AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No you’re not,” I responded. “I have the right to finish the fight on Stone’s behalf.”
He scoffed. “No you don’t.”
“He's my mate.” A ripple of shock ran through the crowd. But I found myself looking for my men’s faces.
“Don’t do this, Amelia,” Stone said behind me. His voice was a weak rasp.
“You know what we are to each other,” I said. “You might not be able to admit it. But I’m not going to hide it.”
I turned to the crowd. “As his mate, I have the right to fight in his place to protect him.”
“You don’t,” Joshua said. “You aren’t his mate.”
I grabbed my shirt with both hands and ripped the neckline open. For the first time, the twin marks on either side of my throat were exposed.
“I carry Stone King’s mark,” I called, my voice floating across the clearing to every member of both my packs. “I am his mate.”
The crowd had gone silent. Even the wind sighed through the trees, then seemed to pause.
“And I will fight, as is my right, in his place.” My chin lifted defiantly. I knew they all thought I couldn’t stand a chance.
But Stone would never have left me alone in here. I wouldn’t leave him either.
This isn’t sparring, Amelia. You’ll have to fight for yourself. Hold your own.” Joshua sounded dismissive.
“I’m an expert at holding my own,” I promised him.
Joshua thought he was tough. He had no idea the kind of hell women go through… or the kind of tough it makes us.
Joshua crouched, already shifting into all fours, his eyes aglow, letting out a fearsome growl that bared all his teeth. I crouched too, my muscles coiling like springs as I shifted. Then I leaped toward him, just as he jumped for me, and the two of us clashed in midair.
We fell together in a heap of fur and fangs, snapping at each other.
Pain shot through my leg. Joshua had his jaws wrapped around my leg, and his eyes were alight as he looked at me as if he had won. Blood seeped through my fur and pain shot through my body.
But when I was down, I found a new way to fight. I always had. I clawed his eyes, and his grip loosened on my leg long enough for me to scramble away. I caught brief glimpses of my men at the edges of the floor, being held back, because otherwise they would’ve raced to my side.
Joshua was bigger and stronger, but I used my speed to my advantage. I darted around him, trying to go for his throat, but he was too quick. He kept batting me away with his huge paws and snarling in warning.
Our fight went on for what seemed like an eternity, both of us clawing and biting at each other.
I was starting to slow down. I was going to lose. Then he was going to kill Stone, and no one would be able to stop him.
Dylan would wake up tomorrow in another world, one where he wasn’t safe, yet again.
Cole caught my eye and tapped his left elbow. It was just a quick flash before I was focused again on Joshua, who lunged viciously at my throat. I rolled out of the way and sank my teeth into Joshua's left leg. He let out a screech of pain.
Thanks to Cole, I had found an old weakness. And I tore away at it.
Joshua struck out at me, snarling and trying to get his teeth into my throat, but he couldn’t escape my grip and he couldn’t strike at my throat from the positions we were in. He settled for dragging his claws down my side, and pain exploded in my side.
It was time to end this. I looked at him and sank my teeth into his neck. I felt the moment my teeth caught deep enough to kill.
For my mate.
I ripped out his throat.
As I staggered back, I caught sight of Liam's eyes. He looked haunted as he looked at me, before he turned and made his way out of the crowd.
