Page 88 of A Lesson in Obedience
I heard my name but my feet took me in the direction of the front door. I shoved it open, pushing past a few people and looked around, finding Dante still on the phone. I fast-walked over to him, ripping the phone from his hand, throwing it on the ground and shoving my foot down on top of it.
“You’re working with Chancellor Fowler?”
He turned on his heels to face me. “Excuse me?”
I pushed my palms into his chest and grabbed his shirt, pulling him into me. “I didn’t fucking stutter. You’re working with that man and all he’s done is caused so much fucking pain. He knows exactly where Riley is going, doesn’t he?”
Dante took my wrists and squeezed. The amount of strength he had caused me to let go instantly. “Your tone could use some work, kid.” He licked his lips. “ I don’t want any trouble, but he has offered my pack, my wolves much more strength, much more power just for some simple information. How can I pass that up? Mateo is the one that placed them in the perfect position.”
“Is that all any of you care about? Fucking power?” I asked, thinking about my dad and his motivations. “Have you even asked your pack if that’s what they want? They don’t even know what they’re doing, who you’re answering to.”
Dante chuckled, tilting his chin up. “They don’t have to. I keep them safe and out of harm’s way. That is what a leader does, boy. Witches’ business is not my own, whatever they want to do with their own kind is not my problem.” His eyes flicked to a reddish color and he cracked his neck.
I heard the sound of feet on gravel, noticing Grayson and Ike, slowly making their way to me.
“You have no idea what that man is capable of! That power you want, he’s getting that from his own kind. You’d be gaining power that’s been siphoned. It was stolen. I thought wolves had some kind of honor!” Ike yelled over the commotion that was flooding its way outside to the parking lot.
Dante growled over the metal magic user and bared his teeth. “Watch your mouth. You wouldn’t need to worry so much if your sister had just kept her nose out of things. Don’t worry, I’ve been keeping him updated on her as well, especially since she has her witchy fingers in the workings of my bar—” He started to continue on but Ike had reached his hand out and used his powers to rip a hubcap off one of the cars, contorting the metal into the likeness of a fist and punching Dante clear across the face. Some of the skin of his cheek had split.
Dante held the side of his face, while Ike let out harsh breaths. “Anything happens to my sister and I’ll fucking kill you.”
I started to step forward, but Grayson grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to stop as we both watched Dante take in breath after breath. Each exhale started to be guttural and more like a rumble. I had never witnessed a wolf transformation before, but if I had a weaker stomach, I would have vomited with how his back arched in an unnatural way. His fingers elongated and broke. Hair started sprouting from everywhere and the spirals at his head fell away while his head and face morphed more and more into a wolf.
Red eyes stared us down as he thrashed and got on all fours. Sharp teeth glinted from the streetlights and steam came from his nostrils. My hands shook from the way he dragged his claws on theground and the resounding howls that were heard behind us just told me his pack wasn’t about to help us, yet they weren’t going to interfere with their alpha’s business.
Erik told me that girl is his daughter. He wants to protect his family. And I want to help mine. I’ll make sure to tell him you fought valiantly, so he can let her know what a hero you and your friends were.I heard him in my head and then he lunged.
His paws slammed against my chest, sending me back and slamming my body against one of the cars. Grayson started to run over to me, but Dante’s tail swept him back. Grayson stretched out his hand, tendrils of black swiftly wrapped around Dante’s legs. My best friend moved his arm back and the wolf tumbled forward, creating a cloud of dust and debris.
Dante shook it off, snarling at us, drool coming from the sides of his mouth. He ran towards Grayson, getting a dark shadow thrown at his face and he snapped his teeth at it. Ike ripped a bumper from one of the cars, molding it into a moveable metal rope and threw it over towards Dante, lassoing him around the neck. Ike pulled, right before the alpha could catch Grayson with his claws.
I swallowed hating this part of my powers and that I even knew how to use it but I found Dante’s dark mind and pushed on it. His head twisted, red eyes finding mine as he tried to claw at the metal rope around his neck.
Stand down, Dante.
He growled, running his claws into the gravel, pieces flying everywhere. I pushed harder against his head and he whined with the way I put pressure on his mind.
Never.He thought back to me, letting out a howl that rattled the gravel at my feet.
I was about to send more of my powers to him, but a claw sliced right at my side and I flew backwards. I got up on shaky legs, finding purchase on the hood of a car, holding my side and noticing my entire palm coated in blood.
The blow caught Ike off guard and another wolf took his ropebetween their teeth and pulled, sending him flying forward. Grayson threw his hands back and then thrusted them forward, sending massive black wisps around us, which caused the wolf that was darting towards me to lift off the ground and crash back down with a thud.
Dante shook his whole body and licked his teeth.I’ll kill you slowly for trying to make a fool out of me in front of my pack.
A threatening growl came from near the side of the bar. It was possessive and the wolf that appeared only had its eyes on Dante. The alpha huffed and turned so that it was face to face with the other wolf. All the other pack members backed off but stayed alert. The new wolf bared its teeth and Dante didn’t hesitate to run towards it. They got on their hind legs, biting and clawing at one another.
“Is that…” Grayson sighed, struggling to stay on his feet.
“That’s Mateo,” Ike finished, his hands shaking. I noticed the rope burn on his palms.
I watched as Dante pinned Mateo down, snapping his teeth close to their neck. Mateo struggled to get up, their eyes shutting harshly as if Dante was in their head. I wanted to help, but my vision was getting blurry and I needed to maintain some sort of upward balance, so I remained against the car.
“Grayson, do something!” I managed to get out, before coughing.
My best friend created a ball of dark shadows and threw it in Dante’s direction. It hit the wolf in the back of his head and he turned to look at Grayson, his red eyes much darker now.
That was all Mateo needed. They pushed their paws up, throwing Dante off of them. Before the alpha could get his bearings, Mateo ran into him, using their head to flip Dante over, his body skidding across the gravel. Mateo jumped on top of him, licking their canines before devouring the side of Dante’s neck.
