Chapter 275

I headed straight for the man on his knees with a vicious growl. As soon as I got close, I dove for the first rogue I was near. Everyone else joined the fight, I knew, but I was focused on saving Carl. It was too soon. I wasn’t ready, and I knew Carly wasn’t ready either.

The rogues were pretty big, and as soon as we breached the trees, they all squared up with us. We were the incoming threat. But what we hadn’t planned on was there being so many. Even with Erubus, we were outnumbered five to one.

The rogue was quick; he dove away from every attack and countered. Toya and the girls were fighting tooth and claw as well, but from the corner of my eye, I could see Carl trying to get up, trying to help. “Stay down, Carl,” I called to him, and I could see the thought in his mind. “We were fine. Stay alive. You have better things to worry about,” I called again while nearly avoiding a second rogue diving for my back.

That got through to him, and he sagged onto his hands, the pain becoming too much. Then he gave the tiniest nod. I refocused on the fight and caught the first rogue by surprise by jumping into the air and using a leaping rogue to change my direction, my front paw catching it around its neck as I went.

It dropped to the ground, bleeding out while I soared over the one attacking me and landing on his back. My teeth dug into its neck, and I thrashed until he stilled. I dropped him to the ground and moved on to the next, and the next.

Toya and the girls were holding their own, and the pile of bodies was steadily growing bigger, one by one. But the pile of bodies under Erubus’s feet was impressive. He was keeping pace with me. Anytime I dropped one, he did. I was distracted by Toya’s yelp when a rogue got close enough to sink its fangs into my shoulder.

I roared as I turned. It released me in surprise, and I used its stupidity to kill it. I whirled to the next one, again glancing over at everyone, and I felt Nix and Megan freeze.

Erubus was fighting two wolves, while another two crept up from behind him. He wouldn’t be able to fight off four.

Amy, I know we swore off males and their stupidity, but I would really like to keep that one alive to redeem himself. Nix’s voice held a little worry, but I understood. I couldn’t have Rowan, not after today’s announcement. But Erubus, he was still possible. And after all of this is said and done, we needed a mate.

I kicked the wolf I was fighting, turned on my heel, and sprinted toward where Erubus was fighting for his life. The two new wolves had joined the fight, and Erubus was taking bites and claws all over his body. One wolf got his tail, and he roared as I watched the wolves sever his tail in two.

As I ran, another got him in his neck, and his eyes met mine. There was something there: sadness, pain, regret. I couldn’t tell from this distance, but what I saw was when he gave up. He stopped fighting; he stopped moving, his eyes stayed on mine, and he just…stopped.

“No,” I roared as I dove. I grabbed the wolf that had him by his neck and snapped straight through its neck. Erubus pushed up from the ground but staggered a step. I whirled to the next wolf, and the next. “Stupid male,” I called as I attacked the wolves surrounding him. “How…dare…you…give…up,” I panted as I faced off with the rest of the remaining rogues.

Erubus finally got to his feet, and he staggered over to me. “What?”

I turned to growl at him. “You don’t get to give up. Do you understand?” I nipped at his face and then jumped over his back to intercept another wolf. While I was fighting one, he watched my back. When he was fighting one, I watched his. We fought next to each other, protecting each other, until everyone was dead. I stood panting, staring at the giant wolf in front of me. “How dare you!” I was so pissed. “How dare you give up?” I couldn’t stop the rage as it filled me again.

Erubus panted in front of me. “I just…”

“You just nothing. My father taught me never to give up, not until the job is done, until everyone is saved. You survive, you fight, you live. Never fucking do that again,” I bellowed in his face.

“Sometimes you don’t-”

I was so angry I did something I had never done before: I slammed my aura out and into this male. “I command you to never give up again.”