Page 96 of Two Years Gone

But I wasn’t cruel. As much as I hated Mariah, I wouldn’t kill her. There was a fair way to do this.

I shifted back and stood before Mariah. I could see the blood dripping from Mariah’s wounds and knew she was barely keeping herself upright.

“Mariah, I’m finished. Submit and we can end this. Let them take you to medical for care and receive a fair council.”

Mariah growled, hate and anger in her eyes, before lowering her head. She had given in. I nodded and turned to walk away.

“ELLA! Look out!” Zane yelled.

I shifted back to my wolf and turned in time to see Mariah lunge. I flipped around and clamped my jaws on Mariah’s neck, biting down hard until it snapped.

My heart pounding, I dropped Mariah’s body to the ground.

Chapter 44

ZANE

I stood frozen to the ground, the shock of what had just unfolded still trying to process in my brain. I had wanted to help her, to protect her.

The entire fight, I watched her move fast and hard, and to say I was surprised was an understatement.

She walked to her clothes and put them on before approaching me and Daniel. Suddenly, she stopped and turned around.

Coming out of the trees opposite them was the beta, Mariah’s father. With tears in his eyes, he knelt on the ground and lowered his head in respect and awe.

“My luna.”

One by one, pack warriors emerged from the tree line and did the same.

“My luna,” they all echoed.

I watched Ella spin around to take in what was happening before stopping to face me with tears in her eyes and a bright smile on her face.

I was snapped out of my shock when my father slapped my shoulder.

“She is amazing.”

I nodded my head and walked to Ella. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close.

“She really is.”

I kissed her softly and then pulled away.

“That was amazing, Ella. How did you do that?”

“All that training with your dad paid off, I guess.”

We turned when Daniel laughed out loud.

“Paid off? Ella, you just came away from a fight with barely a scratch!”

Ella squished her face in an amused smile.

“Okay, so maybe it was more than that.”

I put my head in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of apple cider I had come to need like a drug.

Daniel stepped forward and placed a hand on Ella’s shoulder.