a chance to slip past and enter the Fae realm after the Malum monsters.

Jed, Liam and Gideon were the only Invictus members who remained. They would be loyal to Visena until the end. They would do anything to get her back.

Their Alpha.

When Zeir saw Invictus and Praelia slip into the Veil, he threw the device to the earth and stomped on it in a rage with the heel of his boot—smashing it to pieces and releasing the magic inside, consequently shutting the portal.

Zeir shifted into wolf form and barreled through the Fae to get to Gideon, who slinked past the fray to his new mate. Gideon hardly turned in time to stop the Alpha's teeth from tearing into his throat.

Zeir took a chunk from his shoulder instead before Gideon completed his shift and grappled with him. His jaw wrapped around Zeir's hind leg and twisted until there was a sickening snap. Zeir howled in fury, wrenching his body away while Gideon used the distraction to continue his path to Visena. She was still amongst the fighting looking catatonic.

"Visena?" His shouts could not reach her over the sounds of death and species being torn limb from limb.

Meanwhile, Thana ran back to Liam, covered in sticky sap with a dripping root system in her hand. "Look at their hearts! They have no blood."

Liam nodded with a grimace. "Cool, well, you hold them off, and we'll get to Visena."

Thana grinned, "I like it when you tell me what to do." She disappeared in a flash, dismembering another Fae.

Jed glanced wide-eyed at his Beta before shifting and following his brother's trail. They had almost caught up when a blinding pain shot from his lower back. He turned with a yelp only to see Zeir's dirty golden wolf latched onto his spine. Jed twisted and snapped at Zeir's legs, but it was no use.

His vertebrae splintered under Zeir's bite force, drawing out agonising screams. Jed writhed against the earth and howled for his brother, whose responding outcry was equally tormented.

Thana appeared and ripped Zeir off, throwing him across the clearing as Jed shifted back to human form and lost consciousness. His lower half sprawled uselessly across the bloody dirt.

Liam shifted back with a ragged sob. "Jed!" He scooped the boy up as gently as possible and carried him away from the battle. Gideon appeared in wolf form and howled hauntingly to Hina. Please help him. He prayed to the moon goddess before returning to look for Zeir.

"Zeir!" He shifted his throat enough to form the word. The Fae around him retreated in fear seeing the black wolf speak. The Vampires, too, seemed to still from the unnatural event.

They cleared a path for the Alpha's to see one another, and Gideon stalked through them. "It is over. You die, now!"

Zeir shifted and stood tall, proud of his nakedness. Laughter echoed around the silent clearing. "You aren't killing anyone, boy. I am your King now. Shift!"

His laughter continued as Gideon was forced to return to human form. He fought it, but it was no use. The Malum Alpha had Visena's stolen power coursing through him.

Zeir threw him a pair of shorts. "Cover yourself. I don't want my mate to get any ideas." He gazed over at Visena. Still impossibly frozen.

"What have you done to her. You fucking abomination!"

"Gideon Steel." Zeir stalked closer through the mob of Fae and Vampires. "You will bow to me."

Gideon spat at his feet. "I will never-"

"You will BOW TO ME!" The command was immense, and Gideon dropped to his knees with a furious shout of pain.

"Lay your head on the earth, Gideon. It's time for you to meet your maker."

~~~

A/N

Hot damn!

I'm having to split some of my chapters differently than how I intended them so they're long enough and I'm hoping it still reads okay!

There's also not a clear POV here its more omniscient. Let me know if it needs a touch up for clarity sake.

The tension is rising, and where the hell is Visena!? Now is not the time to disappear inside your head girlfriend!

Also, also over 10k everyone 😍

I am in awe and so elated to have you all along for the ride...

K ♥️