Page 35 of Devotion

I was fast, but not quite fast enough.

The one at my front wasn’t a match for me and I quicklyknocked him away, sending him straight into a tree with a loud crack. But the second, that one got its teeth into my bicep, claws raking down my side.

A soft hiss left me, but it was more instinct than a genuine reaction. My Berserker blood kept me from feeling any pain.

After watching Kingston train with his alphas, I already knew what to expect. These wolves would leave no quarter, meaning I was prepared when the next two jumped forward. One went for my shin, while the other came straight for my face. I ducked, letting muscle memory take over as I spun toward the wolf at my feet. The first sailed over my head, but the other suffered a far less merciful fate.

Hands outstretched, I intercepted his bared muzzle, blood sliding down my fingers as razor-sharp fangs tore through my flesh. But I didn’t let go. I held his jaws open with both hands, refusing to let him bite down.

With a furious bellow, I used all the strength at my disposal to force the two sections well beyond what was naturally possible, not stopping until I heard the telltale crack of breaking bone. Dropping the wolf to the forest floor, I watched him twitch until he finally stopped.

Breaths coming in heaving gasps, I shot my gaze to the remaining wolves.

“Who’s next?”

As predicted, they turned tail and ran, leaving their fallen comrade where he was.

“Good riddance,” I grumbled, bloodlust and adrenaline already fading.

I noted where I was in the woods, already knowing I’d have to bring Kingston back here so he could identify the body.

I could hear Kingston’s response to this clear as day inmy thoughts. “Well done, Alek. There’s already enough discord in the pack, and now we’ve got a dead body and no witnesses.”

I’d had no other choice. It had been kill or be killed.

“Fuck.”

Regret wasn’t something I felt easily, and I didn’t feel it now, truth be told. But I wasn’t looking forward to the backlash this would cause. Or how it would add to the growing unrest. The last thing I wanted to do was bring more complications our way. This was supposed to be our happy ending.

Blood ran down my arm, dripping onto the freshly fallen snow as I made my way out of the woods and toward the sanctuary of our home. Sunday would be worried if she saw me like this. Perhaps I could get inside and tend to my injuries before she found me. Save her the unnecessary stress of knowing one of her mates was hurt.

I was already taking inventory of the various cuts and scrapes on my body when I noticed the light still blazing in the window. I just couldn’t catch a break. Not only did I not get the homecoming I’d hoped for, but now I wasn’t going to be able to sneak my way in unseen.

With deliberate care, I opened the door and crept inside, listening for any hint Sunday was still awake. The only sign of her in the living room was the book lying face down on the end table and the blazing lamp.

I’d just blown out a relieved breath when Thorne’s voice had me spinning around, fist flying.

“Jesus Christ, Alek. Is that anyway to greet me?”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me, vampire?”

“I didn’t. I simply walked through the bloody door, and there you were, standing like a statue. Are you bleeding?”

I glanced down my arm and at the puddle of blood glistening on the hardwood flooring. “It’s just a flesh wound.”

“Sure it is.” He leaned forward and carefully pulled a bit of broken fang out of the bite wound. “And what’s this, then? A souvenir?”

“Of course. I was saving it for later.”

“Was it a gift for Sunday?”

“That is the Berserker way.”

Thorne and I shared a laugh.

Sunday’s gasp pulled us both from our conversation as she rushed up to me. “Alek? You’re back. Why are you bleeding? What happened?” Her hands fluttered over me, searching for every injury I’d sustained.

“Hey, the Viking has returned. How nice.” This from Kingston who’d come from the direction of his bedroom. He came up behind Sunny and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Sunshine, I woke up and you weren’t there. You okay?”

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