Chapter 33. Savior

Ally's POV

"Get her!" Nathan commands, and the guards rush toward me, a sea of snarls and bared teeth.

I focus on that inner radiance, on the pulse of energy that is both me and not me. A force field of silver light flickers to life around me, a shield borne of pure resolve. For a moment, it holds back the tide.

Despite my efforts, despite the fierce protective spirit of Dawn thrumming in my bones, they begin to overwhelm me. Claws tear at my flesh, fangs snap at my heels. Each blow, each bite, is a reminder of the odds stacked against me.

"Did you think you could win?" Nathan's voice cuts through the chaos, dripping with scorn. "Did you think you were anything more than a pawn?"

The pain is intense, unrelenting, yet it feeds the flame within me rather than extinguishing it. I won't yield, not to him, not to this betrayal that wears the guise of friendship and loyalty. I swipe at them, my movements fueled by