Page 100 of Mating at Midnight: Book 1

We center our attention on the fight before us as Ezekiel makes contact along the top of Ballian’s left hip. He then goes for the right hip, trying to incapacitate Ballian. Ballian grunts through his pain and blocks Ezekiel with a forcible slap. The sword flies from Ezekiel’s hand, leaving him with no other option but to shift into his wolf. The muddy water colored wolf jumps back, snarling and snapping its jaws at Ballian. I see why Ezekiel never wanted to go head-to-head with Ballian. His wolf is a little smaller than Ballian.

Ballian wastes no time rushing towards the wolf. The wolves end up on their hind legs as they clash. Each going blow for blow. Fur flies in the air as they fight. Ezekiel is able to sink his claws into Ballian’s shoulders. The sound that leaves Ballian I can only describe as a laugh in wolf form. His manic eyes are glued to Ezekiel’s as his paw slams onto the top of Ezekiel’s head. Ballian pulls Ezekiel’s face closer to his.

“If you want to kill a destined wolf, then I suggest snatching the heart out,” he hissed before roughly detaching Ezekiel’s head from his body, then viciously removing his heart. Ballian bays to the sky, lifting his head after devouring Ezekiel’s heart. “You won’t come back from this, I can assure you,” he proclaims, staring down at Ezekiel’s headless frame.

Chapter 55

Nyah

Braxton and I looked on with astonishment as Ballian licked his lips after swallowing the last part of Ezekeil’s heart down.

“Who’s next?” Ballian beams, swiping his tongue over his teeth. I wish I had a toothpick or ice pick to give him to dig out the remnants of Ezekiel’s heart embedded between his teeth.

“Go check on the others and I’ll help Braxton,” I replied.

Ballian’s eyes fell on Braxton as he took a step towards us. “Are you alright? If you need me to stay with you, I will.”

Through his weakness, Braxton raises his arm and points in the last direction we saw our family fighting. “Go to them. Make sure our family is okay. Nyah and I will join you shortly.”

Ballian raked his eyes over Braxton before running off.

Our Pack members made a circle around us to keep Fenrir’s people from getting close.

“Can you stand?” I asked Braxton.

“Yeah,” he replies, rolling his neck as the open wounds heal.

I stand, then help him up. Once on his feet, Braxton tells me. “We still have a lot to do.”

“Yes, we do,” I return, pointing to his neck. “Your wounds are quickly healing so that’s a good thing. How do you feel overall?”

Braxton’s chest rumbles as he replies, “Like killing more of Fenrir’s soldiers,” his eyes go dark before adding, “and then him.”

I lay a sloppy kiss on his lips, then say, “That’s what I wanted to hear. When this is over, we need to have a talk about why you summoned Ballian and not me.”

He chuckles, kissing my forehead while carefully wrapping his arm around my covered waist. “I called upon Ballian becausehe is my destined wolf and Ezekiel’s death was his and his alone. I also knew you wouldn’t be too far behind him.”

“Because of the bond,” I sighed, knowing he’s right.

It doesn’t change the fact that his pain had become mine and when I saw Ballian tearing through the crowd, I knew he was going to Braxton’s aid. I almost tripped over my feet when it felt like constricting hands around my neck began to tighten, cutting off my air supply. I started holding my breath. When Kenia and I were younger, we would play in the creek by grandmother’s house. One of our games would be who could hold their breaths the longest underwater. I always won and got up in over ten minutes. It’s funny thinking how a childhood game was preparing me for future events.

“I hope you’re not mad at me,” Braxton says.

“I’m not. I probably would have done the same with Skia if I were in your position. Our destined wolves were placed to fight alongside us, but just know as your mate, I am too.”

Braxton nodded. “I know you will, and so will I. Now that we’ve come to an understanding, how about we go help the others.”

“Say no more.”

He releases his hold on me. Our members make an opening for us while being bombarded. Braxton and I waste no time assisting them. Mangled bodies lay twisted on the ground once it’s all said and done. We give praise to our members before running off towards the last spot I saw our parents.

We ran up a slight incline in the ground. Snatched...my breath is snatched out of me as my family fights for their lives. Odin and Fenrir dropped their swords and knives, going head-to-head throwing punches. Daddy and Bryant are removing spines from shifters and humans like fileting fish. Kenia, Levi, and Kelly look feral as they chew into anyone who tries to get close. And Ballian, what can I say about Ballian? I’m pretty surethat the fur around his mouth will permanently be stained red. Braxton and I jump into the melee, slicing throats and ripping out hearts. Our families fight as one universal Pack looking for the same outcome.

Thinking we had the upper hand; some members began to prematurely celebrate. Their cheers went silent as a silver sheathe was tossed upon Ballian. With him being Braxton’s destined wolf, Braxton went down too. It was like reliving what Ballian told us of his previous demise, but this time Braxton is involved, and I’ll be damned if I lose both.

As Ballian screams, fighting to get from under the silver, Braxton mimics his movements, shouting out for relief. Fuck, he just healed from the chain around his throat and now this.

My parents along with Bryant try to calm Braxton as I go to Ballian and use my silver hands to remove the sheathe. I struggle to lift it because of its weight. Levi and Kenia try to help to no avail as the metal burns their skin.

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