Page 65 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

His eyes were yellow, rimmed in black, with pupils like slits of obsidian. Recognition flickered in those eyes—not animal, not even human, but something deeper. Something ancient. The wolf bared its teeth in a parody of a smile.

Then, without warning, it began to shift.

The process was silent and horrifying. Fur receded into skin, bones re-knitting with grotesque efficiency.

The beast shrank, twisted, and reassembled itself into a man, a tall, lean man with hair so black it looked blue in the moonlight.

His face was handsome in a predatory way, all sharp lines and cruel angles.

He wore a black cloak that covered his dark attire.

“Hello, little princess. I am Abaas,” the man said. His voice was a velvet dagger, smooth and deadly. “I’ve been looking for you.”

She tried to push herself up, but her arm gave out. Pain lanced through her side.

Abaas approached, moving with the easy grace of a predator who knows there’s no rush. He crouched beside her, one hand reaching for her face. She flinched, but he only brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.

“You look just like her,” he said, almost tender. “The same eyes. A fiercer spirit. And the same calming presence.”

“Don’t touch me!” Lita jerked away from his touch.

He chuckled, unbothered. “You’re even better than I hoped.”

Lita! Where are you? Asher’s panicked voice sounded in her mind.

Clearing. South of our border. Felicia is dead and— That was a conversation for another time. Right now, she was weak and needed help. The demon who was after my mother and me … he’s here. Abaas is here.

Hold on! I’m coming—

“Ah ah ah.” Abaas lit up a crystal, cutting off Lita’s communication. “You should be focusing on me. Were you talking to someone? Your little alpha? He won’t reach you in time. This little trinket blocks mental communication and suppresses magic. Fun, huh?”

“Go to hell,” Lita gasped.

He laughed, a sound as smooth and cold as river ice.

“You’d be surprised how much of me already lives there.

” He crouched again, lowering his voice.

“You know, your mother was supposed to be mine. The fates gave her to me, but she ran. I’ve been looking for her for so long, but—” he growled.

“She ran to the arms of another mate. She was supposed to be mine. My fated. She made me what I am now.” He paused, gazing at her eyes.

“You’re perfect. You’re going to fix everything your mother broke. ”

He reached out to brush her hair from her face, a mockery of gentleness.

Lita set her jaw, gritting her teeth. “I’ll die before I go anywhere with you.”

Abaas shrugged. “You all say that, but you’ll see.

Once you’re away from this place, you’ll be okay.

You were always meant to be mine.” His grip tightened on her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

“You’re not just a wolf. Not just a fairy princess, either.

You’re a bridge … a key. And I’m going to use you to walk right through the front gates of Elysia. ”

He reached out to touch her again and she slapped his face, burning a handprint onto his cheek.

Abaas laughed, delighted. “Oh, I like you. But it looks like you’ve used up too much energy. Too much for someone who has just awakened. Otherwise, you could have fought through the crystal's suppression. Pity.” He leaned in, lips brushing her ear. “You’re coming with me, princess.”

She tried to fight him. She tried to call the fire again, but it fizzled. Could she still summon Seraphina with the mental block? Abaas lifted her with effortless strength, cradling her like a child. He turned to leave the clearing, but a sound stopped him. A low, furious growl.

A blond wolf streaked from the trees, slamming into Abaas’ leg with enough force to topple a normal man. Abaas barely staggered, but he looked down, surprised. The wolf snarled, eyes wild with fury, and clamped its jaws onto Abaas’ calf.

Caspian.

Abaas grunted, then kicked the wolf in the ribs, sending it flying. Caspian yelped but landed on his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. He circled back, hackles raised.

Abaas glanced at Lita, then at the wolf. “Persistent, aren’t you?”

Caspian lunged again, this time for Abaas’ throat. Abaas dropped Lita, spun, and caught Caspian in midair. His hands closed around the wolf’s neck. Caspian twisted, claws raking Abaas’ chest, but the demon-wolf was too strong. With a jerk, Abaas slammed Caspian to the ground, pinning him.

“I could kill you, fairy mongrel,” Abaas said, voice cold. “But I think I’ll let you watch.”

He backhanded Caspian across the snout, then turned back to Lita. “Ready to go?” he asked, as if they were headed to a picnic.

Lita tried to crawl, tried to summon the fire, but nothing happened. She was spent. That was the point of the crystal. It was to drain her of her magic so she couldn’t fight. This was well thought out. Abaas hoisted her onto his shoulder. “We’re going to have so much fun,” he purred.

Behind him, Caspian struggled to stand, eyes pleading with Lita. Abaas started into the woods, Lita limp and helpless in his grip. Caspian, battered but unbroken, limped after them.

Abaas carried Lita through the woods. He moved fast, never breaking stride even when she mustered the energy to kick and hit him. He would only chuckle, as if her fight made him happy. Over his shoulder, Lita could see Caspian was still following, coming at them faster now.

Abaas let out a sigh and gingerly laid Lita back on the ground. He turned and glared at Caspian.

“Let’s make this quick,” Abaas said, voice bored. “I’d rather not be interrupted by her boyfriend.”

He stepped back, hands on his hips, and watched her with a predator’s lazy confidence.

Behind him, the forest filled with low growls and the red gleam of demon wolf eyes.

There were at least a dozen, maybe more.

Caspian burst into the hollow, hackles raised, lips peeled back in a snarl.

Two demon wolves flanked him immediately, their teeth bared.

Lita braced herself, pushing up on her uninjured arm. Her fire was almost gone, but she could feel a stubborn ember burning in her chest, a last, desperate hope.

Abaas tilted his head. “Still trying to fight, princess?”

Seraphina?! she yelled into the darkness of her mind. Nothing.

She met Abaas’ gaze. It was tender, almost as if she were someone precious to him. And for a second, she saw not a monster but a man who had been broken and rebuilt into something terrible. It almost made her pity him.

Almost.

She called the fire.

It hurt this time. It clawed through her veins, scorched her lungs, but she forced it up, forced it out. Her hands blazed blue and gold, the light illuminating the hollow like a miniature sun. Abaas smiled, unimpressed.

She hurled the flames at him. The inferno hit Abaas square in the chest and wrapped him in a cocoon of white-hot fire. For a heartbeat, he vanished inside it.

Then he stepped through, completely untouched. The flames licked at his skin, but he didn’t even flinch.

Abaas dusted an imaginary fleck from his shoulder. “Did your mother not tell you? I am the son of Mephisto. An original demon. The flames of a tier-three god are … underwhelming.” He shrugged. “But I like the effort. Honestly, you are adorable.”

She shifted tactics. “You might be immune, but your little army isn’t,” she spat, turning her palms to the demon wolves closing in on Caspian.

She let the fire go, hard, reckless. The wolves screamed, their fur igniting in blue and gold flames.

The clearing filled with the stench of burning fur and the shrieks of dying monsters.

Abaas watched, fascinated. “So much fire. So much anger. We’re going to be perfect together.” He didn’t care at all about the wolves she had injured and killed.

The remaining wolves regrouped, circling Caspian. Abaas raised his hand, and they lunged in unison. Caspian met the first with a brutal snap of his jaws, tearing out its throat, but the second caught him from behind, dragging him to the ground. Lita saw blood spray, saw Caspian’s body go limp.

She screamed, and the fire leaped higher. It danced over her skin, spiraling out in a storm. The wolves hesitated, but only for a second as new wolves emerged and went after Caspian to finish him off.

Abaas’ voice slithered into her mind, amused. We can make this easy, or we can make it hard, princess. I’d prefer easy. But I’m not picky.

Lita grinned as she gathered all her strength. She was not going to just sit here and watch. “Nothing in life has ever been easy for me,” she whispered. “Why start now?”

She forced herself to her feet, pain slicing through her like knives. She called for Mira, and this time, the answer was immediate.

The shift tore her apart and rebuilt her in the space of a heartbeat. One second she was on her knees, the next she was on all fours, black fur bristling, claws digging into the earth. She was bigger than the demon wolves, stronger, and there was a new power humming in her bones.

She hit the first wolf like a freight train, jaws crushing its skull in a single bite. Blood flooded her mouth. The next wolf latched onto her haunch, but she spun and flung it into a tree, bones snapping. She barely felt the pain. She was pure fury, pure survival.

Three more wolves attacked at once. She dodged, bit, clawed, but they kept coming, their red eyes shining with hate. One managed to get its teeth into her shoulder.

“Princess, I hate causing you harm. I’ll make sure to heal you up when I get you home.”

Caspian, battered but alive, leaped back into the fight, his blond fur streaked with blood. Together, they tore through the pack, leaving a trail of corpses.

But there were always more.

Abaas leaned against a tree, his eyes never leaving Lita. He looked almost proud.

She knew she couldn’t keep this up. The blood loss, the fatigue—it was catching up. She could feel the world narrowing, the edges of her vision going black. She needed help. She needed Seraphina.

She called, not with words, but with the last shreds of her soul.

The answer was instant.

Fire exploded from her, a corona of blue-white light that incinerated everything it touched. The demon wolves vanished, turned to ash in a heartbeat. The flames raged, hungry and alive, until only Lita and Caspian were left standing in a scorched circle.

Abaas stood at the edge, untouched, eyes wide with delight. “Magnificent,” he breathed. “Absolutely magnificent.”

Lita staggered, barely able to hold her form. Caspian collapsed beside her, whimpering.

Abaas stepped forward. “You really are amazing.”

Lita bared her fangs, but she was spent. She tried to lunge at him, but her legs gave out and she fell, shifting back to her human form as she hit the ground.

Abaas knelt beside her, lifting her chin. “You’ll see. In time, you’ll understand. We were made for each other.”

He leaned in, lips brushing her ear. “I really do admire your spirit. You’re a true princess. But if you keep this up, there won’t be any left for me to play with.” Caspian growled and Abaas clicked his tongue. “I’ve had enough of you.”

Demon wolves poured in from the forest, growling and slobbering, their gazes fixed on Caspian. Lita had nothing left. She needed a miracle. She needed help.

Then the sound of paws, the real, blessed sound of Asher, tearing through the woods.

He crashed into the clearing, fur bristling, eyes wild.

Abaas faced him smugly, ready to fight him.

But then the sound of branches breaking cracked through the air.

Grayson’s massive bear toppled over whole trees as he made his way to them.

He let out a roar, announcing his presence.

“Dammit … not the guardian. I’ll be back for you, princess.” Abaas swiftly shifted, sprinting away as Grayson broke into the clearing. He was like a bowling ball, crashing into the puny pins of demon wolves. He made short work of them as Asher ran to Lita.

His eyes were wild, his body already shifting between man and wolf. He dropped to his knees beside Lita, gathering her up in his arms.

“Lita,” he choked, “Lita, please.”

She managed a smile but then worry flickered over her face. “Caspian.”

Caspian limped over, collapsing at their feet. Asher hugged them both, tears running down his face.

Asher pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. “I thought I’d lost you.”

She smiled, tears trickling down her cheeks. “You never will.”

“You’re hurt. Casp—” Asher watched as Grayson came over, staying in his bear form. He had finished off the demon wolves that hadn’t run away.

“How was the fight with the rogues? How is everyone else?” Lita asked quietly, making sure everyone else was okay, too.

“They’ve been taken care of. You and Caspian are in worse shape than everyone else. Of course, no one else was dealing with several dozen wolves at once.” Asher trembled. “Why were you even out here?”

The flood gates opened and emotions surged into him, as if they were suppressed before. He knew everything that had happened. Everything about what Felicia did and the things Abaas said to Lita. His muscles tensed as pure fury rose inside of him.

Grayson shifted and lifted Caspian. “We need to get them to the infirmary. Now.” He eyed Lita and glanced at Caspian with worry. Asher lifted Lita in his arms and the two raced to the infirmary. Caden was waiting for them, holding shorts for the men to put on.

“How bad are they?” Caden asked as he followed them to the tables.

“I don’t know. Gods, I don’t know.” Asher laid Lita on the table, pulling a cloth over her.

Caden threw a pair of shorts over at Grayson. “Here, cover your grizzly.” He was trying to lighten the situation, but it wasn’t working.

“Lita … LITA?!” Asher yelled, realizing she was unconscious.