Ellie POV


    Felicity didn''t rush me.


    That was the worst part.


    She stepped fully into the packhouse, rainwater streaming from her clothes, boots leaving dark prints across stone already slick with blood. Around her, the fighting continued-Silver Fang warriors locked in brutal closebat with rogues-but there was a subtle, instinctive clearing around her path.


    Even the rogues knew better than to crowd her.


    She lifted her chin slightly, eyes never leaving mine as she walked forward,


    unhurried, deliberate. Like she was savoring this. Like she''d imagined this moment so many times that nothing could rush it now.


    I stayed where I was, at the top of the staircase, hands already raised.


    The shield responded instantly.


    Golden light red into existence in front of me, thickening into a curved barrier that filled the width of the stairwell. I could feel it-dense,yered, humming with power as it locked into ce between Felicity and the inner corridors beyond.


    Between Felicity and my children.


    The goddess surged hot and furious in my chest, but I forced myself to breathe through it. To shape the energy instead of letting it explode outward.


    So much of ric''s teachings made sense now that I was in the thick of it. The warnings and encouragement that he had given during training that seemed like titudes suddenly felt solid in my hands.


    Don''t let it overwhelm you, don''t let emotions shape the magic. Use your head. Felicity''s gaze flicked briefly to the shield, then back to my face.


    Her smile was sharp and knowing. "You''ve learned," she said softly. "I wondered how long it would take."


    "Stop," I said, my voice carrying farther than it should have, steady despite the pounding of my heart. "This doesn''t have to happen."


    Her brows lifted a fraction, mockery in. "Doesn''t it?"


    I swallowed and pressed on. "You don''t really want to hurt Nn''s children. You know that.” I held her gaze, refusing to look away. "You know what that would do. To him. To you."


    For the first time, something flickered in her expression.


    Not the pity I had hoped for or the understanding that I expected. Not doubt.


    Fury.


    "You think I don''t know that?" she snapped, the calm cracking. "You think I don''t know exactly what it would


    cost me?"


    "Then don''t do it," I said. "Walk away. Whatever this is between us-between you and me-it doesn''t have to touch them. No one else has to get hurt."


    Her lips trembled-not with hesitation, but with barely restrained rage.


    "They are his," she snarled. "Everything he loves is his. He is an alpha, my alpha! You are the rogue, the imposter! You are the fraud who has stolen my ce at his side! It should be my children that he fights so hard to protect, not yours! And you stand there and tell me not to touch what he values most?"


    The air around her distorted.


    Felicity tilted her head back and screamed.


    It wasn''t human.


    It wasn''t wolf.


    It was something raw and furious and broken, a sound that tore through the packhouse and sent every instinct I had into screaming overdrive.


    She shifted.


    Bones cracked and reformed with violent speed, clothing shredding as her body expanded, fur bursting across her skin in a rush of motion so fast it blurred. A massive wolf mmed down onto the stone floor where she''d stood moments before, ws gouging deep grooves into the ground.


    She filled the hallway. Or at least she seemed to. It may have been the aura of malice radiating from her that made her seem so imposing.


    Golden-brown fur bristled along her spine, soaked dark with rain and blood. Her eyes burned icy blue, locked on me with singr, murderous focus.


    The goddess roared inside me, equal parts warning and rallying cry.


    I braced, pouring everything I had into the shield,yering it thicker, stronger, willing it to hold.


    Felicity lunged.


    She hit the barrier like a battering ram.


    The impact threw sparks of light across the stairwell, the shield ring blindingly bright as the force mmed into it. The entire packhouse shuddered. Stone cracked. Somewhere behind me, ss shattered.


    I screamed-not in fear, but effort as I forced more power into the wards, teeth clenched hard enough that my jaw ached.


    "No!" I shouted. "You don''t get past me!"


    Felicity snarled, mming into the shield again, and again-each blow harder than


    thest. The light fractured, spiderweb cracks racing across its surface.


    I could feel it slipping.


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    Cede is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a ir for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cede''s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.