Page 69 of The Midnight Death Match

My fingers tighten around my sword hilt. The wolf inside me stirs again, sensing the unseen threat right along with me.

Lys looks around slowly. “We’re not alone.”

Einar frowns, scanning the shadows. “More of the pack?”

“No.” Lys tilts his head slightly. “Something else lingers in these tunnels. It’s watching us.”

I shudder at the use of the word ‘it.’ Not a person, fae or otherwise.

The shadows remain still and silent.

I force my uneven breath to steady, my eyes locked on Harek’s bruised face.

Focus.

We will get to him, no matter what watches from the dark. There’s no other option.

The chamber pulses faintly beneath me, like a slow heartbeat. I turn my attention back to Harek, my mind racing.

His head wobbles slightly, lifting with visible effort. His gaze finds mine. Even through exhaustion, pain, and blood, he still finds me. He doesn’t speak. We don’t need any words.

I’m here. I’ve found him.

Einar’s voice pulls me back, low and tense beside me. “The pack won’t leave him unwatched for long. We need to hurry.”

“They’re circling,” Lys’s eyes narrow as if he can see through the rock itself. “Waiting for your emotions to break. They want you unbalanced before they strike.”

“How do you know all of this?” I snap, suddenly annoyed with him.

He gives me a flippant glance. “I’ve been in this world longer than a few months.”

Shame fills me, though there’s no reason. It isn’t my fault nobody ever told me about any of my fae sides, leading me to believe I was nothing other than a boring human.

My hands tremble slightly around my sword hilt. My wolf paces violently beneath my skin, clawing at my ribs, its power coiling stronger, growing harder to resist.

The vision from the ward still lingers behind my eyes. The monstrous hybrid version of myself… so close.

I could let go. Could rip through them and tear them apart. The wolf pushes. I clench my jaw hard, digging my nails into my palm. If it takes the last bit of my energy, I’ll keep it at bay.

Raw, feral instinct blooms behind my teeth. My muscles tense. Heat flashes through my veins. Against my will, I almost shift.

For a beat, I nearly give in. It would be so easy.

But then my eyes turn toward Harek like he’s compelling me to face him. He’s found me again, even from across the chamber.

This is a fight I must win. I slam the wolf down hard, grinding it until it comes under my control. It has to wait. We both do.

Einar shifts his stance, watching me closely. He saw the slip.

Lys watches too. His unreadable expression falters for a moment. He fails to mask his fascination, his hunger.

It’s one more issue I can’t deal with, and I push it from my mind.

The pressure breaks slightly as I force control back into my limbs.

“Let’s get him. Now.”

Einar nods. “On my signal.”