With a series of barks, Raelyn's wolf breaks through her skins. One jump and she stands next to Dante. A mated couple—a future Alpha and his Luna—joint to face the enemy that could take it all away from them. If she were any wolf other than Raelyn, I'd admire her guts.

When the implications of her action settle in, my breath catches. Fuck, she just entered the Trials as an Alpha born of this pack. My sister won't have a choice but fight her to her death. Though the rules are unclear on contestants that are late to the game. She didn't take part in the hunt. Does that imply she already forfeited her birthright?

"Hell, get her out of there, Kendrick."

My gaze flicks to Andrenior. "How?"

"I dunno. Just do something."

Raelyn and Dante are closing in on Cassum. Their growls can be heard from across the field.

I squint at Andrenior. "Why do you even care?"

He and Rikka exchange a glance. She nods.

"We believe Raelyn might be connected to the magical world. If that's the case and she is killed, the Sentinels will declare open hunting season on any werewolf on this continent."

"Connected how?"

"Not sure yet. Now do something before it's too late."

My focus returns to the fighting wolves. Cassum crouches low in an attack position. "I can't intervene without declaring war."

Andrenior's forehead wrinkles. "What if we physically separate Raelyn from the others?"

"That might work, but how are you gonna do that?" She stands so close to Dante that their shoulders almost touch.

Andrenior goes down on one knee and places his left hand on the ground. Mumbled words mix with the breath of the wind. The ground vibrates between his spread-out fingers.

Rumbling. Shifting. Tearing.

Fuck, he's causing an earthquake.

A rock explodes, sending clouds of pebbles and dust toward the fighting wolves.

"Get ready," Andrenior shouts.

Shit. I shift midair and start running across the clearing. With a loud crack, the ground rips open at the same speed as my pounding paws win ground. My gaze is fixed on Raelyn. Her wolf stares at the growing fault racing toward her. For one beat, I fear she will fall right into the deep crack, but she jumps sideways, away from Dante, just as the ground splits underneath her. I grab her by the scruff of the neck before she can leap to rejoin the two fighters, dragging her with me until I reach the tree line. There, I stare her wolf down until she rolls on her back, whimpering, her tail tucked firmly between her legs. Raelyn's skins manage to regain control.

I cradle her shivering body in my arms. Her hot tears burn on my bare chest.

"I'm sorry. My wolf took over."

"It's okay. I got you." I glance over my shoulder at the clearing. The ground is smooth without a single dust particle left in the air. It's as if the earthquake never happened. Andrenior got some funky skills. If it will be enough to take Raelyn back out of the Trial challenge is yet to be seen.

Cassum and Dante regain their fighting positions. When my sister's snapping teeth nick Dante's ear, Raelyn whines. I press my thumb on her mate mark. It's pulsing.

With a roar, the two fighting wolves rise on their hindlegs, their bodies crashing together. Dante falls on his back and my sister seizes the opportunity to rip into his flank. His howling yell stirs an uproar in Raelyn. Her wolf is trying to break to the surface; I tighten my grip to calm her.

"It hurts," she mumbles.

I stare down at her shaking body. I've heard of protective wolves who defended their mates to their death, but feeling the other's pain? That's not supposed to happen, especially since they aren't even true mates.

"Lara." She reaches for something in the air.

Dante is back to his feet; when Cassum goes for his hindleg, he barely avoids her strong jaw.

"Lara." Raelyn struggles in my arms, trying to sit up. Both her hands grab empty air.

"Who's Lara?"

"Dante's true mate. She wants him to join her in the afterlife. Don't you see her? She's right there."

I squint at the spot she's pointing at. "Raelyn, there's no one."

Raelyn rears up, crying out. Tears roll down the sides of her cheeks. I refocus on the fighters. Cassum has taken a good chunk out of Dante's shoulder. He's limping away.

When Raelyn groans, I brush my fingers over her forehead. She's burning up.

Fuck, what should I do?

She's dying along with Dante right in my arms.

Cradling her close to my chest, I dart back across the field to where I left the warlocks. No one pays attention to us; they are all focused on the fight. When my sister slashes across Dante's ribcage, Raelyn spasms.

I set her right at Andrenior's feet. "Do something."

He stares at her with narrow eyes. "What's wrong with her?"

"No clue." I drop to my knees, freeing her face from strands of hair that stick to her skin. She is flushed and sweaty; yet, her whole body is one shiver, her teeth chattering as if she were frozen solid on the inside.

Andrenior strokes her forehead, mumbled words spoken like whispers of the wind. Raelyn sobs in pain. Joints pop out of their sockets as her wolf battles for dominance.

"Lara, no." Her eyes cloud over, the gray changing to ebony.

"Who is she talking to?" Andrenior asks.

"Dante's true mate. I think she's dead."

Fur rips through Raelyn's skin. It's not her usual gray color but a tawny-brown.

"She's connected to this Lara in the spirit world." Rikka squats next to me and helps me hold Raelyn down. "You need to break the link, Andrenior."

"And how am I supposed to do that? I'm not a Caomhnóir."

Raelyn struggles in my grip. Fangs exposed, she snaps at Rikka. When her teeth delve into my lower arm, I can barely hold on.

Dante's yowl slices the air. It's filled with agony—the cry of a dying wolf.

Raelyn's eyes roll back in her head. Her nature fights so hard that it takes all my strength to keep her on her back. The mate mark has blackened as if someone scorched it with fire.

"Hell, do something, Andrenior." Rikka's voice is filled with panic. "That creature from the afterlife is taking over her body."

The young warlock pulls out a knife and makes an incision in his palm. Blood dribbles on Raelyn's forehead. He smears it around in some sort of sign. Raelyn's—or is it Lara's—wolf retreats. Another wave of spasms rips through Raelyn's body, blood trickling from her nose.

"We are losing her." Andrenior cups his hands around the sides of her face as if trying to keep her head from bursting open. Tears and sweat glisten on every part of her skin.

With Cassum's howl, Raelyn stills.

Fuck. Is she dead?

I search the side of her throat for a pulse and lean closer to check for her breath. Both are weak but grow stronger as the mate mark fades. Her eyes regain their focus.

"What happened?"

Question of the century? I glance over at the gathered pack. Dante's bloody and broken body lies lifelessly in front of the Alpha. Cassum, in her skins, has her hand raised toward the sky, holding Dante's heart. She won the challenge, but the big fight is yet to come.

"Dante is dead."

"For real?" Relief replaces the tension on Raelyn's face. "And Cassum?"

She limps a little and her back is scratched up, but otherwise, the damage seems minor. "She's getting ready to fight the Alpha."

"I want to see."

With my help, she sits up and Rikka pulls her to her feet. I cradle her from behind. If the Alpha determines that Raelyn should fight Cassum for entering the Trials, now would be the time.

When the Alpha shifts, my fear proves unfounded. Cassum's wolf doesn't match his height or physique; next to him, she looks like a pup. I bite my lip. Did she call for Trials too early or will her strenuous training pay off? In hindsight, I should've persuaded her to wait another year.

The two fighters circle each other. I sense my sister's reluctance to attack first; it's the natural instinct of a wolf to bow to an Alpha. When I faced my father, my front legs kept buckling. I was so used of showing him my submissiveness that I had to push hard just to defend myself.

The Alpha's teeth tear into Cassum's shoulder. It's the wake-up call she needs. With a snarl, she frees herself from his grip, immediately ramming her snout into his side to gain some breathing space. With the swoop of her paw, she rips open his back; his roar is confirmation that he's mad as fuck. When he turns to stare her down, his stance is firm without a sign of pain.

Cassum falls back to let him approach. Just as he leaps forward, she steps sideways and he crashes onto his stomach. I grin. Not only did it look funny, but I know her strategy. Those types of moves tier the opponent out.

The game continues a few more times before he groks the concept. His next attack is quick and catches my sister off guard. When the Alpha rips into her hindleg, she howls. With his jaw locked, he shakes his head, growling. My wolf stirs; he wants to come out and help Cassum. I keep him contained. This is her battle.

The Alpha gets a few more good bites in before my sister is back to her feet. When she shakes out her fur, blood droplets pelt on the closest bystanders. She snarls, gums exposed. I know that look; she's just getting started.

She mounts him from the front to restrict his movements, her strong jaw taking a good chunk out of his shoulder. He tosses her off, staggering as if he were dizzy. The moment of weakness is short lived. With a growl, he charges at my sister who takes flight. A few rounds in circles get them both panting. Their snapping teeth are losing their power. Now it comes down to endurance and agility.

The Alpha crouches low, his tail wagging high in confidence as if he can smell victory. His arrogance will be his biggest downfall. Even after this fight—after he saw Cassum kill his son—he still doesn't seem to take her seriously. A female doesn't constitute a threat. It's something most packs ingrain into their male pups from birth, and leveraging this stereotype has always made my pack stand out in battle. When it comes down to the wire, female teeth are just as sharp as the ones of the males.

Another fast attack and Cassum is on her back. The Alpha's fangs glisten as he raises his snout. He prepares for the kill bite. I hold my breath. This is it. For the last three months, I've practiced this move with her every single day.

As he dives down to drink from her vein of life, she rolls up her shoulder. It takes the brunt of the bite. At the same time, her teeth go for his throat.

Exposed. Unguarded. Vulnerable.

Blood gushes from the wound. The Alpha rears up. His yelp reflects his pain. His surprise. His anger. He loses his strength fast. Tossing him on his back is an easy feat for Cassum. Her sharp canines tear into his throat once again.

Slicing. Shaking. Tearing.

She doesn't stop until the jerking body of her opponent stills underneath her. As the last of her mate's elixir of life seeps into the ground, a horrific wail springs from the Luna's mouth. Stunned faces all around; the gathered wolves likely never expected their leader to fail.

Cassum's chest rumbles. She stares down the members of her pack.

Bold. Powerful. Determined.

She demands respect and obedience. One by one, the wolves take a knee. Cassum's growls turn into a loud howl rising up over the clearing and rolling across the forest. It signals to all the surrounding territories that a new leader has taken charge. It's the proud call of a new Alpha.

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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