Chapter 47
Bosse’s heart tooka nosedive. What was Alifair doing?
Titan said,She calls for wind.
His wolf nailed it. Wind began to gather, sucking in from the trees and around the building, all rushing to stir up a dust storm in front of her.
That wouldn’t even slow Beast down.
Bosse couldn’t shout to her in animal form. He told Titan,We have to reach Beast first.
Where Bosse and Titan had always waited for their opponents to attack in the arena, this was different. All he and his wolf cared for in this world would be smashed to pieces by Beast if they didn’t attack now.
When his wolf swung his attention to the rhino, Bosse noticed what was going on far behind Beast.
Krol once again lifted his hand in a not-yet gesture to someone in the trees. Then the prick crossed his arms and struck a superior pose to watch as he had when enjoying matches in the arena.
Beast pawed the ground, jerking from side to side. Its body didn’t even move in a normal way.
Titan took off fast as an arrow flying toward Beast.
Beast jumped around toward Alifair and lumbered into a run.
Alifair continued to walk toward that monster with dust swirling ahead of her.
Bosse shouted to Titan,Beast will get to Alifair first.
Titan said,No!His wolf angled to intercept Beast and dug deeper for more power.
But they were a step too late when Beast hit the wall of Alifair’s energy.
Titan drove into a body four times his size. The collision knocked Beast off balance. With all that top-heavy weight, it fell onto its side.
Hitting hard, Titan flipped in the air and landed in a sickening thump, not rolling up to stand.
Bosse’s eyes crossed, and his head felt like a cathedral bell struck with a sledgehammer. He could barely say,Get up, Titan.
His wolf struggled to stand and wobbled around, preparing for an attack.
Bosse’s vision cleared to look for Alifair where she’d hit the ground. She shook her head and sat up, looking dazed.
That rhino moved awkwardly but managed to roll over to its knees. Now was the best time to attack something with hide like a paved road, but Titan’s chest moved painfully with heaving air in and out.
Bosse could feel broken ribs. He couldn’t ask more from an injured wolf ready to die to protect their mate. He spoke softly to Titan.You are an incredible wolf. You’ve always given your best. I know you will now. If this doesn’t go our way, we finally have something worth dying for. I’m proud of you, no matter what.
Titan sent back,We will protect her. I hope we live.
Then Bosse felt power rushing to Titan’s ribs. It might be too little too late.
Before Beast stood on all four cloven hooves, Titan got his legs under him and attacked first again, cutting hard to the right of Beast’s horned snout that tried to gouge him. Titan folded his legs and slid under Beast’s belly, rolling to his back. Wolf claws slashed over and over, barely drawing blood.
Beast leaped away, throwing its huge head back toward Titan.
Bosse’s wolf rolled quickly, and Beast’s hooves missed Titan’s chest by inches. Pain slashed through Titan when he jumped up and ran between Beast and where Alifair now stood with terrified eyes.
Shrieking a wild noise, Beast came for Titan, swinging its head wide from side to side, those horns looking for a soft target.
