My Alpha's Mark

187 Distraction

Kacie

The scene in front of me was ripped from my view as Clara tugged on my arm. The three of us made our way down the hill. We tried to stay out of sight as we made our way towards the back of the humanoid warriors. If we could remain unseen, we could look for Jade and deal with the elders without gaining the attention of the mud creatures. I hadn’t seen Jake but I prayed that wherever he was he was safe.

We touched down on the ground level and ran through blood puddles. Our plan on remaining unseen fell through the cracks as a mud monster spotted us. It roared and ran toward us with his large arms reaching out for us. Before I could react it ran into an invisible barrier. I looked to my left and Clara looked up at the creature. Her hair flowed around her as her and I knew her magic was at work. Her darkness kept the creature from us.

I looked at the invisible barrier and saw a flickering as it went back and forth. The wall turned into a box. The monster was trapped within it. The monster disappeared as the darkness showed itself. When the darkness retracted and receded back to Clara the only thing left in front of us was mud as it seeped back into the ground. Clara took a step and continued forward.

The three of us rushed forward until another stepped forward. Clara lifted her hand, palm up before she shoved her hand forward. A black shield taller than us and spreading out ten feet wide pushed out from her hand. It slammed against the mud monster ran into it. She pulled her arm back and thrust it forward again. The darkness pressed forward until the monster fell on it’s back. Clara stepped forward and lifted her hand up above her head. I looked up to her hand before looking at the humanoid again. As she brought her hand down until her palm was facing the floor. She shoved it down as the humanoid’s head fell into it’s shoulders. She grunted and took a knee as she pushed her hand until it touched the bloodied soil. The monster caved into itself and squished against the ground. Blood and mud oozing into different directions. Clara stood to her feet and Nyx and I followed after her as she took the lead.

Wind blew past us as if encouraging us to turn back, but it was too late for that. My hair blew out of my face, my clothes flapped in the wind behind me. I turned and looked back over my shoulder. My gaze locked on my mate as he ran beneath the beast. I gasped as he crawled up the side of the monster until he was on it’s back. It reared up on it’s hind legs and roared. Viktor shifted back into his human form and wrapped his arms around it’s neck and snapped it, but it made no difference. It was not made of bone but of metal and it charged forward with it’s neck bent at an angle. It turned it’s head forward and the hard mud made neck fell back into place. Viktor’s eyes widened in surprise as he held on. The beast tried to get him off but Viktor held on. His claws came out as he thrust his hand forward into the beast’s yellow eye. It howled and thrashed but Viktor didn’t let up not until yoke dripped down it’s cheek. He jumped off of the beast and shifted back into his wolf form. I let out a breath and turned from him.

“Don’t worry about him. You need to worry about yourself. He’ll be a distraction and could get us killed. Focus on us,” Nyx scolded.

I nodded and focused on the path in front of us. A humanoid larger than the ones Clara had put down stepped in front of us, blocking us from what I’m guessing is the witch who was their source of power. The three of us came to a stop as we came face-to-face with the monster. Clara moved to step forward but I held my hand in front of her. She was doing all of the work and I didn’t want her to exert herself before we faced the elders. I would take this one on and I would do it quick.

I took three steps forward, leaving my sisters behind me, and faced off against the second mud monster I would defeat. I called on the flames and they answered. As quickly as I called to them they appeared. My hands and arms were engulfed in them. I brought my hands in front of my chest and recalled the way my chest had opened and pushed out the fire when I’d fought against Clara.

I remembered fighting against Jade’s humanoid and the temperature I’d needed to bring it down. I took a deep breath and channeled the heat, whispered for it to grow hotter, and it obeyed. My chest opened up and through my hands it burst and enveloped the mud monster in front of me. It ran forward into the flames and I watched as the mud monster slowed and hardened.

The mud turned to dirt and as I pushed the flames forward, the dirt monster melted and crumbled to the floor. I inhaled and the flames stopped, my chest closed, and the fire disappeared from my arms and hands. I held my breath as we stared at the pile of dust on the ground in front of us.

Nyx stepped forward and tapped my shoulder. I looked to her and she looked back at me. The expression on her face said well done. I nodded as Clara stepped forward and stopped at my left. Nyx’s hand dropped from my shoulder and I looked at Clara. She nodded to me and I to her. I exhaled and strode forward, my sisters at my back.