The Salvation Trials ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Five

Winnie Melbourne

"Again.", Mother Mene says, her voice bouncing off of the walls of the temple.

I climb to my feet, sweat dripping into my eyes and down my back. I roll my shoulders and Deon grins at me before disappearing from my view. Before I could whip around and block his attack, his foot slams into the back of my right knee. I crumple and Deon is quick to put a dagger to my throat before he backs away.

I growl and climb to my feet, frustrated at myself. Mother Mene looks at me in slight disappointment. "I expect more out of you, Winnie. You are the Shadow Wolf. There is no reason that your brother is defeating you. You control the Shadows, I have given you the power to do so. You tell them what to do, not the other way around."

Looking at Deon, I take her words in. The Shadows are mine to control and they just answer my commands, whether they want to or not. Mother Mene uncrosses her legs and sits forward in anticipation. "Again."

Deon wastes no time, disappearing completely from my view. I focus on the power crackling in my chest, the darkness in my soul, and call it forward, forcing it to reveal itself. My brother appears inches from me, yelling in surprise as I catch him off guard with a powerful kick to his stomach. He flies across the room and slides across the floor before looking up at me with wide eyes. The darkness comes again, covering him as he attempts to hide from me again.

There's a change in the temple as I force my other brothers out, ducking as I catch Sylis in the middle of a punch. His fist goes just above my head and I swing my leg in a wide arc, knocking his legs out from under him. The air rushes out of his lungs as he hits the ground. I stand and shoot my hand out, my fist connecting with Sylos, Sylis' twin brother. Sylos doesn't expect my hit and stumbles back as he grasps his face in surprise and pain.

Jacques wraps his arms around me from behind, lifting me from the ground as Triton appears in front of me. I snarl and kick both my legs out, catching Triton in the chest while feeling his sternum crack under the pressure and forcing Jacques to fall back. His hold loosens on me as I lay on him and I slam my head back, the back of my head meeting his nose. I hear bones break and he releases me so he can hold his nose.

I can feel the darkness attempting to retreat but I don't let it, calling the Shadows forward and bending them to my will. Luther appears, throwing a right hook. I lean back as his knuckles graze my chin and I come back up with a powerful uppercut, my fist slamming into his jaw and throwing him back.

Myles catches me off guard and kicks my legs out from under me. Growling, I twist my legs up in between his and then hook my foot behind his left foot, yanking his foot forward. He slips backwards and I'm quick to catch him, picking him up and slamming his back down.

Seven down, two more to go.

I stand still amongst my groaning brothers, the only movement being my twitching fingers and expanding chest as I breathe heavily. Westley and Kieron, my two oldest brothers, have yet to make an appearance but I can feel them watching me and waiting.

I can sense him before I hear him and I turn, catching Westley's fist in my hand. He stares at me with wide eyes before trying to yank away from me. I grin and twist his arm around behind his back, feeling pride as he yelps in pain.

Kieron attempts to take me off guard, making an appearance to my left. He approached me quickly but I hold Westley by the back of the neck and throw him into Kieron, laughing as they knock their heads together before collapsing.

Mother Mene laughs also and claps her hands, looking at me with pride. "Well done, Winnie. I am pleased with your progress."

I bow my head to her. "Thank you, Mother Mene. Your words mean a lot to me."

She flicks her hands and my brothers take their leave, kissing me on the cheek before they go. Once we are alone, she uncrosses her legs and stands. "We must talk, Winnie. It is of utmost importance."

My brows crease in worry as she walks past me. "Have I done something wrong?"

"Goddess no!", Mother Mene exclaims as we enter a part of the temple I've never been in before. "I must talk to you about your mother and father."

"What about them?", I question, barely containing my snarl at the mention of my mother.

"There is a part of my temple where lost souls wander aimlessly, awaiting the arrival of their loved ones or are searching for something, perhaps closure. I am never too sure. Your parents are two of those lost souls."

"What do you expect me to do?"

"Help them. They are tortured souls and they weep for you every night. It never stops. Listen.", she says, and I do. I faintly hear weeping that tears a hole in my chest and exposes my heart. "They are the loudest lost souls and they cry for your name."

I steel myself and meet Mother Mene's gaze. "My father I understand, but my mother? That's a little far fetched."

Mother Mene stops outside two large black doors and turns to fully face me. She lifts her black veil and I'm blown away by her beauty. High cheek bones, dark eyes, and plump blood red lips have me in absolute awe. "There are some things you do not quite understand about Jessica, and I will explain before you go in and see them. The matebond being ripped away from her took a piece of her with it that fateful day, twenty years ago. Jessica loved you, Winnie, whether you realize it or not, but she couldn't go on without her mate. I'm not excusing her for abusing you, but just understand what I'm saying. Jessica fought for the first ten years of your life to stay good, but her wolf had long gone feral. When you shifted, her wolf had grown stronger."

"What are you trying to say?", I ask, heart pounding in my chest.

"The mother that abused you for seven years was not the human. It was not Jessica, Winnie. It was her feral wolf."