by Arizona Tape
“Of course, not. House D’Ors is challenging us. I’ll be facing...” An evil grin spread across her face. “Your wife.”
“No!” I called, my voice breaking. This was exactly what I was trying to avoid.
“Love,” Danny gently touched my arm, hoping to calm me down.
“Not happening!” I protested loudly, shrugging Danny’s hand away. There was no way I’d let her fight for me.
“Rules are rules, my son. Either she faces me in the trial, or I’ll have to request you and your companions leave this castle at once.”
Another murmur ran through the crowd and I could tell the villagers were getting rowdy. This was certainly not what they expected, but they were clearly enjoying the show.
“We’ll g—”
“I’ll take you on!” Danny interrupted, silencing everyone at once.
“Perfect, my dear!” Mother exclaimed, clapping her hands happily. “Let’s prepare!”
I spun around and glared at my wife. “Don’t you dare,” I growled lowly, hoping nobody could hear us.
“You’re too weak to fight.”
“I’m fine.”
My redhead clacked her tongue disapprovingly and cupped my face. “You heard her. It’s custom. I’ll be okay.”
“You don’t understand, she’s insane,” I countered, desperation cracking my voice. I couldn’t let Danny fight her. She didn’t know what she was going up against. Mother was easily as crazy as Chesca.
“Love, I’ll be okay. This is for you.”
“But...”
Darren stepped in, blocking her way to the ring. “I agree with Regan. You’re not fighting her. I know crazy when I see it.”
“Move, Darren,” she whispered, pushing against his chest. But he wouldn’t budge.
“JP?” I begged, hoping he’d step in and convince our girl that this was madness.
The tall man placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder, grabbing her attention. “S-She is l-lefthanded. P-Protect with your right, strike with l-left.”
“JP!” That was not the advice I wanted him to give.
“Danny will do j-just fine,” he muttered, ushering my redhead to the front of the room. Angered, I tried to run after her, but pain shot through my leg.
“Ashleigh?” I tried, hoping she could knock some sense into her best friend’s head. “Ashleigh?”
No use. The dark-haired woman was already running by Danny’s side, chattering in her ear. What was wrong with these people? Why would they voluntarily go up against Mother?
An arm clamped itself around my shoulder, straightening my posture. “She’s doing it for you.”
Grateful, I leaned on Aspen, glad he didn’t seem to be suffering as much from the episode as I was.
“Mother is insane.”
“Danny has dealt with insane her whole life. She’ll be okay.”
I pointed at his cramped hand. “I’m sorry.”
My friend shrugged. “It happens, not your fault. Now let’s move. Danny will need all of your support.”
With a nod, Aspen and I shuffled behind the rest of our friends. As much as I hated to admit it, my body was already giving out. Whereas Danny was buzzing with energy. If only her shift wasn’t this temperamental. If her wolf decided to come out during the battle, it could well be the end.
“You okay?” Danny asked again, baffling me once more. Instead of worrying about herself and the opponent she was about to face, she was making sure I was alright.
I nodded and I pulled my wife against me, wrapping my hand around the same place the ribbon had been. “Please be careful.”
“Always,” she whispered, gently stroking the side of my face.
“Come back to me,” I begged, a lump appearing in my throat. If only I was in better shape. I’d have held her back.
“I’ll always return to you, Regan.”
I pressed my lips on hers, hoping to share the breath stuck in my chest with her. Gingerly, she curled up against me. Together with a warmth, an ominous feeling spread through my chest. This wasn’t going to end well. Maybe we should just leave, while we still could.
“Danny...”
“We’re not going. I’m winning this for you.”
I pulled my mate against me, catching her eyes. “This is dangerous. She’s an Alpha. She can shift.”
Danny wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed me a soft kiss. “I know... But I can shift too.”
“Not on will,” I disagreed, silently begging her to not go through with this. I couldn’t let Danny fight my battles.
“I’ll make it happen. My wolf won’t let us down,” she murmured against me, gently drawing circles on my chest.
“But what if...”
“No what ifs. We need to do this. There’s no other way. If we’re going to stop Chesca from hunting us, we need to unite the wolf clans. We have no other choice.”
I sighed, realising how much being home was actually weighing on me. “I know.”
My mate captured my lips, her familiar scent reassuring. “I will fight your mother. And I will win.”
“But...”
“No buts. Trust in me.”
“I do. It’s her I don’t trust.”
Danny smiled that one smile that always turned my stomach upside down. “I’ll be okay.”
“I love you,” I whispered, not sure why I was telling her. She knew. She knew with every fibre of her being exactly how much I loved her.
“I’ll see you after,” she grinned, kissing me softly. And with that, she slid through my fingers and danced towards the ring.
“Ready,” she exclaimed, throwing her red hair over her shoulder. Just like she always did. Dread settled in my stomach and I had the insistent urge to call her back. Something bad was going to happen, I just knew it.
Two hands found my shoulders.
“Stay back.”
“S-She’ll do fine. D-Don’t distract her.”
The two men placed each a hand on my shoulder, knowing nothing apart from them could hold me back. Pain or not, if Danny needed me, I’d be there to help. To hell with the rules. Everyone and everything could go to hell when it came to protecting Danny.
Chapter Six - Wolves that Bind
Wolves that bind. That was how my grandfather always called the special bond between two mates. And now I understood. I could feel every wisp of tension, every flick of stress coursing through Danny’s veins. The strain of her muscles, the excitement building in her chest, the fear paralysing her thoughts. The same things she always felt before battle.
Mother stepped into the ring, the necklace hanging demonstratively around her chest. I felt my wolf whine from the familiar magic surrounding her. Yes, she definitely bonded with it. But that was no surprise. The magic inside the amulet knew no loyalty. It only listened to the loudest wolf and there was no competing against Mother’s Wolf.
“Ready for your end, little girl?” Mother sneered, her power already surging through the crowd. I could feel it, the same aura that haunted my childhood nightmares. Once she started, there was no stopping her. We were all in for a wake-up call.
I glanced at my friends, hoping they were ready to experience the command of an Alpha. Compared to Aspen’s spats here and there, or even the grip he had me in earlier, Mother’s beast was out of our league. All we could hope for was that her Alpha was still rusty and dormant from being asleep in her chest for the last few years. If so, Danny could win. We’d been training, fighting, preparing for battle for the past years. Danny’s senses were sharp and her reflexes automatic. I could only assume Mother had sat on this throne and hadn’t lifted a finger if she didn’t need to. Danny definitely stood a good chance against her. But if Mother’s Alpha awoke, we would all be in serious trouble.
“Save it for the fight,” Danny called back, stretching her arms and rolling her shoulders loose. Mother scoffed, clearly not amused that my redhead wasn’t engaging in trash talk.
“Be careful what you wish for,” she retorted,
her voice like nails on a chalkboard. A crackle of electricity ran through the air as Mother awoke the magic in the amulet. The same magic that protected me over the years. And now she would be warping and twisting it with her dark aura, trying to harm my beautiful wife.
“Be mindful,” I whispered, kissing Danny’s temple. I needed her to really understand just how dangerous Mother was.
“I’ll be fine,” she smiled, but I could tell she was worried. Good. Worried meant she took this seriously. Worried meant she would be cautious. Worried meant she could win.
“You can do this,” Ashleigh encouraged, hugging her briefly.
JP tilted her head and kissed her softly. “B-Be careful. D-Don’t do anything c-crazy.”
My redhead smiled as she curled her fingers in JP’s hair. “I’ll be okay. You worry too much. Besides, when have I ever done something crazy?”
“A-All the time?”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Darren jumped into the conversation. “Just don’t let your guard down. And never underestimate a beaten foe. Desperation is a strong emotion.”
Danny pulled an eyebrow up. “You talking from experience?”
He gritted his teeth. “I am. She looks like she’d fight dirty.”
“She does,” I added, glad that Darren seemed to see the same things as I did. Funny how only a month ago, he was our enemy. And now, he was one of us. One of Danny’s. And surprisingly enough, my wolf didn’t fight it nearly as much as I thought he would have. But it had to do with how Danny’s wolf reacted to Darren. Her wolf darted around his in almost the same manner as she did with me. Maybe that was not a coincidence though. Fate did work in mysterious ways and it couldn’t be coincidence that of all people, Danny fell for Darren. He was trained the way I was, and from the pain in his eyes, I could tell he was scarred like I was. My redhead definitely had a type. Or maybe her wolf did?
“You can do this,” Darren added, his eyes trailing over Mother. “She has a slight limp on her right side, and her right arm seems to be tensed. Aim for those parts.”
Danny nodded as she slapped her own cheeks to fire herself up. “Got it.”
“We’re with you. Always.”
“Are you done cuddling with your boy toys?” Mother shrieked, impatiently twirling the locket between her fingers. I could feel the faint pull of the magic, but my wolf was blocked behind his invisible barrier. There was no doubt about it, Mother bound with the amulet and her wolf was howling to be unleashed.
For a moment, it was silent. The air thick with anticipation as everyone held their breath, scared of what they would see. It wasn’t often they witnessed the shift. For a lot of people, this would be the first time they saw it.
Mother took a deep breath. And then a blood-chilling shriek filled the hall. A whole bunch of people cowered under the first wave of power rolling over them. Even Aspen took a step back from the sheer force of her wolf. Not that it was a surprise. Her beast was a lot more mature than ours were.
She cried in pain as her bones broke through her skin, cutting her clothes to pieces. Any sensible person would’ve taken off their fabrics, but Mother always liked it dramatic. It was no surprise that we had three tailors living in the castle, especially with Mother bursting through all her dresses. And it was not a nice sight. But then again, shifting never was. The wails of pain, the scent of blood, and worst of all, the nauseating noise of bones breaking. It didn’t matter how many times I’d experienced it, I could never get used to it. I probably never would.
But Mother’s shift was quick. Much faster than any of ours, and certainly, a lot more stable than Danny’s. Her and her wolf were still figuring out their balance and even though I hoped it would be fine, hoping that their bond got fixed overnight was probably just idle hope. All I could do, was trust in Danny’s abilities and skills. She was well-trained and even in her human form, she should stand a good chance.
Technically.
With menacing yellow eyes and stocky legs, Mother’s wolf emerged from the deep slumber she had been in. A chill ran down my spine as I recognised the beast that haunted my nightmares. Even after all the years, I could feel my wolf flinch at the mere sight of the animal that inflicted so much pain upon us. I could swear I could feel the old scars on my back starting to hurt, but that couldn’t be right. It had been so long ago. They healed. They shouldn’t hurt.
And yet...
Danny swung a small blade up into the air and took a defensive stance. A gasp ran through the crowd as they realised she was going to fight Mother in her human form. The unmistakable clinking of money ran through the crowd and I just knew they were making new bets. How could they not? The odds looked pretty bad for my redhead. But she was not to be underestimated and if Mother thought this would be an easy fight, she’d be in for a surprise. Especially since I couldn’t sense her Alpha yet. It was just a wolf and a human. For now.
“Let the duel between House Sy and House D’Ors commence,” Alvar announced, trying to keep his voice steady. He probably was hoping for the same outcome as we were. I glanced around, studying the carefully put faces of the rest of the household. Most of them were probably hoping for that outcome.
My wife twirled the blade through her fingers, beckoning for Mother to attack. Not that she needed to. Mother would lunge first, she always did.
Even though Danny was prepared for Mother’s attack, she was taken aback by her speed. The first flash of blood splattered on the ground as Mother’s claws gashed through Danny’s skin and my heart stopped. I held my breath as I watched Danny’s red hairs dance as she flicked up her blade and narrowly deflected the next assault.
She clenched her jaw and I could feel her. It was faint, it wasn’t nearly as strong as when my wolf was roaming free in my chest, but it was there. My wolf lowly growled and a reassurance settled over me. Even without the amulet, even without the ancient magic I had been relying on, we could still feel her. My wolf still knew, I knew. She was still there.
“By careful, Danny,” Darren next to me muttered. His knuckles had grown the same shade of white as mine as we both clenched the fence around the arena.
I tore my eyes away from my friend and studied Mother. Darren was right, she was favouring her left side and if Danny timed her attacks right, she might do some proper damage.
Another swift lunge startled the crowd as Mother dug her teeth deep into Danny’s calf. Her cry tore through me as I felt the stinging pain. Luckily for her, her wolf was a fast healer and this wouldn’t deter her in the slightest. If only I could send my wolf to her for support and strength. I clutched my empty chest and cursed that I broke the rules. If I’d done it right, if I’d stayed and claimed my title when I came of age, the locket would’ve been mine. And then my wife wouldn’t have to fight Mother in a battle that would have no real winners.
My heart leapt as Danny sank her dagger into Mother’s side. An excruciating howl ran through the room and a different colour of blood painted the ground.
I balled my hand, all fired up. Mother was a much slower healer than Danny. If they kept this up, Danny would come out on top. I glanced at her leg and knew I was right. The bleeding had stopped and the wound was already healing.
“She can take it, right?” Darren asked, worry painted on his face. Damn, that kid really loved her.
Uncharacteristically, I patted him on the shoulder. “She can,” I answered, uncertain whether I was reassuring him or myself. Maybe both.
“Danny’s w-wolf can heal fast, r-right?” JP chipped in, looking equally as concerned as Darren did and as I felt. Yes, there was no question here. Danny was one very loved woman.
“She’ll be fine,” I muttered, relaxing a little. I had no wolf, but Darren did. And JP was the finest martial artist I’d seen in all my years. And from the look in their eyes, I could tell. They wouldn’t let anything happen to my redhead. To our redhead.
“We’ve f-fought worse, r-right?” JP asked, doubt running across his face.
; “Errm...” My silence must’ve spoken volume and both men tore their eyes away from me and back to Danny. I could feel the magic in Darren’s amulet hiss and somehow, I just knew he had drawn his wolf to the surface. He was ready to jump in and protect Danny.
Even if it was forbidden, I wouldn’t stop him. In the grand scheme of things, protecting Danny would always, always trump anything. Houses would fall and castles would crumble. Names would disappear and titles would vanish. But what I had with Danny, the love I held for her in my chest, would transcend lifetimes.
Another splatter of blood coated Danny’s blade and a bone-chilling howl tore through the crowd. Even without seeing her face, I knew Mother would be seething. From the low growl and her flattened ears, I could tell she seriously underestimated my mate.
Danny flashed her blade up to ward off another attack. With one smooth movement, she unsheathed a small dagger hidden near her hip and sank it right into Mother’s side. She howled in pain and jumped out of Danny’s reach. This was going well. Mother was too impatient, too cocky. If she kept attacking my mate like this, she’d bite the dust every time. Now she just needed to—
A chill swept through the air and my wolf cowered. Oh no.
Panicked, I turned to Darren, hoping I felt it wrong. But from the terror in his eyes, I knew I wasn’t mistaken.
Alpha.
I could feel it, my wolf could feel it. That desperate need to bow, to revere, to submit. But I could resist it, I had trained for this. Even if I couldn’t break Aspen’s, Mother was different. I had done this before. I could do this again. I had to do this again.
But I needed to warn my wife, she needed to know what to brace for, what was heading her way.
“Dan—”
And then the world froze. With tensed limbs and strained muscles, all I could do was watch. Watch how a wolfish grin stretched across Mother’s face. She howled at my mate, bearing her fangs in dominance.
I growled, trying to break the invisible chains tying me down to the spot. But without my wolf to deflect the Alpha and weakened from my fight with Aspen, my attempts were futile. All I could do, was watch. Watch how Mother’s sank her flickering teeth into my mate’s side, knocking her to her knees.
