wouldn’t have been forced to just practice and practice until I found out what else I could do.”
“You mean what Owein could do, don’t you?” I taunted her. “He’s the one who controlled Borris, not you.”
“No!” She stamped her foot, her hands curling into claws. “He just got me in the door.”
“Yeah, a door hundreds of miles away.” Her eyes flashed as she glared at me. Still the same Rhiannon, I realized. No control of her temper, always blaming others. “Not anything you could do.”
“I did!” Rhiannon screeched, stomping again, the action that of a toddler rather than a woman. “I’m the one who snuck in, who had him poison Raff every night. I’m the one who made him forget he saw me.”
I shrugged, even as my wolf snarled. “Owein was more impressive.”
“I can control over distance now too.”
I smirked, shaking my head. “Liar. Face it, Rhiannon” —I let my eyes shift, highlighting the different colors as I pulled on each of my powers— “I’m more powerful than you. A former human. I will always be more powerful than you. Beta of Lupine Hollow. We’ll win this. I’ll mate Alarick. You were just a pawn to get him here, nothing more.”
“No!” she screeched. “He trusts me! I’m the one with the power! I’m the one who controls everyone! I’m the one who can shoot the alpha—” I didn’t let her finish, command filling me as I lashed out hard.
“Do not shoot that gun or let the person hurt her. Don’t move.” My voice echoed in my head as Rhiannon bobbled, nearly falling, but I had leashed her with my magic, preventing her from tumbling. “Tell me where Eirian is.”
Alarick, tell Due I have control of the gun! Rhiannon’s controlling Ocean Mist, but I’m holding her. I screamed the words into Alarick’s head, but he didn’t hear me, his mind locked into battle, his sole focus on surviving.
“The safe room in Ocean Mist, locked inside with Tala,” Rhiannon parroted. No sparks flew from her, and I nodded. Truth then.
“Walk with me. Do not attempt to harm me or anyone else,” I commanded, as I scrambled back to a shaking Shannon. I propped her up, knowing her magic would drop at any moment. “Answer me, is Tala compromised? Or if you release him, will he help Eirian?” Switching between command and truth was more draining than just using one power, but I couldn’t trust her otherwise.
“He is not one of us,” she replied woodenly. Again, no sparks.
“Release your hold on any Ocean Mist members who are not part of your faction, then stand there,” I ordered.
I chewed on my lip, shifting to face Due and Alarick. Fuck, though, how did I prove it? “Due!” I screamed. “I have Eirian! Tala has her!” I saw a flash of gray eyes as he faltered for a moment, but he didn’t break. He wasn’t willing to risk it. He wasn’t willing to take the chance.
“Phone,” Shannon muttered, pointing to our feet where Alarick had dropped his shirt.
“Right, right.” I scrambled for it, pressing the button frantically until a voice I didn’t recognize answered.
“What the hell is going on?” the male rumbled, and I heard Eirian swearing in the background.
“Please tell me you have some way to stop your alpha before Alarick and him kill each other!” I begged. I heard a scuffle, then Eirian came on, her voice weak.
“Who is this?” she snarled.
“It’s Pixie. Look, Gwyar had you kidnapped. He’s having Due kill Alarick to save you. I need some kind of emergency brake here because there’s an all-out war going on!” I screamed the words into the phone as two wolves flew past my head, tearing into each other and soaking me in blood.
“If I tell you, will you be able to stop your mate from killing mine?” Her words were controlled and calm, but I could hear the fear in them. “He will stop, and if Alarick keeps going, he’ll kill Due.”
“Damn it.” I looked up at them, then at Luna and Shannon, and I swallowed hard. “Yeah. I’ll stop them.”
“Pixie, no!” Shannon’s eyes were wide, her legs shuddering underneath her.
“They’re going to kill each other at this rate,” I snapped. “We have to stop this! Tell me, Eirian, I promise I will protect your mate.”
“Say ‘marine.’” She sighed. “Goddess help me. Say ‘marine,’ Pixie, and save my mate.”
I thrust the phone at Shannon and turned to Rhiannon, letting command ring through my voice. “Protect those two with your life.” When I knew