Page 69 of Cruel Alpha Daddy

“Of course not. Tobias isn’t getting out of here alive, no matter what. Most of his guys won’t be, either. But we can’t interfere with a leadership challenge.”

He’s right. I know he’s right!

A sizzling, electric fury runs across my skin, energizing me. I look back down into the arena. Rider is still limping away from Tobias, trailing blood from his wounded paw. Tobias’s supporters are beginning to cheer, some of them actively pushing against our wolves and taunting them.

They are trying to start an all-out brawl.

I’m sure there is no direct outcome in mind—these guys just enjoy violence—but if they do start a big fight, they’ll takeout a good percentage of our force, and a lot of them will get away in the confusion.

Tobias leaps at Rider, teeth bared. Rider ducks at the last second, flattening himself to the ground. Tobias sails over him but corrects quickly, flipping to throw himself after Rider. They twist together, snarling and barking as they try to gain advantage.

A series of sharp yelps break out, and Tobias staggers backwards away from Rider, blood dripping from his muzzle. It looks like Rider swiped him right across the face, trying to blind him.

Rider still can’t stand on his injured paw, but Tobias is bleeding just as much now, and his vision is impaired. The ragged wound slashed across his face appears to have taken out at least one of his eyes. Hope blooms in my chest.

Come on, Rider.

Both of them are panting, glaring at each other. When Rider moves forward, Tobias sidesteps him. They circle each other, slowly closing the distance. The last light of the day falls upon the battling wolves and then sinks behind the mountains, leaving us in shadow.

Tobias crouches, snarling and baring his teeth. Rider just glares at him, waiting for Tobias to make the next move.

Instead of charging, Tobias jumps to the side, well out of Rider’s way, and shifts back into his human shape. He lunges at Rider and takes him by surprise, grabbing both of his front legs and wrenching them apart. Rider’s howl of pain rips through the clearing, sending chills through everyone who can hear it.

You can kill a wolf like that—pull the legs apart until the breastbone splits!

My vision blurs, and I try to slow my breathing down. Clinging to my son, I fight the urge to rush into the clearing and save Rider. Even though I know he has to win on his own to secure leadership, I can’t just watch him die.

“Come on, Caleb,” I mutter, choking on my words. My chest is so tight with fear, I can barely breathe, let alone speak.

“I’m getting you out of here,” I sob, tightening my grip on Caleb’s arm and turning away. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but keeping my son safe has to come first.

I’ll just get as far away as I can and wait for the news. They’ll tell me Rider is dead… and part of my soul will die with him.

“No, Mom!” Caleb yells, twisting free of my grip. Before I can stop him, he bolts through the crowd, shoving his way to the front. I chase after him, but he’s so small and nimble, no one can grab him. He darts through the Silver Meadows wolves, shoves through the bikers, and stands right on the edge of the clearing.

“Come on, Dad!” he yells. “Don’t give up, I know you can do it! Get him! Beat him!”

Chapter 25 - Rider

When Tobias grabs both of my front paws and yanks them in separate directions, I know it’s all over. Pain splits my chest, and I can almost hear my breastbone crack. My lungs feel like they’re about to burst. My heart is literally about to be ripped in two.

I fought well, but that early hit on my front paw won the day for him. There was no coming back from it.

Tobias pulls even harder, and a high-pitched whine echoes through my throat. My only solace is that Bailey is here. He will protect Fiona and Caleb. The bikers won’t get away, and the rest of the pack will be safe.

Darkness clouds the edges of my vision, and I feel the black maw of death slipping up to take me. The shadow of night falling across the mountains is in perfect harmony with the void that claims my soul.

Then, I hear a faint cry on the wind. It’s so far away, I could be dreaming it, but it penetrates the dark cloud surrounding me. It pierces through the hopelessness and strikes my heart.

Don’t give up, Dad!

The rush of emotion that floods into me then is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. It’s hope, and strength, and…

Love.

It’s an all-encompassing, white-hot blaze of a love so deep and profound, it drags me back from the void. My wolf will not allow this. The primal force that rules my soul cannot die, not while my son still lives.

The pain in my chest is excruciating, and I can feel the cracks splintering through my bones. But the new strength pouring through me forces me to fight, and I start to struggle in Tobias’s hands, snarling and snapping as full consciousness comes back to me.

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