The Algea flickered, then slipped out of my grasp.
“Harris!” I shouted.
He flew into motion, following the Algea through the trees, his golden eyes intent and focused as a predator’s.
The monster ran toward the tear in reality it had dragged me through.
I sprinted after them, putting every ounce of speed I had into catching it. We couldn’t allow it to live a moment longer.
We tackled it as it slithered through the portal.
Reality fractured around us.
The world twisted, colors bleeding together, and then we were falling—
We hit the ground hard.
Real ground. Earth and leaves and the familiar scents of the forest. Our forest.
Lacey, Hunter, and Lee were there, their wolf forms frozen in shock as we tumbled out of the Otherworld with the Algea still thrashing between us.
“Stay back!” I commanded, my voice carrying the power of the alpha. “Don’t get in the way!”
The wolves immediately retreated, forming a wide circle around us.
Harris pulled something small and round from his pocket. A gold amulet on a chain that caught the moonlight and seemed to absorb it.
The Algea tried to use its claws on me again, lunging for my throat.
Harris bolted forward. He threw himself between me and the Algea and pressed the amulet directly into the creature’s chest.
The reaction was immediate and violent.
Smoke poured from the point of contact, and the Algea’s shriek was so loud and so full of agony that I staggered back, grimacing. The amulet seared into its flesh, embedding itself deep, and the creature’s form solidified completely.
It thrashed wildly, clawing at its own chest, trying to dig the amulet out. But it was stuck fast, burning into it like a brand.
Then I saw Harris produce the machete.
His eyes were pure gold when they met mine, filled with determined fury.
A wordless understanding passed between us. I knew what he needed me to do.
I lunged forward and grabbed the creature, wrapping my arms around it from behind and holding it as still as I could.
It fought me, bucking and snarling, but I held on. Every ounce of my alpha strength went into keeping it in place.
In that moment, I realized I trusted Harris completely to finish this.
The machete came down in a single, clean arc.
The Algea’s head hit the ground and rolled.
Its body went limp in my arms and I shoved it away from myself with revulsion.
Then I sank to my knees, gasping.
It was over.
