Hated By My Mate: The Finale

Aurora and Wolfgang’s relationship has stood the test of time, but can the same be said for her inner wolf? As she masters control of the elements, Rory is met with new challenges. The witches are not what they seem, and Wendell isn’t likely to give up any time soon. What will Selena have in store for our beautiful white wolf? And what will become of the daughters of the moon goddess?

Aurora

The town square was a warzone. Gunshots rang out in the air as hunters and witches poured out of every alleyway and crevice.

The ground shook beneath my feet as my fellow werewolves shifted into their lupine forms, ready to fight.

Sierra, Wolfgang, Max, Remus, and I stood side by side, scanning the chaos. Wendell laughed as he looked at me.

There was no shame or remorse in those lifeless eyes.

Only the desire to eliminate what he thought did not belong.

Usually merry and quaint, the whole area was now a marriage of cinder and smoke. I had spent so many coffee dates with Emma here. My heart hurt.

When we were children, this was the one space that felt more like home.

It used to be surrounded by rustic wooden buildings blending like butter on toast. More than half of them were burning tonight.

Avery Road was a melange of little homes overlooking a long, natural landscape of forests and snow-capped mountains.

In the center of the square, there was a large, ornate fountain with water cascading down in a soothing, rhythmic pattern. The waters of this fountain were tinged red tonight.

That’s all I could see in my vision too. My childhood safe-space, ruined by human hunters and their crazed madman of a leader.

On any other day, I’d walk upon the smooth cobblestones paving the main space.

My footsteps would echo softly off the ground, not the way they were thumping with each step I took forward right now.

A whirring static blared in my mind. Eleanor.

“Don’t do anything rash, Aurora. You are not ready.”

I bared my teeth, ready to transform.

Wendell’s soulless eyes fed into mine, and a cold smile played on his lips.

“I’m ready enough,” I mindlinked back. “~I’m not going to stand by and watch this man destroy my home.”~

“Aurora, she reasoned. ~“There is a time for everything.”~

“There is no time for killing innocent pups and families, Eleanor.”

The link grew faint.

“Very well,” she said at long last. ~“I cannot stop you. But it would be foolish to not try. You have too much of your mother in you.”~

I could almost see her smiling, a tad sadly.

“Just be careful. Rage can be your friend, if you channel it well.”

I ran the last line over in my head.

The north end of the square was known for its small stage, home to local musicians and performers.

It should be framed by colorful banners and string lights. A group of kids were supposed to put on a show tonight.

Their bodies decorated the stage instead, some covered by drapings, some splayed out, their faces blank, still innocent in death.

The small cafes and restaurants did not smell of freshly baked bread or brewing coffee, but of bloodlust and dirt. There was no chatter, only stone-cold silence.

Lake Iliamna stood quietly in the distance, her waters bearing testimony to all that had happened. It was too much. Too much.

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. The hunters continued to taunt me, but I tried to push their words out of my mind.

However, the sight of the bodies of other pack members and their young pups spread over the yard and by the pack's extended territory filled me with sorrow and rage.

“Let me out,” Rhea whined. ~“It’s time we showed them who’s boss around here.”~

I was still wary. Wendell began circling me, his gaze bleeding malice.

“I thought you’d come here, like the noble little warrior you pretend to be.”

“How dare you come back, Wendell Grosvenor?” I seethed, matching him eye-for-eye. “I commanded you to stand down and leave town. What part of that did you not understand?”

He sneered at that, his lips curving into a thin line of dissent.

“You really thought a silly little girl like you, a girl who has no idea how to use her own powers, could hurt me with her words?”

"I'll kill you, Aurora," he growled. "You're the last in the direct line of children of the moon goddess. The last she-wolf who is pure royal by blood."

I smote him with a glare. "You're nothing but a jealous, old rat who has nothing better to do except scare people with empty threats and run when the real danger comes."

Some of Wendell's human hunters perked up at my words, nodding in agreement.

"He does keep running whenever there's trouble, leaving us to get killed," one of them muttered.

So, there was anger amongst the ranks.

I smirked. “It seems your own people find you incapable, Wendell.”

Wendell's eyes narrowed. "You think you're so high and mighty, Aurora, but you're nothing compared to me."

The witches on Wendell's side began to cast spells, and a dark shroud of gas enveloped us all. I coughed and gagged, feeling the gas searing my lungs.

“Let me out,” Rhea pleaded. ~“This gas will have no impact on me.”~

Something in me snapped at that exact moment.

A cold wind hit my face as I shifted, and Rhea took over. True to her words, the gas did not smite our eyes any longer. Instead, it called out to the animal urges in me, asking me to…

Rip.

Kill.

Tear.

This was just what Eleanor had told me not to do.

I stumbled forward, trying to hold on to anything I could for support. I had to control my emotions.

But all I could see was the faces of the dead, looking at me, their eyes helpless.

I snarled, baring my teeth at Wendell.

"You want a fight, Wendell? You’ve got one," I growled.

We launched into battle, teeth bared and claws unsheathed.

Wendell was strong and fast, but I was fierce and determined. We tore into each other, exchanging blows and slashes.

Rhea's power surged through me, and I used it to my advantage. I leaped at Wendell, knocking him off his feet. He snarled and tried to bite me, but I was too fast.

As we fought, I noticed Wendell's brother lurking in the shadows. I seized the opportunity and lunged at him, knocking him to the ground.

I pinned him down, my sharp claws digging into his flesh.

"Call off your spells, Wendell," I snarled. "Or your brother dies."

Wendell hesitated for a moment, then relented. The dark shroud of gas dissipated, and I tossed his brother over to our men.

Wolfgang considered me from the side, but the battle was full-fledged now, and he could not come over to help, even if he wanted to.

“Rory,” he called out. “Stay calm!”

I could not.

I stood at the forefront of the battle, my heart pounding with fear and adrenaline.

The stench of blood and sweat was heavy in the air as the human hunters, witches, and Wendell's followers charged toward us, weapons in hand.

"We've got to protect our territory!" I yelled to my pack, who stood behind me, growling with ferocity. "Sierra, Wolfgang, Max, Remus, we've trained for this. Now, let's show them what we're made of!"

The human hunters and Wendell's followers were heavily armed, and the witches were chanting spells that made the air thick with dark energy.

We charged toward them, our teeth bared and claws extended.

The first clash of steel on steel was deafening, and I felt a surge of pain as one of the hunters managed to graze my arm with his sword.

"You're dead, she-wolf!" Wendell roared, as he emerged from the crowd, his eyes blazing with hatred. "I'll see you all destroyed!"

"Not if we see you first!" Sierra shouted, as she leapt toward him, her fangs bared.

The other werewolves followed suit, and we were soon in the thick of battle, dodging spells and arrows, and clawing at the human hunters with all our might.

I could see Wolfgang and Max fighting with all their power, taking down witch after witch with their immense strength.

Remus, on the other hand, fought with his mind, using his telekinesis to throw the hunters and witches off balance.

As the battle raged on, I caught sight of Wendell making a break for it. I howled, calling for my pack to pursue him. "Don't let him get away! We need to take him down!"

My pack surged forward, chasing Wendell through the trees and across the river.

I could hear his brother, Alastor, begging him to stop and fight like a man, but Wendell was too cowardly to face us head-on.

A sudden flash of movement to my right had me turn just in time to see one of the witches hurling a ball of fire in my direction.

The heat singed my fur, and I coughed as the smoke filled my lungs.

Wendell took the opportunity to escape past the hedges, the fleet-footed bastard.

But then something strange happened, and a surge of energy coursed through me.

The smoke and fire had no impact on me. Instead, I opened my fists and drank in that ball of fire, and somehow, I turned it back on the witch.

My eyes saw red and gold, sparks bursting in the distance. It was too much, too fast.

Suddenly, the bushes nearby rustled. Rhea, my wolf, growled.

Something was wrong.

"Alastor!" I shouted, running toward the bushes. "He's still here!"

I pushed aside the branches, and there he was, crouched down and ready to attack. Rhea and I lunged forward, taking him down with ease.

"We've got him," I said, breathing heavily. "Wendell may have escaped, but we'll make sure Alastor never causes trouble again."

I slowed down then, my mind registering that the battle was over. That’s when the eyes of my fellow wolves met mine.

There was respect there, yes, but also fear. I looked around me.

I’d burnt more than the witch. A whole row of buildings and barns over the distance had gone up in flames.

I hadn’t just reverted the ball of fire.

I’d caused a whole explosion.