Page 92 of Brandon’s Mate

Brandon was putting up a heroic fight, but there were still too many. The crows had found them again, diving and dipping, slashing at both of them.

Kitty’s wounds healed almost immediately, but no matter how many she killed or wounded, they just kept coming. And Brandon couldn’t heal as fast as Monster Wolf.

Kitty saw one of the shifter crows go for Callie, swooping down at her. Callie fought it off with her good arm, manifesting her lynx claws and slashing at it. But there were so many—another came down, followed by a surge of wild crows. The air was filled with wings and talons.

Kitty tried to get to Callie, but the crows were thick around her like flies. She bit and tore, rolling on the ground to get rid of them, but that left Callie unprotected.

They were going to kill her.

Out of nowhere, a snowy owl dive-bombed into the group of crows around Callie, scattering them in a whirl of feathers and blood.

Kitty’s relief turned to shock—behind him was an identical owl. Colt and Remy were here—and they were both owls.

The second owl dug its talons into a shifter crow clinging to Brandon’s back, and tore it free. It tossed it to the side like a rag.

The first one grasped Callie’s good arm, wings beating to lift her off the ground. If Colt and Remy could fly them out of here…

And then she felt the power of the artifact pressing down on her once more. Raines’ fucking minions had broken him free of the fight, and he was trying to control them all again. Including Sasquatch.

Kitty caught a claw slice in her side, and another one across her flank. Brandon’s panther was covered in bloody cuts. Raines couldn’t completely control them, but he could slow them down. Make them vulnerable.

She glanced over to Callie, and saw that the owls had dropped to the ground, straining to fly. The next minute they both turned to snow leopards. But they were moving sluggishly, like her and Brandon.

The artifact must be affecting them too.

Crows converged on Callie, but another one flew at them, shrieking, beating them away. Jason?

Raines’ voice boomed through Kitty’s mind.

You will all submit to me!

And the crew’s replies.

Brandon’s snarl: I don’t think so, fucker.

Colt: Nope.

Remy: Hell no. Not even a little.

They all looked at each other, and then they poured every last ounce of their attitude and defiance into a singular point.

Brandon. Their alpha.

Blue lines of fire streaked toward Brandon from the three of them, and a wave of dominance like Kitty had never felt rolled out over the battlefield. The panthers hesitated. Even the crows veered off.

But it wasn’t enough. They couldn’t fight the power of the artifact.

Brandon realized it too.

He reached out to all of them and beyond. I am alpha! his panther roared. We are Wild Blood, and we will not submit.

And he bound everything they gave him into one crew. An unbroken circle.

The blue fire jumped from one to the other, encircling them all. Kitty felt Raines waver. They were almost there…

Raines strained to keep them under control. Then a huge shifter crow dropped out of the sky and grabbed Raines’ outstretched hand, slashing at his wrist as if he were going to rip it off.

Caleb. Caleb wanted the artifact.