Page 37 of Shifters Unifying (Shifters Destiny: Willow Creek Shifters #2)

All around us, shifters groaned and whimpered as they fell to the ground, released from the evil sorcerer’s magic. I didn’t know who had survived and who had died, but they needed to leave this place. Emma needed privacy to recoup.

Briefly, I stood. “Fall back to Bear Trees and then Six-Mile. We’ll regroup there,” I bellowed before crouching down beside my mate.

“Yes, alpha,” came from those still alive from my pack. Others muttered agreement.

I took a seat on the earth and stroked her hair.

She hooked her arm around my leg and clung to me.

I scanned the shifters, searching for Torbin to confirm my instructions, but I didn’t spot him, and Marcus had disappeared from the stream where he’d been.

They’d have to take care of themselves. My mate needed my strength.

Tenderly, I dragged Emma into my lap and cuddled her as close as I could. “Sssshhhh. There was nothing you could do. We charged into a trap.”

She shook her head, and her hot tears dripped onto my chest and thighs. “I should have known, should have been ready. We should have beat him. Now he’s only going to grow stronger.”

“Emma, he means to break you. It’s the only way he knows to best you. That’s been his goal all along, shatter you before you come into your full power.” I grasped her chin and forced her to meet my gaze. “Do you know what that means?”

She peered into my eyes as though I held a lifeline she desperately needed.

The sunlight broke through the last of the clouds, played across her hair, shimmered in her green irises, and glittered in her tears.

No, Acheron had only meant to show off his growing power, to get into Emma’s head and make her as weak as he’d made the shifter who had nearly murdered Marcus.

“What does it mean?” she whispered.

“It means he’s afraid. He scared of you, of what you’re becoming.”

She squeezed her eyelids closed and shook her head back and forth. “No, no… Stop trying to make me feel better about my failure. How many deaths… so much destruction… It’s too much.”

I kissed her cheek, tasting the saltiness of her sorrow.

“No, love, if he hadn’t been afraid, Acheron never would have set a trap, tied your hands behind your back, and avoided confronting you directly.

He planned this, a sneak attack with wards and runes in the trees, and he wasted dozens of his shifters on this one chance to break your will, break your heart. ”

“I’m never going to be able to—”

“Shut up,” I growled, my tone harsh. “You can’t afford to break down here, now. Not in front of your clans. Not in front of your warriors.” Now get up.

She blinked as though I’d slapped her face. “What?” she rasped. “What are you saying?”

I leaned close to her ear. “He put runes on the trees, Emma. While he’s been in hiding, he’s been working out this exact moment, risking it all on this one chance to weaken you.

He couldn’t overcome the strength of the magic in your cells.

If he could have, he would have. No, this was his attempt to force you to give up, but you won’t. You can’t.” You are the multimorph.

She stilled. I am the multimorph.

And Acheron is afraid. Of you. I added, trying to push as much strength as I could through our bond. I believe in you. This isn’t a failure.

She said nothing for long moments, didn’t react. Suddenly, her shoulders stiffened, and she sat up, almost woodenly. Acheron is afraid.

“This wasn’t the last battle,” I said, climbing to my feet and offering her my hand. “It was a show.”

She stood. “A show, theatrics,” she muttered, glancing around as though seeing the forest for the first time since she’d collapsed. “But how many died?”

“Fewer than could have. He spent all his energy on the shifter, the boy, and the tornado. He was too busy directing magic that he couldn’t do anything other than hold the ward. The woman had to hurt Marcus for him.”

“Marcus… That was his sister.”

“I guess Acheron wanted to hurt Marcus, too,” I said.

“Yeah, Marcus must be important…” Her voice trailed away as she studied the ground, distant. “The clans should see me,” she murmured. She scanned the forest, not quite meeting my eyes. “Maybe I can heal some of them.”

“We’ll regroup and make a plan,” I said. “Back in Six-Mile where it’s safer.”

Emma chewed her bottom lip and startled as though she’d just realized I’d said something more to her. “What?”

“Meet me back in Six-Mile.”

“Uh, huh. Sure,” she answered, withdrawn, obviously still shaken by what had happened and trying not to be.

Or maybe there was something else… Processing the feelings in our link only told me that she was holding back, but that could be holding back emotion, a break down, or any number of words she wanted to say.

I laid my hand on her shoulder, hoping the warmth of my touch would break through whatever had turned to stone inside her and bring her back to herself, back to me. “Emma. What is it?”

She shook her head and sighed. “It’s nothing I can talk about yet.”

“We can’t afford secrets between us.”

She gestured to the crowd of shifters beginning to limp around us. “But I can’t tell you here, in front of everyone. I’m not ready for all of them to know, so it has to be done in private.”

“Then tell me when you get back to Six-Mile.” I crushed her against my chest, thankful she hadn’t been harmed. Glad it hadn’t been the final show down with Acheron.

She relaxed against me and wrapped her arms around my torso. “When I get back to Six-Mile,” she agreed, stroking the place over my heart. “I’ll tell you then.”