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Chapter Thirty-Four

My breath caught in my throat as Ryder’s body began to contort. Bones cracked and shifted, his skin rippling as fur burst through every pore. I couldn’t look away, mesmerized by the horrifying yet beautiful transformation happening right before my eyes.

Within seconds, where my Ryder had stood was now a massive wolf, his thick, brown fur gleaming under the moonlight. His eyes were the same, glowing and wild.

He padded toward me, his passive paws tapping softly on the wooden porch. Ryder nudged my legs with his snout, trying to get me further inside the house.

When I looked up again, Kellan had changed into his giant black wolf form and was sneering in our direction. Ryder turned away from me, raising his magnificent head toward the moon. A primal howl tore from his throat, echoing through the trees and vibrating through my bones.

A powerful compulsion pulled me toward him. I stepped into the doorway, my fingers clutching the frame with desperate intensity, as if to stop myself from going closer.

“Ryder! You don’t have to do this!” I said, tears burning in my eyes.

Ryder cast one last glance at me before bounding down the porch steps into the yard to face Kellan. The black wolf’s lips curled back, revealing gleaming fangs as he stalked forward. My heart hammered against my ribs as they began to circle each other, muscles tensed beneath their fur.

The shadows at the edge of the yard shifted and moved. I heard rustling from all directions, the snap of twigs and soft padding of paws as more wolves emerged from the darkness. They formed a living circle around Ryder and Kellan, silent witnesses to this challenge… to this fight, to the death.

A wolf with russet-red fur slipped onto the porch, positioning itself between me and the unfolding scene. The wolf’s head turned slightly, blue-green eyes meeting mine for just a moment.

“Trevor?” I whispered.

A breath escaped the wolf’s nostrils before it turned back to face the yard. Trevor moved silently back and forth, protectively between me and the impending violence.

My hands trembled as I clung to the doorframe, my knuckles white with tension. Trevor’s russet wolf form paced in front of me, blocking my path to the yard where Ryder and Kellan circled each other. I wasn’t sure if he was there to protect me or to stop me from running out should something happen to Ryder.

The wolves surrounding them had gone eerily silent, their eyes reflecting the moonlight like dozens of floating lanterns. There were so many wolves that I couldn’t even start to count them.

“Please,” I whispered, though I knew my human pleas meant nothing in this primal confrontation.

Kellan lunged first, a blur of midnight fur and gleaming teeth. Ryder dodged sideways, powerful muscles rippling under his brown coat as he snapped at Kellan’s flank. They crashed together in a fury of snarls and growls that made my blood run cold.

“Oh, god,” I said, covering my mouth.

I’d never seen such raw violence up close. The wolves collided again, teeth flashing as they tore at each other.

Ryder caught Kellan’s shoulder between his jaws, and I heard the sickening sound of flesh tearing. Kellan yelped but twisted free, leaving a spray of blood across the grass.

My stomach lurched. They really were trying to kill one another, and one of them was not going to walk away from the fight.

“Please,” I said, looking at Trevor, who was too focused on the fight to notice. “Can’t you do anything?”

Ryder’s massive form darted forward with surprising speed for his size, but Kellan anticipated the move. The black wolf ducked under Ryder’s attack and came up beneath him, jaws clamping onto Ryder’s foreleg. The sound that tore from Ryder’s throat wasn’t just pain — it was fury.

With a powerful twist of his body, Ryder broke free and backed away several limping steps. Blood matted his brown fur where Kellan had bitten him. They began circling again, both breathing heavily. The watching wolves shifted restlessly, some letting out low whines of anticipation, or perhaps they were cheers for their leader.

“Ryder,” I choked out, tears streaming down my face. I could feel what he was feeling deep inside my body — determination, rage, pain, and, underneath it all, fear, not for himself, but for his pack and for me.

They crashed together again, a whirlwind of teeth and claws. I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. Blood splattered across the grass like macabre raindrops. A particularly vicious snarl from Ryder sent chills down my spine as he caught Kellan’s ear between his teeth and ripped.

The black wolf howled in agony, stumbling backward. For a moment, I thought it might be over — Ryder seemed to have the upper hand. But Kellan recovered quickly, shaking his head and sending droplets of blood flying through the air.

Trevor whined softly, shifting his weight from one paw to the other. His ear twitched, and he shot a quick look in my direction.

With a growl, Kellan faked left, then attacked from the right, his movements so quick I could barely keep track of them. Ryder had strength, there was no doubt about that, but Kellan had a quickness that was undeniable.

Kellan’s teeth dug into Ryder’s hindquarters, and Ryder let out a howl that pierced the night. My chest ached with a phantom pain — I could feel his agony so strongly that I dropped to my knees.

Trevor stepped back to me, whimpering, as he pushed his face against my arm. “I’m okay.”

With renewed fury, Ryder twisted and locked his jaws around Kellan’s throat. For one breathless moment, I thought it was done… that he’d won. But Kellan thrashed wildly, breaking free and backing away, as blood oozed from multiple wounds.

Both of them were growing tired. Their movement became more deliberate… more desperate. Ryder limped slightly, and Kellan’s black coat was matted with blood, his breathing labored.

“Ah! Just stop this!” I shouted, a wave of exhaustion rippling through me.

They clashed again, rolling across the yard in a tangle of limbs and fur. When they separated, Ryder staggered, clearly weakening. I pressed my hand against my mouth to stifle a scream. Our bond pulsed with pain and exhaustion and something else… something I didn’t even want to think about.

Kellan saw his opportunity. He charged forward with renewed strength, slamming into Ryder’s side. The impact sent Ryder tumbling to the ground. Before he could recover, Kellan was on him, passive paws pinning Ryder’s chest to the ground, jaws hovering inches from his exposed throat.

“No!” I screamed, pushing past Trevor. The russet wolf blocked me more forcefully, nearly knocking me down.

Kellan’s teeth gleamed in the moonlight, poised for the killing blow. The watching wolves tensed, some shifting forward expectantly, others crying out to the moon as if begging for help.

Ryder’s head turned toward the side, his glowing blue eyes finding me. The sound that escaped his throat was soft, but I heard it… or maybe I just felt it.

“Ryder, please,” I said, my fingers gripping the porch railing to hold me up. “Get up!”

In that split second, something changed. Ryder’s body coiled beneath Kellan, and with his last bit of strength, he twisted violently. His back legs shifted, thrusting hard into Kellan’s underbelly.

Kellan flew through the air, a startled yelp escaping him as he crashed several feet away. Ryder leaped to his feet, his head thrown back in a thunderous howl that shook the trees.

Before Kellan could recover, Ryder was on him, fangs bared for the final strike. Kellan lay beneath him, bleeding and beaten, no longer fighting back.

The wolves were silent. The moment stretched endlessly as Ryder stood over his enemy, his jaws ready to end Kellan’s life. They stared as if they were communicating with one another.

That brief hesitation was all Kellan’s pack needed to change the outcome. Three wolves lunged forward in perfect unison, slamming into Ryder from different directions. The impact knocked him off Kellan, and in seconds, he was surrounded by his pack.

Ryder regained his footing, blood dripping from multiple wounds, a growl rumbling from deep in his chest. His own pack members growling as they stepped forward, ready to engage if necessary.

Two of the wolves helped Kellan up with their snouts, and they began to retreat. They moved as one organism, backing away with Kellan protected in their center. At the edge of the woods, Kellan cast one last hateful glance at Ryder before they all disappeared into the darkness.

When I turned back to the yard, Ryder was already shifting back. The transformation to human seemed extremely painful, and his wounds were more apparent on his skin.

Ryder walked toward me, glancing back over his shoulder as he dragged his feet through the blood-soaked grass. His body was covered in gashes, bites, and a deep claw mark across his back. Blood oozed from a particularly nasty wound on his thigh. His breathing was ragged… his face contorted with pain as he tried to move toward the house.

“Ryder!” I said, my eyes wide.

Trevor shifted too, returning to human form in a quicker, more fluid motion than Ryder had managed. He ran quickly inside my house, returning moments later with a blanket draped over his shoulder.

“Help me get him inside,” Trevor said urgently.

I rushed forward, the grass wet with dew and blood beneath my bare feet. When I reached Ryder, he dropped to his knees in front of me, unable to take another step.

Trevor slipped an arm under him, helping him back to his feet. “Come on, man. You weigh a ton.”

“Is he okay?” I asked, my eyes locked on Ryder. “Are you okay?”

Ryder’s eyes found mine, glassy with pain but still alert. “Everly.”

“I’m right here,” I said, going to his other side to help Trevor.

We took five steps before Ryder stopped moving his feet. He swayed dangerously, and I didn’t miss the look of concern that flashed across Trevor’s face.

“Only a little further,” Trevor said, grunting as he carried most of Ryder’s weight.

“I think I need a doctor,” Ryder said when we finally lowered him to the couch.

Trevor nodded. “I’ll call.”

“Um,” I said, looking at the marks on Ryder’s body. “Won’t they know something weird happened?”

“It’s a special doctor,” Trevor said, looking around. “Got a phone?”

I handed him my cell phone.

“Thanks,” Trevor said with a nod before placing a hand on Ryder’s shoulder. “You’re going to be okay, but you’re a real idiot.”

My eyes narrowed with fury.

“You should have killed him when you had the chance,” Trevor said, bowing his head.

Ryder’s jaw tightened. “I should have.”

“Why did you hesitate?” I asked as Trevor went into the kitchen, tapping the numbers on my phone.

“I didn’t want it to go that far. I never did,” Ryder said, wincing.

“Will he come back?” I asked.

Ryder met my eyes. “Let’s hope not. Next time, I won’t hesitate.”

Trevor came back into the room, handing me my phone. “Actually, if he comes back, we have every right to?—”

“Let’s not worry about it right now,” Ryder said, closing his eyes.

“Doctor will be here in a few minutes,” Trevor said, placing a light hand on Ryder’s shoulder. “Want me to get out of here?”

“Wait until your doctor arrives, okay?” I asked, grabbing Trevor’s arm.

I was just so terrified that something would happen and I wouldn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to be alone when Ryder was in such a vulnerable state.

They exchanged a quick look, and Trevor nodded. It wasn’t long before there was a knock at the door.

Trevor opened it, letting the doctor in. When I looked up, my mouth dropped open.