Then it was Keller’s turn, her mate drawing her forward and giving her a gentle kiss.He gifted her with a soft caress of his tongue against hers that left her equally panting when he pulled away.
“They’re going to underestimate you.They’re not going to be prepared for the ass-whipping you’re about to lay down.But you’re an Alpha, Keller.Show them.”
He nodded, brushed one last chaste kiss over her lips and then he was following Madden to the center of the ring.
Whitney wrapped an arm around her waist, resting her head on her shoulder.“They’ll be fine.”
Gabby twined her fingers with Scarlet’s.“They haven’t fought their way to the top for nothing.They’ll kick ass, and then they’ll boink you all night.It’s all good.”
Silence descended, both pairs of Alphas standing before the Captain.“This is a challenge to the death for position and mate.Each Alpha pair shall fight.One on two legs, the other on four.”A soft murmur went through the crowd, but the Captain ignored the sounds.“Alphas, please prepare.The challenge shall begin once the first wolf has completed his shift.”
With that, he stepped back, and the scariest moments of Scarlet’s life began.
Keller didn’t hesitate.He tore at his shirt, and ripped his slacks, cloth parting beneath his shifting claws.Fur pushed through his pores in a gentle wave.His bones reshaped and muscles shortened, body taking on the form of his beast.No pain assaulted him.No, it was pure pleasure at the wolf being released to defend their position, their mate.
He kept his gaze on the other shifting wolf, noting with satisfaction that it was the larger of the two mirroring him.Scarlet had been correct: the Colson Alphas were sloppy and quick to anger, and Keller would use that to his benefit.The other wolf might be larger and stronger, but Keller was faster.He’d dart in and out, scratch and claw the other beast until it lost control.Then he’d win.
Madden stood tense at his side, hands fisted and knuckles white with restrained rage.Keller felt the anger, the controlled fury bubbling beneath the skin and pumping through veins.
He prided himself on the swiftness of his change, and in less than five seconds he was on four feet.The other wolf, Garron, was still engaged in his shift, legs reshaping to his beast’s form.Tanned skin had given way to gray fur, and the man outweighed him by at least fifty pounds.
Now.Keller roared to his partner as he leapt across the space separating them.
Madden’s bellow echoed through his mind and rang through the room.From his periphery, he watched the massive man keep pace with him.
A beefy fist collided with Quentin, and that was the last sight of his two-legged partner that reached him.His world became narrowed to a view of fur and flesh.
Garron attacked quickly, a flash of fangs that snapped at him upon his approach.Keller was faster, ducking and retaliating with a bite of his own.His teeth tightened on the wolf’s foreleg and blood flowed over his tongue.
Keller the man was disgusted by the raw taste.Keller the wolf gloried in the strike and savored the other man’s honeyed, copper fluid.
First blood.
Except Garron reacted in kind, sinking his wicked teeth into his back and biting into his flesh, the wound much too close to Keller’s spine for comfort.
He released the other wolf, and it danced back only to dart forward once again.Keller jumped aside, digging his teeth into his opponent’s hindquarter as he passed.More blood.More of that goodness.His wolf salivated, aching to taste the interloper once again.
But Garron’s attack hadn’t failed completely.A throbbing pain erupted along his side, the ache pulsing with every beat of his heart.Wetness coated his ribs, and he knew his enemy had injured him.
But he couldn’t dwell on the wound.Not when Garron spun on him, rising to his hind legs.He countered, balancing and meeting the attack.The Colson Alpha snapped his teeth, fighting to bite Keller’s vulnerable throat, but only managing to gouge his muzzle.
Garron’s nails dug into his shoulders, sinking past fur and skin deep into him.More of his blood crept forth.Keller pushed back the blossoming hurt.
The enemy wouldn’t win, no matter how hard he tried.
Keller remained upright and dug his claws into the other wolf’s fur, searching for skin and flesh that lurked out of sight.
His competitor broke off from their clench, stumbling, but he didn’t let the wolf wander far.Keller pounced, mouth opening wide and then it was filled with the wolf’s protective fur.He fought to breathe, drawing in air past the blood that filled his nostrils.Fuck.Had the bastard broken his nose?
Increasing the pressure of his bite, he was rewarded with a rush Garron’s of blood filling his mouth.Applying further force gave him the crack of bone.
Garron pulled and yanked against his hold, snarling barks interspersed with whimpers.Keller had managed to slow the larger wolf, his attack breaking a leg.
He released and danced back, moving out of reach and he watched the other wolf limp back and forth.Garron’s gaze absorbed everything, and Keller did the same.His enemy’s hobble was easily noticeable.Blood flowed freely from the wound, and a bone poked through the skin.The other wolf’s muzzle bled sluggishly, but the hindquarter released more and more viscous fluid with each beat of his heart.
The enemy wolf was close to the end.Its chest heaved with every breath, expanding and contracting in an ever-increasing rhythm.
He distantly heard grunts and groans from Madden’s fight, the collision of flesh against flesh coming with regularity.But few of the sounds came from his partner.
