Christian
The fight had been hell. He could feel the cracked ribs mending, but an hour wasn’t long enough. His hip was killing him, and that injury was days old.
Fuck.
They’d argued earlier. Daniel hadn’t wanted him to enter the trials. Christian understood but had vehemently disagreed and after the fact, he was glad he’d insisted. The assholes had ganged up on Daniel. They were purposefully trying to knock him out of the lineup. Without Christian, he’d have already lost.
The only way Christian got Ellie after this was if Daniel won. He had to be a shield as long as he could stand.
Christian dunked his head in the trough again and tried not to think about the inner turmoil he felt because he missed the link between him and Ellie. Miranda had done something when she’d taken her. And when that connection had been cut, it felt like his heart had been torn from his chest.
Whatever was blocking their connection was protecting her from his pain, too. She wasn’t doubled over on the bleachers crying each time he got hit. He stole a glance at the bleachers.
She wasn’t there.
He scanned the crowd.
Still not there.
His wolf was nervous. Angry. He was barely in control. The wolf wanted out. He wanted to find Ellie. He wanted to destroy everything. But mostly, he just wanted to find Ellie and fix the connection between them.
“They took her to the office. Probably just to the restroom. Miranda and Molly went with her.” Daniel’s voice was slow and pained. He’d taken some hard hits, too, but at least he wasn’t recovering from a dislocated hip.
“I can’t feel her. My wolf is losing his proverbial shit.”
“It’s a blessing in disguise. At least she can’t feel your pain. Everyone else bonded could feel their mate the second we stepped out of the arena.”
“I don’t give a fuck what anyone else can feel. The Quades stole my sister, stole my life, stole her life, and now they’re holding the only women I’ve ever cared about hostage, too.”
Daniel grimaced and splashed some water on his face. The trough was looking a little dingy with blood and dirt, but it was better than nothing.
“I’m trying to fix it. I can’t fix it until I’m unchallenged and the true alpha of this pack. I’m asking you to trust me. I know you have no reason to, but I swear to you. I’ll do right by you and your sister.”
Christian looked at him, coldness creeping into his heart. “Oh. You can get rid of this wolf? You can give my sister back her mind, so she remembers the only family she has left in this world? You can make sure they don’t hurt Ellie to make me do something else I don’t want to do? You can do all those things?” The anger and pain were palpable. Every beat of his heart hurt. Every moment without Ellie. Without his sister. None of the things he’d mentioned were possible, and he knew it.
Daniel knew it too. The young man’s face was downcast, and he remained silent.
In all this mess, the truth was he did trust Daniel. He knew this one man was doing his best now. He was trying to help. Even Ryan-fucking-Travis helping him. And Kate, too, the poor woman he’d tried to force a mate bond on.
He had been such a bastard.
But they’d had Molly. He hadn’t been thinking straight. They had his sister. Still had her. They’d taken her from him. Daniel was going to make sure he got her back, but she didn’t know him. He could only pray those witches coming from Somewhere, Texas could heal her mind and fix whatever damage had been done.
“Where’s the witch that did this to her?” Christian surveyed the bleachers again. They weren’t back—Miranda, Ellie, and Molly.
“I don’t even know what she looks like. My grandmother probably has her stashed somewhere too. I didn’t even know there was a witch here on the ranch.”
“Fuck lot of good that’s going to do you after you win this thing if Miranda has other plans.” Christian didn’t even try to tame the growl rumbling from inside his chest.
“She wouldn’t dare. The trials are sacred to our pack. It’s how it’s been done for generations. The entire pack would cast her out. She would be disgraced.”
Christian snorted through a spiteful laugh. “But wouldn’t that be just like her? I’m not even sure she really wants you to win.”
“I have to.” Daniel’s words had an undertone of worry.
Yeah. He had to. Or everything was lost.
Daniel nodded his head toward the bleachers and Christian followed his gaze straight to Miranda and her guards. Molly was right behind her, and Ellie trailed just behind his sister. They were headed back to their seats.
He looked away.
He couldn’t look at Ellie right now. He didn’t want her to see him this way. He was so angry. So broken. If he didn’t look at her, she wouldn’t look at him. Right? It would hurt less. He could focus better. At least that’s the lie he kept telling himself.
When the loudspeaker announced for the remaining fighters to return to the arena, Christian inwardly groaned. It couldn’t possibly have been an hour. His face still felt like mushed apple pulp. His hip ached. His ribs hurt with every single breath.
“We can do this, Christian.” Daniel’s voice called out softly before they entered the arena once more.
No. They HAD to do this. There wasn’t an option for failure. There was no other option for Christian, except maybe death. And that meant leaving Ellie and Molly with these monsters, and that wasn’t an option. Death would not come for him today. No matter the pain. He would not let them win.
The men in the arena paired off. Christian found himself across from a big guy with black hair and the eyes of a predator that knew how to kill.
His opponent looked toward the stands, but Christian didn’t take his eyes off the man. He had several inches on him and at least fifty pounds. Somebody had gotten a few licks in on the guy earlier. One black eye. One split lip. But he didn’t look like he’d been jumped in a prison yard by a gang, and that’s how Christian’s body felt.
The man looked back at him with a grin that said I’m-gonna-kill-you-and-then-kill-you-again and started unbuttoning his shirt.
Fuck.
He hadn’t even been paying attention to the speaker or announcements. Last round wolves hadn’t been allowed, but it looked like that rule was being tossed for this fight. He yanked off his shirt too and tossed it off to the side.
Twenty naked guys stood in an arena for a couple of seconds before the air shimmered with a strange quality and they all shifted at once. All of them but Christian.
Fuck. Shift. Dammit.
The wolf standing opposite him cocked his head to the side like a damn border collie, and his tongue lolled out like he was laughing.
Shift. Now.
The air shimmered, and he dropped to all fours, but it wasn’t quick enough. The horn had already sounded and his opponent had already charged.
Christian felt two hundred pounds of vicious wolf plow right into his already damaged ribcage. He rolled and jumped to his feet, but being a wolf was unfamiliar. He steadied himself, looked for his opponent and felt a burning pain slice through his flank.
Fuck.
His wolf pushed for control. He could feel the beast pressing against the bars of the cage in his mind. Fury. Anger. Vengeance. Desire. It all swirled chaotically together, confusing him, distracting him.
Another slice of pain. That damn wolf was fast.
He whirled, trying to keep an eye on the teeth causing him so much distress. And then he made another mistake. He saw the fight happening between Daniel’s wolf and another opponent.
Pain. Fuck.
Warm liquid coated his fur. His leg throbbed. The damn bastard was going after the same leg over and over.
Fight. Now. His wolf pushed again, somehow pushing its desires through the maelstrom of pain and confusion and lack of coordination. Let. Go.
Let go? How could he just let go? Everything rested on this fight. He had to survive long enough to protect Daniel. He couldn’t die. He couldn’t get thrown out. Not yet. He couldn’t let a wild animal just be in charge.
Now. His wolf roared in his mind like a fucking lion.
Christian released the mental leash he’d been holding so tightly.
The pain was going to take him sooner than later. He only hoped his wolf knew what it was doing.