17. Own Flesh

Isabelle POV

The weight of our recent losses pressed heavily on my chest as we gathered in the packhouse. Xander's hand was a steadying presence on my shoulder, his strength and warmth a lifeline in this sea of despair. Despite the devastation, there is hope. An alliance is forming, one that could help us stand against the Destroyer.

We all know we need every advantage we could get, and there is one person who might have insight into the Destroyer's plans: my sister, Chelsea. Despite her alignment with him, there is a bond between us as sisters, one that even darkness couldn't completely sever, one that I am willing to take a risk for. I need to reach out to her, to try and find a way to turn her back to us.

"Xander, I need to talk to Chelsea," I said, my voice firm despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

Xander looked at me, concern etched on his face. "Isabelle, it's too dangerous. She's with the Destroyer now. She could betray us."

"I know," I replied, "but if there's any chance she can be swayed, we have to try. She might have information that could help us."

He nodded reluctantly. "We'll find a way to contact her. But you are not talking to her alone if she requests to meet. We will go together."

The Destroyer POV

I watched as my minions prepared for the next assault. The supernatural realms were teetering on the brink, and it wouldn't take much to push them over the edge. Each attack brought me closer to my ultimate goal: complete dominion over all supernatural beings.

Chelsea's usefulness is nearing its end, but for now, she still has a role to play. Her presence within the werewolf pack was a constant source of turmoil, and that was invaluable. As I surveyed the preparations, a sudden thought struck me. What better way to sow discord than to strike at a place they believed to be safe?

"Focus the next attack on the vampire coven," I commanded, a dark smile curling my lips. "They think they can stand against me. Let them see the futility of their resistance."

As my minions scurried to carry out my orders, I felt a tug at the edge of my consciousness. Someone was trying to reach out, to communicate. I allowed the connection, curious to see who dared to intrude.

Isabelle. Of course. I felt her tentative probe, seeking her sister. With a wave of my hand, I allowed Chelsea to sense her presence. Let the wolves believe they still had a chance. It would make their fall all the sweeter.

Isabelle POV

As I reached out, seeking Chelsea's presence, I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. The connection was tenuous, fragile, but it was there. I could sense her, a storm of anger and confusion.

"Chelsea," I whispered, hoping my voice would reach her. "Please, listen to me. We don't have to be enemies. We're sisters. We are what is left of our mother."

For a moment, there was nothing. Then, a voice, cold and distant, echoed in my mind. "Isabelle. You're wasting your time. There's no turning back now."

"That's not true," I insisted. "You still have a choice. You can come back to us. We can finally be the sisters that we actually are. Let me help you."

Her laughter was bitter. "Help me? You don't understand the power he offers. The strength. I'm not coming back, Isabelle. This is where I belong. If I were you, I would have everyone prepare the soonest possible, instead of pestering me."

The connection faded, leaving me trembling. I turned to Xander, who had been silently supporting me. "We have to prepare. The Destroyer's next move will be soon. And it will be devastating." Despite the fear, I still felt hopeful. My sister gave me a clue on their next action, knowing the Destroyer was listening in on our conversation.

Arianne POV

I stood in the center of the coven's main hall, my eyes scanning the gathered vampires. Tension crackled in the air as the news of the werewolves' alliance reached everyone. We have always been wary of alliances with other supernatural beings, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I was about to speak when a chilling wind swept through the hall, extinguishing the torches. The shadows seemed to come alive, writhing and twisting as if they had a life of their own.

"Prepare yourselves! The Destroyer's forces are here!"

Dark figures emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with an unholy light. The vampires sprang into action, their supernatural speed and strength turning the hall into a chaotic battlefield.

Everyone fought with ferocity, our fangs are bared as we tore through the minions. But for everyone we killed, two more seemed to take its place. It was getting overwhelming and horrifying.

As the battle raged on, a dark shadow materialized in the center of the hall. The Destroyer. His dark presence was a crushing weight, his power radiating in waves that seemed to sap the strength from everyone of us.

"Fools," he intoned, his voice that seems to come from within our heads. "You thought you could defy me? Your resistance is meaningless."

I paused for a moment and met his gaze, whispering with defiantly. "We will never bow to you."

"Then you will be destroyed."

Isabelle POV

The news of the attack on the vampire coven reached us quickly. Arianne had managed to send a message before the connection was lost. My heart sank as I realized the scale of the threat we were facing. The Destroyer was not just powerful; he was relentless.

"We need to move," Xander said, his voice grim. "If the coven falls, we're next."

Seraphina nodded, her expression resolute. "We must stand together. Only by uniting can we hope to withstand this assault."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the battle ahead. We had a chance, slim though it might be. And we would fight with everything we had. For our families, for our future, and for the world that the Destroyer sought to claim.

We moved swiftly through the forest, the pack's remaining warriors forming a protective circle around the witches and vampires who had joined us. The alliance was fragile, held together by the shared threat of the Destroyer, but it was our only hope.

As we neared the vampire coven, the air grew colder and the atmosphere got darker, a tangible sign of the Destroyer's presence. The trees were scorched and twisted; the ground littered with the remains of the fallen. My heart pounded in my chest as we approached the main hall.

Suddenly, a deafening roar shattered the silence, and the ground beneath us began to tremble. The sky darkened, clouds swirling ominously as a dark figure emerged from the shadows. It was the shadows of the Destroyer, his form towering and menacing.

"You are too late," he boomed, his voice reverberating through the forest. "Your alliance is meaningless. You will all fall before me."

Before I could react, a figure stepped out from behind the Destroyer. My heart stopped as I recognized Chelsea, her eyes devoid of the warmth and affection. She was flanked by the shadowy minions, their eyes glowing like embers.

"Isabelle," she said, her voice cold and distant. "This is your end."

A dark shadow resembling a hand was raised, and a wave of dark energy surged towards us, knocking us off our feet. I struggled to rise, my vision blurred and my body aching. As I looked up, I saw Chelsea advancing, her face set in a mask of determination.

"Join us, Isabelle," she said, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Or be destroyed."

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The fate of our world hung in the balance, and I knew that our next move would determine everything. I glanced at Xander, laying on the ground after taking most of the hit, his eyes filled with fear and resolve, and then back at Chelsea.

"Never," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

The Destroyer laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the forest. "Then you will perish."

As the darkness closed in around us, a sudden, blinding light erupted from the sky, and a figure descended, wreathed in flames. The light was so intense that it drove the shadows back, and for the first time, I saw fear in the Destroyer's eyes.

"Who dares challenge me?" he roared, his voice shaking the very ground.

The figure stepped forward; her identity hidden by the radiant glow. But her presence filled me with a sense of hope and strength. As the light began to fade, the figure raised their head, and I gasped in shock.

It was someone I never expected someone I thought lost to us forever.