Page 76 of Howling Night

“Oh, god,” I said, covering my mouth.

I’d never seen such raw violence up close. The wolves collided again, teeth flashing as they tore at each other.

Ryder caught Kellan’s shoulder between his jaws, and I heard the sickening sound of flesh tearing. Kellan yelped but twisted free, leaving a spray of blood across the grass.

My stomach lurched. They really were trying to kill one another, and one of them was not going to walk away from the fight.

“Please,” I said, looking at Trevor, who was too focused on the fight to notice. “Can’t you do anything?”

Ryder’s massive form darted forward with surprising speed for his size, but Kellan anticipated the move. The black wolf ducked under Ryder’s attack and came up beneath him, jaws clamping onto Ryder’s foreleg. The sound that tore from Ryder’s throat wasn’t just pain — it was fury.

With a powerful twist of his body, Ryder broke free and backed away several limping steps. Blood matted his brown fur where Kellan had bitten him. They began circling again, both breathing heavily. The watching wolves shifted restlessly, some letting out low whines of anticipation, or perhaps they were cheers for their leader.

“Ryder,” I choked out, tears streaming down my face. I could feel what he was feeling deep inside my body — determination, rage, pain, and, underneath it all, fear, not for himself, but for his pack and for me.

They crashed together again, a whirlwind of teeth and claws. I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. Blood splattered across the grass like macabre raindrops. A particularly vicious snarl from Ryder sent chills down my spine as he caught Kellan’s ear between his teeth and ripped.

The black wolf howled in agony, stumbling backward. For a moment, I thought it might be over — Ryder seemed to have the upper hand. But Kellan recovered quickly, shaking his head and sending droplets of blood flying through the air.

Trevor whined softly, shifting his weight from one paw to the other. His ear twitched, and he shot a quick look in my direction.

With a growl, Kellan faked left, then attacked from the right, his movements so quick I could barely keep track of them. Ryder had strength, there was no doubt about that, but Kellan had a quickness that was undeniable.

Kellan’s teeth dug into Ryder’s hindquarters, and Ryder let out a howl that pierced the night. My chest ached with a phantom pain — I could feel his agony so strongly that I dropped to my knees.

Trevor stepped back to me, whimpering, as he pushed his face against my arm. “I’m okay.”

With renewed fury, Ryder twisted and locked his jaws around Kellan’s throat. For one breathless moment, I thought it was done… that he’d won. But Kellan thrashed wildly, breaking free and backing away, as blood oozed from multiple wounds.

Both of them were growing tired. Their movement became more deliberate… more desperate. Ryder limped slightly, and Kellan’s black coat was matted with blood, his breathing labored.

“Ah! Just stop this!” I shouted, a wave of exhaustion rippling through me.

They clashed again, rolling across the yard in a tangle of limbs and fur. When they separated, Ryder staggered, clearly weakening. I pressed my hand against my mouth to stifle a scream. Our bond pulsed with pain and exhaustion and something else… something I didn’t even want to think about.

Kellan saw his opportunity. He charged forward with renewed strength, slamming into Ryder’s side. The impact sent Ryder tumbling to the ground. Before he could recover, Kellan was on him, passive paws pinning Ryder’s chest to the ground, jaws hovering inches from his exposed throat.

“No!” I screamed, pushing past Trevor. The russet wolf blocked me more forcefully, nearly knocking me down.

Kellan’s teeth gleamed in the moonlight, poised for the killing blow. The watching wolves tensed, some shifting forward expectantly, others crying out to the moon as if begging for help.

Ryder’s head turned toward the side, his glowing blue eyes finding me. The sound that escaped his throat was soft, but I heard it… or maybe I just felt it.

“Ryder, please,” I said, my fingers gripping the porch railing to hold me up. “Get up!”

In that split second, something changed. Ryder’s body coiled beneath Kellan, and with his last bit of strength, he twisted violently. His back legs shifted, thrusting hard into Kellan’s underbelly.

Kellan flew through the air, a startled yelp escaping him as he crashed several feet away. Ryder leaped to his feet, his head thrown back in a thunderous howl that shook the trees.

Before Kellan could recover, Ryder was on him, fangs bared for the final strike. Kellan lay beneath him, bleeding and beaten, no longer fighting back.

The wolves were silent. The moment stretched endlessly as Ryder stood over his enemy, his jaws ready to end Kellan’s life. They stared as if they were communicating with one another.

That brief hesitation was all Kellan’s pack needed to change the outcome. Three wolves lunged forward in perfect unison, slamming into Ryder from different directions. The impact knocked him off Kellan, and in seconds, he was surrounded by his pack.

Ryder regained his footing, blood dripping from multiple wounds, a growl rumbling from deep in his chest. His own pack members growling as they stepped forward, ready to engage if necessary.

Two of the wolves helped Kellan up with their snouts, and they began to retreat. They moved as one organism, backing away with Kellan protected in their center. At the edge of the woods, Kellan cast one last hateful glance at Ryder before they all disappeared into the darkness.

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