Page 68 of Rejected Mate

A flash of red blazed through my vision. I couldn't think; I could only attack. My body reacted on its own. Winter lay on the ground, bleeding. I couldn't let him die. Fagua was my family. She wouldn't let me die. I'd be strong for her. I had to be.

I jumped at her father. He swiped at me, but I dodged and sank my teeth into his back leg. He kicked out at me and I rolled over, narrowly missing the brunt of the blow.

I shook my head, blinking the blood from my eyes and then charged again. This time I ducked when he lowered his head like he was going to bite me.

I darted in and caught his leg again. Grabbing hold, I yanked. He stumbled, only to right himself before I could do any damage. I swung around and rammed my shoulder into his ribs. But he twisted and tossed me ten feet into the air. I hit the ground and rolled, my lungs burning as I gasped for breath.

I took a second to breathe and then charged.

I changed direction, ducking and weaving. Everything I could think of to try to avoid him.

But he never attacked directly.

Was he playing with me? That's what it felt like.

I couldn't believe it. This was a fight to the death and he was playing with me.

I dove low, but he was too fast and he caught me by the ear. I howled, turning to get away from him. Pain lashing across my flesh.

Winter limped forward, his amber eyes meeting mine. We had to end this or Fagua would be sold to another pack; another alpha besides us would touch her.

My hackles rose and I growled low in my throat.

* * *

Fagua

"They can't defeat him," my mother whispered.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my hands clenched at my sides to keep the magic from lashing out and possibly harming Winter or Sky. But there was a weight crushing my chest at the loss of Husk. Of how our differences and past didn't matter. I just wanted to see him smile one more time. To feel his arms around me. Kiss him until there was nothing between us except pleasure and desire.

I glanced at my dad again, seeing a fuzzy haze along his aura now that I was looking closer and not watching my men.

"Wait." I turned to her. "He's got some kind of spell on him, doesn't he?"

"H-he made me. Said it would keep us safe."

My father used my mother's magic to control me and keep me here. She used her magic to get everyone in town to do whatever he wanted.

"This ends now." I gathered my magic to me, not caring if it would put me in a coma as Husk warned me about. Not caring if it killed me. It would be worth it to avenge Husk and to keep Winter and Sky alive. I'm doing this for me and everyone else. Power popped along my arms and I kept gathering from deeper and deeper inside of me.

"Husk is dead because of you," I yelled.

A bright light burst out of me, racing at my father.

"Fagua, no!" My mother grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

"What are you doing?"

"You can't do this. It will kill you."

"I don't care." I twisted free of her. "I want him to pay."

My dad shifted into his human form with a grin.

"I don't care if the whole pack dies." My dad looked at the others who were shifting back into their human forms. "I will always be alpha."

My heart pounded.

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