Page 44 of Wolfehound (De Wolfe Pack Generations #11)

The truth was that Tyrus never had a chance against three seasoned knights. Logan and eventually Jeremy tried to join it, but there was no room for them. The veteran knights were having all of the fun as Jeremy and Logan managed to make it over to Cambria to protect her should Tyrus break free.

But the man wasn’t going to break free.

He was on borrowed time.

Truthfully, Scott and War were only involved for the first minute or so.

After that, Liam shoved them away. This was his fight and he was going to finish it himself.

Therefore, they backed off—far off—and stood by the yard gate, watching Liam thrust and parry, shove and kick, as Tyrus gave nearly as good as he got.

It was a brutal fight, with brutal blows being thrown, until Liam managed to disarm Tyrus.

The man’s sword was knocked from his hand when Liam managed to slice the tips off two of the fingers on his right hand.

Tyrus didn’t utter a sound.

The little finger pieces on the ground were stomped on and crushed as they battled across the yard.

Mostly, Tyrus was dodging Liam because Liam was coming on like fire, but when they passed by the big iron pot used to boil hides, Tyrus picked up the second iron rod and swung it at Liam.

He managed to smash some fingers, knocking the sword out of Liam’s hand.

But Liam grabbed the rod and they wrestled over it until it finally ended up on the ground.

Then the punches started to fly.

Carlton eventually showed up, watching in horror alongside Scott and War, at the bloodbath happening in his own kitchen yard.

He caught sight of his daughter, with a torn and bloodied dress, and tried to go to her, but Scott held him back.

They didn’t want the man crossing the yard and possibly getting hurt.

She was well protected by Logan and Jeremy, but all of them were watching Liam and Tyrus throw monstrous punches at one another.

That went on for several long and painful minutes.

It seemed like forever. Then a punch to the head from Liam sent Tyrus to the ground.

The battle seemed to be waning.

Both Liam and Tyrus were bloodied, beaten, and exhausted.

It was a horrible sight. Cambria was trying her hardest not to weep at the sight because, truthfully, she felt as if this entire situation was her fault.

Had she not left the solar, none of this would have happened.

Kyle would not have been stabbed and Liam would not be covered in blood and bruises.

His left eye was already starting to swell.

But she kept her mouth shut, standing with two young knights who would have liked nothing better than to charge in and finish it.

But they would never have the chance.

With Tyrus face-down on the ground, Liam staggered over to him and bent down, grabbing him by the hair with the intention of flipping him onto his back.

But just as he did that, Tyrus suddenly came alive and rammed one of those daggers from his belt straight into Liam’s torso.

It was a big dagger, with a big blade, and Cambria screamed when she saw what he’d done.

Life seemed to move in slow motion after that because it seemed as if everything was ending.

Time, life, love… everything was ending at the tip of that big knife.

But it wasn’t ending for Liam.

Only for Tyrus.

As Liam staggered back, Tyrus lurched to his feet.

That brought Scott and War away from the gate, running toward Tyrus, intending to prevent the man from laying the death blow upon Liam, but they never had the opportunity to prevent anything.

They were halfway to the battling pair when Tyrus was suddenly struck in the upper torso by not one, but two big bolts, in quick succession.

They were like hammer blows against the man.

Startled, everyone looked in the direction they’d come from only to see Cassius standing on the wall walk with a wicked-looking double crossbow in his hand.

Both bolts had been released.

Tyrus saw Cassius but could hardly believe his eyes.

Eyes that soon closed as he fell backward, onto his back, and lay there as still as stone.

Realizing that the fight was finally over, Cambria, along with everyone else, ran toward Liam.

Scott and War were already at his side as Logan and Jeremy went to Tyrus to ensure he didn’t rise up again.

“My lord,” Cambria said, reaching out to grab War’s shoulder. “Kyle took a knife to the neck. He’s in the kitchens.”

War looked at her, horrified, and Scott spoke quickly. “Go to him,” he said. “I will tend to Liam. Go to your other son.”

War was absolutely devastated. He stumbled to his feet, rushing off toward the kitchens as Cassius made his way off the wall and came running into the yard. He was still holding the crossbow, but he handed it over to the nearest soldier as he rushed to Liam’s side.

“Uncle Scott?” he said, gravely concerned. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I tried!”

Fortunately, Scott was an excellent healer. It was a gift he had and had used many times on the field of battle. He was inspecting the knife and the placement of the blade in Liam’s body.

“Thanks to God that you came when you did,” he said, glancing up at Cassius. “Where have you been?”

“Hiding in the armory,” Cassius said. “But I heard the commotion and armed myself. Tell me what I can do for Liam and I shall do it. What do you need?”

Scott carefully touched the dagger where it was buried in Liam’s torso. “We must get him inside so I can remove this,” he said. “Find men. Tell them to bring something flat to carry him on, like a door. He must be kept flat so the dagger does not do additional damage.”

As the two of them were deciding the best and swiftest way to remove Liam, Cambria crept to Liam’s head and gazed down at him. He was simply lying on his back, gazing up at the sky, but when he caught movement in his periphery, he turned his head to look at her.

“Greetings, sweetheart,” he said softly, smiling at her. “I will heal. Do not be troubled. Are you well? Did he hurt you?”

Cambria burst into tears. “I am sorry,” she wept, trying to put her arms around his neck as she buried her face in the side of his head. “I am so sorry. I did not mean for any of this to happen.”

Liam put his hand up, holding her head against his as she wept. “I told you not to be troubled,” he said. “All will be well. As long as you are unharmed, that is all that matters to me. How did he find you?”

Cambria didn’t want to tell him but had no choice. “I disobeyed you,” she said, sniffling. “One of the puppies was injured so I came out to tend it. I am so very sorry.”

Liam’s eyes closed briefly. He was exhausted, and beaten, but he didn’t want to move too much because of the knife in his gut. He didn’t want to create more damage.

“Since it was for your puppies, I forgive you,” he said. “What happened to the dog?”

“A hawk.”

He grunted, a regretful sound. “When we return to Easington, I will have an entire stable built just for the dogs so they are always protected,” he said. “I do not want to chance more hawk attacks. Speaking of dogs, where is Bran?”

Cambria lifted her head, looking around. “I do not see him,” she said. “I will go find him.”

“Nay,” Liam said, gripping her hand. “Do not leave me. Stay.”

Cambria did. She wrapped both hands around his, holding it tightly as Cassius ran off to find men to bring Liam inside. Leaning over, she kissed his forehead, his cheek, trying to give him some comfort.

“Tell me about Easington,” she said, trying to distract him. “You’ve not told me much about it, you know. If I am to live there, I would like to know everything about it.”

He grunted as he shifted a little and the knife caused him pain. “It is a large castle,” he said, his voice faint. “Bran has a lady-friend who lives there.”

Cambria nodded. “Is that so?” she said. “What does she look like?”

“Hairy.”

Cambria chuckled, stroking his forehead. “So you and I will not be the only couple in love at Easington?”

His eyes opened and he looked at her. “Nay,” he said.

“But we will be the most important. In the years and centuries to come, long after we’re gone, there will be a legend about the Wolfehound and his mate, and how their love was so strong that it defied death itself.

How their love blended into the stars and became one with the beauty of the sky.

That’s our legend, Bria. A legend of love. ”

There were tears in Cambria’s eyes. “Wolfehound,” she murmured. “I’ve not heard you call yourself that before.”

He smiled faintly. “That is what the men at Easington call me,” he said.

“It started because Bran and I were inseparable, but it’s come to mean more than that.

Loyalty and relentlessness when facing adversity.

Like today—I was your faithful companion, your protector in the face of danger.

Your Wolfehound. And I always will be, Bria. ”

Tears popped from Cambria’s eyes as she bent over and kissed his lips, tenderly and sweetly.

It was a moment they shared, just the two of them, as the yard was swarmed with soldiers.

A group of them carried Tyrus out, followed by men with a wide plank for Liam.

Cambria was forced to let him go as they put him on the wood and carefully lifted him, removing him from the yard and heading for the keep.

Cambria followed.

But his words stuck with her, something poignant and powerful that she would never forget. Theirs was an old love story, as they’d been part of one another nearly their entire lives. A love that was embedded in them, part of their very bones. Something that could never be removed or separated.

I am your faithful companion, your protector .

He’d left out just one thing.

The love of your life.

And she was the love of his.