Page 105 of Savage Hunt

“I heard you were back.” Dorian leaned against a tree, his usual perfection destroyed by his disheveled state.

“You look like shit.”

His sharp, barking laugh echoed through the forest. “I have you to thank for that.” He pushed messy, pale blond locks out of his face and lifted a flask to his mouth. “My life was perfect until you came along.”

“Don’t blame me for your cowardice.” I crossed my arms. “You shouldn’t have run when your pack needed you and then blamed your losses on me when all I did was try to help.”

Dorian scoffed. “I saw the evil in you that night. Hell, even some of those sub-demons were afraid of you. You’re no hero.”

“I never claimed to be, but I didn’t abandon anyone when they needed help.” My mouth curled into a sneer at the drunk wolf. “This pack deserves better than you as their future alpha. It would fall apart within a year.”

“You never should have come here.” Dorian pushed off the tree and stalked forward, his blue eyes glassy and bloodshot. “You and Fane ruined all of my plans. That mutt motherfucker is off with my mate even as we speak.”

Hot fury slid through my veins, boiling my blood. “Maybe you shouldn’t have picked a horrible, selfish slut as a mate.”

His teeth bared as a growl burst up his throat. “Shut your mouth.”

“Insult Fane again, and I’ll do more than talk shit about Marissa.” I couldn’t stop defending him even though he was being a total prick.

Dorian drained the rest of the liquor from his flask and tossed it on the ground. “Both of you hybrid freaks need to leave Mohan Wilds.”

I flipped him off. “Are you going to make us leave, pretty boy?”

“Maybe I’ll challenge you. Right here, right now.” He spread his arms wide in a come-get-me motion.

I tried to tamper down the Infernal Sol’s excitement. Hell, even the shifter in me salivated to fight the douche king. If I did, I’d probably take it too far. I might end up doing more than kicking his ass.

The former beta scoffed. “You’re too scared. Just admit it, Tate.”

He was the one who should be scared, especially provoking me right now when I was already upset over Fane. “I know you love to hear yourself talk but stop.” I stormed by him. “I’m walking away before I do something regrettable.”

Dorian’s unhinged laugh reverberated as he followed me. “You’re really going to turn tail and run after I challenged you? You definitely don’t have shifter instincts. If you did, you’d face me.”

“Only a coward would take your challenge and fight you while you’re drunk. And we already know who the coward is.” I motioned to him and his haggard state. “It’s you.”

Gold flashed over his irises, and his lips curled back, revealing his teeth. “I can’t wait to see you get what you deserve.”

I dismissively waved my hand and pivoted, trying to put more space between us as the dark urges intensified. “Stay away. I mean it.”

Dorian didn’t listen. His footsteps continued, and the hair on my nape prickled as movement stirred directly behind me. I spun just as he lifted a knife to stab me.

I angled, catching the blade in my shoulder instead of the chest. Stinging surged from the shallow stab wound, and blood bubbled down my tank top.

Silver. I felt the burn of it, but because Fane had turned me, I didn’t experience anything like a full shifter would. It did, however, shove my shifter farther below and fully wake the demon amulet. Sinister tendrils of power laced through my system, and my senses heightened as my pupils transformed into ebony slits.

Dorian’s sharp intake of air sounded when he noticed the change come over me, and a string of curses spilled from his mouth.

“If you were going to stab me, you should have made sure to hit a sweet spot.” I snatched the knife right out of his hand, and he stumbled back. “What’s a shifter doing with silver?”

His nostrils flared. “You should have died that night. My life would still be perfect if you had.”

A wild, manic hint sharpened my laughter. “A silver knife won’t kill me.” I sliced my finger along the edge, smiling at the sting from the cut. “Oh, that tickles.”

“You are such a freak.”

I flipped the knife around and threw it into a tree trunk, the hit ringing through the forest like a hammer to steel. “You haven’t seen anything yet, pretty boy. But you’re about to.”

Dorian scrambled back as I approached him, fear streaking his baby blues as he realized the threat I presented. As he turned to run, I snatched the back of his neck and swung him around.

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