Page 122 of Contested Crown

Maybe to everyone else, that sounded like a strategic decision. A mage was a heavy hitter; he would be backing me up, something impossible to do if he got injured.

But to me, it was more than that. I remembered his hand on my throat before my fight with Tyson.I’m the only one allowed to kill you.

“Evelyn, you take your crew to that side. When he brings people, he’s going to try and outflank us. Pablo, Joel, Samuel, decide between the three of you who’s going to defend the back door.”

The three of them started playing honest-to-god rock, paper, scissors. Meanwhile, I looked at the street again. The apartment building behind me was only two stories, two street-facing apartments, the rest down a long, narrow hallway.

I could see movement in the windows above us, but no one even peeked their head out. Declan had paid them to turn a blind eye to everything that went on inside the apartment. I had delivered most of the payments myself.

But no one had tried to leave; no one had seen what was going down and decided they did not want any part of it. To me, that said they were afraid. What had happened that would make these people who had seen everything afraid?

Joel eventually split off, waving his hand in annoyance at losing to rock twice as he walked inside the building.

“Blockade it,” I called out to him. “Don’t try to defend it yourself. Get as many things as you can and throw them in the hallway. Make it impossible for JD to move any group through.”

Joel’s eyes were on mine, and for a moment, I wondered if he was getting ideas of his own. But then his head went down, and I heard the implicityes, Alpha.

Now, it was just waiting. The sort of waiting game that left me with a clenched stomach, nerves pulled tight.

The best way to end this would be a one-on-one fight, me against JD. But if a few of the other wolves turned, if they answered my call, then we might have something.

The rumble of a car coming down the street made me tense.

“Here we go,” Cade murmured. His magic splashed out from him, lines of tattoo racing up and creating a latticework in front of us.

I took a risk, turning and striding over to him, cupping his face between my two hands.

“Well, Emperor? Go claim your throne.” Cade’s words were a whisper, the barest hint of air against my skin.

I turned around, the growl in my chest kept silent by pure effort.

Three cars cruised up. They idled half a block away, and I could see JD in the front, eyes narrowed. Everything on the street looked normal for them.

The car in front accelerated, clearly he was about to do a movie introduction, car screeching to a halt in front of the building.

Unfortunately for him, Cade’s magic masked that Evelyn’s car was still there. JD’s smashed into it. The two behind him plunged through Cade’s illusion and only pulled up short by the careful control of their drivers.

Doors flew open, and we were faced with eight wolves. If they were surprised to see us inside Cade’s illusion, they didn’t show it. I didn’t have time to relax, to be relieved that only eight wolves meant Heather and Gabe both had decided I was a better bet.

JD snarled in anger, and I answered it, the growl in my chest turning into a roar.

He shifted fast, and this time, I didn’t even worry about it. Last time we had fought, I had been at a disadvantage; without my wolf, I had thought I was nothing. Now, I was making a play for the Emperor Wolf throne.

I shifted, tossing aside my shirt and loosening my pants so that when my wolf came out, massive and threatening, at least my clothes were safe.

Evelyn and what was left of her crew took on four of the wolves. Pablo and Samuel were already shifting, but before they could reach their targets, four human members of the crew, Cade’s magic slammed into the attackers.

I only saw it out of the corner of my eye, a dark web that had been beyond him a few weeks ago but now pinned four people to a car, leaving them helpless and struggling.

JD was on me, only hesitating a moment when he saw how large I had become. When wolves fought in the wild, it was fast and sharp. Claws and teeth were the answer for any challenge. If a pack could fight, that brought them together.

I had the beginnings of a pack, and after this battle, they would definitely be mine for good. But that meant I had to win against JD with such certainty that no one could ever come back later and whisper about it.

JD leapt at me, his hind legs still on the ground, and I met him, our bodies slamming together, almost like we were dancing, but then I turned my head and bit hard into his neck, my teeth sliding through his fur to meet flesh. I tore at his shoulder, and he dropped down, yelping in surprise.

Before he could get far, I bit down on his hind leg, dragging it back so that his body fell. He struggled up on three legs, but I hauled him back, pulling him with me.

JD managed to get his leg free, but it dragged through my teeth, leaving blood on my muzzle. Something in me reacted to the blood, the salt of it, the desperation in JD’s scent. I roared, and JD physically winced back, his ears flattening.