Page 16 of The Alpha's Temptation

CHAPTER 11

LIVIA

Claws slashed through the air,ripping through flesh. In a blur, Caelan tore through the first rogue, snapping one arm, then the other, then tore his ribs right out of his body with his canines. The sound of his cartilage cracking echoed through the forest.

My eyes widened at theglowing crimson blood pooling around him.

Terror built higher and higher and higher inside me, and red clouded my vision for a mere moment. What… What was that? I almost felt like I had right before I killed Elijah in the arena barely twenty minutes ago.

When the second rogue slashed at Caelan’s throat, he ducked low, grabbed his paw with his hand without even shifting, and snapped it. A sickening crunch jolted through my ears, and I squeezed my eyes closed, remembering what it had felt like to shatter Elijah’s spine.

I swallowed hard and stumbled back against a tree.

The third rogue hesitated, his eyes wide, but it was too late. Caelan lunged at him, balled his hands into a tight fist, and hit him so hard it indented his skull. My eyes widened. I had always known that he was strong, but I had never seen him fight.

No, they never let me go into war, nor into battle.

When the corpse hit the ground, I fell to my knees.

The blood… all of that blood was glowing… dripping through the dirt.

I stared at it for a few moments, my vision blurring once more, then I shook my head.

I didn’t know why my body was reacting this way. I wanted to go home, to pray to Lycos that this was all some sort of sick dream. I didn’t want to kill anyone, and now… this feeling… it wasn’t going away.

A layer of sweat covered Caelan’s muscles. His chest rose and fell deeply, his eyes scanning the forest for any more. Gold flecks danced in his irises, his wolf slowly emerging. But for some reason, he kept him down.

My mate was so powerful.

Suddenly, another rogue leapt from the shadows toward me. I whimpered and tried to make myself as small as possible because I didn’t want to feel like this anymore. But before he could land on me, Caelan spun, caught him mid-pounce, and twisted his entire body until each bone in his spine snapped loudly.

I shivered as he landed beside me.

“He’s already called for your head,” Caelan said.

“Who?”

“Alpha Soren of the Whispering Pines Pack.”

My heart raced inside my chest, so loudly that I could hear it in my ears. I opened and closed my mouth a handful of times. Was that why they were suddenly attacking us? Was it true? Had they been sent by Alpha Soren?

“Are you okay?” Caelan asked, his chest rising and falling quickly.

I stared down at the three rogues; no, the three dead corpses. Red streaks covered the forest around us, smearing across thetrees and leaves and even his forearms. I blinked a few times, hoping this feeling would disappear.

“I’m fine,” I said.

He moved his gaze down my body, assessing. Possessive. Then his jaw twitched.

“I’m fine,” I said again, trying to assure myself.

But my throat was dry, and that blood… it was still glowing in my peripheral vision.

Before either of us could say another word, more heavy feet pounded against the forest floor. My stomach dropped. A few dozen figures slid into view about a mile to our north. Some were rogues. Some warriors from the Whispering Pines.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to Caelan, hiding behind him. “I’m so sorry. This is my fault.”

He squared his shoulders, his claws extending. “Stay behind me. Don’t move.”

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