Page 400 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

“Love you?” His brow furrowed as I nodded. “Yes, sweetheart. That part was real.”

The dam broke. Tears slid down my face as I lowered my hands, my shield dissipating with a flicker. His shoulders sagged in relief.

Slowly, tentatively, Adrastos crossed the distance. I forced myself not to recoil as his hands cupped my face and neck. His scent curled through my senses, familiar beneath the iron tang of blood. He leaned into my hair and whispered, “I never thought I’d see you again.”

A breathless laugh escaped me as I rested my face against his chest, heart thundering like a war drum. “I love you too.” I sniffled, trembling like a leaf as his arms tightened, pulling me flush to him. “And I’m sorry.”

Adrastos stiffened. “Sweetheart…what part of this are you possibly sorry for?”

I sobbed into his chest, breathing him in one last time as grief carved through me⁠—

—and drove the Erebos blade into his back.

August

It was a battle we couldn’t win. We all knew it. But that didn’t stop us from charging headlong into the chaos below.

The wolves were everywhere, shredding through humans like warm butter. Their screams reverberated between the walls and buildings—right up until their abrupt ends—filling the city with a chorus of agony. Ally was doing her damndest to rein in the fires, trying to pull the element back inside her body, but her strength was fading. She’d expended too much trying to hold the city. Just the two of us. I could sense her flagging, energy waning.

My lightning crackled through two more wolves, their roasted carcasses flying before crashing to the pavement beside the would-be victims. Aren was a whirlwind of righteous fury at my back, the bodies in his wake stacking up like a deck of cards. Ally did the same at my other side.

Where is she? Aren demanded.

Coming back, Ally promised. You equipped her well.

Then rain down hell, he ordered.

For Ansel. Ally leapt airborne, slicing her blade clean through the neck of a beast lunging for a family’s balcony. Their horrified faces were wide-eyed behind the glass. Its enormous skeletal form cracked to the earth seconds before the head did, rolling away in a trail of black blood.

Her agony was palpable as Lana hissed, For Ansel, running her blades through two Renown, telekinetically impaling them as fire licked up in a wall, incinerating the demons on her heels. I’d never seen Lana use flame before—not even flimsy sparks.

With bloody howls, the wolves began circling, herding us toward the square at the center of town. Aren let loose a roar more beast than man, and Alec swung his blades wide, then motioned for the wolves to come and get it.

Dozens. Dozens of them barreled forward, fear licking up my spine as my lightning thundered into the earth, smashing through enemies. But rarely could one strike take two. It was too slow—not like Ally’s fire, which tore across the ground, devouring them as they shrieked and ran.

Just as the wall of demons leapt within feet of us, the energy in the square shifted—like the earth had been shoved off its axis. I blinked, clearing my vision. Checking myself.

But there—between the demons—stood at least a hundred souls.

Elements flickered in their hands. Blades screeched from their sheaths as they poured into the melee. It took all my focus to kill the wolf lunging for me as I scanned the chaos—Kingsley, Rosaleigh, surrounded by wolves the size of Clydesdales with coats of every color.

My eyes found Ambroise, Ajax, Alastair, and a handful of beautiful, heavily armed souls I didn’t recognize—but they had to be Bellatons, judging by the familiar, long-haired blonde in silver armor at their center, her ponytail whipping on the wind.

Thank fuck! Alec cried down our bond.

I sent a bolt through the wolf and whirled to see souls scattered throughout the carnage, already helping the screaming humans flee their homes, engaging the demons and a few scattered Renown.

Hundreds—dressed in low hoods and modern black tac suits—had shadows coiling around their arms.

Holy shit, it must be a cold day in hell, Aren thought, gratitude pointing clearly toward my sister—and my mate.

Don’t thank me yet.

Those are mine, Freya announced flatly. No pride laced her words.

You bold bitch, Lana hissed, a breathy, relieved sound climbing up the bond.

Hey guys, love you all. We gotta focus. For once, it was Alec reigning us back in. Ally jumped to his side as the wolves surrounded him. He cracked his neck as she pressed her back to his, and they began to swirl in a slow circle, matching the demons’ movements.