KEILAH
The sharp pain in my stomach was relentless, and I struggled to stay conscious as Zac’s cruel laughter echoed around me. My vision swam in and out of focus, and I felt a cold sweat break out across my forehead. The warmth running down my legs was a grim reminder of what was happening. . . the baby was no more.
Zac’s voice cut through the haze, filled with satisfaction. “Now, let’s see how your precious Ralph handles this.” He turned back to Ralph, his gaze cold and calculating.
Ralph, trapped in his wolf form and bound by Isabella’s magic, let out a furious, agonized howl. The sight of my suffering seemed to fuel his rage, but he was helpless against the magical restraints.
Isabella’s eyes locked onto mine with a look of disdain, as if my pain was nothing more than a minor inconvenience to her. She stepped back, allowing Zac to revel in his moment of triumph.
The pack members around us shifted uneasily, their loyalty torn between their alpha and their instincts to protect. Tension crackled in the air as Zac approached Ralph, his steps measured and deliberate.
“You’ve lost, Ralph,” Zac said, his voice low and menacing. “And it’s only going to get worse from here.”
I could barely keep my eyes open, but through the haze, I saw Ralph’s eyes flare with a fierce, red light. A powerful surge of wind erupted from him, sweeping everyone off their feet. The sheer force of it sent Zac and Isabella sprawling, their surprised shouts lost in the howling gale. The pack members scrambled to regain their footing, their expressions a mix of awe and fear.
In the midst of the chaos, Ralph’s form seemed to glow with an otherworldly energy, a sign that he was tapping into a hidden strength.
Ralph’s powerful energy surged through the air, an overwhelming force that made everyone, including Isabella, recoil in agony. The wind whipped violently, and a blinding light radiated from Ralph, causing the ground to tremble beneath us. The sheer intensity of his power made the pack members stagger and fall to their knees, their faces twisted in pain.
Isabella, struggling to maintain her footing, let out a shriek of torment. “Do something!” Zac screamed at her, his voice filled with desperation. “Or we’re all going to die!”
Isabella’s face contorted in agony as she fought to keep her composure. “I can’t!” she screamed back, her voice strained and panicked. “He’s too powerful! There’s nothing I can do when he’s in this state!”
The power radiating from Ralph seemed to overwhelm the very air around us. Isabella’s magic faltered, her attempts to counteract Ralph’s force proving futile. Zac’s face turned pale as he realized the full extent of the danger they were in. His eyes darted around, searching for any possible escape, but the storm of Ralph’s energy was relentless.
Every werewolf around us, including Zac and Isabella, groaned in pain. Their attempts to rise were futile; they fell again and again, growling in agony as if the energy emanating from Ralph were cracking their bones.
I watched through my blurred vision, my pain momentarily forgotten as I took in the scene before me. Every pack member, including the ones Zac had brought, writhed on the ground, their faces contorted with excruciating torment. Zac’s arrogance was replaced by sheer terror as he clutched at his head, trying to shield himself from the unbearable force. Isabella’s earlier disdain had turned into a mask of horror, her screams piercing the air.
My gaze shifted to Ralph, and I felt a mix of astonishment and fear. He was no longer just the powerful alpha I knew; he seemed to be possessed by something far greater, something ancient and supernatural. His form glowed with a radiant light, and his eyes blazed with an otherworldly fire. It was as if he had been touched by the ancestors themselves, though the reality of it was beyond my comprehension.
Whatever Ralph was doing, it affected everyone except me. I could feel the intense energy swirling around, but it did not harm me. Instead, it seemed to shield me, protecting me from the chaos.
The ground began to tremble, cracks forming and spreading outward from Ralph’s position. The wind howled like a living beast, tearing at clothes and hair. The pack members’ growls of pain grew louder, their bodies convulsing as if the energy were tearing them apart from the inside.
“Ralph!” Zac’s voice was a desperate plea, his bravado shattered. “Stop this! You’re going to kill us all!”
But Ralph didn’t stop. His power only grew, a relentless force of nature that showed no mercy.
Through the maelstrom, I felt a presence beside me. Dahlia crouched down and gently lifted me, her eyes filled with pain but her grip steady. “Forgive me, Keilah,” she whispered, her voice strained. “But you need to stop him before the pack ceases to exist.”
Her words were filled with agony as she struggled against the same overwhelming force that affected everyone else. She looked like she was fighting with all her might to stay conscious and functional. As she tried to move us closer to Ralph, a sudden surge of energy threw her backwards, and I fell to the ground with a painful thud.
“Keilah, push yourself and stop him!” Dahlia screamed through clenched teeth, her voice urgent and desperate. “You’re the only one who can stop him.”
I stumbled toward Ralph, my vision blurring with tears and the searing pain that coursed through my stomach. The air was thick with energy, crackling and humming with a life of its own. As I neared Ralph’s wolf glowing form, I could feel the heat radiating from him, like standing too close to a raging fire.
“Ralph,” I called out, my voice barely a whisper against the roar of his power. “Please, listen to me.”
His eyes, still glowing with that otherworldly light, remained locked on the pack, unyielding and unseeing. It was as if he were in a trance, lost to the world around him.
I took a deep breath, trying to focus through the chaos. “Remember our dreams,” I pleaded, my voice growing stronger with each word. “Remember our dreams! Remember the future we wanted together!”
Still, nothing changed. The energy continued to swirl around us, a relentless tempest that showed no sign of abating. I felt desperation claw at my heart, knowing I had to reach him, somehow.
Summoning every ounce of courage I possessed, I threw myself at his massive wolf, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. His fur was warm and familiar, a grounding presence amidst the storm of power.
“I’m right here,” I whispered, my voice breaking with emotion. “I’m so very fine. Please stop. You’re killing your own people.”
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. I clung to him, my tears soaking into his fur, hoping that he could feel my presence. The wind began to calm, and the blinding light surrounding him flickered, dimming ever so slightly.
Slowly, the glow in his eyes began to fade. His breathing slowed, and the violent energy around us dissipated, leaving only the gentle rustle of the wind and the murmurs of the recovering pack members.
As the light in his eyes dimmed completely, he looked down at me, anger and hurt still filled into his eyes. I could see the weight of what had happened in his eyes, and I pressed my forehead against his, offering comfort.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, my voice steady despite the tremor in my heart. “We’re going to be okay.”
Ralph slowly shifted back into his human form, kneeling beside me with an expression of deep sorrow. Around us, the pack members were beginning to stir, others unconscious or dead for that, I’m not sure, their groans of pain subsiding as the tension in the air dissipated.
Ralph gently lifted me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. Despite the pain and chaos, there was a comfort in his touch, a reassurance that he was still with me.
He rose to his full height, his presence commanding and resolute. The pack members, recovering from the onslaught of his power, watched in stunned silence. Ralph’s gaze swept over them, a mixture of anger and determination etched into his features.
Turning his attention to Zac, whose attention was on Isabella’s motionless form, Ralph’s voice rang out with unwavering authority. “Zac, get whoever you know is yours and get out of my territories. From this day forward, you are no longer part of the Moonrise pack.”
As Ralph’s declaration echoed through the clearing, he turned away from everyone, his steps resolute as he carried me toward the house. His face was set in a grim line, determination etched into every stride.
“Dahlia!” he called out, his voice cutting through the lingering tension. “Follow me!”
As Ralph carried me forward, I felt a sudden wave of weakness wash over me. My vision began to blur, the edges of the world slipping into darkness. I tried to focus on Ralph’s presence, but the effort was growing too great.
The pain in my stomach began to drag me into unconsciousness. My senses started to slither away, the edges of my vision turning black. The world around me seemed to dissolve into a distant haze, and the comforting sounds of Ralph’s footsteps and Dahlia’s hurried movements faded into nothingness.