Page 17

The Final Battle

RONAN

T he midnight air crackles with tension as I stand at Frostspire Keep's highest window, watching fog roll across the grounds like a ghostly tide. Beside me, Briar's hand finds mine, her touch sending warmth through our mate bond that fights against the curse's perpetual chill.

"He's coming," she whispers, her green eyes fixed on the darkness beyond our protective wards. The protection charms she crafted flutter in an unfelt wind, their magic pulsing in time with her heartbeat.

"I know." My fingers tighten around hers as I sense Rurik's approach through the pack bond that even the curse couldn't fully sever. My brother's presence feels wrong now—twisted and dark in ways that make my wolf bristle.

Rakan's howl splits the night—a warning that echoes through the castle's ancient stones. Through our connection, I feel his urgency. They're breaching the outer wards.

Briar turns to me, determination blazing in her eyes. The mark on her neck—my mark—glows faintly, responding to the surge of protective magic that flows through me. "Whatever happens," she says, "we face it together."

Before I can respond, the castle's magic flares violently. Windows rattle in their frames as dark energy slams against our defenses. The protection charms burst into brilliant light, fighting back against the corruption that seeks to enter.

"He's stronger than before." The words taste like ashes in my mouth. "The experiments—they've changed him."

"But he's not stronger than us." Briar's voice carries absolute conviction. She presses her free hand against the nearest wall, and I watch in awe as the castle's magic responds, flowing toward her like water finding its natural course. "The curse feeds on isolation, remember? We're not alone anymore."

As if in answer, Ember—the castle's spirit—pulses with renewed energy. Books fly from their shelves in the library below, their pages rustling like wings as ancient magic awakens. The very stones beneath our feet seem to hum with power.

Another blast rocks the castle, and this time I hear glass shatter somewhere below. Rakan's thoughts pierce through the chaos: The wards are failing. They're inside.

"Go," Briar urges, pushing me toward the door. "Lead the pack. I'll coordinate with Ember and the staff."

For a moment, I hesitate. Every instinct screams to keep her close, to protect what's mine. But she's not just my mate—she's an arcanist coming into her power, and the castle responds to her in ways I'm only beginning to understand.

"Be careful," I growl, pulling her in for a fierce kiss. Her lips meet mine with equal intensity, and for a precious second, the world narrows to just us—to the taste of her mouth and the way our magic intertwines.

Then another explosion rocks the foundation, and we break apart. Without another word, I race toward the sound of fighting, my body already beginning to shift. Bones crack and reform as I take my wolf shape, power surging through enhanced muscles.

The scene in the grand hall is chaos. Dark shapes pour through shattered windows—twisted wolves larger than any natural beast, their fur rippling with unnatural shadows. My pack meets them head-on, teeth and claws flashing in the magical light that still pulses from Briar's charms.

I launch myself into the fray, taking down one of the corrupted wolves with a savage bite to the throat. Its blood tastes wrong—tainted with whatever dark magic Rurik has been experimenting with. Through the pack bond, I feel Rakan coordinating our defense, directing wolves to weak points while keeping the enemy contained.

But for every attacker we drive back, two more seem to take its place. The curse writhes beneath my skin, trying to use my rage to gain control. I fight it back, focusing instead on the warmth of Briar's mark—a reminder that I'm not alone in this battle.

Above the snarls and crashes of combat, I hear Briar's voice ring out. She stands on the grand staircase, her hands raised as she channels magic through the castle's ancient stones. The protective symbols carved into the walls begin to glow, their light pushing back the shadows that cling to our enemies.

"The library!" she shouts. "Get them away from the Arcanum!"

I turn to see several of the twisted wolves breaking away from the main fight, heading toward the west wing where the library's magic pulses strongest. Understanding hits like lightning—they're not just here to attack. They're here to corrupt the source of the castle's power.

Rakan, hold the line here, I project through our bond. I'm going after the others.

His acknowledgment comes with a flash of fierce loyalty as he coordinates the pack's defense. I race after the escaping wolves, my claws finding purchase on ancient stone as I take the stairs three at a time.

The scene I find in the library corridor makes my blood run cold. Fiona stands before the heavy doors, her hands pressed against wood that's now stained with dark symbols. Her eyes are completely black, and the air around her crackles with corrupted magic.

"I'm sorry," she whispers as I skid to a stop. "He promised to free us from the curse. He said?—"

A blast of dark energy cuts off her words as Rurik steps out of the shadows. My brother looks both familiar and alien—his features sharper, his eyes gleaming with an unnatural light. Power rolls off him in waves that make the curse stir restlessly beneath my skin.

"Hello, brother." His smile holds no warmth. "Miss me?"

I shift back to human form, my voice rough with emotion. "What have you done to yourself?"

"What you were too weak to do." He gestures at the twisted wolves that flank him. "I found a way to harness the curse’s power instead of fighting it. To transcend the limitations the Council tried to place on us."

"By corrupting everything you touch?" The words tear from my throat. "Look at what you've become, Rurik. This isn't power—it's poison."

His laugh sends chills down my spine. "Always so righteous, Ronan. Always trying to protect everyone but yourself." His gaze shifts to something behind me. "Speaking of protection..."

I spin to see Briar at the end of the corridor, her hands already moving in patterns that make the air shimmer. The castle’s magic responds instantly, stones grinding as they try to seal off the library entrance.

But Rurik is faster. Dark energy explodes from his hands, slamming into the walls with enough force to crack ancient stone. Fiona screams as she's thrown aside, her body crumpling against a pillar.

"The arcanist." Rurik's voice drips with false sweetness. "I've been so looking forward to meeting you properly. Your effect on the castle's magic is... fascinating."

"Stay away from her." The growl builds in my chest as I move to place myself between them.

"Or what?" His power lashes out again, this time wrapping around my throat like burning ice. "You'll take another curse for me? Sacrifice more of yourself to protect someone who doesn't want saving?"

The pressure increases, and spots dance at the edges of my vision. Through our mate bond, I feel Briar's fury building like a storm. The castle trembles as she draws on Ember's power, channeling it through the very foundations.

"Enough!" Her voice carries otherworldly authority. Light explodes from her hands, shattering Rurik's hold on me. The twisted wolves yelp and retreat as the castle's magic surges, responding to her call.

I gasp for air as Briar steps forward, her power radiating in visible waves. Books fly from the library shelves, their pages glowing with ancient symbols as they swirl around her like a protective shield.

"You're not welcome here," she declares, and the castle's magic amplifies her words until they seem to shake the very air. "This place, these people—they're not yours to corrupt."

Rurik's eyes narrow as he studies her with new interest. "Impressive. The castle's magic has bonded with you completely." His smile turns cruel. "I wonder what would happen if that bond were... severed."

He moves faster than thought, dark energy coalescing into a spear that shoots straight at Briar's heart. Time seems to slow as I lunge forward, desperate to reach her.

But I needn't have worried. The moment Rurik's attack touches the swirling barrier of books, it shatters. Light explodes outward as Briar's power combines with Ember's, creating a shockwave that sends everyone staggering.

I recover first, shifting back to wolf form as I charge at my brother. This time, I don't hold back. My teeth find his shoulder as we crash through the library doors together, rolling across ancient floors now crackling with competing magics.

The fight becomes a blur of snapping teeth and dark energy. Rurik's power burns where it touches me, but I push through the pain, driven by the need to end this—to protect my mate, my home, my pack.

The curse fights me every step of the way, trying to drag me under, but Briar's presence in my mind keeps me anchored.

Through our bond, I feel her gathering power for something big. The library's magic coalesces around her, books flying faster as ancient knowledge flows into her consciousness. She may be new to her abilities, but her connection to Ember makes her formidable.

"You can't win this, brother," Rurik pants as we break apart. Blood drips from his wounds, but his eyes still burn with maniacal intensity. "The curse is part of you now. Part of all of us. Fighting it only makes it stronger."

"You're wrong." I shift back to human form, standing tall despite the pain. "The curse feeds on isolation, but I'm not alone anymore. None of us are."

As if to prove my point, Briar's power explodes outward. The library's magic responds to her call, centuries of knowledge and power flowing through her into the castle's very foundations. Light blazes from every surface as she taps into something deeper than mere spells—she's accessing the very heart of Frostspire Keep.

"The castle remembers," she says, her voice echoing with Ember's power. "It remembers what you did, Rurik. How you twisted its magic, corrupted its purpose. No more."

The floor beneath our feet begins to pulse with light, ancient symbols appearing in patterns I've never seen before. The twisted wolves whimper and retreat as pure magic fills the air, burning away their corruption like mist in sunlight.

Rurik's face contorts with rage as his creatures abandon him. "You think love can save you?" he snarls, gathering darkness around himself like a cloak. "Love is weakness. Power is the only truth that matters."

He launches himself at Briar, dark magic streaming from his hands. But this time, I'm ready. I meet him halfway, my own power—fueled by love and pack bonds and everything he rejected—rising to match his attack.

The resulting explosion rocks the entire castle. Through the chaos, I catch a glimpse of Rurik's face—twisted with rage and something else. Fear. For the first time since this began, my brother looks afraid.

Then I hear it—Briar's sharp gasp of pain. Through our bond, I feel her magic surge beyond her control, the raw power too much for her untrained abilities. She's drawing too deeply from Ember, channeling more energy than she can safely handle.

"Too much," she whispers, her voice tight with strain. "I can't?—"

Her knees buckle as the magic overwhelms her. Books crash to the floor as her concentration shatters, and I feel her consciousness flickering through our bond. My heart nearly stops when I see blood trickling from her nose.

Rurik seizes his chance, but instead of fleeing immediately, his eyes lock onto Briar with calculated interest.

I lunge to catch Briar. She goes limp in my arms, her skin pale and cold where the magic has drained her. Through our bond, I feel her life force flickering faint but still present.

"Fascinating," he murmurs, dark energy crackling around him. "She's not just connected to the castle—she's bonded with the Arcanum itself. All that knowledge, all those secrets about the Nexus, flowing right into her consciousness."

"Stay back," I snarl, pulling Briar's limp form closer as blood trickles from her nose.

His laugh echoes through the chamber. "Oh brother, you don't even realize what you have, do you? The Council's archives, the secrets of the supernatural world—she can access it all through the library's magic. That's worth more than any curse or currency."

He throws something into the air—a small object that explodes in a burst of absolute darkness. Through the chaos, his voice carries a promise that chills me to my core.

"We'll meet again, dear brother. And next time, I'll take more than just books from your precious library. Your mate's connection to the Arcanum—now that's real power."

The magical backlash rocks the room as he disappears through the breach in the wall, his twisted wolves following like shadows. But his words echo in my mind as I hold Briar's failing form.

"I've got you," I murmur, pulling her close as Rurik's darkness eats through the library wall. My brother's twisted wolves melt into the shadows after him, but I barely notice. All my focus is on Briar's shallow breathing, on the weak pulse of our bond.

"Let me go after him," Rakan growls, appearing in the doorway. But I shake my head.

“Run the boundaries of the property. They could return." I gather Briar more securely in my arms, my heart clenching at how fragile she feels. “I need to take care of her.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Angelic steps forward, frost spreading from her feet. "The power overwhelmed her. She's untrained, unprepared for this level of magic." Her green eyes hold both warning and sympathy. "Get her somewhere safe. I'll help stabilize the grounds and put up a shield. Rurik has officially escalated his classification on the threat list. The Council won’t stop until he’s neutralized.”

I don't wait to hear more. Carrying Briar, I race toward the castle, feeling her life force flutter against mine. The curse writhes beneath my skin, but our bond is stronger.

"Stay with me," I whisper against her hair. "Please, moya lyubov. Stay with me."

Around us, the castle's magic pulses with concern. Books lie scattered across the floor, many of their pages scorched by dark magic. The walls show cracks where Rurik's power ate into ancient stone. But none of that matters compared to the precious weight in my arms.

Rurik escaped, but I made the right choice. The only choice. Because while the battle for Frostspire Keep may not be over, I know exactly what—and who—I'm fighting for.

And nothing, not even my brother's darkness, will take her from me.