‘Alpha Magnus, I hope you weren’t intending on letting Alec out? Is that why you wanted us to remain unaware of the note’s contents?’ Yiselda asks.
Reaper squawks furiously at her before flying from Magnus’s shoulder and walking through the bars, perching on Alec’s shoulder.
Alec scratches Reaper’s beak and pats him, much to Yiselda’s bewilderment.
‘In all honesty, Yiselda, I had no idea whether I would release him or not, but I came prepared, for if I do. All I know is that I need Nina back in my arms and if we can’t come up with any other alternative, then….’
‘Stop! You will not go there, Alpha Magnus,’ Yiselda growls. ‘I know Nina is your mate and Luna, but we can’t allow the humans to be wiped out in her place,’
‘Yes, we can,’ Alec interrupts, ‘Now let me out!’
‘Repeliate,’ Yiselda says, waving her wand at Alec. He is thrown backwards by Yiselda’s magic against the cell’s back wall. ‘I will not let you harm the humans,’ she says.
‘What do you suppose we do then, Yiselda?’ Magnus asks.
‘Nothing, we do nothing,’ she says.
‘And let Nina, your Luna and coven sister perish?’
‘Her death will not go unnoticed. Do you believe I desire Luna’s demise? No! However, we cannot allow billions of people to perish in order to save her. Do you believe she would desire that?’ Yiselda refutes.
Magnus stiffens and clenches his hands as they begin to tremble. ‘I can’t live without her. If you are unable to come up with a better plan, then it will leave me with no choice but to release Alec,’
Yiselda pauses in thought and turns to Alec and asks, ‘After all these years, you still wish to eradicate humankind to avenge your blood flame?’
‘If I could travel back in time, Yiselda, I would change everything. I’m relieved that I was unable to eradicate humanity. Juniper would not have wanted me to destroy them, and I regret killing anybody who attempted to stop me. If I had been released before Nina’s kidnapping, I would not have sought revenge. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve recognised Juniper is no longer with us and that killing humans would not bring her back. Meeting Nina and having her as my second chance blood flame means the world to me right now. My primary concern is to keep her safe, alive, and close to me. I know Nina wouldn’t want me to eradicate the humans either, but the difference between Juniper and Nina is that Juniper is dead and Nina is alive. I would do anything to keep Nina alive,’
‘I’m sorry, Alec. I can’t let you out, knowing you will kill the humans. It is final,’ Yiselda says.
‘Not, if I have a say in it,’ Magnus says, crossing his arms.
‘Alpha Magnus, I have no choice but to ask you to leave,’ Yiselda says.
‘Oh, I’m going to leave, but I’m going to take Alec with me,’
Alec shakes his head in bewilderment at Magnus, unable to believe what he is hearing.
‘I can’t allow you to do that, Alpha. Please don’t force me to use magic against you.’ Yiselda cautions, removing her wand.
‘You won’t have to,’ Alpha Magnus says.
Alec and the witches exchange puzzled glances. Yiselda flutters her wand in preparation to cast a spell. Magnus growls, in his Alpha tone, ‘Yield and lay down your wands,’
All the witches instantly lay down their wands and kneel, except for May.
‘How is this possible?’ Yiselda asks, concerned.
‘You became a member of my pack. All alphas have the power to subdue any of their members,’ he smiles.
‘Unbelievable,’ Alec says, wedging his head against the bars. ‘Guess you didn’t see that one coming, Yiselda?’ Alec grins.
No, I did not,’ she states angrily.
‘Magnus, are you sure about this?’ May asks.
‘Is there any other option?’
May’s shoulders slump in defeat, and she nods her head no.
Magnus moves by Yiselda and takes a position in front of the cell door.
‘Alpha Magnus, I beg you, please don’t let him out. He will kill us all,’ Yiselda warns.
Alec steps towards the cell door, anxious for his freedom, but keeps behind the salt line, knowing that attempting to pass it would be harmful.
‘Alec, there is something I need to do before I release you,’ Magnus says as he draws out the athame, the identical one used in the witches’ initiation ceremony.
Yiselda is confused that Magnus has a knife and wonders if he is going to harm Alec with it.
Alec scowls at Magnus, ‘If you believe you’re going to knife me, you’re in for a surprise. I could kill you before you unsheathe it,’ he says.
‘Relax, Alec. As much as I would like to stab you, Nina would never forgive me, so you can dismiss that thinking. This is not an easy decision for me to make, but with Nina’s life on the line, I have no option but to initiate you into my pack,’ Magnus explains.
Alec blinks a few times and bursts into laughter. ‘Me? Join your pack?’
‘Remember, it’s not only my pack. It’s also Nina’s,’ Magnas says.
Alec stops laughing, ‘You’re being serious?’
‘You can’t be serious?’ May and Yiselda say in unison.
‘A vampire in our pack?’ Fern stutters.
‘Alec, I need assurance that you will not harm Yiselda or the other witches and that you will not do something silly like flee with Nina and keep her to yourself,’ Magnus says.
‘Fine!’ Alec sighs deeply. You have my assurance. I will not attack the witches except in self-defence, and I will not kidnap Nina for my own selfish reasons…’ he huffs.
‘I need more than your word Alec. I need your initiation into the pack,’ Magnus states.
‘No, you want me to join the pack just so you may exert power over me in the manner of the witches,’ he shouts.
‘That is true. Nonetheless, it is for your own benefit. You will be incapable of harming any pack members this way,’
‘I’m a king, and I don’t take orders from anyone!’ Alec yells.
‘And you will still be King of all vampires. Your status won’t change. Submitting into the pack verifies everyone’s safety, including yours.’
Alec turns his head to Reaper on his shoulder. They seem to be mind-linking each other.
‘You can mind-link with Reaper?’ Magnus asks.
‘One of my many abilities,’ Alec adds sarcastically.
‘What’s he saying?’
‘Reaper is advising I should join the pack,’
‘And what did you say?’
‘I told him I would do anything to get Nina back alive, even if that means becoming part of your stupid pack,’
‘Well then, let’s get you out of here and begin the initiation to join this stupid pack?’
Alec nods and watches Magnus take the keys and unlock the cell door. It creaks loudly as Magnus pulls it open and steps in. Alec and Magnus stand face to face on either side of the salt line. Magnus withdraws the athame from its sheath, ‘Hold your hand out,’ he says to Alec. Alec exposes the palm of his hand on his side of the line. Magnus extends his arm over the salt line to cut across the palm of Alec’s hand, and then he cuts across his own palm. They firmly grip their hands together.
‘I, Alpha Magnus, of the Shadow Crest Pack, with the Moon Goddess as our witness, accept Alec, the vampire king, into our pack. Wolf, Witch and now Vampire have merged.’
We hear the crack of lightning striking the coven stronghold and the severity of thunder and feel the gentle rumble of Pandora’s Box beneath our feet. Then it all comes to an abrupt halt.
‘The Moon Goddess approves.’ Magnus announces aloud.
They part hands to find their wounds have all but healed.
Magnus sweeps the salt line away with his foot, and with a flash of speed, Alec is at the other side of the dungeon and awaits at the large inscribed door for freedom.
