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He’d gotten lucky but now he was focused, and it would take an actual vampire leaping on Tamaska for him to shift his concentration now.
Shota came in once more, but he feinted right and moved to the back of the other shifter.
Tire him out a little, that was Kodiak’s game right now, so he could recover from the strikes that landed.
He could move fast but he kept it slower, moving about, letting Shota put out the exertion, on the watch for the first signs of change in the other. His wolf pushed for the chance to take over the fight.
But he held off, just like Shota did. He let him come in with near misses. Shota was tiring—they’d had a huge battle already and, even with the healing power of the shifter blood, they hadn’t had a chance to rest and recharge.
His wolf surged again, smelling the change in Shota before he could see it.
This time, Kodiak let it win. He changed forms and landed on all fours, ready to turn the tables.
But Shota had been on the verge, too, and before Kodiak could launch an attack on him, the other wolf landed on him, powerful jaws sinking sharp into his left shoulder.
He spun around, trying to shake Shota off. The other wolf locked his jaw, teeth digging farther into Kodiak’s muscles.
Lucky he’d been ready. Shota had been aiming for a kill bite, to the throat. But he wasn’t that easy to take down or to kill.
Kodiak twisted back and snapped, narrowly missing Shota. He couldn’t shake his opponent. The other wolf was using his aggression and anger, and hunger for power, which gave him an edge.
But those edges always dulled, and he needed to play it out until that happened.
A long night of fighting lay ahead. And, with his own wounds barely healed, Kodiak needed to stay sharp, not weaken.
All it would take was one mistake. But he wasn’t going to do that. Too much rode on this.
Pushing through the pain inflicted by Shota, he stopped trying to hurt him and instead bunched his muscles and threw the wolf the moment he tried to get a better purchase.
Shota was ready for that, like Kodiak knew he would be. This time he dug in with his paws and bit down on another part of him.
Instead of fighting back, he allowed himself to relax, like he was giving up. Right away, Shota loosened his grip to get to the neck.
That was all Kodiak needed.
He twisted around and snapped. His jaw latched onto the underside of Shota’s neck. Kodiak bit down hard, his teeth digging through muscle. Blood seeped into his mouth. Shota howled. He’d wounded Shota badly.
But it wasn’t over yet. He shook his head quickly from side to side, flinging Shota like a toy dog by the neck.
He still had hold and bit in a little deeper.
Shota whimpered but refused to submit.
Kodiak kept his jaw locked. All he needed was patience, something his experience had given him in abundance.
Even though Shota was beaten, his neck wound bleeding profusely, he didn’t give up. He still refused to yield.
Kodiak didn’t want to kill him. Death was the rule, but Kodiak had always been the first one to create new traditions, and he wanted to continue that. So why not start now? They needed to preserve every member of the pack, not lose yet another.
He could still be forgiven. And even if he couldn’t remain a valued member of the pack, he’d live, and one day…
Only if he would yield.
What are you doing?growled Kodiak through the pack connection.
Shota renewed his struggle to free himself.I’m going to win.
Yield, damn you. You don’t have to die.
