“We’re losing. It’s clear that we’re losing. Viggo, do something about it!” Avelyn was pacing the office, stopping in front of the window from time to time. Even from that distance, her keen eyesight could distinguish most of what was happening at the gate.
The dragon-shifter was leaning against the desk, arms crossed over his chest. Furrowed brows, pursed lips, every muscle in his body strained with tension. He didn’t like sitting around, doing nothing when the others were risking their lives to keep those crazy bastards away.
“Don’t even think about it,” said Miss Delacroix.
“This is insane,” said Viggo. “I could put an end to this in a matter of minutes.”
“And burn half of the forest in the process. No.”
Avelyn bit her lower lip and pressed her palms to the cool glass. She tried to reach Max telepathically for the hundredth time in the past hour, but he was still blocking her out. It drove her mad with worry that she couldn’t see, hear, or feel what he was going through. Was he hurt? She was sure he was alive, because she knew she would be the first to know if something really bad happened to him. Their connection was very strong, and her body would sense the loss, her soul would feel the void. But what about the others? Kevin, Jocelyn, Karl, Rosanna, Val… At least Caleb and Daniel were safe, in a room upstairs. Their wounds hadn’t completely healed yet, and they were too weak to fight. Claudia and Delyse were looking after them.
“What if I promise you I won’t use dragon fire?”
Avelyn turned around, hope gleaming in her eyes. The headmistress cocked a thin, dark eyebrow in curiosity.
“I’ll turn, ruffle their fur a bit, kick them around with my tail… you know, the usual stuff.”
“That could work!” said Avelyn.
“You do realize you’re taller than this building in your dragon form.”
“And you do realize it’s night and there’s no chance anyone will see me.”
“Fair enough…”
Viggo turned towards Avelyn and pointed his index finger at her, looking her straight in the eyes. “Stay here. No matter what you see or hear, I’ll take care of it, so don’t get any stupid ideas.”
“I… I wasn’t going to…”
“I don’t know you, Mrs. Blackmane, but you look to me like you’re one of those people who like playing hero.”
Avelyn huffed in annoyance. “Just cut the crap and go already.”
Miss Delacroix sighed at the choice of words, and Viggo smiled. He kind of liked this human. She was feisty and reckless. Unfortunately, she was more his type than Eric Drekinn’s, and she was also married to an Alpha werewolf. Pity. He gently pushed her away from the window and opened it.
“What are you doing?” Avelyn asked. “The door is the other way.”
Viggo simply shook his head and climbed on the windowsill. He took off his T-shirt. “Here. Hold this for me.” He jumped off the window, and his arms immediately grew into silver wings. Instead of falling, he rose over the courtyard and the building, and in two long wing beats he was on the other side of the gate.
***
When they saw the huge dragon looming over them, the rogue werewolves and the werefoxes took a couple of steps back, growling in hesitation, ready to dash if the silver furnace decided to bathe them in scorching flames.
Viggo took in the battlefield, trying to assess the damage. Jocelyn Blackmane was lying on her side near the gate, struggling to draw air into her lungs, while her Beta was protecting her with his body. When he saw his attackers were drawing back, he turned to nuzzle her cheek and ear with his cold snout.
Karl Blackmane and his Beta, Matt, were doing pretty well. The Alpha of the Dark Wolves only limped a bit, and one of his ears had been torn off.
Max Blackmane, on the other hand, could barely stand on his feet. He was struggling to keep his body upright, and blood was flowing from so many wounds that his black fur had almost turned dark red.
As Viggo started descending to the ground, the werewolves scattered, leaving him just enough space to land.
The dragon’s curled talons dug into the soaked earth. The moon rays reflected on his silver scales, making his body resemble an immense mirror with a thousand facets that lit the night sky and chased the shadows away. He extended his strong, long neck towards the enemy, forcing them to hide behind the trees. A cry of pain came from his right, and Viggo turned in time to see Max gather all his strength to run towards the two she-wolves who were fighting on the ground, one black and one gray. It wasn’t much of a fight, though, since the black she-wolf had pinned the smaller, gray one down and tore a huge chunk of flesh off her neck. Viggo turned his heavy body and used his thick, long tail to grab the black she-wolf and lift her in the air.
Max stopped in his tracks, eyes wide with disbelief. “What are you doing?” he thought. “Please don’t, please don’t…” But then he heard Christine’s soft, weak whimper, and forgot about Sabine. In two strides, he was by the old she-wolf’s side. Half of her neck and shoulder was missing, blood gurgling to the surface, gathering in a pool around her upper torso. Suddenly, Max realized he didn’t care what happened to Sabine. Christine, the Elder of Clan Blackmane, the woman who had raised him and his siblings as her children, was giving her last breath, and there was nothing he could do about it. The she-wolf opened her eyes and fixed him with a kind, loving gaze. With her last powers, she opened her mind and soul, and sent Max a last thought: “You’ll have a son. Oh, how I wish I were there to see him smile…”
Max didn’t hear her. He put his paws on her broken body and closed his eyes just as she closed hers. When he opened them, he was holding the naked, bloody form of a woman who had survived a war only to perish under the ruthless fangs of one she had once loved as a daughter.
***