Chapter 126 Free

(Hope POV)

Orbs of fire struck the ground and the trees, causing our surroundings to burn. I created a shield around us as Yuri swerved the car from side to side in an attempt to avoid the fire lit spheres.

Perspiration was dripping along the sides of my face, I was feeling weak and it took all of my concentration to keep us protected.

"Jacques, I need you to slow down time and I will make it rain." I mind linked Jacques so he could help me.

Jacques opens his window and extends his hand out. I looked outside my window and it seemed everything was floating around us. Perfect. I raise my hand towards the dark clouds that hovered above us and rain started to fall, extinguishing the fire that fell from the sky as well as the fires that were ablaze around us.

I peered through the windshield to check on the tornado. The tornado was slowly disappearing, the whirls of wind going back up to the sky. At least, the dangerous phenomenon was gone even if it was conjured by Arthur. It was the biggest tornado I had ever seen. I could only conjure seemingly small funnels.

However, my gentle rain was now turning into a raging storm. The car's windshield wiper's speed went from long to short intervals. Jacques looked at me, but I shook my head at him to tell him it wasn't me.

It must be Arthur because I could feel myself getting tired. My pregnancy was using much of my energy, channelling my power to my child's growth and development as well as providing her protection. The Doc had warned me this would happen. Shifting may not pose a threat to the pup since the womb is protected, however the pup would cause me to be weak. This is why she had suggested I leave France as soon as posaible to go back to the comfort and safety of my territory. Good thing I didn't listen to her. Jacques needed my help.

Yuri stopped the car at the gates of the territory. Jacques told Yuri and Juliette to stay there and keep watch for anyone trying to come into the territory. Jacques and I jumped out of the car into the pouring rain and proceeded to enter Lune Sacrée. I had made us invisible, praying to the Moon Goddess it would last.

Standing in the balcony was the shopkeeper, grinning. When she spoke, we knew it was no longer the woman we had met when we rescued Frederic. She didn't sound human at all. As we got closer, we saw the whites of her eyes were now black. Whatever spirit was inside her or whomever was controlling her, it was very strong.

"Rain! RAAAAIIINNNN! Flood the dungeons so the daughter of Adella will no longer see her mate alive again." Oh my god, Alexander! He must be underground!

I couldn't hear anything. The rain was so loud. I couldn't smell anything either, everything was wet and muddy because of the rain.

"I smell bear." The shopkeeper started to sniff around her looking for the source of the scent.

"You didn't mask your smell today, Jacques?" I asked Jacques through mind link. I was so used to his smell and the smell of werebears that I didn't notice it anymore.

"Of course, I did. It's included in my daily routine. This creature must be very sensitive to the smell of bear." He mind links me back.

The shopkeeper jumps from the balcony to the side of the house. Jacques and I looked at each other, confused. If the shopkeeper wasn't pertaining to Jacques, then who?

"Hope look!" Jacques pointed to two old men turning towards the front of the mansion. One was draped in a large buttoned down polo shirt and was rather filthy. His long beard and long hair was covered in grime. The other one was wearing Maximus' suit. Arthur! The shopkeeper was walking towards them, the rain avoiding her every move.

"Arthur, where are the others?" I mind link him.

"The others are in the dungeons underneath the mansion. You help them and I'll distract this woman. Make sure she doesn't notice you." Arthur mind links both me and Jacques.

"Hope, go and rescue the others! I will help Arthur." Jacques moves towards the shopkeeper, keeping his distance so she would not notice him. I slowly approach the mansion whose doors were obviously wrenched out by the massive tornado that had damaged almost half of the territory.

I entered the house and looked for stairs that would lead me to the dungeons. I suddenly hear a banging sound coming from the floor. I listened intently trying to find which direction it was coming from.

"Hope, the entrance to the dungeons, it is through the kitchen." Opal said.

"Thank you, Opal. I feel weak. Is there anyway you can help me?"

"I can give you some of my strength." Opal, my savior. My ring glowed and I felt a sudden surge of heat which made me feel better. I ran towards the kitchen and there I found a door. I opened it to find stairs leading to the dungeons below.

I crept quietly. The banging sound was becoming louder as I approached a big wooden door. The door of the dungeons suddenly open and I prepare my assault, just to be met by Maria. I gave a huge sigh of relief.

"Hope! Are you the one causing the rain? It's causing a massive flood down here."

"No, it's the woman. She is also a very dark witch. Amelie told Jacques she might be an Ula."

"An Ula? That means she might have the ring." I look at her confused. "I'll tell you later. Come on guys, we need to help get Arthur. Hope, you need to walk back up. The stairs are narrow." I follow her instructions and walked back up to the kitchen, followed by all of them.

One by one, they entered the kitchen. Maria, Leia, Oliver and finally Alexander. I gave him a big hug and a kiss. His arms wrapped tightly around me. I started to feel stronger with my mate by my side again.

"I thought something terrible had happened to you," I whisper to Alexander.

"Don't worry about me, my love. I can handle it." Alexander grinned.

We saw a flash of light and we all ran outside to see what was happening. Arthur and the old man narrowly escaped a bolt of lightning.  Jacques had frozen time to save them, but now he was face to face with the shopkeeper.

The lightning hit the ground and we all moved to take cover. The shopkeeper had the power to control the elements as well. However, she did not have the ability to control time and this is why she wanted Jacques.

"Stupidity becomes you werebear. You are the missing puzzle piece which will complete me. With your power I will be able to rule the world. Come here, bear with the silver eyes." The shopkeeper stretches out her hand and Jacques floats to her, his neck going directly into her hand. "I will drain you of your power, like I have done to the unsuspecting Lupa's for some time now." Jacques struggles from her grip. Growling. He tries to shift, but the witch was restraining him.

She laughs watching Jacques twitch around in her hand. "You see, the Great Shadow was very cunning. When the Lupa's came to him for help, he would take a part of them and place it inside the ring. The last was Adella. Oh Adella loved to go and see him so she could learn how to drain energies. The Great Shadow took as much as he could from her so we could control the elements. It was such a shame the Great Shadow was not able to bring anything from Stella. Stella was blessed by the Moon Goddess with great powers which were seen during the beginning when the golden eyed wolves were our rulers. However, with your power, I will kill her and become the ruler of all wolves and exterminate every living bear around the world." Jacques groans and I see her starting to drain Jacques' energy. I needed to do something. Think, Hope, think.

"The ring on her hand, Hope. We need to remove the ring," Opal tells me. I see a black ring on the shopkeeper's finger on the hand choking Jacques. The ring had clouds of black smoke billowing out from it which escaped as Jacques'  energy was sucked inside.

The skin around the ring looked burnt like the ring burned itself onto the flesh of the finger. Therefore, the only way to take it off was to cut off her hand.

"We need to remove the ring from her finger by cutting off her hand,"  I mind link everyone.

"Well, let's bite her hand off then," Alexander says out loud.

Alexander and Oliver suddenly shift into their wolves and sprint towards the shopkeeper. Maria, Leia and I follow suit. Oliver and Alexander go on attack mode, creating what seemed like a diversion. Maria and Leia circle the shopkeeper growling. The shopkeeper laughs hysterically and she waves her free hand and an invisible force throws them all against the walls of the mansion.

Opal, fortunately, was invisible. She pounced at the shopkeeper with her mouth open and her teeth clamped down on the outstretched arm of the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper screamed in pain and let go of Jacques who immediately shifts into Fang. With his mighty bear hands, he breaks off the hand of the shopkeeper. Opal lunges on top of her, pushing her unto the ground then bites off a chunk of her neck.

"Jacques, here. We brought the spear. Kill that woman!" Amelie came running, throwing the spear to Jacques. Jacques throws the hand to Opal who catches it between her teeth. He raises the spear and plunges it into the shopkeeper's heart.

The spear glows and the shopkeeper bursts into flames. She screams in agony as her body burns.

I shift back and hand Fang the hand. "Destroy the ring." I mind link him. He nods and takes the spear out of the body of the shopkeeper. He places the hand on the ground and takes the spear and strikes the ring with it, shattering the gem into pieces.

Whatever was inside that gem came rushing out. One by one, out came smoke, shaped into a person. The essence vanished into the air, screaming invectives at us. The last one, the Great Shadow, lingered.

"This is not the end." Then, he was gone.

Amelie started picking up the shattered pieces of the gem using a handkerchief to cover her hands. "These things are never entirely destroyed. I will keep these locked up somewhere which will be difficult to find."

I approached Alexander and the others to see if they were okay. They laughed and said they were fine. Maria and Leia went inside the mansion to see what they could find while Alexander looked for a phone so he could call Mark.

The clouds disappear and the sun finally comes out. I walk towards the steps of the mansion and sit down. I needed to rest.

I needed a real vacation.

___________________

(Jacques POV)

Fang shifted back to me and I went to go and check if Arthur and the old man were fine.

The old man was clinging to Arthur for dear life. Understandable, knowing they were almost struck by lightning.

"Jacques, your grandfather needs some medical attention. The walk from the cave had tired him out." I had a grandfather?

"Hugo, I want you to meet your grandson, Jacques. He is the son of Henri." The old man lifted his face from his hands and looked at me. He had silver eyes just like mine.

"Grandfather, come I will help you. You will live with me from now on." I help him up and walk him towards the car.

He squints and looks up at the sun. "It feels good to be free once again.'