Page 88 of Rejected Mate

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Thiswasit.Thefight to end all fights.

Laurel and I tore at each other like the animals they claimed we were. I had shifted to heal from the wolfsbane attack, but Laurel, seeing me do so, shifted as well. I didn’t know she had the power to shift now, but it seemed William wanted a fair fight, so he must’ve dropped the restrictive spells and cuffs, at least here in the arena. Her golden yellow wolf barely gave me a moment to clear my eyes before she had me pinned with her teeth at my throat.

You think you’re better than me, her voice said, echoing in my head as she used the telepathic communication all shifters shared once they were in wolf form.But I’ll show you who’s better.

Her fangs strangled my throat, closing off my airway as huge paws pressed down on my lungs, making things worse. She was trying to suffocate me, either to kill me or force me to tap out, but there was no way in hell that was happening. She would have to kill me before I’d give in to her.

But I feared that moment might come sooner rather than later. Unable to draw a single breath, my vision began to blur.My throat was a straw crushed under someone’s shoe. There was no air. Panic began to sound alarm bells in my head.

Act. Now!

Desperately, I called on my necklace, hoping for some shred of power that might help me get free of Laurel, but nothing happened. I tried again and again, but I had no idea how to use the damn thing.

Giving up on that stupid notion, I went limp, playing possum, hoping to make Laurel think she’d knocked me unconscious. I lay still, even as her weight and the pain of her teeth threatened to knock me out for real. How long could I last without air? It took everything I had to lie still as my body screamed for relief.

I fought to keep hold of the world as the sound from the crowd grew louder. People were gasping and calling out. Someone shouted for mercy. Another angrily hollered back that death was what I deserved instead.

At last, the weight lifted from my chest, and the teeth released my throat for a split second.

Now!

I reared up with all my strength.

Laurel fell back as my body knocked her off of me, but recovered quickly, snarling and circling me, her claws digging at the dirt in anticipation.Long gold eyelashes framed huge, lupine eyes. The rage in their depths could not be faked. She hated me. She wanted me to die.

You still don’t have to do this, I thought at her.

Her dark eyes narrowed.I don’t have to destroy you. Iwantto.

She charged, but I was ready. I dodged left, letting her sail right by me, then whirled to watch her smash into the dirt and skid until she bashed into the far wall. The crowd let out a shocked gasp, but Laurel shook herself off, tossing her head back and forth, shaking the dirt out of her fur, before stalking toward me again.

Was this my whole strategy? Would I play defense the whole time? If I did, we’d be here all night. No, I needed to pin her and make her tap out. End this once and for all and then figure out a way to move forward.

I crouched and tore toward Laurel as she was running at me.

We both jumped at the same time and crashed into each other. Teeth and claws flashed. Though she was smaller than me, she was savage with her bites. Teeth pierced my hide, causing me to yelp in pain. She jerked her head, leaving me no doubt she meant to kill me.

Using my bulk, I reared up, knocking her back and then pouncing on top of her. My maw clamped around her throat this time.I locked my jaw and began to squeeze.

Tap out. It’s over, I thought.

Never!She lurched against me, but I was stronger.

I clamped tighter.Surrender!

No. I’ll never surrender to the likes of you. I’ll get out of this and… and… make your family pay! What’s your little cousin’s name? Lizzie, I’ll go after her first.

Rage built in my gut. How dare she speak of Lizzie? She was only a child. And how did she know about her? Likely, William had told her.

I squeezed tighter and tighter as I fought against my darker demons. If I let Laurel live, my family and I would always have to watch our backs. But I couldn’t kill her…

Could I?She began to whine and froth at the mouth.

Surrender, I thought.

No, was her only response.

---