We crashed to the ground, the pavement knocking the air from his lungs.
I bit down on his chest, his blood warm and heady on my tongue. I was going to taste more of it before his final breath.
He flung his body so that we rolled. While lying across from me, he drew back his paw and swung down, his claws slashing through my arm.
I pushed off the ground and used my three good paws to hop back before pouncing on him. There was no time to register my pain. Not when Joanna was whimpering.
I did get to taste more of Silas’s blood—because he wouldn’t stay down. He paid every bite and rip of his flesh back to me with interest. And he guarded the spot over his heart well, its incessant beating like claws on a chalkboard.
I admitted to myself long before that he was a powerful alpha, but it wasn’t supposed to be this way. It didn’t matter that the bond carved off a piece of me.
Joannawasthe piece, wasn’t she? I was fightingfor her. I was supposed to be strongfor her.
Ineededto be stronger. Or maybe…
Someone fired a shot from behind me.
“Better hope your arm doesn’t heal, Blackwood!” Malik ran past me, throwing his gun to the ground.
Maybe I only needed to realize… I wasn’t the only one fighting for her.
I wasn’t the only one who loved her.
“It’s the only way I can tell you fucks apart!” Malik pulled out his knives and leaped into the air, slicing an X in Silas’s chest.
Silas recovered in a flash, flinging Malik from in front of him with a thunderous growl.
Malik landed on his arm, but he refused to scream, even though we all heard the break.
I faced Silas with bared fangs, snarling at him.Surrender, Silas.
The wolf’s eyes beamed with laughter. He looked down at the newest wound.You couldn’t bring me down, but you thought a hunter could?He cocked his head.Do I think more highly of you than you think of yourself, Marcus?
I crouched down.I am asking you nicely. If you leave now, I won’t go after you. Please, Silas.
He winced, the X cut from the silver blades still burning his flesh.Alphas should never beg. It’s unbecoming.
I growled, the feigned camaraderie gone.You think I give a fuck? I need to look after my mate. She’s theonlything that matters.
Weneed to look after her, Marcus. She isn’t yours alone anymore.
I pressed my claws into the sidewalk.
And when Latoya jammed the broken silver-tipped arrow into Silas’s heel, I lunged for him.
Malik had initiated the diversion, allowing her to crawl closer. I continued with a distraction to give her more time. Latoya struck. And I followed through.
Silas fumbled to the ground in pain, too late to put up his defenses. Realization swallowed the shock that’d registered on his face. His green eyes locked with mine one final time, and I wondered if he saw it: how alike he and I were. How I’d been so close to becoming like him—vengeful and cruel.
My jaw clamped onto Silas’s throat, and I tore it from the rest of his body.
???
Joanna smiled at me through her tears. “Good job, Alpha.” Her body shook. “If only you could’ve killed himbeforehe Bit me.”
My fingers dropped from the edges of the mark as I frowned. “That’s not funny.”
She trembled again, this time closing her eyes so she wouldn’t see the worry in mine.
