Blood

LAKE

Lynne’s hackles stand straight up as she snarls at the pathetic female in front of us. Coal and Lucy have Lucas and Blissful under control. They know not to interfere.

Morana shifts into a medium-sized brown wolf. She’s about the same size as Lynne but isn’t as impressive. The female returns our snarl.

Lynne is first to kick off the laminate flooring. We catch Morana’s wolf off guard with our speed. I can feel Lynne’s excitement building.

Morana’s wolf desperately claws, bites—anything to get my wolf off her. She manages to land a right hook on Lynne’s left cheek.

Lynne grows into a fury. She pulls Morana’s wolf to the floor by the scruff of her neck. Morana’s wolf swipes her large paws up at us as Lynne tears into the wolf’s face.

I can feel the bones and muscles breaking off. Morana’s wolf whimpers desperately for her mate, who won’t be coming.

Lynne continues to break each leg. She tears Morana’s tail clean off, and right after that, her ears. Morana’s rib cage is the last thing to be crushed before Lynne finally tears this female’s throat right out.

By the time Lynne is done, Morana is a mangled mess on the floor. She’s barely recognizable, and my wolf couldn’t be more satisfied.

“No!” Lucas cries. “No! You didn’t!”

Coal releases Lucas, who begins to charge at me full speed. He shifts into his brown wolf as well. Just before Lynne gets into her ready position, Drax bulldozes over Lucas’s wolf.

He’s quick about his kill as he tears through Lucas and his wolf. Lynne watches lovingly as our mate goes insane, protecting us.

“Moonlight, are you okay?” Jake rushes to me.

“I’m…fine,” I reply uncomfortably. Just seconds ago, Jake smelled exactly like Derrick’s scent to Lynne. She must have mistaken him for Derrick.

“Thank Goddess.” Jake tries to bring me in for a hug, but I refuse. Something seems off right now.

“Jake, how did you get here?”

Jake laughs nervously at the question. His scent smells of death and decay suddenly. It hits me.

“Get away—”

Before I can relay the message, Jake grabs my mouth and pulls my back to his chest. Lynne is scratching at the surface again but can’t force a shift.

“Lake!” Lucy exclaims. “Jake, let her go!”

Drax stops tearing into Lucas and turns his full attention to me. Blood drips from his canines and the fur surrounding his muzzle. His teeth are bare as his lips curl up to show his gums.

“I wouldn’t do anything, Drax.” Blissful smiles. “A snap of my finger, and that female of yours is gone.”

Lucy and Coal slam to the ground. I hear the sickening crack of bones as they land. Blissful curtsies to Coal and his efforts.

“It’s not nice to treat a lady like me in such a manner, Coal Layfield.” Blissful summons her staff from the other side of the room. It flies through the air and lands in her palm.

“How did you—”

“Moonlight, you really are too gullible,” Jake says simply. “Even your mate here bought the story of you having two mates.”

Drax growls loudly, attempting a warning. Jake can’t seem to help but laugh. Rage surges through me. I can feel my muscles tensing.

“Lucas and Morana were simple pawns, and I let them believe they were in control,” Jake scoffs.

“To think they’d actually let Blissful break the bond between the two of you is something I didn’t see coming.”

I feel my canines emerge and my claws start to extend as Blissful starts to constrain my mate to the floor. Drax is whining from his pain, and my stomach fills with bloodlust.

“It just makes things go way smoother,” Blissful states.

“I’m so done with this!” I yell. Before anyone can blink, I flip Jake over onto the floor. The laminate flooring cracks beneath him.

“I’m not your fucking toy!” I growl. Blissful tries her restraint on me but is unsuccessful. Jake coughs for air at my feet.

“You fucking bitch—”

I slam my foot over Jake’s mouth. I feel his jaw fall out of place, and it makes my heart race with satisfaction. Blissful screams and hoists my body into the air.

“I wouldn’t do that,” I lecture. My mate gets his bearings and tackles Blissful to the floor, his giant paw over her chest.

“It seems your magic is great, but it can only be focused strongly on three people.” I roll my eyes and smile. “Some witch you are.”

“Lake…please…” Jake’s jaw unfortunately healed by the time Blissful is subdued.

“No!” I growl. “Why?! Why couldn’t either of you leave well enough alone?! Why curse me?!”

“You had no mate!” Jake argues. His gray eyes fill with tears, and he gathers himself on his knees.

“I wanted to fulfill that—”

I kick him away as he makes a move to hold my legs. My blood is surging through me with a purpose. Something is changing inside me.

“You’re too late!” Blissful cackles. “This girl is done for!”

“Lake!” Lucy calls. She and Coal struggle to stand, supporting each other. “Don’t!”

My eyes shift back to Jake’s pathetic form on the floor. I can smell his blood through the air. I can smell how much chaos and pain he’s caused.

“I don’t know who else you’ve hurt.” I bend down and hold Jake’s throat. He struggles for air. “But the cycle stops here.”

My mate and everyone else watch in horror as my upper canines extend and sink into the side of Jake’s neck.