Feral Bonds

Chapter 65: Challenging the Wild

"You thought you could escape us, wolf?" one of them hissed, their voice sharp and cold. Akecheta's blood ran cold as he recognized the fae who had once held him captive. Their leader stepped forward, her eyes narrowed, and her lips curled into a cruel smile. "You've insulted the natural order. That bond you share with him," she sneered, her gaze flicking to Cernunnos, "it's an abomination. You've become a stain on the wild magic, and for that, you will pay."

Akecheta's heart pounded wildly, each beat reverberating in his chest like a war drum as the fae circled them. Their presence was oppressive, the weight of their magic suffocating, wrapping around him like unseen chains. He could feel the ancient, volatile energy crackling in the air, buzzing at the edges of his awareness. It was different from anything he'd ever encountered before—dark, dangerous, and full of malice. Despite the raw power radiating from Cernunnos, Akecheta couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling that they were outnumbered and outmatched.

"They're coming for us," Akecheta whispered, his voice trembling with fear, his instincts screaming for him to flee. Memories of the fae's cruelty surged forward, the torture, the magic that had twisted him, their cold eyes watching as they remade him into something less than human. He tried to steady himself, but his hands shook, and the panic clawed at his throat, threatening to consume him whole.

Cernunnos's gaze darkened, his usually calm and collected demeanor hardening into something fierce and unyielding. He stepped forward, placing himself squarely between Akecheta and the approaching fae, his body radiating a protective energy that made the ground hum beneath his feet. His large form seemed to grow even more imposing as he prepared for the inevitable fight.

"If they want a fight, they'll get one," Cernunnos growled, his voice low and dangerous, like the rumble of distant thunder. His muscles coiled with tension, his entire presence brimming with barely contained power. Akecheta could see the wild magic thrumming beneath his skin, waiting for release, and for a moment, he felt a flicker of hope.

But then, without warning, the fae launched their attack.

A crackle of raw magic filled the air, and the first wave of fae surged forward like a storm, their power erupting in violent bursts of light and energy. Cernunnos reacted instantly, his body shifting into his godly form with a speed that left Akecheta breathless. Antlers erupted from his skull, twisting and growing in a crown of bone and power, while his cloak of fur billowed behind him, caught in the gust of magic. His feet dug into the earth, the ground beneath him trembling as the wild magic surged up from the roots of the forest, pouring into him like the force of nature he was.

The impact was immediate. Cernunnos met the fae head-on, a shield of untamed power against their relentless assault. The earth itself seemed to rise at his command, trees bending and groaning as they joined in the battle, their roots twisting and snaring fae who ventured too close. Cernunnos was a force of nature, unstoppable, but the fae's magic was ancient and potent. Their attacks came in waves, sharp and precise, clashing with his power in violent bursts of energy that sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

Akecheta stood frozen, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to make sense of the chaos unfolding around him. The beast inside him stirred restlessly, but he couldn't seem to summon the strength to control it. His fear, like a living thing, pressed down on him, making his limbs feel heavy and useless. He tried to call the wolf forward, but the transformation eluded him, slipping away like sand through his fingers.

The omega inside him—the part of him that had been trained to yield, to submit—was overwhelming him, drowning out his instincts to fight. His past training, the brutal discipline of his father and the pack, echoed in his mind, a cruel reminder of the moments when he was forced to bow, to cower. He had always been the weak one, the one to submit to the stronger alphas, and now, in the face of danger, that same fear crippled him.

A fae lunged at him, their magic slicing through the air like a blade. Akecheta barely managed to dodge, stumbling back as the force of the attack missed him by inches. His legs trembled beneath him, his heart racing with panic as the fae circled him like predators. He could feel them closing in, feel the suffocating weight of their magic pressing down on him, and all at once, it was too much.

He was failing.

The wolf inside him, the part of him that should have been his strength, was slipping further out of his control. He couldn't fight back. His breath came in short, desperate gasps as the world around him blurred, fear clouding his vision. The fae were everywhere, their magic pressing on him like a vice, tightening with every second. He was drowning in his panic, and he didn't know how to stop it.

Suddenly, through the haze of terror, Cernunnos's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "Akecheta!"

Akecheta's head snapped up, his heart racing. Cernunnos stood in the midst of the battle, his antlers gleaming in the dim light, his eyes glowing with wild power. He was surrounded by fae, their magic clashing with his, but even in the heat of the fight, his focus never wavered. His gaze locked onto Akecheta, fierce and unyielding, cutting through the fear like a blade.

"You are not alone," Cernunnos said, his voice steady, a deep, grounding force in the chaos. "Focus on me. Feel the bond."

Akecheta's breath hitched, his body trembling, but he closed his eyes and reached out—reached for the bond that connected them. The bond that had been forged in the ritual, that tied their souls together. It pulsed with life, steady and strong, like the roots of an ancient tree, and as Akecheta latched onto it, he could feel Cernunnos's power flowing through it, grounding him.

Slowly, the panic began to fade.

The omega inside him, the part of him that had always feared, always yielded, began to calm under Cernunnos's influence. The steady presence of the bond wrapped around him like a comforting blanket, pulling him back from the edge of panic. The beast inside him stirred again, but this time, it wasn't wild or out of control. It was steady, powerful, and connected to the ancient magic that flowed through Cernunnos.

Akecheta's eyes snapped open, and with a deep growl, he shifted.

His body transformed with a fluid grace that he hadn't felt in years. His bones stretched and shifted, his muscles rippling beneath his skin as the wolf surged forward. The fear that had gripped him melted away, replaced by a quiet strength that hummed in his veins. He could feel the wild magic thrumming through him, connected to Cernunnos, and for the first time, it didn't terrify him. It empowered him.

The fae faltered, their confidence shaken as they faced the newly united force of the god and his wolf. Their magic, once overwhelming, now felt fragile in the face of the ancient bond between Cernunnos and Akecheta.

Cernunnos grinned, his antlers gleaming in the dim light, his eyes filled with fierce determination. "Shall we show them what happens when they challenge the wild?"

Akecheta's wolf growled in agreement, his body coiled with strength and readiness. Together, they charged, the bond between them thrumming with raw power as they moved as one. Akecheta's wolf was no longer a force to be feared or suppressed—it was part of him, guided by the ancient magic of the wild and by the connection he shared with Cernunnos.

The fae stood no chance.