Page 89 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

The strength in her voice confirmed that she was not backing down, “Pushing the boundaries is the only way a woman can make a path for herself in this world.” She raised her chin.

Gideon ran his eyes to where his father stood. For once, there was no challenge in Viktir’s eyes.

“It’s the only way you will see me as a member of this pack and not your baby girl. You let my brothers fight with no questions asked. Do the same for me.”

A pulse formed in the Alpha’s neck as he ground his teeth again. Although he wasn’t in his wolf form now, Gideon could see the feral behaviours pushing their way to the surface.

Breighly was right, though, it should be her choice to fight. It should be her choice to do whatever the hell she pleased. “She’s good enough, Baxgroll,” Gideon said. “I know she is.”

“That’s not your call, Blacksteel,” a voice growled from the pack. Waylen Baxgroll walked forward, joining the Alpha—his father.

“No, but it’s mine,” Torin scowled. “Here’s a thought,” he spoke, taking centre stage like he always did, swaggering up too close to the pack. “Instead of bitching about who can fight, let’s crack on with it. It won’t matter in the long run if a female fights tonight or not. If we don’t take care of the situation now”—he looked past Breighly’s older brother and locked gazes with the Alpha—“demons will swarm these lands and even the children will have to fight them off. So, what does it matter if a woman wants to fight?” he challenged.

A shiver spread across Gideon’s shoulders at the thought. Untrained children falling to the soulless demons who would drink them dry of their blood if they got the chance.

“I say we let the little wolf fight and get on with it.”

He flung a charming grin Breighly’s way and she responded with a wink. Her face lit up with promise.

“Let her fight, Father!” another member of the pack shouted from behind the Alpha. Gideon realised it had come from Roman, Breighly’s twin brother.

“No chance,” Waylen snarled.

“She’s a hunter in a different form,” another wolf added. “Let her fight.”

Gideon’s eyes darted to the last of Breighly’s brothers, Eli. So, she had some support from her brothers in the pack. The Alpha tensed for a second that felt like an hour, turning over his decision.

He ducked his chin in acceptance and flicked his eyes to Torin. “If any blood from my baby girl is spilled, it will be on your hands. And if it does, we will tear you limb from limb.” Murk’s threat rumbled through the night. Her brothers growled in agreement.

Torin’s face geared up into a wicked grin as he looked the pack’s Alpha in the eye, the strongest shifter in the Kingdom, and said, “Deal.”

A dangerous smile danced across Breighly’s face and in that moment, she craned her neck back, tipping her hair all the way down past her shoulder blades, and let out a howl. Members of her pack followed, sending up their signal to the Blood Moon.

The deal was on; Breighly Baxgroll would join her pack in the hunt.

Just then, crunching broke through the howls to the right of the clearing. Every member of the hunt snapped their attention to the trees that now looked like they had come alive in the dark. Before Gideon could even make out what was moving, his legs were on the go and his hand plunged to his belt for a fighting knife.

His blood tingled like it always did when demons were near. It was time to fight.

Gideon plummeted to the ground, flinging out his right foot to sweep the demon’s legs out from underneath it. The right side of his body slid along the wet grass and collided with bone and rotten flesh. The demon flew into the air and landed right beside him on the ground. Rolling over into a springing position, Gideon drove a blade through the demon’s skull. A cracking shuddered all the way up his arm as he withdrew the blade from bone and was on the move again. He drew a throwing knife from his belt, flicked his wrist, and let it go, catapulting the knife through the air. It landed in a demon’s chest. The demon fell to the ground, black gunge pouring from its heart.

As he looked around, the pack had shifted to their wolf forms and were pouncing onto anything that moved from the trees, devouring necks. Heads rolled from their demon bodies and wretched limbs scattered. The Alpha, enormous in size, engulfed a full demon. In his beast form, he was frightening. Even Gideon couldn’t deny it.

He found Torin, who had unsheathed both swords that were strapped to his back. He sliced through two demons at a time, leaving torsos halved on the ground. Black gore clung to his face already; he had never looked more in his element as he leapt to his next target.

As Gideon swivelled on his right leg, he mobilised his bow, placing an arrow into the nocking point, assessing where to aim. He shut out the screams of the dying and let a calming mist transcend over his muscles. He listened to nothing but his breathing. He raised his arm, scouting for a target. Searching between the combined units, he looked for the creations of the Dark God.

Got it.

A mammoth demon was stalking towards a silver wolf. But he knew the wolf’s fur coat well—it was Breighly. The demon’s claws were the size of large blades, curling sharply as it prowled towards her. He released the arrow and it sunk into the demon’s side. The demon’s bear-like head jerked to the side, eyeing the wound before roaring into the night. Its crimson eyes then found Gideon as foam seethed from his jaw; its lip snarled back, revealing a set of sharp teeth.

Just then, Breighly attacked from the side, going straight for the jugular with her fangs, but the demon spun and smacked into the wolf, pulling her to the ground and landing on top.

Gideon drank down a shot of panic.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered to a crouch, trying to follow them as he drew another arrow and strung the bow. He narrowed his eyes as the two feral animals brawled amongst the trees.

“Can’t get a clear shot,” he muttered in frustration. “Come on, Breighly, move out of the way.”

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