Seconds later, Zachariah shifts in a ripple of movement, ending up crouched naked on the ground, his teeth still bared in Julien’s direction.
“Are you a coward, Matisse? Dancing around instead of facing me straight on like a real Alpha?”
No response from Julien.
Zachariah’s eyes narrow. Then he takes an exaggerated glance in my direction. He smirks. “Keir’s a great fuck, isn’t he? Does he squeal for you like he did for me?”
Julien’s lips curl back to reveal his teeth as he lets out another deep growl.
Shit. Don’t fall for it, Julien. He’s only trying to wind you up.
But it’s too late. Zachariah has figured out the best way to antagonize my mate and Julien is gradually letting his anger take over.
“You think he’s cute now?” asks Zachariah, a reptilian grin on his face. “You should’ve seen him at seventeen. Hell, even at fourteen he already had those blow job lips.”
Julien’s body vibrates with the effort of keeping himself in place, his growl rising in volume.
Zachariah chuckles. “I could’ve done without the tears, but getting inside him that first time—”
And that’s all Julien can take. He flies forward, but Zachariah is ready for him, kicking the golden wolf in the side and forcing him off course. Zachariah shifts back into his own wolf, then goes straight for Julien’s throat, his gnashing teeth getting close enough to their target to rip out some fur.
Julien twists his head around, trying to bite at Zachariah as the two wolves struggle, kicking up a cloud of dust. The two wolves become wrapped together in a snarling, whirling bundle, both biting and clawing at the other.
One of them yelps, and Julien backs out of the tussle. My mate has blood on his muzzle, but he’s also limping, one of his rear legs held off the ground. He’s panting heavily, but his steady focus has returned and he doesn’t look too worried despite the injury.
Zachariah circles the golden wolf and Julien turns in short hops to keep the other wolf in sight. The darker wolf has a satisfied look on his face as he watches my mate’s awkward maneuvers. He darts forward, appearing to aim for Julien’s shoulder but changing direction at the last second and clamping his jaws around Julien’s already injured leg and giving it a yank.
Julien stumbles as he scrabbles to stay upright with Zachariah tugging at his injured leg. Twisting around, Julien snaps at Zachariah’s snout and leaves bloody furrows across his nose.
Zachariah releases Julien’s leg and head butts him in the flank, knocking my mate to the ground. Then, the dark wolf jumps forward and snaps his teeth at Julien’s throat. Instead of protecting his throat—like he damn well should—Julien rolls onto his back and kicks upward with his one good hind leg, knocking Zachariah away.
Julien doesn’t waste another second. He leaps onto Zachariah’s back and brings the darker wolf to the ground. He buries his teeth in Zachariah’s shoulder, ripping away a chunk of flesh and fur. Zachariah tries to scramble away, but Julien wraps his mouth around the dark fur of Zachariah’s throat and growls.
Zachariah goes limp, submitting to Julien’s hold.
Julien growls again, shaking Zachariah by the neck in a show of dominance. The subdued wolf whimpers as if asking for the mercy he never would’ve granted.
Julien doesn’t grant it either. He snarls, then rips Zachariah’s throat out before stepping back to watch as the black wolf bleeds out onto the ground.
Sixty-Five
Keir
Blood,dirt,andwhateverother bodily fluids might be in his golden fur be damned, I run to Julien, fall to my knees, and wrap my arms around his neck. He huffs out a breath at the force of my hold, then rubs the side of his face against mine as a pleased rumble vibrates in his chest.
“You’reneverdoing something like that again,” I say. The statement is both a little unnecessary since Zachariah is dead and kind of unrealistic since there might come a time when my mate needs to defend his pack or something, but it’s the thought that counts.
If nothing else, I’d prefer never to have towatchmy mate involved in a fight to the death again.
Julien takes a small step backward, then sits on his canine haunches, dragging me along with him since I refuse to let go. Somebody behind me chuckles. Whatever. I’m sure I look ridiculous and I’m probably flashing everyone now that I’m leaning forward so much. Julien’s shirt doesn’t exactly provide a lot of coverage in this position. My clothes are probably still in the house, but I don’t give a shit. I could have lost him tonight and…I just don’t care about anything or anyone else right now.
Someone clears their throat and I glance up to find Doc stepping toward us. I bare my currently very human teeth and growl at him. Right now, I feel like I could rip his throat out even without shifting—and probably enjoy it.
Doc holds his hands up by his chest in a placating gesture. “The challenge is complete. I have no quarrel with you, omega.”
“Call me omega again and you just might,” I snap.
In my arms, Julien shifts back, ending up crouched on the ground with my arms still locked around his neck. He wraps one arm around my butt to cradle it, then stands, pulling me up with him as I wrap my legs around his waist. I don’t care that I’m literally acting like a stage-five clinger. Every one of my instincts is screaming at me to keep my mate close right now.
