The realization crashed over me with icy clarity. Caleb was either in on it, or he was the sole problem. He was the one targeting us or feeding information to whoever was.
My fingers shook as I quickly texted Krystal under the table.
It's Caleb. Don't ask how I know. Be ready to fight.
I watched Krystal from the corner of my eye and saw the moment she read the message. Her shoulders tensed, her jaw tightening almost imperceptibly.
I sent one more text, this time to Nathan. Just three numbers:
911.
My heart raced as I lifted my gaze to meet Caleb's across the room. His hazel eyes bored into mine,sharp and predatory. The bomb in his chest was about to blow. And we were right in the blast zone.
Suddenly, Elle's face paled, her eyes widening in panic. Caleb tensed, coiling like a snake ready to strike.
I leaped to my feet. "Elle, take Bryce and run!"
In the same breath, I launched myself across the table, shifting in midair. Fur rippled across my skin, bones, and sinew, realigning in a heartbeat as my clothes ripped off of my body.
Krystal moved with me, a blur of silver beside my black. We hit Caleb as one, but he was ready for us. He must have seen our silent exchange and realized his cover was blown.
He shifted with unnatural speed, but I managed to lock my jaws around his forearm before it fully transformed. I bit down hard, feeling my teeth grate against bone. He snarled, wrenching free and completing his shift.
We clashed in a whirlwind of fur and fury. Claws raked, teeth snapped. Caleb was bigger and stronger, his gray-and-white bulk dwarfing Krystal and me. But we had speed and desperation on our side.
Thepack house dissolved into chaos around us. Furniture splintered, glassware shattered. Bryce's terrified cries echoed from somewhere far away.
Krystal yelped as Caleb's claws scored across her flank, sending her crashing into the wall. I lunged for his throat, but he twisted at the last second, his teeth sinking into my shoulder.
Pain exploded through me, hot and blinding. I thrashed, my skin tearing as I ripped free.
We circled each other, hackles raised, blood matting our fur. Caleb's eyes gleamed with a wild, fractured light. This wasn't just a fight for dominance. It was a fight to the death.
He came at me again, jaws wide. I feinted left, then dove low, seeking to hamstring him. But he anticipated the move, leaping clear and whirling to catch Krystal as she tried to flank him.
Time lost meaning as we traded blows. The coppery tang of blood filled my nose, my mouth. Every breath seared my lungs. My vision tunneled until there was nothing but the battlefield of the ruined great room and theenemy before me.
Krystal was limping now, one front paw dangling at an awkward angle. Caleb loomed over her, victory flashing in his gaze.
With a surge of desperate strength, I launched myself at him, aiming for the soft underside of his throat. My teeth met fur and flesh, sinking deep.
Caleb thrashed, trying to buck me off, but I held fast. I squeezed, his windpipe compressing beneath my jaws.
Something stirred in the depths of my being, a well of power I'd never touched before. It rose, fierce and bright, flooding through me like molten sunlight.
"Submit,"I commanded through the pack bond, my mental voice ringing with the weight of an alpha’s authority."Submit now."
Caleb's will clashed with mine, straining against the compulsion. But I pushed harder, exerting the dominance that was my birthright.
Slowly, painfully, he crumpled beneath me, the fight leaching from his body. His legs buckled, and he collapsed onto his side, exposing his belly in reluctant surrender.
I held him there a moment longer, my teeth still locked around his throat. Ensuring he knew, beyond doubt, who was in charge.
Only then did I release him, stepping back on shaky legs. Krystal limped to my side, her breaths coming harsh and fast.
The world swam back into focus around us. The pack house was in ruins, furniture overturned, walls gouged and bloodied. But we were alive. Elle and Bryce were safe.
"Shift,"I ordered Caleb through the pack bond."Now."
