There were many of them, but a Reginar came from a stronger genetic strain, and was larger, faster and more savage than most Vulfan.
Lukan lunged at the man who had insulted him, and knocked him flying. The other guards leaped on him, and Lukan spun around in fury, dislodging them and sending them flying as well.
More of them launched themselves at him, and Lukan rolled on the ground and seized a guard’s throat in his jaws. The Vulfan wailed in panic and went limp, instantly surrendering. Lukan was bleeding from bites he hadn’t even felt, and the other Vulfans surrounded him in a circle.
“Stop this at once!” Treffon’s voice cracked through the air. “Shift back.” His men shuddered and howled as they were forced back into humanoid form by the strength of Treffon’s will. Shifting was somewhat painful, but being forced to shift, into either humanoid or animal form was agonizing. Treffon’s men lay sprawled on the ground, panting, temporarily stunned, and returned to their humanoid forms.
The command had not worked on Lukan because he was a Reginar. He stood there, shuddering with fury, his mighty jaws clamped on the furless neck of the Thorolf Guard. Honor demanded that he refrain from killing a foe who had submitted, but his Vulfanwas howling for the hot taste of blood.
“Lukan, don’t kill him!” That was Talia’s voice, cutting through the fog of his rage.
Talia. His Talia. She was there. She had come for him. And she didn’t want him to kill this whining pup-ling.
It took every ounce of his strength for him to force himself back into humanoid form. He reset his bones, feeling every snap and crack, and drew his fur back into his skin with a shuddering, mighty pull. He withdrew his fangs from the sentry’s neck.
He looked up. Talia stood there with Cora Lee, Mar-ee, Treffon, Tristao, and twenty of Treffon’s men crowded behind her.
“How dare you come to my castle and attack my men?” Treffon demanded. “I should challenge you on the field of honor.”
“Challenge away,” Lukan spat scornfully. “Yours would not be the first Thorolf blood I’ve tasted. But if your man had not addressed me with the type of disrespect that no Vulfan leader would ever tolerate, I would not have wasted my time on so puny a foe.”
“Is that true?” Treffon asked the soldier.
The man looked at the ground. “Yes, sir, but he is a Wor-Lan.”
“What did you say to him?”
The man’s face was as white as Ilryia’s desert sands. “He requested entry to the castle, and I…told him to say please.”
“And you believe that you are now my negotiator?” Treffon pinned the guard with a steely gaze.
The man swallowed hard.
“No, sir.” He hung his head.
“You think that I am so weak that I cannot fight my own battles?” Fur covered Treffon’s face. “You think that I need a crying pupling to defend me?”
“No sir. I made an error, sir. I have dishonored our clan.” The man leaned back his head, exposing his throat. “I accept my fate.” He stiffened in preparation for the end of his life.
Treffon strode forward, his head shifting, his fangs extending.
Cora Lee shrieked and hid her face in her hands. Tristao stood up straight, his steely gaze fixing on his Reginar’s intended prey.
“No!” Talia wailed.
Lukan saw the look of horror on Talia’s face, heard her gasp of dismay. The look stabbed into him like a Glarthorian ice spear; he would not see her suffer for all the Lyri-credits in the galaxy. He would endure a thousand insults first.
“Stop!” he cried out to Treffon. “As Reginar, I ask that you pardon this man. If you desire, I will take his place and we will hold an honor challenge.”
Treffon let out a low growl of anger, and instead of ripping out the man’s throat, he slashed him with his extended claws, drawing five bleeding lines across his face. Then he shuddered and his jaws sank back into his face.
“You are demoted to latrine duty for the next year,” he snapped at the guard. “Get out of my sight. And never try to speak for me again.”
Treffon turned his attention to Lukan. “Your fleet saved many of my people’s lives,” he said. “I am the one who is in your debt. There will be no honor challenge.”
“Ahem,” Talia said. “I have a way that you both could pay each other back. Agree to sit down with each other and talk about how you can work together against the cyborgs. There is one race of Vulfans, divided into two right now, but fighting against extinction. You have a common enemy; fighting them separately makes you weaker. Doesn’t it make sense for your packs to work together?”
Lukan felt his heart swell with pride. It was a smart, unselfish suggestion that was intended to strengthen both of their clans. His heart had chosen wisely. She would make an excellent Reginar’s pair-bond.
