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“I want you to know that I’m not going to miss any opportunity to tear you to shreds,” Jonah said, no expression entering his voice. “And I want you to give me your all. It’s no fun for me when they don’t fight back.”
Jude sneered.
“You just let me know when you’re ready, sport,” Jonah said. “My claws haven’t tasted flesh in years. I long for your blood.”
“Fine. Count of three.” Jude was not going to humor this delusional old man. He knew when he took on this fight that Jonah was a weakened challenger, and maybe that made him dishonorable. But it had been Jonah’s insistence that they fight in the first place.
“Three.”
Jude reared back as Jonah uttered the word, preparing to best defend himself. Jude had trained in many fighting styles unique to wolves, but he had learned the best from Graham.
“Two.”
Jonah was licking his lips now, staring wildly at Jude’s face. Jude felt vulnerable suddenly, like he was wholly outclassed. What power was this man hiding?
“One.”
Jonah leaped at Jude, unleashing a flurry of claw strokes, driving his claws against his face and into every part of Jude’s body that he could reach. After seeing Travers fight, Jude had been prepared for something more subdued and watchful. Calculated. Not this ferocious assault.
Jude felt like Jonah’s punching bag, or perhaps more aptly, scratching post. He mustered all his strength into backing away, as he could taste blood reaching his lips and could tell Jonah had gouged into his eye.
“You really don’t hold back, do you, old man?” Jude wanted to civilize the fight, but Jonah wasn’t talking. In a wild bout, he drove his claw into Jude’s lip, drawing more blood and tearing it.
Jude needed to think fast. Jonah was going to rip him apart if he didn’t fight back. What did Jonah have that Jude didn’t? What could possibly weaken him?
Arriving at a swift conclusion, Jude plunged his claws into Jonah’s paw, pressing forward. If he could slow Jonah down, force him not to attack so quickly or so recklessly, perhaps Jude could take a second to strategize better.
“You bastard,” Jonah cried, as his paw now left a trail of blood on the brick pavement.
Taking the opportunity, Jude leapt forward again, this time getting Jonah’s eye with his claw. He didn’t want to inflict serious damage just yet, but he needed to dull the relentless onslaught.
“An eye for an eye,” Jude snarled, before trying to go for another paw.
Jonah tore a huge gash into Jude’s side and wouldn’t let go. He could feel himself, almost ready to pass out from the pain, before taking all his energy and using it to drive himself away from the claws.
He was in excruciating pain. But Jude had achieved his goal. He was able to slow Jonah’s assault and put the time toward gathering his own strength and balance.
He took a quick sideways glance back toward the pack. Good. Samson, Sarah, and Dakota had taken charge and were holding the pack back.
Clark hadn’t moved in what felt like hours. It was unsettling. He still watched Delilah with the same predatory expression as though daring her to move forward. He was egging her on in his own way, motivating her to interrupt the assault.
As Jude took a moment to shake his head, signaling to Delilah that it wasn’t worth an interruption—that her moving forward would have ramifications beyond her understanding—he felt another claw tear into his ear and was met with the crazed, wide-eyed smile of his opponent.
“I don’t want you getting lazy on me,” Jonah said, chuckling. “My nephew’s not going to try anything. He knows we’ve got this in the bag.”
“I wouldn’t be so fucking sure,” Jude hissed, leaping backward. He could feel Jonah gash into his side as he moved away, clawing deeper into the unbearable wound he had just caused.
Even more disturbing, Jonah was motivating unsettlingly reckless behavior in Travers. The previously cool and observant Travers had become bloodthirsty and was ripping into Graham’s side.
Jude closed his eyes for a second, trying to return to a calmer state.
“Taking a nap on the job?” Jonah snarled.
As Jonah charged forward, Jude moved slightly to the side, his eyes still closed, and then ripped upward, tearing into Jonah’s underbelly. He could feel himself clawing inward, as though he were trying to escape from the innards of some beast larger and more ferocious even than himself.
Jonah countered, throwing his weight sideways to escape from the piercing claws.
“Impressive,” Jonah hissed. “But you’re gonna pay for that.”
