Shadows of the pack novel Chapter 48

Ryder's voice broke the heavy silence that lingered over the forest clearing where the fierce battle had just taken place.
"Did you kill him?" Ryder asked as he took a step closer to Knox, his voice tinged with concern and curiosity.
Knox slowly released his grip on Nikolai's lifeless body, his gaze fixed on the ground. The weight of his actions pressed upon him, a mixture of conflicting emotions swirling within his chest. He turned to face Ryder, his eyes filled with resolve.
"No, Ryder," Knox replied, his voice laced with a hint of regret. "I didn't kill him. No matter how much I hate him I couldn't bring myself to do it."
Ryder's eyes widened, confusion etched across his face. "But why, Knox? After all he's done, Why spare him?"
Knox took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words to convey the complexities of his emotions. "He's still my half-brother. Even before I found out, he was already a brother." he revealed, his voice barely above a whisper. "And while I despise everything he stands for, there's still a part of me that can't abandon the blood we share."
Ryder's eyes softened, his understanding deepening. He had known Knox for years, and although he was his beta, their bond went beyond the hierarchical structure of their pack. He stepped closer to Knox, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I understand the weight of that connection, Knox," Ryder said gently. "But you must also consider the lives at stake, the innocent ones who could fall victim to him and Julian's brutality. We don't even know what is going on at at the Silvercrest pack. Remember what he did to you. Remember Becca. With Nikolai gone, that is one less wolf that we have to worry about."
Knox's gaze hardened, a flicker of anger coursing through his veins. "I know, Ryder. I know," he responded, his voice filled with determination. "But we can use him as leverage. He is of more use to me alive. Jacob hasn't heard anything from the Silvercrest pack or Lucas. I need answers."
As they spoke, the moon cast its soft glow upon the clearing, illuminating the aftermath of the battle. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if in awe of the profound decision Knox had made.
Knox's mind wandered to his father. Memories of his father's teachings flooded his thoughts, the lessons he had imparted upon Knox about honor, loyalty, and the delicate balance between mercy and justice.
"My father could have saved me the trouble if he had told me the truth from the very start."
Ryder's expression softened, his voice filled with reassurance. "Knox, your father was wise, but he was also human. He had his moments of weakness, his struggles. It's what made him relatable and flawed, just like all of us."
Knox's gaze met Ryder's, a flicker of understanding passing between them. They had both witnessed the struggles of their own kind, the internal battles fought in the name of duty and love.
"I don't want to let my emotions cloud my judgment," Knox admitted, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "But Nikolai... he's a reminder of my father's moment of weakness, the darkness that can consume even the strongest of us."
Ryder nodded, his eyes reflecting compassion. "We all have our demons, Knox. But it's how we face them that defines us. You have a choice now, to rise above the darkness and protect what matters most. Think of Aria."
Knox took a deep breath, his resolve strengthening with each passing moment. "You're right, Ryder. It's time for me to confront my past and ensure a brighter future for our pack. We will find a way to contain Nikolai, to prevent any further harm."
The two wolves stood side by side, their bond unyielding as they faced the challenges that lay ahead. The moon continued its gentle ascent, casting a silver glow upon their determined forms.
As the night wore on, they delved deeper into their plans, strategizing and preparing for the difficult task that awaited them because without a doubt, Knox felt it in his bones, a war was coming.
 ***************
Mira led them to a clearing. Shana sucked in a deep breath as she looked around. The past coming at her from all directions. She closed her eyes as a memory replayed in her head.
"Knock it off, Shana," Mira chided, though a soft giggle escaped her. Bones cracked as Shana shifted, transforming into her human form. Tossing her long hair back, she turned to Mira, amusement glinting in her eyes. "Don't be such a wimp."
 
"I am not a wimp," Mira retorted, her voice tinged with mock indignation. "I am an all-powerful witch."
 
Shana rolled her eyes, but a warm smile played on her lips. Suddenly, a hint of sadness washed over Shana's expression, her eyes growing distant. "Do you miss them a lot?" she asked, her voice soft and full of understanding.
 
Mira sighed, her fingers idly plucking at the plain grass beneath her. "All the time," she admitted, her voice tinged with longing. "I am trying to learn a spell that would allow me to see them again."
 
Shana moved closer, sitting beside Mira and placing her head gently on Mira's shoulder. "How can you see them? Aren't they dead?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
 
Mira shook her head, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "The witches of spirit never truly pass on," she explained. "They can exist in a time when they were alive, a realm between death and life. I could see them and talk to them by transporting my spirit to the past."
 
Shana listened intently, her eyes reflecting both fascination and concern. "And you think you would be able to cast the spell?" she asked, her voice filled with both doubt and unwavering support.
 
Mira nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "I'm still trying to master it," she admitted. "If I do it and it goes wrong, my spirit could get trapped in the past, and I will never be able to return."
 
Shana squeezed Mira's hand reassuringly. "I'm sure you will figure it out," she said softly, her voice brimming with confidence. "And even if you don't, you will always have me."
 
Mira looked up at Shana, her gaze filled with gratitude and love. A smile graced her lips, warming her face. "Sisters for life," she declared, the words carrying a profound sense of sisterhood.
When Shana slowly opened her eyes, her gaze met Mira's intense stare. The deep creases on their foreheads mirrored each other perfectly, revealing the profound connection between them. It was as if they were both caught in the clutches of a shared memory, reliving the same moment.
A hushed silence enveloped the air, pregnant with unspoken emotions and unresolved tensions. It was Mira who finally broke the stillness, her voice filled with a tinge of regret. "I never mastered the spell. I never got a chance to see them again. The witch that sent your spirits here must have been a very powerful witch."
 Shana nodded slowly. "She is a witch from your line," she confirmed.
A smile finally graced her lips, "A line of powerful witches."
A faint smile graced Shana's lips, momentarily illuminating her features. "Your ego is still as big as before," she teased gently, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. But the smile quickly faded, giving way to the weight of their shared burden. "Are you almost done with the spell preparation? Time is running out. We need to get back to our time."
Mira's eyes flickered with a hint of sadness, tinged with a touch of resignation. "Your time," she corrected, her voice carrying a bittersweet undertone. "It's funny how you don't consider this your time anymore."
"You made it that way," Shana continued after a brief pause, her voice carrying a trace of lingering hurt. "I used to wonder how you could do what you did after everything we went through together."
Mira's grip tightened around a couple of items she held, her knuckles turning white. With a heavy sigh, she let them slip from her hands, gently clattering onto the ground. "You betrayed me, Shana," her voice quivered with a mix of anger and pain. "You promised. I saw Mathias first, and you took him away."
"He was my mate!" Shana's voice cracked, resonating with thunder that echoed through the darkening sky. "He was predestined to be mine from the very beginning. You had no right to him."
Mira's gaze hardened, her eyes narrowing in defiance. "I still won't apologize, Shana, because you never apologized for what you did," she retorted, her voice trembling with unresolved resentment.
The futility of their argument hung heavy in the air, their words falling upon deaf ears. Shana let out a frustrated growl, the sound blending with the low rumble of thunder in the distance. "This conversation is pointless," she spat, her voice tinged with impatience. "Just get ready to do the spell so we can leave and stop wasting our time."
As if on cue, Aria, who had been standing at the sidelines, observing their exchange with a mix of concern and understanding, stepped forward. "You need to cast the spell now," she urged, her voice calm yet urgent. The first drops of rain began to fall, splattering gently against her forehead, carrying with them a sense of urgency and impending departure.
Mira's gaze shifted from Shana to Aria, a determined glint in her eyes. "Stand in the middle of the circle," she instructed Aria, her voice steady despite the turmoil swirling within her. "I need you there before I begin."
 With care, Aria stepped as she positioned herself at the heart of the intricate symbol sketched upon the ground with chalk, her presence anchoring the ritual about to unfold.
Mira took a deep breath, her fingers trembling ever so slightly as she reached into the pouch hanging from her belt. From within its depths, she retrieved an assortment of enchanted herbs and precious stones, their vibrant hues catching the dim light of the overcast sky.
As Mira meticulously arranged the elements, her movements seemed almost graceful, each motion imbued with purpose and intent. With each herb and stone delicately placed, a faint shimmer rippled through the air, as if the very fabric of reality acknowledged the imminent transformation.
Shana, though still filled with a lingering resentment, couldn't help but be captivated by the display of Mira's innate magical prowess. The way she seemed to effortlessly weave together the threads of power.
The rain fell steadily now, painting the world around them in a glistening sheen.
Finally, with the preparations complete, Mira's gaze locked onto Aria, her eyes brimming with a mix of determination. "This is it," she declared, her voice infused with a quiet resolve. "Hold onto the circle and trust in its protection."
As Mira raised her arms, the air crackled with anticipation. The elements responded to her call, the wind picking up, carrying with it a faint echo of ancient incantations. A soft, otherworldly glow enveloped the three women, suffusing their beings with a shimmering aura.
Mira's voice trembled as she began to recite the incantation, the words flowing from her lips with a mix of reverence and desperation. The air in the room seemed to shift, charged with an otherworldly energy. Shadows danced on the walls as Mira's hands glowed with a soft, ethereal light.
The intensity of the moment grew, the power of the spell rising like a tempest within Mira's grasp. She closed her eyes, shutting out the outside world, focusing solely on channeling the energies swirling around her.
Aria closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the process. She could feel the magic of the Crystal responding, resisting the removal with a fierce determination. It pulsed against her skin, as if fighting to remain a part of her.
And then in a loud voice with a single word, spoken in a voice both resolute and tender, Mira released the magic.
The circle blazed to life, its radiant energy rippling outward. The world around them blurred, the boundaries of time and space shifting and warping, as the spell carried them toward their destination.
Aria's eyes shot open, her expression a mix of surprise and pain. She clutched her chest, feeling the magic being forcefully extracted from the Crystal. The room filled with a blinding light as the Crystal shattered, its fragmented pieces falling to the ground.
As the last echoes of the incantation faded into the ether, the rain poured down in earnest, drenching the empty circle and washing away the traces of their presence. Silence settled over the desolate landscape.
Mira collapsed to her knees, panting heavily, her energy drained. Shana found her legs moving towards her. She knelt beside her, offering support. Aria stood, feeling both relieved and strangely empty, the weight of the Crystal's power no longer burdening her.
Aria looked from the shattered pieces on the ground at her, "Thank you."
She looked down at her mark and then she felt it. That Unexplainable power she felt before, it now coursed through her.
Her eyes flashed wolf. She finally felt it—- the powers of the mark, the mark of the moon goddess.