Page 15 of The Forbidden Dragon King
The pain is blinding.
For a moment, I think that I’ll black out.
I bite my tongue, however, anything to keep myself in this black night where I have to keep fighting because otherwise, this will be how I’ll die.
And I’ll never stop fighting.
“Unclean asshole,” I snarl. I know how to upset Alphas. I’ve only had words as my weapons for most of my life. Time to see if they truly are enough for an Omega to beat an Alpha. “You’re a cowardly raven starver, needing to be in your shifted form to attack a non-shifter Omega.”
Hilda growls, rumbling enough to make goosebumps rise on my skin, but she doesn’t let go of my ankle. Instead, she bites down harder.
Stars burst in front of my eyes. Bile rushes up my throat.
I struggle not to vomit. “That’s all you’ve got? Actually, you’re thedaughterof a cowardly raven starver from thehouseof a raven starver.”
Is that going far enough?
Hilda’s shadows squeeze me tighter.
Then she shakes me, attempting to wrench off my foot — tear me apart for being a non-shifter.
I don’t accept this ritual. I won’t submit to the Mate Hunt and definitely not to fucking Hilda.
My head is swimming from the pain, but I clench my hand more firmly around the spear.
“You know, it’s sad,” I pant. “You think that killing mewill make Prince Bard like you. You’ve spent years humiliating me without realizing that most of the court is actually laughing atyoufor being the Alpha with a crush on another Alpha. I’m not your rival, but still, no matter what you do tonight, the Prince will still never notice you.”
Hilda’s pheromones become stronger and sharper in her distress. She jerks back, loosening her hold.
This is my chance.
Let this work.
Without warning, I twist around, slamming the iron tip of the spear through Hilda’s head.
I didn’t expect the spear to be sharp and powerful enough to slice through Hilda’s fur and then her skull.
I should have known that Bard would have the best weapon.
Blood spurts over my cheeks in a hot gush. I ignore it, along with Hilda’s gurgling howl. Her blazing crimson eyes meet mine in shock.
Hello, Hilda, you finally meet the real me at last.
She should be honored. No one else in Orm has truly known the Omega under my carefully constructed mask.
I twist the spear deeper through Hilda’s skull. I’m shaking.
It appears that an actual weapon definitely backs up an Omega’s words to help defeat an Alpha. Plus, iron defeats wolves as well as fae, at least if you stick it through their fucking heads.
I’ve never killed anyone before.
I’ve been threatened with murder many times, but killing is different.
I feel hollow. Yet also, as if a side to me is awakening that has been suppressed for twenty-one long years, and the wolf inside me is howling in savage joy.
The shadows draw back into Hilda’s body, fading away. Hilda falls to the side. Her paws kick, as if trying to fight for life.
I prise Hilda’s jaws off my bleeding ankle. Her teeth cut all the way through to the bone.
