~Samantha~

We halted to a dead stop right in the middle of the empty road.

“What the actual fuck?” Lila slammed the key forward again. Nothing. Not even a click. “I literally just put gas in this thing yesterday.”

“It’s not the gas.” Dominic was already scanning out every window like he could see through the dark. “We’re getting jacked by magic. Something’s killing the engine on purpose.”

“Awesome. Just what we needed.” I popped my seatbelt. “How many heads we got coming?”

“Can’t get an exact number yet. But they’ve got us boxed in from every side.” Dominic grabbed the door handle. “Everybody pile out. Let’s do this standing up.”

We scrambled out, just before the footsteps started. A lot of them. Coming from every single direction.

“Show your faces!” Dominic shouted. “Stop playing hide-and-seek like little bitches!” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Guys stepped out from between the trees. All in black. Masks covering everything but their eyes. Had to be at least twenty.

“For real?” Killian cracked his knuckles, already grinning like he was about to enjoy this way too much. “I was in the mood to fight anyway.”

“That makes the two of us.” I felt that warm rush in my palms. Royal blood already starting to collect. Ready to launch.

One dude walked forward. Taller than the rest. Voice calm like he was ordering coffee. “The Luna. The Alpha. The cursed wolf. And the traitor. All in one spot. Super convenient.”

“Who you calling traitor?” Lila pulled both knives out so fast.  “Because if that’s aimed at me, we got beef.”

“It is aimed at you. You turned on Black Moon. Refused to hand over the relic. That kind of disloyalty has a price.” Tall guy waved at his crew. “Kill them. Keep the Luna alive. She’s coming with us.”

“You wish!” I flung a handful of royal blood straight at his face.

He sidestepped it easily like he had been waiting for me to strike.

“Get them!” he barked.

They rushed us.

Dominic shifted immediately and tore the first three guys before they even realized what hit them.

Lila was moving with rage, slashing anyone who tried to attack her.

Killian stayed close to me. Shoving back anyone who got too near while I kept throwing blood. Watching guys hit the dirt every time it connected.

But more kept showing up.

“These dudes keep multiplying!” Lila dropped another one but two jumped in to replace him. “We’re getting swarmed, we need to leave!”

“No chance! The ride’s toast!” Dominic was soaked in blood. Some his, most theirs. “We just have to play with these clowns till we end them.”

“We’re going to die first if we don’t move!” I nailed another attacker square in the chest.

Killian let out an awful scream that I was too familiar with.

I whipped around. He was on his knees. Hands clamped over his head. Those black lines racing across his skin faster than ever.

“Killian, don’t tell me the curse is back!” I ran toward him.

“STAY BACK!” He looked up, the curse already taking full control.

“Shadow spell,” Tall guy said, strolling over like he had all night to play around. “Black Moon sends his greeting. He’s taking the wheel now. You’re about to see what a fully owned cursed wolf looks like.”

“No. Black Moon won’t win this time around.” I stared at Killian. “Come on, beat this! You’ll be a fucking loser if you don’t!”

“They are overpowering me.” His voice sounded like they were multiple forces inside him. “Leave now. They want me to kill you but I won’t. It’s so hard not to listen.”

“Then let them try. What I know is I’m not ditching you!”

“You don’t understand how deadly I am about to get, Sam!” He stood up all jerky, like a puppet on strings. “Please just go!”

“Killian, I said no! Nothing is going to change my mind.”

About a second later, he lunged.

“KILLIAN STOP! THIS IS NOT YOU!” I threw blood at his chest. It hit.

Dominic slammed into him from the side. Took him straight to the ground. They rolled, snarling, Dominic trying to pin him down while Killian fought like a wild animal to get free and reach me.

“Sam, help him!” Dominic grunted, barely holding on. “Break the damn spell!”

“I’m trying!” I got closer. “Killian, look at me! Listen to my voice!”

“Can’t hear you right! Too loud inside my head!”

He threw Dominic off and Dominic crashed into a tree. Killian turned back to me.

“Shit.” I backed up quick. “Killian please. You don’t wanna do this.”

“Doesn’t matter what I want anymore.” He was walking slow toward me now. “Black Moon wants you. I bring you. That’s it. That’s all there is.”

“No. That’s not all.” I kept moving back. “You know me. We’re friends. You would never actually hurt me.”

“Wrong.” He lunged again.

I hit him dead center with more blood. He dropped hard.

Got back up slower. The silver was burning him. But he still kept coming.

“Sam!” Lila slid in next to me. “His curse is jacked up right now! Your blood by itself isn’t cutting it!”

“Then what do we do?!”

“More! And hurry!” Lila chucked a knife. Buried it in his shoulder. He didn’t even blink. Just yanked it out and kept walking.

“I’m almost dry! I don’t have more! I will pass out if I keep pushing.”

Lila grabbed my wrist tight. “Push it through me! Let’s see if I can boost it!”

“You think that’ll work?”

“No clue! But we’re doing it anyway!” She held up her other hand. Faint silver started glowing around her fingers. “Count of three. One. Two. Three!”

We shoved forward together. My royal blood mixed with whatever Lila was throwing in. We hurled it at him.

I ran over. Dropped next to him. “Killian? You with me?”

“Sam?” His voice was raspy but it was him. “What... what just happened?”

“Black Moon hit you with some shadow takeover spell. Made you come after me.” I pressed both hands to his chest. Pushed the rest of my blood in to heal whatever got torn up. “You’re okay now. We broke it.”

“Did I... did I get you?” He tried sitting up. Couldn’t. “Sam, tell me I didn’t.”

“You didn’t touch me. Dominic tackled you.” I kept the healing going. “Just chill. Let me fix you.”

“Sam.” Dominic’s voice cut through from behind. “We gotta move. They’re getting back up.”

“I’m almost done!”

“No time for almost! We need to go now!” He grabbed my arm. Tried pulling.

“Stop it!” I jerked free. “I’m not leaving him lying here!”

“Then I’ll carry him! But we’re leaving!” Dominic hoisted Killian over his shoulder like a sack. “Lila! Where to?!”

“East! Safe house two miles that way!” Lila was already sprinting. “Move!”

We ran. Dominic with Killian. Me right beside them. The attackers yelling and chasing.

“They’re catching up!” I glanced back. At least ten still on our tail. “Dominic.”