Page 14 of Forgotten Queen

The honorable thing would be to wait for him to shift.

They’d never shown me a shred of honor, and it was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Not with Daphne’s safety on the line.

I surged towards Richard. The best defense was a good offense. Cole had taught me that.

I clamped my jaws on Richard’s shoulder and tore.

With Xander and his patrol, I hadn’t really wanted to hurt them.

I had no such issue when Richard’s blood coated my tongue.

He roared in pain and shifted. There was no mockery now, only a bloodthirsty anger as he charged back. His wolf was larger than mine, but I was faster. And I’d learned to fight from someone stronger than us both.

Richard attacked with his size, but he was clumsy. I maneuvered around his advances, tearing at him with my teeth.

We edged closer to the water. He thought he was cornering me, but I no longer felt entirely out of control. A strange calm took over me. It was like I could sense his movements before they happened, the way he leaned, the way he inhaled before charging.Anticipate, counter.

It was a violent brawl, but I was more than a victim.

I was hurting him, but it wasn’t slowing him down.

My back paws sank into the wet dirt next to the river. I was at the edge.

Just like the Leo demon. I stopped attacking as much, shifting on my legs, slowing down.

Take the bait, Richard.

And in one final maneuver, Richard charged at me.

I couldn’t move aside but instead dropped low. He sailed over me into the water.

Crack!

I turned around. Blood coated the rock in the water, his body limp next to it. Passed out.

The water threatened to carry him away.

I should let him drown.

It would be safer for me. And a vicious part felt it would be justice for everything he’d done to me, least of all his own attempts at drowning me.

He deserves it.The thought was a tantalizing whisper. It sounded like Cole.

Which is why I hated that I found myself heading into the water and dragging the wolf ashore. It was dangerous and foolish.

I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass,I thought, half-furious at myself.

I left him on the Wind-Blood side, praying Xander might choose to stray this way and capture a proper intruder. I shifted back to my human form and crossed the river, hissing in pain. I’d agitated everything I’d managed to heal earlier.

I was naked, again. My clothes were in shreds.

But Richard had already been naked…

My eyes seized on a discarded pile of clothing.

It was gross. I didn’t want to wear his dirty clothing, which was too big for me and stank like enemies. But it would help mask my scent.

Daphne better appreciate this.