AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The wolfhound stood between them and snarled. Dom snarled back, and the dog whimpered, his tail between his legs. Even from across the clearing, I felt the dominance in the gesture. Pieces of the puzzle slid into place. All along, Dominic had been working on the pack, using small amounts of will to push the others into following the alpha’s known rules, making it easier for them to obey him instead because it seemed to them as though they were obeying the alpha. The poor dog didn’t stand a chance.
Dom hadn’t noticed me yet. The chemicals he used had obviously interfered with his nose, too, and I was downwind. I was hidden, but I was even more of a shadow as a wolf. My shift began, painful but silent, and something inside of me shifted with it. My pack had been hurt. People I cared about had been hurt. There was only one ending to that story.
Margo came to with a gasp, but her hands frantically brushed soil free, revealing pale skin. “She’s still alive,” she cried out. “But she’s going to die.Soon. Help me.”
“No,” he said, and his teeth bared into fangs.
I let out a raw howl that was somehow louder and more powerful than anything I’d ever managed. Somebody somewhere would hear. They would come. But it might be too late.
Dominic looked over at me in horror and confusion, comically surprised by my presence, then stripped off his clothes to shift.
But I had already shifted, and Dominic was a split second too late to sense me coming. He had always underestimated me.
He was mid-shift when I reached him, fuelled by a fury I didn’t know existed. We rolled over, me snapping and biting anywhere I could reach, him uniquely vulnerable as his body continued its transformation. All I knew was that I wanted him as far away from Margo as possible. I heard an odd sound from Margo’s direction and lost my concentration.
The momentary distraction was all Dom needed to complete his shift and shrug me off him. We faced one another, moving slowly as he attempted to circle me, to get past me, to reach Margo and Perdita.
Not going to happen.
He bared his teeth, and my legs trembled. He snarled then let out a sharp, commanding bark. Every instinct in me should have obeyed. That was what he was expecting, whatIwas expecting.
But Margo and Perdita needed me, so I fought against his will, pushing back with everything I had. I couldn’t let him win. Icouldn’t.
I lunged at him, catching him off-guard for a mere second. His teeth sank into my flesh, but I felt nothing, not even anger anymore. Anger wouldn’t help me. Control would. So I stayed calm and twisted out of his reach, flanked him, then leapt on him and gripped the back of his neck. My hold wasn’t firm enough. He snarled and twisted and gripped my leg. He flung me aside then ran for Margo. The wolfhound got in the way, barking and growling viciously.
Dom went for the dog, but I bit onto his tail and pulled. Dom spun and attacked, but I was ready for him. We bit and scrambled, snapped and clawed. Blood filled my mouth, but I was determined to do whatever it took to protect my people. The dog jumped around us, biting Dom whenever he got a chance. I heard Margo screaming something. Words didn’t form coherently in my head anymore. I was all wolf.
Dom was heavier than me, stronger, and when he finally pinned me by the throat, I couldn’t free myself, no matter what I did. But I heard a howl far off in the distance, and the dog responded. If I could just last long enough, distract him,surviveuntil the others showed up…
Margo loomed behind Dom, bravely gripping his hind legs and lifting him as high as she could. Desperation had to give her strength, but her knees buckled from his weight. He unbalanced ever so slightly then whipped around to attack her. I struggled through the dizziness to leap on his back as Margo fell back, barely keeping her throat clear of his jaws. Perdita’s form lay unmoving behind her, most of her body still covered with earth.
My strength renewed at the sight of both of them. I sank my teeth into the back of his neck. Seeing her chance, Margo swung her boot-clad foot into Dom’s neck as the wolfhound rammed into his side. His legs gave way, giving me the opportunity to get a good grip. He tried to fling me off, but I used my speed and long legs to get the upper hand and violently shake him.
While I had him pinned, the dog dove at his back legs, aiming to keep him disabled. I could have killed him. But he wasn’t my kill. I might have been wolf, but I still had control. Exhausted, Dom tried to fight back, but I was never letting him go, never letting him touch the people I cared about again.
I was still holding him, still shaking him, barely able to stand myself when the others came and surrounded me. Somebody licked my face and nudged me away, releasing me from my duty. I limped over to my family. Margo lay next to them, unconscious. I sniffed her face. She was breathing, unharmed. She would be fine.
But Perdita… I crawled next to Nathan. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he held her in his arms.
Whimpering, I lay my chin on Perdita’s shoulder. She was warm. Breathing. Alive.
“They’re okay,” Nathan said shakily. “It’s over.”
He touched my ear, and I relaxed, but I couldn’t have gotten to my feet even if I tried. My part was done. I could rest. And so I did.
Chapter 31
Margo
“He’s fine,”Amelia said reassuringly, only a day after everything had happened.
“He could have died.” I still hadn’t stopped shaking. I’d thought Dorian was dead for a moment when I’d regained consciousness. I wasn’t sure why I had fainted, only that I hadn’t had an ounce of energy remaining once I’d made sure Perdita was breathing—except for that last ditch-effort to help Dorian win a fight he seemed sure to lose. Even at that, I couldn’t be sure it hadn’t been the spirit forcing me to fight back.
“Except he didn’t.” Amelia linked arms with me as we walked toward the alpha’s house. “Everyone’s okay. How are you feeling?”
“A little shaky. It still hasn’t really sunk in.”
“And are you able to face the next step?”
