Page 50 of Wed Or Dead

The line between human and beast was blurring.

“Here. Fucking now,” Gage blasted.

The other wolves stepped back. Formed a circle around Gage and Davis.

Um, here?Now?

Gage began to shift. No wonder he’d tossed his shirt aside.

“Ishould’vebeen alpha,” Davis shouted. His eyes were wild. Shining too brightly. “I’m stronger. Smarter. You’ve been in my way for years.” His bones popped.

Broke.

She hated the sound of shifting wolves. The growls. The pain.

The fury.

“It’ll be over soon,” Billy told her. His shoulder brushed against hers. He seemed to be trying to comfort her, when he’d been the one caged moments before. “Gage doesn’t play with his prey.”

That was supposed to make her feel better?

Kayla glanced around the room. She saw claws and lengthening canines everywhere she turned. It looked like every wolf there—except Faye—was about to shift.

And Kayla remembered another time.Another place.A big black wolf, one that came at her with his fangs bared.

Gage had finished his shift. He stood in the middle of that snarling circle. Big, strong, dark. His body vibrated with fury as he bared his fangs.

Her mother had still been alive. Broken, bloody, but breathing.

Davis had shifted. His coat was white. His eyes burning so brightly. He pushed down with his hind legs, then leapt at Gage.

She shook her mother. Begged her to get up. Then heard the growl.

A growl broke from Gage’s beast. He swiped out with his claws, and blood spilled on Davis’s white coat.

“First blood,” Billy said, excitement thick in his voice. “Alpha always gets first blood. Hell, yes!”

The wolf had sprung at Kayla from the shadows. She’d tried to run, and his claws had raked down her back. She’d slammed into the floor, and he’d been on top of her. His mouth had gone for her throat.

The white wolf leapt up and sank his teeth into Gage’s throat.

Then the door had opened. She’d told Jonah to wait outside. When they’d first arrived back at the house, something had been wrong. She’d known it. Because she’d heard her mother cry out for help. And she’d smelled the blood when she’d stepped onto the back porch.

Jonah had said that he’d wait outside for her. Jonah had promised. She’d made him promise.

Gage shook off the other beast. More blood flowed. The shifters in the room were shouting. Lifting their clawed fingers up as they cheered.

Cheering for death?

He’d broken his promise. Jonah had come in. Had she screamed? She couldn’t remember. Would never remember, but she thought…she thought she had. She’d screamed and he’d come to help her.

Gage slammed his body into Davis’s. They both hit the floor. Didn’t get up.

The wolf had attacked her brother. Biting and clawing and Jonah had screamed. She’d been crying. Begging the wolf to stop.

“Stop,”Kayla whispered.

The black wolf’s head jerked toward her. In that wild stare, was there any of Gage actually left?Only the beast.

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