Page 81 of Dawn of the Pack

In a flash, Nielsen flies across the circle, his jaws aimed for my throat. I dodge, and his teeth sink into my shoulder instead. I release a yelp of pain, but he can’t clamp down so I’m able to tear myself away and retreat to safety on the other side of the circle, now limping noticeably.

Failure. I feel like such a failure. This was all my plan, and I’m the one letting everyone down. I assumed that being male, Nielsen wouldn’t be as strong of a fighter. I beat Jeff easily, and he said only Nielsen and his beta had ever beaten him. Stupid, stupid, stupid. There has to be more to it than that.

I have to keep trying. The surrounding faces are a blur. I can’t pick an individual out. But I know some of them are my pack, my mates. I can’t let them watch me give up without a fight. If I’m going to die today, I don’t want it to be while I’m running scared in a circle, trying to get away from a bully.

My tongue hangs from the side of my mouth; I haven’t been able to catch my breath since we started, and my mouth is so dry my tongue is itchy. That can’t be a good sign. I need to end this soon or I’ll have nothing left.

Resolved, I gather up the courage to go on the offensive again. I try to assess him for weaknesses to exploit, but I’ve struggled to find many. He’s quick and observant. Stronger than me. His sharp eyes watch every minuscule movement of my paws; it’s like he knows where I’m going before even I do.

Emotion clogs my throat. It’s impossible. Impossible. I can barely stay upright and he looks as if he can go all night.

Continuing to limp around the circle, I search my body and gather up every drop of energy I have left. Mentally suppressing the pain, I focus on making one strong, final attack.

If it’s going to end, it’s going to end on my terms.

Nielsen’s wolf eyes bore into me, as if he can read my every thought.

I refuse to look away. Maybe, if I hold his gaze, he won’t see be able to predict my next move.

So without blinking, I feint right, then charge forward, redirecting at the last moment with a hop to the left, hoping to come at him from the side and lock my jaws around his throat.

Instead, Nielsen’s teeth close on my neck and he slams me hard to the ground with a vicious snarl.

My feet claw at him uselessly. I have no energy left to free myself.

Suddenly, I hear Nielsen’s voice in my head, like a sharp stab to my brain. It reverberates with the double-timbre of the alpha voice and rattles around in my head like an echo.

“Give up, girl. You’ve lost!”

I can’t reply, my brain is too busy trying to understand. So all this time, we could communicate by thoughts? No one else has mentioned it. Maybe it’s an alpha thing?

“I’m going to snap your pretty neck, Harridan. If that doesn’t force my son to shift, nothing will, and then he’s no son of mine. But before I do, I want you to concede that I won!” His teeth dig a little deeper, a fierce snarl rumbling against my blood-matted fur.

I still don’t respond. Is there a way for me to use this alpha-talk to my advantage? It feels important, but I’m swiftly running out of time to figure it out.

Nielsen shakes his head back and forth, dragging my body across the ground and deepening the gashes in my throat.

“There’s no getting out of it now, Harridan. I can do this all night, if that’s what it takes. But you will admit defeat. And when I take over Smoky Falls, this’ll all have been worth it. So, by all means, drag it out in the most painful way possible. It won’t change a thing.”

“You have no claim to Smoky Falls!” I don’t mean to reply in the weird mind-meld we have going on, but it must have happened instinctually. “I challenged you for Montrose; my pack was never on the table.”

Nielsen chuckles darkly in my head, the sound grating on my nerves. “On the contrary, girl. When you lose, you lose it all. So, thanks for bringing such a prize to my doorstep. The magic has been fading here for some time, despite the best efforts of our witches. Smoky Falls has a much deeper, more powerful magic. It’ll be a fresh start for all of us. And with so many young females, I shouldn’t have a problem claiming a new mate and siring some proper heirs.”

No! That’s not how this was supposed to happen. A sob rises in my throat, but my wolf form can’t complete it, and I refuse to whine.

Now I know I can’t give up. A sadistic prick like Nielsen can’t take over Smoky Falls. It’s my duty as their alpha to protect them, whatever the cost.

I have to keep fighting. I have to drum up some energy, some strength, from somewhere.

I have to protect my pack. I will protect my pack.

I’m their alpha.

As if my limp body were an empty balloon, warm, tingling power floods into me, soothing the sharp pains and aches and filling my body with renewed energy. I remain still, Nielsen’s teeth clenched around my neck and his threatening growls rumbling in his chest.

I’m not sure what’s happening, but my mind sharpens, my spirits lifting like a tiny boat on a tsunami, and I ride the wave to its peak.

Faint voices, almost imperceptible, whisper encouragement. They don’t echo and bounce in my head like Nielsen’s does, but I hear them all the same.

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