Page 109 of Shifter Situations

My eyes tracked his every breath, the lashing of his tail, the twitching of his shoulder muscles. Violence coursed through my body, making my blood boil with an extreme need to protect my mate from his assault.

The moment the lion lifted his paw to move, I struck, attacking first so that he didn’t have the chance. I released all the rage I was feeling with each strike I landed.

To my right, Anna prowled around Sloane, searching for an opening that she wouldn’t find.

It took me three lunges to get a good grip on the lion’s neck.

Sinking my teeth past his dense fur, I punctured the muscle and yanked my head, forcefully ripping at the tendons. The gamey, metallic scent of his blood filled my senses, and I regripped to jerk the rest of his throat away.

I bared my teeth at his lifeless form before turning my full attention to my mate.

Anna circled, and Sloane pivoted her body, keeping the other she-wolf in view.

I stalked forward, standing a few feet from Barbie as I checked her for wounds. Her ankle had been bleeding but had slowly trickled to a stop. Nothing else caught my attention from this angle.

The challenge issued by Anna hadn’t shocked me. The Supreme Alpha had rolled his eyes as Sloane accepted. He knew the outcome of this fight better than any of us.

I observed, transfixed and nonplussed, as my ex-girlfriend snarled before attacking my new girlfriend.

My mate.

When I took my position by Sloane’s side, Anna lost her patience.

Her brown wolf came barreling forward, but Barbie didn't move. I knew she was attentive to her opponent’s body language, even if she didn’t look like she was watching.

Anna lunged for Sloane.

She opened her jaws when she was airborne, ready to wrap her teeth around my mate’s throat on impact.

At the last second, Barbie shifted from wolf to human, sidestepping the brown wolf. She wrapped her arms around Anna’s neck and slammed her to the ground.

The brown wolf kicked her legs, slicing into the human flesh of Sloane’s thighs.

Barbie didn’t flinch as Anna continued to claw and scratch at her.

After a silent moment, Sloane grew annoyed and slammed her fist into the side of the wolf’s cheek. The crack resonated through the crowd, easily heard over their mumbles. Anna whimpered, slowing her actions but not giving up.

I shifted and walked to the side of the ropes where the guys were. My job was done; I didn’t want shit to do with this fight. I didn’t even want to watch it, but if I turned my back, then the pack would see that as disrespectful to my mate.

Sloane’s voice rang out, loud and clear, as she addressed the attending spectators.

“Alphas, I present to you with the wolf behind the infected rogues. For the past couple of months, Anna Stanley has been helping an unknown fae-mage push magic-tainted injections across the supernatural species.

“These are crimes against the pack, with intentions of harming the pack, and regardless of submission during this challenge, she will face death. You can view all evidence against her inside the lodge should you have reason to believe her innocence.”

She released her hold on Anna as the Supreme Alpha stepped forward. Power coiled around Sloane, snaking its way to the brown wolf.

Anna jumped up, snarling and snapping, but it faded to screeching as the power reached her, forcing her to shift back to her human form. Barbie and Charlie milled over her, glancing at each other before he spoke, his question simple.

“What do you have to say for yourself, Anna?”

She huffed in defiance. “I’ve done nothing wrong. You have no proof.”

“Lies,” I growled. “All you’ve done is harm people in one way or another. We found more than enough proof in that fucking warehouse of torture you and Katie were running.”

Sloane’s mental presence bumped against mine, calming to my inner chaos. “Let me give you some true closure.”

“I don’t need closure, Barbie. How would you give me—”