Page 56 of Pleasure and Mane
"I can't do that." Caius's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Because I'm not a liar, and you are a murderer. The worst kind of monster—killing babies because you're too much of a coward to face someone your own size."
"Coward?" Vincent's grip tightened on the knife. "I'll show you?—"
"You're a worthless piece of shit," Caius continued relentlessly. "Not even worthy enough to be called wolf. Just a pathetic excuse?—"
The insults hit their mark. Vincent's composure shattered completely, and he drew the blade deeper, crimson streaming down Quinn's neck.
Those droplets of his mate's blood officially sealed Vincent's death warrant.
The transformation ripped through Caius like lightning—bones elongating, muscles expanding, and his human form exploding into four hundred pounds of pure predatory power. His massive lion form hit the cabin floor with a thunder that shook the entire structure.
Vincent released Quinn and shifted in the same instant, his large black wolf form snarling as they faced each other in the confined space. The wolf was fast, using the cramped quarters to his advantage as he darted around overturned furniture.
But Caius had fifteen years of Alpha experience and the righteous fury of a mate protecting his Lioness. When Vincent feinted toward Quinn again, Caius intercepted him with a roar that rattled the windows.
You want to play games? Let's play.
The confined space of the hunting cabin became a battlefield of primal fury as Caius's massive four-hundred-pound lion form circled Vincent's sleek black wolf.
Fifteen years of Alpha experience versus wolf cunning—let's see who comes out on top.
Vincent's wolf darted behind the overturned table, using the cramped quarters to his obvious advantage. The wolf was fast, Caius had to admit, but speed meant nothing when your opponent could anticipate your every move.
Come on, you bastard. Show me what you've got.
The black wolf feinted left, then sprang right toward Quinn's chair. Caius had seen that trick before—wolves always went for the weakest target when cornered. His lion form intercepted Vincent mid-leap, four hundred pounds of muscle and bone slamming into the wolf's side with a sickening crack.
Vincent's wolf rolled with the impact, using Caius's momentum against him as they crashed into the cabin wall. Splinters of wood rained down as the entire structure groaned under their combined weight.
Smart move. But I'm smarter.
The wolf scrambled to his feet and lunged for Caius's exposed flank, his jaws snapping. But Caius had anticipated the attack—he spun with fluid grace, his massive paw catching Vincent across the muzzle with enough force to send the wolf sprawling.
Blood splattered across the cabin floor as Vincent's wolf shook his head, his ice-blue eyes now blazing with desperate fury. The wolf was wounded, backed into a corner, and that made him infinitely more dangerous.
Wounded predators fight dirtiest when they have nothing left to lose.
Vincent's wolf grabbed a piece of broken chair leg in his jaws, swinging it like a club. The makeshift weapon caught Caius across the shoulder, the impact reverberating through his massive frame. Pain flared, but it only stoked the fire of his rage higher.
You want to play dirty? Two can play that game.
Caius's lion form used the wolf's own momentum against him, grabbing Vincent by the scruff and hurling him across the cabin. The wolf hit the far wall with a bone-jarring thud, plaster cracking behind him.
But Vincent wasn't finished. The wolf's lips pulled back in a snarl as he gathered himself for one final, desperate assault. This time, he didn't feint or use tricks—he launched himself directly at Quinn's throat, his jaws wide and fangs gleaming.
Every protective instinct Caius possessed exploded into pure, undiluted fury. His mate—his Lioness—was seconds away from death, and that was unacceptable on every level imaginable.
Time slowed to a crawl as Caius's lion form launched forward with the power of a missile. His massive jaws opened wide, revealing fangs designed to crush bone and tear flesh. The distance between him and Vincent collapsed in a heartbeat.
Vincent's wolf jaws were inches from Quinn's throat when Caius intercepted him with the full force of his four-hundred-pound frame. The impact sent both animals crashing to the floor in a tangle of fur and fury.
Got you, you son of a bitch.
Caius's massive jaws clamped down on Vincent's throat with the crushing force of a hydraulic press. The wolf's struggles grew frantic, then weaker, as Caius's weight pressed down on his chest and ribcage.
This is for every baby you murdered. Every family you destroyed. Every tear my pride shed because of you.
Vincent's blue eyes met Caius's in the final moments, and Caius saw the exact instant when the wolf realized he'd lost everything. His expensive suits, his business empire, his carefully crafted reputation, his life—all of it meaningless and gone now.
