When Fate And Worlds Collide

Prologue

I didn't think it would end like this. Bloody, bruised, and broken. Alone in a broken city surrounded by creatures and beasts plaguing our world, making the last four years hell. I had hoped it would be better, at least live long enough to see my son have children of his own. I would have died happy knowing I made this place safe enough for that reality.

Regardless, I knew he would make great choices, even with me gone. He was brave. And strong. He had to be. We all did in the end. The only path in order to survive.

I screamed for Xavier to take Rohnan and run as the wave of ferals advanced. I knew I wouldn't make it, if I gave Xavier enough time to get my son to safety, it would be worth it. Rohnan called out, the fear laced in his voice almost enough to make me turn back. If I did though, we would all die.

It's the hardest part of being a parent, making the tough decisions to save them. Even at the expense of your own life.

I felt the oath I bound Xavier to surge and he reluctantly grabbed Rohnan, the boy kicking and screaming, racing towards the safety of the Tower standing in the distance.

I gathered all my powers, hands glowing white as I felt the barrier between safety and flaming out wobble. But I couldn't stop, I couldn't fail Rohnan or the people in the Tower. I threw my hands to the ground as the first wave attacked, sending them flying in all directions, hitting buildings and each other with sicking cracks, their surprised yowls cut short as they died instantly.

Pulling my sword from its sheath and gun from my holster, I began hacking and shooting the next wave. Dodging and weaving their attacks, ignoring the stabs of pain when their talons caught my skin.

The overwhelming volume of toxin slowly entering my body told me I would be dead before I killed them all, but it was a small price to pay for fulfilling my duties. As a parent, and as an Aura.

I mean, what else had we been created for?

I heard an eerie howl go up in the distance, the ferals immediately ceasing their attack, ears pricked, staring in the direction the sound had come. I faltered for a moment, the sound foreign. Despite the unfamiliarity, it sounded...sad, tugging at something inside my chest.

I brought down two more ferals before they started hurtling in the direction of the strange howl as if they were called. I glanced over my shoulder at the Tower; Xavier and Rohnan should be safely back inside its walls by now. This was my last chance to make the city as safe as possible before I died.

I turned and sprinted after the pack, hoping to bring me to their Alpha, giving me a chance to disperse this pack once and for all.

The toxin wreaked havoc though my body, the faint brush of Liam and Xavier's powers indicated they were searching for whether I was alive or dead/ The anguish washing through me from Liam at the state my body was in, almost caused my feet to falter. I gritted my teeth and pushed on; I couldn't turn back now.

I stumbled around a corner, barely seeing the last feral dash around the next as I struggled to keep up. I reached out to the building beside me for support, feeling my hand slip slightly. I glanced down, taking in the blood covering it.

My blood.

I clenched my jaw tightly and stumbled on, a commotion ahead where the ferals disappeared reached my ears. As I stumbled around the final corner I felt myself take a step back, fear and confusion spreading throughout as I gazed over the gruesome sight.

The pack of ferals were fighting a pack of...wolves?

Some stood on their back legs, claws the length of knives, teeth white and razor sharp. A dozen ripped into the ferals, throwing them around like ragdolls, the sickening sound of flesh ripping and bones snapping filling the air. The smell of blood, death and excrement clogged my nose, my stomach wanting to empty its contents. I spotted the Alpha feral standing not too far off on a building, shifting from foot to foot, watching his pack be annihilated before him. I stood frozen in bewilderment I failed to notice the feral sneaking up on me until its teeth sunk into my shoulder.

A howl of pain left my throat as I was ripped to the ground, back hitting the rubble with a thud, knocking the breath from my lungs while being dragged away. The entire group of wolf-like creatures paused their slaughter immediately, eerie green eyes turning in my direction. When I let out an ear-piercing scream as the beast's teeth tore further into my flesh they began moving, swarming in my direction. This is it. I was going to be ripped to pieces before getting my chance to make this area safe.

Gritting my teeth I clasped my powers, reaching down further than ever before, drawing on every emotion I used to feel. Anger, hatred, jealousy, love, hope, happiness, knowing the mixture of extreme emotions would feed the raw powers.

The world around me dulled, sounds becoming a muffled buzz, my own breathing rasping in my ears. My body start to vibrate, hands glowing steadily, the light travelling up my arms towards my shoulders. The immense power crackled from the tips of my fingers, begging to be released, scorching parts of the earth on contact.

Overwhelmed with the overpowering sensation of my powers I didn't notice the feral latched to my shoulder abruptly flung away, or register the entire pack of wolf-creatures had stopped their advance and were now staring at me. I heard the sad howl again, breaking through the dull buzz to pull at a cord deep inside my chest again, as if it were an instinct to seek out the sorrow to turn it into something pleasant.

I prepared to release my powers, destroy the beasts within this vicinity when my head was unexpectedly turned to the side by a rough hand, my eyes locking with two golden-yellow orbs sitting in a ridiculously good-looking face. My breath hitched, heart fluttering while a feeling inside screamed at me, wanting this man closer. My powers teetered on the edge of total destruction, strange whispers echoing in my ears, begging for the release. Until this angelic man opened his mouth, words freezing my powers in their place

"Enough woman." his voice low and powerful, commanding in every way Liam's should have been, but wasn't. Radiating the sense of authority, of power, and yet I did not feel I had to bow to it. But my powers did.

As it slipped away my vision blurred, body going limp with energy spent, the toxins spreading freely throughout now my powers were no longer holding it at bay. I felt the warm trickle of blood flowing down my shoulder and arm, my wounds refusing to close - with my energy depleted, healing would now be at a human rate.

I glimpsed commotion out of the corner of my eye, turning my head meekly I could just make out another ridiculously good-looking man standing there, completely stark naked. His words were distant and mumble, but I felt a growl rumble through the man holding me.

"Mine," I heard him answer, voice rumbling like thunder in his chest. My heart missed a beat.

"But...alpha..." The other man started, only to be cut off with another deep growl

"Her wounds are laced with poison. Bring me Trixa, I will need her healing abilities" I barely turned my head back towards the man holding my limp frame, his eyes glowing in the dark as he stared at me "Strange" he mumbled, almost to himself. I tried to protest, to force my body to fight back, to move. To do anything other than allow this stranger to carry me away.

Rohnan would think I was dead. They would see this carnage and assume I had been ripped to pieces. The look of horror on his face flashed before my eyes as I whispered my sons name. I felt the man holding me tense before I finally slipped into darkness.

Jess M Plant | JMP