Showdown

Liliam

Before he could do anything else, a tall figure stormed into the room, a low growl rumbling from his chest. It was William. His skin had begun to transform—his hair a dark brown, the color of his wolf, eyes blazing with rage. In a blur of motion, he was beside us, yanking Owen off me and hurling him across the room.

I heard the sickening crunch of bones breaking, but Owen just laughed. "This is why I don't like you picking up stray dogs, Liliam. They're always so aggressive."

"I knew that smell was foul," William snarled, his voice filled with disdain. "I should have known what kind of filth you are."

Owen laughed again, a twisted, evil sound, snapping his broken arm back into place as if it were nothing. "I was here first, mutt."

William moved with lightning speed, his fury palpable, grabbing Owen by the neck and slamming him into the wall with such force the room seemed to shake.

I finally found the strength to move, forcing my aching body to crawl over to Shadow, who was coughing and gasping for breath on the floor. His small body trembled with effort, and despite his brave attempt to act tough, I could see the pain in his eyes.

"I'm fine," he rasped, trying to sound convincing, but a wince betrayed him.

The adrenaline pumping through me was numbing my pain and fear, but my heart ached for him. I reached out, gently stroking his hair, trying to comfort him, even though I felt so helpless in that moment. My thoughts were a chaotic mess, but I knew we had to get out of here.

Before I could think any further, a hand grabbed my shoulder from behind, and I jumped, terrified. My heart raced as I spun around—Zeff. He was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly, sweat glistening on his brow like he'd run through hell to get here.

"Always late to the party, Zeff," William growled, his voice low and deadly, without even looking away from Owen.

"The other mutt decides to join us—how romantic," Owen taunted, his voice thick with malice. William's grip on his throat tightened, his knuckles white with the effort of holding himself back from snapping Owen's neck right then and there.

Zeff's eyes locked onto mine, assessing the situation with swift precision. Without a word, he moved closer, his muscles tense with the same protective instinct I'd seen in William. There was no hesitation, no fear—just raw determination.

"Get her out of here, Zeff," William ordered, his voice cold and dangerous, a tone I'd never heard from him before. His gaze didn't leave Owen for a second, but I could feel the intensity of his command like a physical force. "I'll handle this piece of trash."

Zeff didn't hesitate. He hauled Shadow to his feet with one arm, and in a single, fluid motion, he grabbed me by the wrist, pulling me toward him. His eyes remained locked on Owen, his body coiled, ready to move if necessary.

"Oh, you're not going anywhere!" Owen's voice echoed, sharp and menacing. Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, a violent blast of energy exploded from Owen. It was like a shockwave, invisible but potent, and I watched in horror as William was flung through the air, crashing through the bedroom wall and into the living room. The sound of splintering wood and shattering glass filled the air, loud and jarring.

I screamed, the force of it knocking me back. My ears were ringing from the sheer intensity of the blast, and just as I tried to move, something cold and strong grabbed my ankle. Panic shot through me as I was dragged back toward the chaos. I clawed at the floor, trying to gain purchase, but I couldn't stop myself from being pulled back into the room.

"Liliam!" Zeff's voice cut through the panic, and I turned my head just as he charged after me. His face was wild with fear and determination, and I felt a flicker of hope surge through the terror.

At that moment, William roared—a sound so primal, so filled with fury, it shook the house to its core. He launched himself at Owen with a ferocity I'd never seen before, their bodies colliding like two forces of nature. The walls shook, the floor trembled, and for a second, everything seemed to hang in suspended chaos. Owen's laughter was cut off by the raw power of William's attack.

The grip around my ankle released suddenly, and before I could even process what was happening, Zeff reached me. His strong arm wrapped around my waist, and in one swift motion, he lifted me off the ground, throwing me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

"Hold on," he growled, his voice deep and focused as he carried me away from the carnage unfolding behind us. I clung to him, my heart pounding in my chest, barely able to breathe as he moved swiftly, dodging the debris and chaos erupting around us.

Zeff's hold on me was firm, his body tense with the effort of keeping us both safe. I could hear William and Owen still fighting behind us—the crash of furniture, the sickening sounds of fists meeting flesh, the growls and roars that seemed to shake the very air.

As Zeff carried me away, I could feel the heat of his body against mine, the steady rhythm of his breath as he kept moving, focused entirely on getting me out of danger. My mind was racing, my emotions torn between the fear of what was happening and the strange sense of safety I felt in his arms.

"Alert the pack!" Zeff shouted to Shadow, his voice laced with urgency.

I barely registered what was happening as I looked up just in time to see William crash onto the driveway, his body skidding harshly against the concrete. Owen was on him in an instant, his fists flying with brutal, inhuman speed. Each blow landed with a sickening thud, and my blood ran cold as I watched William cough up blood, his body convulsing under the relentless assault.

My heart was pounding in my chest, drowning out every other sound as I screamed, "We can't leave him!"

Zeff's grip on me was iron-tight, unyielding, even as I kicked and thrashed against him, trying desperately to break free. "William knows how to handle him," Zeff said through gritted teeth, his voice steady despite the chaos. But I could see the strain in his eyes, the tension in his body as he ran, forcing me further from the battle.

I couldn't just run. Not when William was dying back there. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to turn back, to do something, anything, to help. My breath came in ragged gasps, panic clawing at my throat as I twisted in Zeff's arms. My mind was a whirlwind of fear and desperation. We didn't know what Owen—or the thing inside him—was capable of, and the thought of leaving William there, alone and broken, made my chest tighten with dread.

And then it happened.

A powerful force surged through me, something beyond fear or logic, pulling me back toward William like a magnet. I didn't think. I didn't even have time to act. One second, I was in Zeff's arms, and the next, I was hurtling through space, landing right on top of William. My body shielded his just as Owen raised his fist for another devastating blow.

But the punch never landed.

Instead, a surge of energy erupted from within me, exploding outward with a force so strong it took my breath away. It wasn't just power—it was something primal, raw, untamed. A tidal wave of energy burst forth, pushing Owen back as if he were nothing more than a ragdoll. He flew through the air, crashing into the side of the house with a thunderous thud that shook the very ground beneath us.

The power didn't stop. It surged through me, wrapping around my body like a protective shield, radiating from every pore. I could feel it—alive, pulsing, wild. It hummed inside me, stronger than anything I had ever felt before. My senses were heightened, my heart beating in sync with the rhythm of the energy that now flowed through me like a river unleashed.

I stared down at William, who lay beneath me, blood streaking his face, his breath coming in shallow, ragged bursts. His eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of shock, awe, and something else—something deeper, something primal. He was looking at me as though I had just transformed into something otherworldly.

And maybe I had.

The air crackled around us, the raw force of the energy I had unleashed still vibrating through the space. My heart pounded in my ears, my skin buzzing with the sensation of power coursing through me. I had no idea what had just happened, but I knew, instinctively, that I had tapped into something beyond myself. Something ancient.

William's hand reached up, trembling as he brushed my cheek with his bloodied fingers. "Liliam…" he whispered, his voice hoarse, filled with reverence. His eyes searched mine, still wide with disbelief. "How did you…?"

I shook my head, too stunned to answer. I didn't know. I didn't understand what had just happened. All I knew was that something inside me had awakened, something powerful enough to protect us, to stop Owen in his tracks.

Owen struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury, a savage snarl twisting his mouth. "You think this changes anything?" he spat, his voice seething with venom. "You think you can protect him? Protect yourself? You're mine, Liliam!"

The possessiveness in his voice sent a chill down my spine, but I didn't feel powerless anymore. Instead, I felt something deep inside me—a surge of power, stronger this time, more controlled. It pulsed through me with a fierce intensity, like a living thing responding to my will.

I focused on Owen, my heart pounding as I felt the energy course through my veins like molten fire. The air around us crackled with its force, and I extended my hand, willing the power outward. It was instinctive, like I knew exactly what to do, as though the magic itself was guiding me.

A shockwave burst from me, sending Owen stumbling backward, forcing him down onto the ground. The earth trembled beneath us, the raw energy rippling through the space like a storm. I wondered, feeling the strength radiating from deep within, enveloping me in a protective aura that felt both foreign and yet completely my own.

For a split second, Owen's fury faltered. His eyes flickered, and I caught a glimpse of something—something human. His real eyes, a deep, familiar brown. The man I once knew, the man who had been kind and gentle, even if only for a fleeting moment. My heart clenched, a wave of sorrow mixing with the anger I felt for what he had become.

"Sleep," I whispered, my voice soft yet commanding, infused with the power that surged within me. The single word echoed in the air, carrying a weight I didn't fully understand but knew was potent. It was more than a suggestion—it was an order, a command bound with magic.

Owen's body slumped to the ground almost instantly, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed into unconsciousness. His face relaxed, the malevolent tension draining away, leaving him still and almost peaceful. For a moment, it was hard to believe that this was the same man who had been trying to destroy everything.

I stood there, breathing heavily, the adrenaline still coursing through me as I tried to make sense of what had just happened. The power that had flowed so fiercely only moments ago began to ebb, fading away, leaving behind an odd emptiness. It was like a tide pulling back, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed now that the surge was gone.

I looked down at William, still beneath me, his eyes wide with shock and something else—something that almost looked like admiration. Awe, even. His chest was still rising and falling with shallow breaths, his body bruised and battered from the fight, but his gaze was locked on me as though I had just become something entirely new in his eyes.

Zeff rushed over, his face a mixture of shock and awe, eyes wide as he glanced between me and Owen's unconscious form on the ground. His expression said it all—he was trying to understand what had just happened. "How did you do that?" he asked, his voice low and filled with disbelief. His hand gestured vaguely toward the space between us, then back to William, as if he couldn't quite grasp the magnitude of what he had witnessed.

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but the words wouldn't come. Before I could even form a coherent thought, a wave of exhaustion hit me like a tidal wave, sweeping through my body. The energy that had surged so fiercely moments before was gone, leaving me drained, weak. I felt as if my limbs were made of lead, too heavy to hold up. The world around me blurred, the edges of my vision darkening, narrowing to a small tunnel.

I swayed, my knees buckling beneath me.

"Liliam!" Zeff's voice cut through the haze, sharp with alarm. His arms reached out, catching me just as I collapsed, pulling me into his chest. His touch was firm but gentle, and the warmth of him wrapped around me, grounding me in the midst of the chaos. His heart pounded against my cheek, a steady rhythm that contrasted the whirlwind of emotions inside me.

"Liliam, stay with us," William's voice was rough with urgency, coming from somewhere close by. I could hear the strain in his tone, the fear that matched the panic I was trying to keep at bay. They were both afraid, both desperate to help me, but I couldn't fight the darkness creeping in.

Their voices became distant, muffled, as though they were speaking to me through thick glass. I tried to focus, tried to cling to the sound of them calling my name, but it was no use. The void was pulling me under, wrapping me in its cold, heavy embrace. My body sagged against Zeff, the world around me slipping further and further out of reach.

And then, there was nothing.

Just darkness.