Chapter 91 - 89: The Inner Beast
ARIA POV
"Duck!" I shouted as the black thing lunged at Jaxon’s head. He dropped to the ground just in time, the monster’s claws slicing through the air where he had been standing.
Three days had passed since the soul binding rite. Jaxon was back with us, but the First Enemy stayed inside him, fighting to regain control. Each time Jaxon slept, the battle started anew in his mind.
And tonight, I had followed him into his dreams.
"It’s getting stronger," Jaxon panted, climbing to his feet beside me. In this dreamscape, his body flickered between human and wolf form, never staying on either.
"We can beat it," I insisted, though fear twisted my stomach. The babies inside me kicked furiously, as if they could sense the danger even in this dream world.
The creature circled us, its form changing constantly—sometimes looking like a massive wolf with too many teeth, sometimes like a shadow with gleaming red eyes. Whatever it was, it wasn’t normal. It was something the Shadow Division had made by combining ancient DNA with their twisted science.
"You can’t fight forever," the creature taunted, its words echoing weirdly. "Every night, I grow stronger. Soon, this body will be mine again."
"Never," Jaxon growled, his hands briefly becoming claws before shifting back.
The thing laughed. "You’re weakened. I can feel it."
It was right. Each night, these dream battles drained more of Jaxon’s power. In the waking world, he grew paler, thinner. Dark rings ringed his eyes. The pack muttered that he was losing the fight.