The Wand and the Wolf

49 - Reborn

Kydas POV

I was fighting with every ounce of strength I had, pulling out my claws when I had an extra ounce of adrenaline. I had to force myself into close quarters with the warlocks, or I wouldn't have had a chance. I would probably already be dead. Eliza, Damien and Imogen had escaped deeper into the woods, but I couldn't seem to shake off the warlocks long enough. Around me, Riaz and Ibhan fought their own battles.

Suddenly, the coppery scent of blood exploded in the clearing and a searing pain ripped through my stomach. A scream tore through me, loud enough that the warlock fighting me toppled backwards. I turned to see Ibhan fall to his knees. His eyes met mine, his expression shocked as he put a hand up to his blood soaked body.

"No!" I yelled, I kicked at the warlock in front of me whilst he was still down. There were five warlocks remaining.

"Ibhan!" Riaz yelled as he ran over. He was little red with cuts of his own.

"Riaz I'm going to kill them all," I hissed and he looked at me, his face stoic and nodded.

"Like I wouldn't be joining you," he said. I ran towards Ibhan as Riaz threw up a barrier to push back some of the other warlocks. I felt like my entire body was on fire as I watched the warlock raise his sword once more.

"No!" I screamed again. Shift! I demanded my body to change, pushing it past its limits as I leapt at the warlock. Pain exploded through me once again as my bones snapped and shifted, fur sprouting from my skin  and my jaws snapped shit around the warlocks arms, bones crunching between my teeth. I had finally shifted. Now none of them could stop me.

A shadow whip snapped around my waist and I turned, snarling at the next warlock who dared approach me as I stood over Ibhans body. I ran at the warlock and I saw panic flash across her face as she tried to quickly bring up a shield. I used the wall of shadows as a launch pad and threw myself at her, taking my claws across her chest. She collapsed to the ground, and I circled back to Ibhan. The cut wasn't too deep but it was long and he pressed his hands against it. I whined as I nuzzled his head.

"Wolf," he said weakly, "I thought I told you to stay ," he said, his voice trembling with pain.

I wanted to stay by his side but more warlocks were approaching. I stood over his body and snarled, snapping my jaws. A few hesitated before they approached, but I did not. I ran at full speed, tackling the warlocks to the ground, snapping at heels and arms, disarming them.

I felt the tips of swords and the sting of whips against my body but I didn't slow. I clawed and kicked at one after the other, only satisfied when they were down in the grass. Riaz was covered in blood, some his but most from others and he stumbled over to Ibhan. He hooked his arms under him and began pulling him towards the tree line. Ibhan let out a wail of pain and I faltered at the sound.

"Got you, wolf," a warlock hissed as she grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pulled me back. I tried to snap at her but her hold on my head limited my range.

"I think you've done enough," another warlock said as he staggered closer, making a dagger in his hand. "Oh, Mia is gonna love to have that pretty little head of yours on a stick," he grinned as he raised the dagger above his head. I pulled hard against the other woman and snapped at the man's arm, grinding his bones between my jaws. He screamed and yelled for help but I held on as warlocks pulled at me. I was not gonna go down without a fight.

Just then, I heard a thundering sound quickly approaching. I thought it was more warlocks, but these were not footsteps. I looked up as Remus broke through the tree line, followed by dozens of wolves. He ran full force at the warlocks surrounding me, using his full body weight to tackle them away. I gave the man's arm a final tug, severing it with a sickening crunch before I backed away. Wolves had swarmed the area as the sun peaked between the trees, and the warlocks were quickly retreating to where they had come from.