Fighting Fate (26 page)

able to tell from the way he was fighting. Wolves jumped on him and Bay, but the Centrals weren’t as

strong as Cailin’s family. Not when her family was fighting the way they were.

Or maybe they were, but her family was fighting with a spirit more resilient than anything else

they could face. With that and the luck of the moon goddess, the Redwoods could win.

It could really happen this time.

Reed, Healed from his bout with the boulder, fought another set of wolves alongside Josh. They

circled Hannah who wasn’t as skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Josh had at least six blades and guns

strapped to him since he, too, couldn’t shift his hands into wolf claws. Hannah disposed of each wolf

that tried to get near her mates when their attention was on another wolf by lifting the ground the

opponent stood on and flinging them away. Sometimes the witch would bury the wolf if she got the

right angle.

One did not mess with a Redwood witch.

Maddox and Ellie were on the other side of Cailin and Logan, her sister-in-law looking as

determined as she’d ever seen her. This Pack had once been her people, her
family
. Then they’d

turned on her. Though, in all reality, they’d turned on her long ago, being too weak to protect her from

the taint and evil within.

The mated pair, their moves so in sync Cailin knew they were talking to one another through

their unique mating bond, killed and took down the wolves quickly with efficient strokes.

Even with the Talons helping, the Redwoods were outnumbered four to one since Caym seemed

to be using the last of his Pack to win this battle. Each Central wolf was stronger than they had been

before, but they weren’t fighting as a team, rather, they fought with the vicious intent of death at all

costs. They were just cannon fodder in the scheme of things, even if they were stronger than that.

North and Lexi were off to the side, Lexi in front of North, directing her mate where to go. It

physically hurt Cailin to watch her brother fight because she knew that, despite his heightened

werewolf senses, he was still blind in a battle that could take him out instantly. However, he and Lexi

had taken that into account. Lexi would fight and take down the wolf initially, letting North end its life

as soon as Lexi yelled out orders. If he’d been fighting with anyone else, Cailin wasn’t sure he’d be

able to do it, but he did.

And did it damn well.

She and Logan took down two more wolves, their chests heaving, sweat slicking their bodies.

“Damn it, we’re not even close to Caym,” she called out.

Logan reached around, squeezing her hip. “We’re closer than we were before. Have faith. We’re

getting there. And with the two Alphas pummeling their way through the crowd, we’re going to be

there before you know it.”

“Such optimism.”

He cracked a grin, though she knew it was forced. “Anything for you, princess. Now duck.”

She did so quickly, and he took care of a Central that tried to pounce on her. She was getting too

damn tired for this, and she couldn’t afford to be sloppy.

“Thanks, big boy.”

“Love you too, muffin.”

She snorted, using the humor when she wasn’t sure she if she could find it in herself to move a

few more yards, taking down another wolf.

Mel and Kade fought ahead of them, their skills even sharper than they had been just a few

weeks ago when they’d battled as a pair. The bond that came from being Alpha helped them, but it

was the inner strength of who’d they’d been beforehand that made them who they were now.

Gideon and Mitchell clawed their way toward Caym as well, the Talon’s fierce battlemates.

Cailin was glad they were on the Redwoods’ side.

Cailin and Logan killed countless other wolves, each slice, each rake of claws digging that much

deeper into her heart. She was weary, heavy with the guilt of what they were doing, even if it was for

the greater good. If there had been any other way to go about this, she knew her brothers and her Pack

would have done so. The Centrals, though, had left them with no choice.

Logan broke the neck of one more wolf then froze, forcing Cailin to do the same.

Caym stood in front of them, the cuffs of his pants bloody, weary, but a fucking smile on his face.

“I see you’ve come to me,” the demon drawled. “Good.”

He held out his hands, magic sparking from his palms.

Fuck.

****

Logan threw himself over Cailin as the first scent of magic flittered into the air. His wolf

pounded against his skin, wanting to gut whoever had dared try to hurt their mate. He let his wolf

come forward, this time not pushing back the darkness. His wolf growled, strong, ready to defeat

anything in their path.

Instead of the normal adrenaline coursing through his system, and the pain and agony that came

from fighting it, a sense of peace washed over him. He looked through his wolf’s eyes, though he was

still in human form, and knew that whatever came, he would be ready.

He would be with his wolf and not fight it.

The more he fought, the worse it would be.

He’d already accepted it.

Just as Cailin had accepted him.

He braced himself over his mate, prepared to take whatever Caym lashed out…only nothing

came.

He looked down at Cailin, who glared up at him.

“You need to protect yourself as well,” she whispered.

He kissed her nose then looked over his shoulder.

Caym had both hands in front of him, his gaze on his palms and not the battle raging around him.

Logan quickly sprang up to his feet, pulling Cailin with him. “Lost something?” Logan growled.

Caym’s head shot up, and he glared. “What the fuck did you do?”

Holy shit. It might have worked. They hadn’t taken all the magic from the demon. Logan could

still smell it, the burnt amber and sense of something far greater than himself, and from the sparks

coming from Caym’s palms, there was still something left.

But they’d taken out some of it.

“You’re nothing without your powers,” Logan said, careful to keep Cailin behind him, if only

somewhat. There was no way he’d be able to hold back his mate fully. He had a feeling the only

reason she even let him move her somewhat was because of the baby growing in her womb.

“But I’m not out yet.” Caym screamed, the air around them seeming to lose oxygen.

Logan pulled Cailin to his side as the wolves dropped to the ground around them. A force field

—or some kind of ward—pushed Logan and Cailin back a few feet, and they staggered to remain

upright.

Caym twisted and bent at odd angles, but not breaking as magic and energy swirled around him,

entering his body in swift strokes. From the way Caym screamed, Logan hoped it felt like sharp

knives cutting into his flesh one by one.

Sharp knives the demon seemed to enjoy. To relish.

“He’s pulling the power from them!” Emeline yelled as she ran to their side, Noah on her tail.

The other man looked worse for wear, but Emeline didn’t have a new scratch on her. Good for him.

The other Redwoods and Talons came to their side, trying to push through the ward, but it was

no use.

Caym had killed his own wolves to regain his power and hadn’t thought twice about it.

The Redwoods would have to wait until he brought down his own wards to kill him and then be

faster than the demon himself. He looked over his shoulder and counted wolves, his breath leaving

him for a moment in relief.

They hadn’t lost a single one.

All of the Redwoods and Talons were accounted for and ready to fight.

One demon against an army.

They would win.

They had to.

Caym screamed again, this time flinging everyone to the ground. Everyone, that was, except Josh

and Bay—the only two who shared his blood. They both fought to remain on their feet then charged at

Caym.

Bay and Adam attacked, using their blades and claws. Caym laughed then went wide-eyed as

Josh’s blade sank into his belly. The wards were down around the demon, at least somewhat.

Yes!

Logan pulled Cailin to her feet, and he covered her belly, making sure baby Anderson was still

there, then ran toward their target. Caym, bleeding and obviously in pain, swung out, knocking Bay in

the face. Adam roared behind Cailin and ran to his mate, trusting the others to take care of the demon.

“Cailin! Logan! I need you,” Emeline called out, and Logan stopped, turning toward the elder.

“What is it?” he asked, eager to take care of Caym once and for all.

“We won’t be able to kill him, not like this. He’ll just come back. He’s that strong. We’re going

to have to open that portal and send him back to hell.”

Logan cursed. “We tried that, remember? It didn’t work.”

Emeline shook her head. “No, we tried part of it. Remember the next part? Proof of life. The

others will take Caym down, you and Logan must bind your blood one more time, but Caym
must

know you’re pregnant. Then it will work. The moon goddess says so.”

Logan narrowed his eyes. “The moon goddess is talking to you now?”

A faraway look came over the elder’s eyes once more. “I hear things on the wind. I’ve always

done so, but this time, when Caym screamed and killed his flock, I heard her. Please trust me. I want

him gone as much as you do.”

“Come on,” Cailin yelled over the roars and growls of her people. “Emeline is right. We don’t

have much time. No matter what we do to the demon he just keeps coming back; we have to try

everything.”

Logan met her gaze, clasping her hand. “I’m not going to lose you. Not now. Not ever. You got

me, princess?”

She nodded, licking her lips. She squeezed his hand back, and he tried to ignore the screams and

growls around them.

Caym fought the others. His attention elsewhere, not on Logan and Cailin. He bled, shouted, and

almost died. But it wouldn’t be enough. It would never be enough without this next step.

Caym just would not die.

No matter what they did.

They’d killed all the wolves with Caym’s help.

They’d killed the other Centrals’ Alphas.

But it wasn’t enough.

Not with Caym alone, powerful, and refusing to give up.

They’d have to fight fire with fire. Use magic that didn’t have an outcome set in stone. The moon

goddess might have said it would have worked, but Logan wasn’t sure he had the faith that was

required to believe. Not anymore.

If they couldn’t kill the demon, then having him in an eternity of hell would have to do.

Kade called out in pain as Caym shocked Mel with magic, throwing her to the ground. Adam

stabbed the demon through the heart, but then was flung to the ground as Caym healed right before

Cailin’s eyes. He’d taken the life forces of countless wolves to do what he was doing now, and there

didn’t seem to be an end in sight.

Each Redwood and Talon took their turn wounding Caym, but it wasn’t enough. Caym fought

back, but he wasn’t as strong now as he once was. The others bled from their wounds inflicted by the

demon, and Logan knew if he and Cailin didn’t do this now, it would be too late.

“Josh! I need a blade,” Logan called out.

Josh, bloody, bruised, and fading fast, threw one to them, not even looking. Logan caught it at the

hilt and grinned.

“That man is crazy, but a hell of a good shot,” Logan said, trying to make her laugh. She

wouldn’t laugh though. Not when her family was dying because they weren’t strong enough. He knew

that, but he tried anyway.

Logan sliced across his palm then did the same to her. He held back the wince at the pain on her

face then slammed his hand to hers.

“This is for Mom and Dad,” she whispered, and Logan cupped her face with his free hand. “Oh,

Caym!” she called out, facing Logan, never letting her gaze leave his.

“Yes, princess?” the bastard called out even as he fought off what sounded like Maddox and

Ellie.

“You’re death, the epitome of everything we’ve feared. Yet you couldn’t stop life.”

Caym growled as Emeline began to chant again. Unlike last time, the magic swirled around them,

blowing her hair into almost a vortex of energy and electricity.

“You couldn’t stop us,” Logan yelled over the roaring wind. “We’re having a baby. That’s life.

You’re nothing, Caym. Nothing.”

Logan kissed his mate then, hard, their hands still clasped as the magic around them burst forth.

Spirals of color and light shot around them, the vortex similar to the one that had taken the two of

them to the demon before, now rushed around them, cementing them to each other. She kissed him

back, and he relished in her taste, her
life,
as things exploded around them in shards of magic, pain,

and shouts.

When he ripped his mouth from hers, he turned to face where Caym stood, his body shaking,

blood pouring from the numerous wounds her family had inflicted.

The Pack gathered around him and Cailin, keeping away from Caym. There was something