Page 89 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

My own alpha instincts agreed.

The noise stopped, and everyone in the crowd seemed to hold their breath as the last person stepped off the stage.

Only Gael stood at the center, and he’d stripped off his shirt as the stage was being cleared. He seemed to glow under the lights, or maybe my wolf just saw him that way. She preened at the sight of him, but my human side was filled with worry. Even though I was sure he would win, I still didn’t want to watch him get hurt in the process. Varga had an axe to grind, and Gael was going to get the brunt of that.

I clutched Shay’s hand, Bri grabbed my other, and Olivia dropped a hand on my shoulder as we all waited in silence for the challenge to begin.

Sergei stood next to Varga strapped in the chair, and I closed my eyes briefly when Gael signaled with two fingers for Sergei to release him.

When I opened them, I wasn’t prepared for the gut punch that was Gael, staring straight into my soul. The distance between us vanished, the stage, the crowd, my best friends… all of them faded to nothing. I was so tangled up in him, I was never going to get free.

I felt like I should say something, acknowledge him in some way before the challenge started. We didn’t have the mate bond yet, but…

Stay safe.I mouthed the words.

He nodded, every muscle in his body tight with intensity, and then turned all that laser focus on Varga. I fought the urge to close my eyes again as the last restraint slipped free.

FORTY-THREE

Gael

Stay safe. Two words, but they almost brought me to my knees. She still cared. I wasn’t completely out of her life.There is still hope.

I held on to that thought like a life raft as Sergei released the last of Varga’s restraints. My wolf rose to the surface with vicious glee, ready to put on a show for our female. But I kept my head, watching as the older alpha shook out his limbs, acting as if he’d been restrained for five years instead of a few minutes. Sergei slipped off the stage but stayed close, eagle eyes surveying everything. He had my back, as did Kane. I could feel his support radiating through the pack bonds, though he didn’t speak and distract me.

Put on your show, motherfucker. You’re going to pay for your crimes.

I kept my eyes on his as I flicked open the button on my pants, quickly shucking them and leaving them to lie on the edge of the stage. Someone had the poor taste to wolf-whistle, and several people had shifted and now howled out in the throng of watchers, but I ignored it all. There was no one in the world except my opponent.

And my mate. My wolf was acutely aware of Leigh because he was always going to ensure her safety first. I didn’t think we had to worry about that, not now. Varga’s multiple attempts to take Kane out had failed, his surviving attack force had fled the castle with their tails between their legs, and he was grossly outnumbered here, even if someone tried to stage a rescue. No, he was done, and he knew it. This was the last stalling of a doomed man.

He spun toward me and charged, shifting midstride. A large, short-coated gray wolf burst from his skin, eyes glowing orange as he leapt, jaws wide.

I didn’t shift yet, bracing myself for the hit. He aimed for my throat, but I was ready. Both hands up, I deflected, using his momentum to toss him over my shoulder. I added all my strength to the throw, and he hit the wooden boards so hard, they shook under my feet. He’d landed on his feet, but before he could reverse direction and charge me again, I shifted, letting my own wolf out to play. I was larger by at least half a foot, and everything seemed to slow as my wolf took control of the fight.

Everything in my line of sight turned to a sepia wash, minute details snapping into focus as a bouquet of scents and sounds flooded in, honing the details to razor clarity. We charged Varga, even as he spun to intercept. He almost managed to evade, but my wolf caught the tip of his tail as we flew past, latching on with his fangs and tearing as we ran.

He spat the bloody hunk on the ground as Varga howled his rage and humiliation. A wolf’s tail was a point of pride, and we’d disfigured it before he’d made a mark.

Good, get pissed off and make a mistake.

I ran the full circumference of the stage at top speed, ears back and tail low as I stretched out my stride. It kept him off-balance as he tried to follow my track from the inside. He quickly grew tired of spinning like a top, gauging the distanceand charging at where he thought I’d be. But my wolf saw that a mile off and dove for his belly.

We nailed his rib cage at top speed, sending him tumbling paws over tail. I heard bones crack as he landed this time, a sick satisfaction filling my wolf.

Weak prey. Time to finish him.

He had barely gotten to his feet when my jaws wrapped around his throat. I ripped.

It was over in seconds, the spray of blood and fur as I went in to finish him like grim confetti in the heavy silence.

I heard when Varga’s heart stopped and stepped back, looking to my Alpha for approval. It had been a fair tribunal and a fair challenge.

It was over. Kosta and Mihaela had their justice, and I hoped they’d rest easy now.

Kane stepped up onto the stage, face surprisingly neutral as he knelt next to the fallen wolf. He reached down and confirmed there was no pulse, then rose.

“A life for a life, so let it be. This tribunal is complete.”

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