Page 52 of Savage Wolves

Only Serena raises her hand. “Come on, Dawn. Blathos and Josiah, you can’t possibly want—”

“It’s settled,” the fae woman, Dawn, says. “We will see where this goes and reevaluate.”

I blink a few times in shock, waiting for the floor to stop shaking. They’re not stopping them? Is this real? They made a big deal just a moment ago about the lykoswulves killing each other and now they’re just going to stand by?

“Eliana, come back here. If you get too close, someone will try to snatch you.” Sloan grabs my wrist. “No one will be able to do anything if they do.”

I try to yank myself away, but she doesn’t relent. “I can’t just stand back and do nothing. My future is on the line. If Rocco—”

“Trust your alphas. They will not let you down.” Sloan tugs me back even more, pulling me from the fight, her strength greater than mine. Several other wolves join in, and it’s hard to keep focus on who is overpowering whom.

“I can’t. They’re not really my alphas. They’re a means to my survival. If I got a choice, I wouldn’t pick either of them. I don’t know them.” I bounce on the balls of my feet, pulling away from Sloan to rub my hands together. “Neither of them has fathered my children either.”

“Blood isn’t as important as you might think.” Sloan balls her hands into fists and strides a few feet forward, sucker punching a wolf on the snout as it tries to get too close to me. She turns around and pushes me away and toward the gleaming glass partition.

“I know it’s not about blood. It’s about it being my decision and giving those who care about me the chance to be together how we need. I don’t like being told what to do. Who to like. Who I can talk to. I want to be like you. I want to be an alpha.”

Sloan scoffs, releasing a strained laugh. “You want to be like me? Why the hell would you want that? I live my life as if someone will kill me at any second. I sleep with weapons in my bed. I’d give anything for a pack that didn’t want to see me dead. I can’t even remember the last time I felt loved, and here you are with so many vying for even a second of your time. I’m just a mutt. No one wants that nor do they respect that when it comes to being an alpha. The only reason Sea Glimmer hasn’t fallen completely apart is because I turned all those assholes into my good little bitches. But that’s it.”

A shockwave of pity explodes through me, and I give Sloan a long look, taking in the abuse thrown at her body. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t think my life would be the same as hers or what, but her words still do nothing to change my mind. I’d rather fight than just be intended for breeding. I hate not having a say.

Skidding across the floor, a wolf slides into the glass partition, cracking it. Sloan latches her fingers to me and drags me away as shards spray everywhere, cracking and exploding across the floor.

The distraction is all it takes. Another wolf launches at Sloan, slamming its paws into her back and knocking her forward. She’s stumbles and sprawls forward, hitting her body to the sharp fragments of glass. I don’t even get the chance to call her name before fingers grab onto my hair and yank me so hard that stars pepper my vision.

“I am staking my claim on this omega,” a man says, growling deep in his chest. I recognize the voice. It’s Isaac. It’s Evander’s new alpha. And what the actual fuck. “She will be well taken care of in my pack.”

I scowl and thrust my leg back, trying to kick Isaac in the knee. “Let me go! I’ll never bow to you. You can’t just try to stake a claim on me when your allies are fighting to save Shadow Moon.”

“I’m trying to save you, Eliana. Look around. They’re growing weak. It won’t be long. If you don’t accept such a claim right now, you will end up with Twilight Cove. They will do far worse than kill you now. Crystalrock will make a deal that’ll help us all. Now’s the time to do this while the territories fight each other.” Isaac tries to scoop me up off my feet, but I swing my arms and slap him over and over again, getting him to back off.

“You’re lying!” I swivel my body and look toward the wolves. My heart sinks into my stomach.

He leans away, avoiding my rage. “I’m not. Please, do it for Van. If you even care about him, you’d—”

Ravi hollers, his pain rolling through my body as if it’s my own. I watch as Kai and Rocco team up to fight Slater. Ravi lies on the floor, shaking as he tries to get up on his paws.

This can’t be happening. They can’t be losing.

“Just let me help you,” Isaac says, pleading with me.

I ignore him and sweep my gaze over the crowd. Ten feet. All I have to do is make it the ten feet without being noticed, and I can help Slater. I can give Ravi a chance to catch his breath.

Because I can’t just sit here and be a good little omega.

It’s time I fight like an alpha.

I’ll kill like one too.

Chapter twenty

Eliana

Starrise Council

Mywolfbreaksfreeof the imaginary magical cage Serena tries to lock me in, and I transform faster than I’ve ever done so before. My heart crashes around, and my need to protect Slater and Ravi pushes me forward.

I dart around the fighting wolves and launch from the ground, going after Rocco first. I just need to get a good grab on his throat. If I can lock my jowls to that sensitive area, I might be able to disable him. I might be able to end his life altogether.

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