The clash between the two wolves was deafening. The Temporal Echo was a terrifying force of pure, unbound ferocity, devoid of the control Samuel had painstakingly achieved. It fought with the desperate savagery of a creature caught between timelines, its claws carving deep gouges into the Iroko-shaped pillars.
Samuel, still in his partial shift, fought defensively, trying to contain the brute force of the Echo without resorting to lethal injury. Every move the Echo made was unpredictable and driven by raw panic.
"The carving, Esther! Hurry!" Samuel roared, his voice thick with the effort of holding back his full shift. If he unleashed the unbridled power of the New Alpha, he risked destroying the entire sub-basement and collapsing the Senate Building.
Esther reached the terrified woman from the past, who was clutching the small wooden carving the anchor of the ancient Alpha's control. The woman's scent was fear, but also a faint, pure magical stability, confirming her identity as the ancient Keeper.
"Please, you must help him!" Esther pleaded, gesturing toward the chaotic battle. "This man is your husband! This beast is the fear you carried! We secured your future, but you must help us secure our present!"
The ancient Keeper, whose name Esther now sensed was Aina, looked up, her eyes wide with temporal shock and fear.
"The madness... the chaos... it is what the Shadow promised!" Aina whispered, clutching the carving. "I cannot control it!"
Esther gently placed her hand over Aina's, focusing the calm, stable energy of the Golden Leaf which she carried within her spirit now into the frightened woman. The silver bloom on Esther's wrist faintly pulsed in resonance.
"Your husband chose the path of Balance for you," Esther said, projecting confidence. "That carving is the promise of protection. You have the power of the Keeper, Aina. Now, wield it!"
Aina focused, her eyes clearing for a moment. She looked at the two colossal, struggling wolves, then raised the wooden carving a simple effigy of a child and pointed it at the raging Temporal Echo.
"Control!" Aina commanded, her voice thin but imbued with the ancient power of the Keeper.
The chaotic energy radiating from the Temporal Echo fractured instantly. The beast froze mid-snarl, its massive form beginning to shrink, the fur receding as it fought to return to its human form. The shock of Aina's command, the authority of the original pact, had worked.