And to make sure he doesn’t get out alive.
I hear the drumming of paws on the ground, and a wiry old wolf paces into the clearing with Kit right behind him.
I want to scream and tell him to run from this place, but I know he won’t go. He’d rather die right here than leave me. Through my pain, I feel a glow in my heart, a sense of value that I’ve never really had before.
Knowing I’m worth fighting for, maybe even dying for, makes me want to fight for myself.
Kit paces into the circle of wolves, looking around at them with a relaxed expression. His eyes are calm, and he’s not even showing his teeth.
What the fuck is he doing?
“Here he is!” Father yells like he’s announcing a test match. “The fabled alpha of Cyan Lock. I heard you were scary, young’un.”
Kit doesn’t bother to shift back so he can speak. He just keeps watching Father with a calm, steady gaze.
Father tries not to show it, but I can tell he’s unnerved.
Even though my fear is rising, there is a trickle of hope cutting through it.
Kit doesn’t look worried at all.
“Alright then, son, if you want to get down to it, then let’s go!” Father says. “I appreciate a wolf who doesn’t fuck around. Larry!”
Father gestures to the circle, and a big black wolf comes through the crowd. He carries his head low, teeth bared. A string of drool hangs from his bottom jaw. He paces back and forth in front of Kit. Kit barely moves, following him with his eyes.
Larry slows, growling at Kit. He feints to the left, then pounces back the other way, hurling himself at his opponent.
Kit barely moves. He bounces off the ground with his front paws, closes his jaws on Larry’s throat with a sharp snap, and hurls him to the ground.
The whole thing happens in less than a split second. There is a shocked silence from the surrounding wolves, and even Father takes a step back.
Kit cocks his head, growling low in his throat. He stands steadily on all fours, his eyes sweeping each side of him as he waits for the next attack.
This time, two wolves jump at him from separate directions. He leaps away from one, shoving the other out of his way with a massive shoulder. He rolls low, grabbing the first one by a leg and wrenching him down, crunching his teeth through the wolf’s paw.
While one howls and staggers away, Kit lunges at the other, getting caught in a vicious tangle of snapping jaws and flashing teeth. There is a horrible crack and a sharp cry, then Kit emerges victorious once more.
He returns to the middle of the circle, calmly staring at Father as he waits for the next attack.
For the first time in his life, Father looks anxious. I’m sure he wasn’t expecting to lose so many pack members, especially so quickly.
My husband is a fucking machine.
Father whistles, and five wolves come racing from the forest, launching themselves at Kit. He goes down under them, and I can’t see anything except flying fur and thrashing limbs.
The growls and yelps are terrifying to hear. When I hear bone crunching and smell the sharp tang of fresh blood, I struggle against Vince, desperate to get into the circle. Vince chuckles and yanks me back against him, still tightly holding on to my arms.
“It doesn’t matter how tough he is,” Vince murmurs. “They’re just going to keep coming until he’s done, then I’ll finish him off.”
“Coward,” I hiss, gasping for breath as I keep struggling against him. “You’re afraid to take him on yourself!”
Vince laughs softly. “Call me a coward if you want, princess. I don’t much care what you think. The only thing that matters is that your husband dies today, and then I claim you.”
Even though he’s trying to sound confident, I can detect a hint of fear in his voice.
Vince might be scared to jump in with Kit even if Kit is half-dead.
There is a horrible wail from the pile of fighting wolves, and I struggle against Vince again. He laughs, enjoying the press of my body against his while I squirm.
