Page 112 of Sapphire Flame
He heard Kryder grunt then curse.
Grant rolled into a ball then flew toward the ceiling. This was the first time he realized the pack wolves were now cheering and shouting his name, only they’d added ‘Alpha’.
“Alpha Grant!”
Their support sent a bolt of adrenaline straight through him. When he reached the ceiling, he bent his knees and used the wood beams for support. He pushed off and dove headlong straight at Kryder.
The alpha aimed straight for him again, a grimace tightening his lips.
Grant responded with a shout as he flew like a bullet toward the man. Kryder held the blade in front of him, but at the last second, Grant flipped to the left, caught his other arm and with a flying twist and dislocated the alpha’s shoulder.
Kryder went down screaming. He landed face down in the sand.
Grant summoned the team by saying aloud, “Bring it.” He further sent a telepathic message to the group.Bring in the net. Do it now. Tell me when he’s secure.
A moment later, Ryan’s voice pierced his mind.We’ve got him.
The net couldn’t be seen, or the wolves holding it down, but Kryder remained visible.
Grant slowly descended. He watched Kryder try to get up. “What the hell is this?”
The wolves in the gallery went wild. Yips and howls sounded up to the rafters and back down.
“Had the wind knocked out of you, is that it?” Grant asked. He gestured with his arm to encompass the pack wolves. “And it looks like your enthrallment spell has fallen apart. By the way, how’s that shoulder?”
Grant knew he had Kryder. The thing he’d been trying to do for six long years was here at last.
“You have me pinned with some kind of net.” The sand kept his voice from reaching very far. “That’s illegal.”
Grant landed beside Kryder and pressed a foot on his neck. Very quietly, he said, “So is using a blade in a dominance fight. Now let me explain how this is going to go. You’re going to break the bond with the pack. If you do, I’ll let you live. If not, I will shatter your neck with my foot and damn the consequences. Do you understand me, Kryder? Your reign is over.”
“Fuck you.”
Grant turned toward the gallery. The sound of the Meldorin wolves shouting cheers for his victory was the sweetest noise he’d ever heard. He called out, “Kryder will break the bond now. Is that what you want as the wolves of the Meldorin pack?”
The wolves shouted, even screamed their cries of blessing. Howls erupted with more shouting. ‘Alpha Grant’ filled the arena over and over.
After several minutes, Grant patted the air and the wolves’ cries and howls lessened little by little.
When they were quiet once more, he repeated, “Kryder will break the bond and he’ll do it now.”
A hush fell over the arena.
Grant heard the thud of his heart pounding in his ears. He recalled every beating he’d taken, at least two of which had put him at death’s door.
Kryder struggled against the containment net, but the field held him immobile. How many times had Kryder used this net against his own people? How many betas had he killed in dominance matches? How many young female or male Meldorin wolves had he tortured and raped?
Tonight, it ended for good.
When Kryder made no move to break the bond, Grant spoke with Ryan.Move the net away from Kryder’s upper shoulders.
It’s done. You can walk a path around the top of his head if you want. We pulled the net away from his dislocated shoulder as well. He won’t be able to move that side of his body.
Grant walked slowly around the top of Kryder’s head. When he knew he was well away from the net, he positioned his foot once again on Kryder’s neck only this time so that he could feel several vertebrae.
“Fuck you,” Kryder said again. By now, he had to be breathing sand.
Grant had no problem at all putting more pressure on the delicate bones that connected the spine to the skull. For a difficult moment, all he wanted to do was finish the job he’d begun, to keep adding pressure until Kryder’s eyes bulged, his body flailed, and he screamed. He wanted to feel Kryder go slack because of a crushed spine and neck.
