More Than An Alpha

Darkness

A shudder went down my spine, this was the first time I truly feared Osckar. In those brief seconds I'd looked into his eyes I saw that there would be no reasoning with him, Osckar was gone. Replaced by a mindless killing machine that would not stop to think about how it would be done. A lump formed at the base of my throat and I choked down the sob that threatened to break free. In one last attempt I reached into the bond we shared, latched onto that string that tied us together only to be slammed back by a wall of darkness. He wasn't there. Not even a thread, not even a glimmer of him.

I felt cold and empty and alone. Elvira had magic and mating bonds were magical, if she'd somehow managed to break it. I wouldn't, couldn't think like that.

Florence muttered under her breath, it was a string of words I did not understand but recognised as a spell. Magic rippled around us, it was like a gentle wave rushing up my body.

"What was that?" I asked in awe.

"Just something to buy us time." She said moving away from the rattling door.

Osckar hadn't given up his pursuit, just content for now to try and break the door off its hinges with his body. Frustration and fear ate away within me as I realised he could be doing damage to himself. He'd kill me, whatever the cost it may take on his body.

"What's the point of trying to protect me now? We've already got a backup plan for when Osckar has to kill me. Why not just let him in and be over with it?"

Florence glared at me, I understood why but my mind would have me stressed for as long as it would take.

"The potion we gave you was our backup plan, we don't want you to die at all. You don't know what dying and coming back to life can do to a person. Not every piece of you comes back." Florence ranted, coming to stand over me. "We need to give Cordelia a chance to kill Elvira first."

Osckar's rabid snarls continued, now moving around the building.

"How long will the spell last?" I asked, following Osckar's movements outside.

"Not long, Elvira's got a spell that disintegrates all others that may stop Osckar from achieving his goal. It's a spell that has been banned for centuries between the two clans and thought to have been forgotten."

"Clearly not." I muttered thinking back to our conversations earlier, "Wait, I thought she was part of the original witches."

"She is.

"So of course, she's going to use all the tricks in the book."

Cordelia had been clear that she'd been planning for this day, she'd have thought of all the risks and outweighed all her plans to find the best one. This one, has to work. I'd never had so much faith in someone I'd just met than I did with her.

"Yes, but she'll be paying a high price for this spell."

I froze not at what Cordelia's price might be but at the complete silence that echoed in my ears. Oskcar had stopped snarling. I tried to listen for him outside but it seemed as if he'd gone, left to try another tactic. As I was about to sigh in relief the ground began to shake, vibrating up from the soles of my feet all the way to the crown of my skull. I gripped Florence's hand, holding it tighter than what was comfortable but she didn't pry her fingers away.

"If he gets in, don't try and help." I said, rolling my shoulders back.

There was a loud click and the floor to the far-left side of the room lifted. There was a trap door in here that I didn't know about. I pushed Florence behind me. Osckar burst through the floorboards like a hellhound coming to collect a soul. His hackles were raised, head bowed low as he growled and his eyes, his eyes had turned a bright red as they stared me down. He was truly gone.

A fleeting thought entered my mind, I didn't know his fighting abilities well enough to know how long I'd last. He wouldn't hold back and neither would I, I made that promise to him and I would stick to it. Cordelia needed more time, so I would give it to her.

I felt my bones begin to shift, each snap and realignment a welcoming feeling. This all happened within a few seconds and I met his growl with my own, a sign that I accepted his challenge.

On all fours, I hunched down, my eyes never leaving his body, I needed to watch every minuscule step he took if I were to survive. The only thing I had going for me right now was that he wouldn't know all my weak spots. Florence had shuffled off to the furthest corner of the room, this was not her fight even though I was sure she could handle herself.

Tired of waiting, Osckar shot towards me like a bullet and at the last minute I dove to the side. I'd felt his breath on my neck, just where my largest artery was. That was too close. Any last hope I had that Osckar might be present left. I bared my teeth, in warning before I lunged, claws out. We both collided in a heavy mass of teeth and claws, the only sounds were the growls and snapping of teeth.

I could feel my fur beginning to soak with blood as his teeth sank into my shoulder, I barely felt the pain as I twisted and ripped out of his grasp before latching into his right leg. There was no sign of either of us being human as we continued to fight, my animal instincts had fully taken over. This was the most brutal fight I'd ever been in since being hunted down. It seemed to go on forever, neither of us getting the upper hand.

I was growing tired and so was he, in an attempt to have a break I leaped back away from him about a foot then paced in a semi circle. He never left my sight.

"Keep going!" Florence yelled. "You're tiring him out, he can't go on for much longer."

I wanted to yell at her that neither could I, if only she could use another spell to bind him or something. I'm sure she would've if she could but even if I could taste the magic in his blood, it was so potent that I knew nothing would be able to stop him. The only way for the spell to end was if I was dead or if it was lifted by Elvira.

I'd try to buy as much time as I could but my death tonight was inevitable. I know that now but I wouldn't give up just yet. I'd fight until I couldn't anymore, I'd do it for Osckar, for my father. I knew though I wouldn't harm Osckar not in any way that could kill him, I couldn't. He'd survive this.

Catching me unaware, Osckar sunk his teeth into my side. I howled in pain and tried to twist but it made it worse. I backed up but his jaw was locked in a vise grip there was no way I could get out of this, his body was angled away from mine so there was no chance of hurting him.

I kicked my hind legs and his grip loosened giving me that split second to push my body away. Flesh tore from my side in blinding pain, my eyes blurred out of focus, the pain was all I could think about. I didn't want to see how bad it was but I could feel the warmth of my blood spread out. This was serious.

I heard Florence approaching us so I turned my head in warning. That was a big mistake. I'd fully exposed my neck, giving Osckar the opportunity to latch on. He was crushing my windpipe; my legs gave out and I crumbled to the floor. My lungs were on fire, desperately seeking oxygen. This was it. It was all about to end.

I wasn't scared or angry, a steady clam filled me as I accepted what was about to come. I feebly placed a paw on his face, my last attempt to push him off me but my body wasn't working the way it should.

I shed a single tear. It was for Osckar and what he'd feel as soon as my heart stopped beating.

With one last attempt at getting away darkness dragged me under and I felt nothing.