“Virgil,” Ibreathed.
Beneath him was a struggling alpha guard. The black wolf picked up the grey one and threw him like aragdoll.
His eyes blazed with fury as they met mine. Without words, I knew what he wasthinking.
I’mhere.
“What the fuck is this!?” Gunnershouted.
Without wasting a moment, he transformed into his wolf and launched himself at Virgil. But my mate was ready. Like a hare, he sprung out of the way, letting Gunner crash into the gravel-strewnground.
After the initial shock passed, I realized that Virgil wasn’t alone. Surrounding him - fighting off Gunner’s guards - were others from the camp. I recognized Shane, Woodrow, Darrel and Chris. My heart clenched. Not just them, but all the other alphas, too - and even Willis and Dirk the omegas were among them, fighting together against a singlealpha.
The alpha army fought back fiercely. Everything was a blur of fangs and fur and claws. I felt helpless, sitting on the sidelines - although I wasn’t exactly sitting. The alpha guard holding onto me tightened his grip and gritted his teeth. He likely wanted to join in the fight, too, but was stuckbabysittingme.
Tough luck. That’s one less alpha ontheirside.
My eyes were stuck on Virgil. He was a skilled fighter. He knew how to read his enemy’s movements and respond with fast, powerful strikes. It wasn’t for no reason that he was one of Gunner’s elite alphas. I gained a new respect for him as hefought.
From the backstreets, more wolves appeared. I didn’t recognize them, but by the way they leapt onto Gunner’s guards and battled furiously, I guessed they were our spies that stayed behind in town. A flood of relief came over me. Their numbers shifted the tide of battle. Soon, Gunner’s alpha army wasoverwhelmed.
We were winning,I realized with budding excitement. Could we actuallydothis?
But my hope didn’tlastlong.
“Call everyone in the pack!” one of the guards spat. “Summon every single alpha to fight! Anyone who refuses to fightwilldie!”
My heart sank as a few guards slunk off and into the alleys. They would return with reinforcements. How many wolves would they have? Two hundred? Three? No matter how many showed up to fight for Gunner - whether they liked it or not - it was definitely enough to outnumber ourforces.
Suddenly I saw Gunner’s head lift from the fray. His wild eyes sought me. In the blink of an eye, he charged towards me, shoving both friend and foe out of the way. He even slammed into the alpha guard in charge of me, knocking him to theground.
I cried out in fear as Gunner landed on top of me. He wasn’t playing around anymore. The paranoia had taken hold of him, and he was fighting to kill -towin.
Before I knew what was happening, he transformed back to a human and put his hands roughly around my neck. Ifroze.
So didVirgil.
“Stop!” Virgilcommanded.
Everyone paused. Gunner’s alpha army did as well. They looked towards their leader, waiting for his command. The air smelled of blood and sweat. In the frozen crowd, I saw bleeding wounds and vicious injuries on bothsides.
This is horrible,I thoughtsadly.
Virgil’s face went hard as he glared angrily at Gunner. “Let him go!” hesnarled.
But Gunner’s hands didn’t move. His hands weren’t squeezing yet, but they hovered dangerously close above my skin. I felt my pulse quicken beneath his palm. Terror shot through myveins.
Virgil bared his fangs. Every single black fur on his pelt stood on end, making him look even bigger. He took a heavy stepforward.
“Don’t move,” Gunnersnapped.
Virgilpaused.
The entire street went silent. Everyone’s eyes were on Gunner and I. Then the silence was shattered by Gunner’s ugly laugh. It began quietly, then exploded into raucous laughter. I felt his fingers tighten slightly aroundmyneck.
Gunner looked straight at Virgil and growled, “Take one more step, and youromegadies.”
