Outnumbered

RORY

Stefan gives the order for his warriors to attack. And like a wave rising above us, his forces leap into the air.

I brace for the crash of teeth and claws, but Everett swoops me up in his arm and jumps.

He jumps so high, for a moment everything feels as if it’s moving in slow motion.

Below me, Ace and Lucius shift. Their clothes burst off them as they sprout fur and release their inner beasts.

They’re outnumbered but they aren’t about to go down without a fight.

Swinging with his free hand, Everett knocks a wolf from his path and lands gracefully by the bottom of the stairs.

“Find someplace to hide,” he says, then turns back to the battle.

“Everett, wait. I need to—”

He can’t hear me over the snarls and barks of Stefan’s pack.

Everett tenses his muscles and lets Chaos free.

Muscles bulging, he bursts free of his clothes, falls to all fours, and his hands become paws with razor-sharp claws.

He snaps his elongated jaw wildly.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Chaos and for a moment it’s hard to catch my breath.

He’s so impressive.

My mate’s wolf is by far the largest in the room.

He lifts his head and howls.

Some of the warriors turn and begin approaching Everett, thick saliva dripping from their curling lips.

With a commanding bark, Everett leaps into battle.

I can’t stand watching as he takes on four, five of Stefan’s forces all at once.

I wish I could fight as well. I wish I could do more.

For a moment I wonder if he’s right. Maybe I should go and hide until the fighting stops. Then I glance across the room.

Stefan and Amber are watching the fight intently.

And beside them is Freya.

The alpha and his mate are so focused on the battle they aren’t paying any attention to my friend.

~Now is my chance!~

As stealthily as I can manage, I sneak behind Stefan and Amber, creeping along the back wall.

Until I reach my friend.

I go to touch her shoulder but she spins, having sensed my presence, and clutches my hand.

“Freya, it’s me, Rory. I know you’re in there.”

Her face remains impassive.

Our actions have drawn the attention of Stefan, who takes one long look at me before speaking.

“Freya, kill your friend.”

“What—?”

Before I know it, Freya is reaching out with both hands, going for my neck.

I try to push her off but wind up stumbling backward, falling hard on my ass.

~Stupid clumsy curse!~

Freya kneels in front of me and grabs the collar of my shirt. She pulls back her fist before slamming it into my face.

I reel back. Black dots swim across my vision.

“Freya, stop!” I shout, tasting blood.

“Kill…,” she says, landing another punch. I hear a cracking sound as her fist connects with my cheekbone and I cry out in pain.

It’s no use trying to reach her. My friend is too far gone, too buried underneath Stefan’s mind control.

She’s going to do everything she can to fulfill her master’s wishes.

But I’m not completely hopeless. I’ve been training with the wolves—getting stronger.

As Freya goes to land another punch I tumble backward, throwing my legs up and twisting them around her neck.

I have her securely trapped between my thighs. Her hands are pulling at my ankles as her face turns red.

Freya cries out and I see my opportunity. If I can just get my hands on her head I can heal her.

I release my legs and swing around, reaching out. But I’m too slow. Freya knocks me aside, and I hit the ground hard. The wind is knocked out of me.

Before I can recover, she is on top of me. Pinning me down and attempting to wrap her hands around my throat.

I struggle. I call out and try to push her off. I slap at her hands. But she’s stronger than me.

Her hands grasp my throat and squeeze. Blood rushes to my head, unable to flow away, and I gasp for breath.

“Kill!” she says one more time, leaning down so she can say it right in my face. It’s just the chance I need!

I take her head in both of my hands and focus. I can feel myself on the verge of passing out but I need to try.

With my eyes closed, I let my power reach out into Freya’s mind. I connect with her subconscious and there I can see the darkness.

It’s immense and determined. But I begin to extract it.

I pull with all of my willpower. Slowly, and reluctantly, the darkness begins to flow from Freya into me.

My mind is flooded with hatred. Negative thoughts consume my thoughts.

I scream, releasing the pent-up anger, all of the trauma from my life.

I take the toxin from Freya and I consume it.

Then, before it consumes me, I start to eradicate it from my own body. My power flows up from my toes, through my legs and my chest—cleansing my heart and my mind.

Freya’s fingers relax, slipping away from my neck, and I gulp for air. My lungs expand and I feel the oxygen returning to my brain.

“Freya, is that you?” I ask.

My friend remains on top of me. Her eyes are white again, but they’re wild and afraid. She’s quivering.

I run a hand down her cheek.

“Is it me?” she asks. “Am I…back?”

“You’re back,” I sob.

“Rory…Rory…you saved me!”

We both sit up and hug each other as tears stream down our faces.

“Thank you,” she says.

“I’m sorry I let this happen to you,” I say, holding her against my chest.

“What? This isn’t your fault.”

“If I hadn’t brought you to the pack, if I hadn’t…”

“Rory,” she reaches out and wipes away a tear. “I wanted to come to the pack. You just saved my life—again.”

“I’m just so glad you’re alright.”

I hug her again, but our moment is quickly interrupted by the sounds of the ongoing battle behind us.

I’m relieved to see Ace, Lucius, and Everett are still standing. They’re fighting like crazy.

But Stefan’s troops are closing in.

And it doesn’t look good.

EVERETT

I growl as the Red Moon warriors close ranks around me, Ace, and Lucius.

All three of us are covered in scrapes. Ace has a deep gash in his neck, while Lucius is bleeding from his hind leg.

One particularly speedy wolf managed to scratch at my abdomen but was unable to draw blood before I tossed him away.

Now they have us cornered. My men are huffing, their bodies ready to collapse. But I trust these men and I know neither of them will give up.

Stefan and Amber are watching on with glee. They’re fully expecting to see me torn to shreds and they can’t wait.

They might as well be chomping on popcorn!

I breathe a sigh of relief as I see Rory and Freya hugging just behind them. My amazing mate has managed to save her friend.

Now we just have to escape this pack.

I’ll fight until I’m dead to save Rory.

My eyes flicker back to Amber.

It was a complete surprise to learn that she and Stefan were mates. But maybe it’s a surprise that we can use it to our advantage.

I grunt in Ace’s direction and growl at Lucius, communicating my freshly made plan.

~This might not work, but it’s our only way.~

On my signal, they pounce, drawing the warriors to them, creating a path for me to reach Amber.

In a single bound, I’m on top of her, my paws pressing down on her shoulders. She doesn’t have time to shift and Stefan doesn’t have time to react.

I grunt and snarl at him, lowering my teeth closer to Amber’s neck.

I’m playing a deadly game of chicken, but I’m betting even a wolf as messed up as Stefan couldn’t bear to see his mate harmed.

“STOP!” Stefan bellows, commanding his troops. They freeze and back away, giving Ace and Lucius some space. “Don’t hurt her, Everett.”

I gesture with my muzzle, telling Rory to take Freya and run. She understands and takes her friend by the hand.

They run to the doors, joined by Ace and Lucius, who form a defensive barrier around them.

“You can’t escape,” Stefan says. “The second you let go my men will kill you, and your mate, and her little human friend.”

I’ve had enough. I don’t want to take Amber’s life, but I will if it means saving Rory.

I open my mouth and am about to bite down when Stefan calls out again.

“Alright!” he says. “Leave her and we will let you go.”

I eye him suspiciously but back away. Amber crawls backward until she hits the wall.

When I reach Rory and the others, I finally feel myself relax a little. We’ve made it out alive, we’ve saved Freya.

I gesture for everyone to leave but am interrupted by a scream. Spinning, I find Stefan dragging a knife across the palm of his hand.

“I challenge you, alpha!” he roars, letting blood spill from his palm. “I challenge you to a blood duel!”

***

“Don’t do this, Everett,” Rory pleads as I fasten my jeans. We’re standing back by my truck.

Just a short distance away, the wolves of the Red Moon Pack are gathering in front of their packhouse. Stefan is there waiting to fight.

“I have to,” I say.

Ace and Lucius have their backup clothes on and are lingering at a distance. Freya is sitting in their truck looking out at us anxiously.

“Why?” Rory asks.

“Stefan has challenged me to a blood duel,” I say. “There is no getting out of it.”

Rory bites her trembling lip, trying to hold her tears in.

“I don’t understand.”

“A blood duel is a sacred battle between alphas. Once it is issued, it is a great dishonor not to accept. Two alphas battle each other for power over both of their packs. Only one walks away.”

“We’ve already won,” Rory says. “We were about to leave with Freya!”

“We have no idea how much of that toxin Stefan still has. In a way, he’s done us a favor by challenging me. If I win, I will become the alpha of both his pack and ours.”

I take Rory’s hands and lean down, resting my forehead on hers.

“If I can snuff out any evidence of their mind-controlling—it will be worth it. And hopefully, this way, I will save both of our packs a great deal of bloodshed.”

“We could tell the other alphas. They’d have him arrested.”

“It’s too late for that. The challenge is an ancient custom of our people. I would dishonor my bloodline if I didn’t fight.”

I lean a little lower and press my lips to Rory’s. She returns my kiss like it could be our last.

“I need to ask you one last favor, my little mate,” I say, taking a deep breath. “The only way I lose is if Stefan kills me. If that happens, I don’t want you to bring me back.”

She lifts a hand to her parted lips.

“What? That’s crazy!”

“It’s part of the agreement. A blood duel is a fight to the death. There is no getting around that.”

She holds her head in her hands, trying to process this information.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” she says. “Why do I have this power if not to save you?”

“There are others you need to take care of besides me.”

“No, this is dumb. Screw your customs, screw your traditions. I’m not losing you!”

“I would be disgraced!” I snap. “You, Ophelia, the entire pack would be shamed! You must agree to this.”

Her face crumbles, and her shoulders drop.

“I don’t think I can,” she mumbles.

“You cannot revive me, Rory.”

She shakes her head, whimpering, “No, no, no…”

“Will you promise me?” I ask. “If I die, you won’t bring me back to life?”