Chapter 189

Alyx darted toward me, and I shifted to the side, narrowly missing his outstretched claws. The wolves pulled back slightly to give us more room. For better or worse, this fight was about revenge. I was Alyx’s to kill, just like Matt was Ronan’s. The other wolves wouldn’t step in unless they absolutely had to.

I had the feeling I knew exactly who they all were. Ronan brought his entire family to the fight. They were all here to watch their brothers get vengeance for what I did to Jeremy and what Matt did to Miles all those years ago. I couldn’t even say I really blamed them. Family was family. It was my fault Jeremy was dead.

I couldn’t bring myself to feel remorse as I faced Alyx. Everything he and his brothers put me through those months rushed to the forefront of my mind. They hurt me. Tortured me. Kept me against my will. Not to mention the way Alyx treated me before I even got to their compound and found out who he really was. He didn’t deserve my sympathy.

I needed to put everything I had into this fight. All the months I spent sparring with Alyx prepared me for this moment. I’d never really beaten him in the fight, but I’d have to, today. Only one of us was walking away, and it had to be me. It had to be Matt. I couldn’t accept the alternative. Maybe for me, but never for Matt. He deserved to live. To be happy.

I leaped for Alyx, but he narrowly avoided my outstretched claws. The world narrowed to a single point as I focused on the task at hand. It didn’t matter that the war was going on all around us. It didn’t even matter that Matt was fighting for his life, not ten yards from me. What mattered was putting an end to this.

Alyx dove for me and this time, I wasn’t quite quick enough. His claws darted across the edge of my flank, leaving a few shallow cuts behind. With my healing abilities, they immediately started to close, though the sting of pain still rippled through me. He was fast. Too fast.

My hackles rose, and I snarled low in my throat. He somehow managed to get me on my back, and I kicked at him with my feet, tearing into his belly. He roared in pain and jumped away, giving me just enough space to leap up again.

Nearby, Matt and Ronan were locked in a brutal fight. A sharp grunt of pain sent a ripple of panic through me. Matt staggered into my eyeline, bleeding from the flank. Ronan barely wasted a moment before he darted for Matt again, snarling low in his throat. For the first time, I considered the fact that Matt might be sorely outmatched. Ronan was an Alpha. While Matt was a good fighter, I worried he wouldn’t make it out of this without help.

Panic clawed at my throat, and I just narrowly missed Alyx’s next attack, too distracted by the fight going on beside me. Having Matt fighting for his life so close to me was too distracting. I couldn’t afford to worry about him. Not until I dealt with Alyx.

Still, putting him out of his mind was easier said than done. Every one of my instincts screamed at me to protect him. He was mine. Mine to love. Mine to save. I didn’t know if I could survive having him ripped away from me.

I let out a yelp of surprise as Alyx clamped down on my shoulder, drawing blood. I snapped at his neck, and he shook his head, bringing a howl of pain from me. A large shape darted into view, barreling into Alyx, and forcing him off me.

Matt took Alyx to the ground, his neck in his jaws. A moment later, Alyx’s body went limp. A howl of pain rose behind us, and then Ronan was there. He shoved Matt away from his brother before I could react. Matt howled in pain as Ronan’s claws met his side.

Before I could dart forward to help, another wolf lunged for me. This one was slightly bigger than Alyx. He was joined quickly by a second, identical wolf. The twins. I managed to dart out of the way, but with two of them, there was nowhere for me to go.

I wondered distantly if Noah and Beck would join in, too. They were so young, but that didn’t seem to matter. They were here. Perhaps they were a last resort if either Matt or I managed to get past Ronan and the others.

Kai was here somewhere too. Of that I was certain. He wouldn’t let Ronan out of his sight. I had the feeling that Kai would step in to help before he let Matt hurt his brother.

God, we were so screwed.

My hope was quickly dwindling as Matt let out another yelp. Blood warmed the fur along my sides, and I was panting with exertion. We were pinned down. Outnumbered. The only way out was if someone came to help us, but from what I saw, we just didn’t have the manpower. We’d been shuffled away from our allies, and they were too bogged down to come for us.

Maybe this really was the end.

I remembered what Nina said to me the other day. I still had my powers. Even if I was having trouble accessing them, even if I might end up hurting my allies, I could at least do something to end this fight.

I tried to find it inside me as the twins continued to circle me, looking for a good opening. Something awakened deep inside me, and the ground tingled beneath my feet. The earth was calling to me again, but I needed space. I needed time to focus and really pull from the earth.

Unfortunately, the twins weren’t going to give me that time. Before I could so much as move a pebble, they lunged for me. I braced myself for impact, knowing that I couldn’t hold two of them off.

This was it then. I’d failed, and I was about to die.

I turned my head at the last minute, but the impact never came. Two shots rang out in quick succession and the twins collapsed to the ground.

Jack stood off to the side, breathing heavily. He had a gun in his hands, and he was already turning toward Ronan and Matt.

I followed his gaze, my heart nearly stopping in my chest. Matt was on the ground, bloodied and beaten. Ronan stood over him.

Jack took a step forward and lined up the shot, aiming for Ronan’s head. A large shape darted toward my brother. A big brown wolf that had to be Kai. I lunged forward to intercept him before he could reach Jack, taking him to the ground so hard a yelp of pain escaped my mouth. My leg throbbed, but a moment later, I heard the gunshot.

Kai turned and snapped at me, and I forced myself to focus on him.

A moment later, Jack was there. “You shouldn’t have come for my sister,” he said.

Kai turned his head. He didn’t even look scared, just resigned.

Jack pulled the trigger.