Chapter 157


    73. Head to Head


    SKYLA.


    Here goes nothing…


    I jump up, feeling the power within me surfacing. My Lycan’s dominant power, embodying it fully, I


    channel everything I


    have.


    ‘You will never win! I destroyed her and her kind a long time ago! A mere wolf is weaker than a tiger!


    Do you really think you can win?!’ His chilling voice wraps around me as the darkness begins


    spreading along the


    ground.


    The snake and I block and attack one


    another. He’s trying to get those teeth into me. I can see the poison in them. The


    darkness around me is also trying to pull me


    down into that smoking abyss of the ground


    beneath us.


    “True, in a one-on-one battle, a wolf would


    lose to a tiger… but that’s the difference between the two species.’ I begin grunting as I manage to


    sh into his side again.


    He hisses, as he spins around and lunges at


    I can smell blood in the air, the hissing and


    shouting of the wolves battling the serpents.


    People are dying.


    I hear the shouts as Mama is trying her best


    to heal.


    I block but he strikes again. This time, Royce. is by my side in a sh, taking the full force of his attack,


    using his sword of ice to block


    him.


    “There is no difference! You are dead! Those


    stripes you wear are nothing!’ His rage and hatred thrum in my mind, painful.


    There’s a madness in his eyes, but the anger


    he’s feeling is only making his attacks more


    aggressive.


    I channel my inner rage, but with a clear


    mind…


    He will slip up…


    ‘You are no match for a god!’ Apophis hisses.


    Sorry Malevolent, but remember, I count you as one of us, anyway. Sorry Bastet, I’m not taking a dig at


    your expired race, but facts are fucking facts.


    ‘And that’s why we are the superior species! A tiger may work alone, but a wolf… a wolf is part of a


    pack, and a pack, united, is always.


    stronger than the one alone… just as you are now! Because look around you! We are


    united!’ 7


    My heart thunders as my own words echo


    powerfully in my own mind, knowing that every alpha in the vicinity can hear me.


    I want them to know that hope is not lost!


    I’m not alone… there is a calming rity in my mind as I swing my sword at him, only for a wave of


    dark smoke to knock me back.


    1 catch my bnce as Royce deflects another blow. Spinning his sword, he manages to drive it into the


    lower part of its jaw. He


    roars in rage, throwing Royce back.


    ‘Royce!’ I scream through the link,


    He catches his bnce, and as he gets to his feet I see he’s fine… but I’m fucking pissed


    now.


    You don’t hurt my fucking man.


    My eyes are zing. I spin around and run at him with incredible speed, and m the


    de into his scaly body.


    He roars in rage, his tail hitting the ground and I’m thrown back. Royce catches me as


    Apophis thrashes around, grabs the sword


    with his teeth and pulls it out.


    He drops it fast, his mouth burning, as spits


    it out. The metal ngs on the ground


    before heunches himself at me.


    The only thing is, no matter how fast he is,


    I’m fucking faster.


    ‘You have nothing!’ He snarls as I sh into his face, wanting to gouge his eyes out,


    He roars in rage, and I can’t help but scoff internally.


    Jumping back, I grab the sword.


    ‘I have far more than you ever will!’ I shout as something detonates nearby and Apophis leaps back,


    thrashing violently.


    Far more…


    A pack, a family, loved ones…


    I look around. I can’t see them, but they are all there… ready to help when they need to and they are


    trying… united, we ARE


    stronger. 1


    Another serpent falls, and I see Rayhan. And is that Aunty Raven jumping back from the fallen snake,


    which vanishes into the smoke?


    It’s not often I see her in action. She’s a


    badass. 4


    My eyes ze as I realise that is it. The true


    power lies in what we have… they are here if


    I need them.


    Even if Aleric has somehow merged with Apophis, he is still alone.


    His serpents are still around us, but they are


    being yed, one by fucking one.


    By my Pack. United to fight together, once


    again.


    I spent my life trying to shut them out and now I realise handling things alone was


    never the solution… 3


    ‘And that is why you will win.’ A whispery


    voicees. 7


    It’s not Bastet… 4


    ‘Now!’ I say to Royce, wanting him to create a ss ground beneath us.


    Apophis lunges at me, a blur as his mouth opens wide.


    My own eyes sh, and I feel a surge in my


    own power.


    Blinding gold light swirls around me, mixed with a dark ck shimmer, and it washes. over me,


    enveloping me in its fold.


    It makes Apophis hiss as he swiftly pulls


    back, and I feel it wrap around me tighter. Looking down, I can see my body is encased with a gold and


    ck armour-like shield. I


    see Apophis lurch forward only for Royce’s slippery ice floor to slow him down. 3


    He hisses, rearing his head as he lurches at


    I raise my sword, swinging it at him. This


    time it buries deep into his side.


    He roars, ck blood gushing out A st of power rushes at me as several serpent’s


    hiss, changing direction and heading my


    way as I dart backwards, causing two to


    smash into one another.


    Royce cuts through one, a sh of lightning


    slicing it in half.


    He’s at a disadvantage, not using his abilities to their full extent.


    I rush through the smoke, seeing Leo, Dante, and Royce take on more serpents.


    I let out a menacing growl as I turn to Apophis, shing into him again.


    His blood stters everywhere, and a dark wave of poweres rushing my way.


    It’s immense, and I’m ready to dart to the side when I see a glimmer of pink, magical wisps of an aura


    around me. 2


    I recognise them and see them flutter to the ground around me, they look just like cherry


    blossom tree leaves. 9


    Her scent and her blond hair are in front of


    me as she raises her hand. I still flinch when


    that tidal wave of darkness hits her.


    She doesn’t move. A soft gasp leaves her


    before the st is gone. 1


    She raises her other hand, the petals of her


    power swirling around her as that dark power rushes forth from her hand. 1


    It hits Apophis straight in his mid-section, throwing him back as he roars in fury.


    She turns, winking one of her zing pink eyes at me before she backs away. 26


    ‘Thanks. That sure is fucking awesome.’ I


    say.


    ‘Anytime.’ She replies.


    Several gunshots go off, searing into his skin as his entire body sparks with lightning sent by Royce,


    making him shriek in agony.


    I turn to Apophis, this time I run at him as fast as I can, and raising the sword – I throw


    It hits his eye, he roars and I smile as the darkness diminishes slightly.


    To my satisfaction, he’s shrinking and soon the smoke shrivels away to reveal Aleric


    clutching his eye. His body is a bloody mess.


    An array of thoughts suddenly fill my mind so suddenly I wonder if it’s even my own.


    I am more than just a Lycan… 1


    “You whore!” He spits as I slowly advance


    towards him once again.


    I possess the strength of a tiger…


    I swing the sword once more, my eyes


    zing.


    The darkness around him swirls, and his


    eyes are zing menacingly.


    I have the speed of a cheetah… 1


    He’s battered, his heart thumping violently


    as his snake-like eyes burn into me.


    I carry the title of the Lioness… 1


    “You are fucking dead! Dumb bitch!” Aleric


    snarls. 1


    Try me, fucker.


    I am a Rossi… 2


    I run at him, and both of us are no longer focused on our surroundings, just one


    another…


    “This is yourst chance… stand down!’ I


    warn.


    Dad always said to give your opponent that chance, even though I know his reply before he even


    opens his vile mouth.


    “Never!” He snarls.


    ‘Kill her or I will kill you!’ Apophis’ hiss fills the air. ‘Kill the kings!’


    Foolish… the both of them.


    Everything moves in slow motion as Aleric


    rushes at me, the darkness helping him,


    despite the ss floor beneath us.


    But above all; I am myself. 1


    I am a Lycan.


    I raise my sword and swing it down on him.


    I’m a blur and Aleric’s shriek of rage as blood stters everywhere, fills my ears.


    He’s dodged it from being fatal, but he’s lost an arm.


    There’s shock in his eyes as he stares at the limb on the floor.


    “It’s over, Aleric.” I say quietly, shifting to my human form. A quick nce down shows I’m covered by


    Bastet’s armour.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    “No, it isn’t! No, it isn’t!” He screams as he raises his hand. “I hold far more power than you think!”


    He raises his hand. But where I’m expecting ck smoke or fire to lurch forward, there’s just a spark of


    fire. He tries again as his eyes widen in horror before he ws at his neck.


    “You have done this! Bitch!” he screams.


    I’m sure he had his fire element after I marked him… but I can see that the mark hasn’t healed…


    What a pity.


    “It seems Helios has taken back his gift.” Asoft, remorseful, yet firm voicees.


    We both turn to see Catherine standing there, nked by Uncle Marcel and Uncle


    Liam.


    There are tears in her eyes as she looks at


    Aleric.


    A mother in pain…