Claimed By The Alpha King

Chapter 24: Bloodfire Ignites

The locket flared white-hot against Maya’s chest.

Heat surged through her veins, familiar and wild. The courtyard around her seemed to slow. She could see every claw, every drop of blood hanging in the air.

Darius stopped five feet away, his grin fading as the silver light spilled from her fur. “No,” he hissed. “Not again.”

Maya didn’t answer. She lunged.

Her claws tore through his shoulder, and where they struck, the Bloodfire followed. Silver flame crawled across his skin, burning away the Shadowborn corruption underneath. Darius howled, staggering back.

“Kill her!” he screamed at his warriors.

Blackthorn and Blood Fang collided harder. But Maya only had eyes for Darius.

“You killed my mother,” she growled in a voice that wasn’t entirely human. “You burned my pack.”

“I ended a threat,” Darius spat, wiping blood from his mouth. “Your mother was going to seal the rift. Without it, our gods can’t cross.”

“Good,” Maya snarled.

She slammed into him again, claws raking, teeth snapping. The Bloodfire responded to her rage, growing hotter, brighter. Warriors on both sides stopped fighting just to watch.

Kade was at her side in seconds, holding off two Blood Fang wolves trying to flank her. “Maya! Control it!”

“I am in control,” she said, but even she could feel it slipping. The power wanted more. It wanted to burn everything.

Darius seized the moment. He drove a dagger of obsidian into her side.

Pain exploded.

Maya staggered, and the Bloodfire flared out of control.

A shockwave of silver fire ripped through the courtyard. Blood Fang wolves screamed as the flame consumed them, leaving only ash. Blackthorn warriors fell back, shielding their eyes.

When the light faded, a dozen Blood Fang lay dead.

Maya knelt on the ground, breathing hard, the dagger still in her side.

Darius smiled through bloody teeth. “Now you see. It’s killing you.”