Chapter 6
Anders’s back was breaking. Not literally, but it sure felt that way. At least three wolves were on top of him. When would he learn not to bite off more than he could chew?
But he wasn’t about to let Jed go after Misti. He recognized the stench of the werewolf he hated most of all as soon as Jed had arrived at the battle scene. After all, Misti had been engaged to the Red Nightwalker at one time. Although he hated his father so much that maybe his father topped the list. Talon had that distinction until Anders had killed him, and now he planned on killing the other two.
But Wild Shades had joined the fight just when he had started to gain the upper hand on Jed. He was really getting disgusted with the Wild Shades. Maybe they were all traitors, although from some of the howls they were shrieking at him, hardly audible above the din of the skirmishes around them, they were blaming him for the others that had fallen. Instead of fighting the real enemy, they had turned on him.
Better him than Misti, though.
He dug his claws into the soil and tried to force his way out from the bottom of the heap. It wasn’t easy, and the progress was slow until his claw scratched against a large stone. It wasn’t easy to pick it up with a were paw, so he changed it back to human, just his hand, and he grabbed it, twisting around onto his back as best he could. It left his neck vulnerable to a killing bite, but he refused to give them time for that. He smashed the rock against Jed’s temple. The wolf on top of Jed was snapping with his fangs, trying to shove Jed out of the way to reach Anders’s neck.
Winding up, Anders slammed the rock into the werewolf’s fangs. Two fangs chipped, and one fell out.
That werewolf whimpered, squirming, trying to break free. The tower collapsed, and Anders managed to wiggle his way free. At last. He could finally breathe again.
But his relief was short-lived. There were three Wild Shades after him, not two, although the one with the busted, bleeding mouth was leaving the scene. That still left three, as Jed, despite his broken skin at his temple, stalked toward him, leading the charge against Anders.
His back had to resemble Misti’s now, from the claw marks. Only one gash seemed to be long, and he could feel blood gush from it as he crouched, waiting for the onslaught.
To his surprise, a bundle of fur whizzed by. Misti. Growling and slashing, she was darting to his rescue.
As if he needed to be rescued.
He dashed forward, only one of his legs could hardly support his weight. The tower must have put so much pressure on his back he hadn’t realized the extent of the weight on his leg too.
The pain was excruciating, but it was probably better to feel something versus nothing. He limped along, and gradually, he could walk on it. By now, Jed was advancing toward him, while Misti was engaging the Wild Shades. Jed snarled, and Anders howled back. He wasn’t going to fall to the likes of him.
They met in a clash of fangs and claws. Jed at least seemed a little disoriented from the head wound, but his blows were still strong, and more hit their target than Anders would have liked. He got in as many as he took at least. That wolf was one tough son of a gun, Anders had to admit.
He backed up to avoid Jed’s snapping jaws and tripped over something smooth. A knife. Maybe a Wild Shade had dropped it, or one of the other pack members had lost it, but it was his now. As before, Anders shifted a paw to a hand and jabbed upward just as Jed’s teeth bit into his throat. He stabbed again and again, frantic, wanting Jed to die before he could rip open his throat.
For a moment, both lives hung in the balance.
Then, slowly, oh so slowly, Jed released his deathly vice grip on Anders’s throat and fell backward. His stab wounds were so numerous Anders couldn’t count them all, not that he would have wasted the time to.
Misti had killed one of the Wild Shades by now,and luck was for once on their side since no others had joined the battle. Anders rushed over to her side as swiftly as his injured leg would allow, which, admittedly, wasn’t all that swift at all. Together, they killed the wolf and were showered with blood from the torn throat.
You’re hurt, Misti howled softly.
No worse than you are. It pained him to see just how badly wounded she was. Neither of them would be able to hang on for much longer.
But she was talking to him. Progress. Maybe if he could just explain everything that had happened…
A sharp blow to the back of his head had his vision turning black. It lasted only a second, at least he thought it was only for a short amount of time since Misti had hardly moved when his vision returned. His head ached, and his stomach was churning. Possible concussion.
He twisted around to see his father. A monster of a wolf, he almost didn’t look real.
Are you prepared to die?
Even his father’s howl sounded unnatural.
Not today. He twisted around to stare at Misti. You stay out of this. The last thing he ever wanted to happen was for his father to slay Misti. That alone would kill him.
Anders bared his fangs and prepared for the fight of his very existence.