Page 52 of Forbidden Wolf

Levi

This was a fight for the leadership of our pack. All wolves on the base had gathered into the large open entrance hall to watch me challenge our alpha Stefan. He refused to believe the hellspawn threat and I needed the lycan authorities to recognise it. Only then would they consider brokering a peace with the vampires.

When Tasha had broken in front of me, all my priorities had changed. She’d tried to be brave as we left the waterfall, but I saw her soul shattering behind her eyes. Fuck ten years’ time, and their war. That master hellspawn had to die and to do that I needed to be in charge of this base.

Every muscle in my body quivered in anticipation of spilt blood. My hackles rose and ears twitched, as my neck stretched back. My vision lightened, meaning my eyes were glowing. The fate of my team rested in my paws because they backed me at the challenge.

I briefly closed my eyes and let all my wolf senses extend around me. Mentally, I took a step back because my human conscience would never let me kill another lycan. My wolf had no issue eradicating anything standing in the way of finding his mate.

My wolf released a ferocious growl, his claws extending fully to dig into the ground. My gums hurt when my canines sharpened.

Stefan and I launched ourselves into the fight at the same time, our powerful front legs grabbing hold, our teeth bared at each other’s throats. He was strong, his legs contracting to try and struggle me to the ground first.

My wolf dug deep into my strength to combine it with his, harnessing our unique connection. My paws changed shape into more humanoid fingers to allow me to grasp hold of Stefan in a way a wolf never could. He tried to escape, panic flaring in his eyes. My back-leg muscles bunched, and I leapt up and contorted my body around to use my superior weight to throw him onto his back.

Stefan’s wolf snarled, his top lip lifting as he launched himself at me in another attack. I ducked and rolled onto my back, my claws trailing down his side. He yelped and scrabbled on the ground, stumbling onto his side as he spun to face me. My body was covered in bruises and cuts from the fight, and my energy was dangerously low, but my wolf was in full control.

Promotion wasn’t given in the lycan ranks—it was taken. Right now, I had to defeat the man who’d been in charge of our base for decades or die in the attempt.

For six long fucking months we’d searched out there, capturing hellspawn and studying them. Stefan was the obstacle in my way to the next phase of my plan and I was currently annihilating everything in my path. If I had to tear the throat out of everyone keeping me from Tasha, then I would do it.

“Yield,” I said in the raspy tone of my wolf. “You don’t have to die.”

Stefan widened his mouth to show all of his teeth in a demented wolfy smile. “The only way you will take my command is from my dead claws.”

So be it.

There was fear in the depths of his eyes because everyone in this room knew I had fought tooth and claw the past few months to work my way up the chain of command.

My vision consisted of nothing but Stefan and the fight. His pulse thrummed in my ears, his heart beating rapidly. My claws sliced deep into his flesh as my teeth tore at his throat. My humanity shrivelled inside me even as my wolf rejoiced, his victorious howl resounding in my head.

Two halves of an imperfect whole. He thirsted for the kill while I strived for diplomacy. There were days, I fucking hated my existence, and today was one of those days. Stefan struggled less and less, his vital life blood leaking all over the floor. I was a monster, a creature of darkness, hence the colour of my pelt.

Every pack feared the day a black wolf would emerge. I was that abomination, and today I felt like it.

Stefan whimpered and I stepped back, nodding to the medics to intervene. There had been enough death and although Stefan would hate me for letting him live, there was only so much blood I could stain my soul with.

My wolf fought against me, snarling and wanting to finish what he’d started.

Radar hurried the medics to take the injured wolf from the room and tried to usher the witnesses out as well. He’d been with me long enough to know what was happening.

I fought to transform, take back control of my body even while my wolf dug his nails in and refused to let me. In his mind a contest resulted in death. Stefan had to die for him to be victor.

A scream tore from my throat, agony rippling down my spine as I forced my transformation.

“No,” he growled, shaking his head as he tried to remain the dominate half.

Radar carried wolfsbane for an eventuality like this. It would knock me off my feet for a few days but put me back in control.

We can’t help Tasha if we’re lying in fucking bed,I screamed in my head.

My wolf stilled, the tips of his ears twitching. My flesh quivered as we both wrestled for control. I sensed as he debated what I’d said. That was the difference between man and beast. I controlled my emotions and how much I missed her. He wanted to break free and run until he found her.

Eventually, he relented, and I felt my fur transform into skin, my canines retracting, and my paws become hands.

Radar crouched beside my trembling body hunched over on the ground. “You okay, Levi?”

I shook my head. “He’s becoming wild and uncontrollable.”

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