Chapter 64

I can’t let it happen.

It takes everything in me to pad my way forward, moving through the sand. It slows me down, doing nothing to help my wobbly legs. A tan wolf grabs onto Jeff, biting him on the back of the neck. He’s not even done transforming yet, and I see blood seep from the wound.

Rage rises through me, pushing me forward, and I surprise the tan wolf by jumping into his side. He growls and snaps his jowls, biting onto my front leg.

I screech, my wolf releasing a high-pitch, pathetic noise. I feel a disconnection to my body. I know this wolf is me, and I’m her, but it’s as if my humanity refuses to accept that I’m now moon chosen. I’m a damn wolf shifter. Lykoswulf.

But I’m not a female to be bred.

I will be my own leader.

A deep, vicious snarl echoes through the world, and the tan wolf doesn’t see Dustin’s coppery form. He’s completed his transformation, his new wolf body incredibly stunning. I’ve never seen anything his color, his fur sparkling in the strange light created from the moon. Latching his teeth onto the tan wolf, Dustin shoves him into the ground, trying to pin him. The wolf fights back, and I push to my paws and join Dustin, using my weight to keep him down so Dustin can tear out his throat. I never thought I’d be such a savage. I never expected to be capable of ending a life. But here I am, my body count stacking up.

I can’t even recall how many people I have killed since arriving here. I wish this was it. I wish this would just stop.

“Dustin. Sasha. He’s dead. Come on. We need to run.” Evan nudges his black nose into the side of my face. “Wolves took Zev.”

Fear resonates through me, and I whip my attention around, staring at the beach. Breck and Ravi team up and chase off another wolf. It’s the strangest thing seeing them work together. I don’t know if it’s because Breck is considered part of the pack or what, but I don’t like it. I don’t like seeing him with Ravi.

A screech booms through the air, and I swivel and catch sight of Robert crashing into Dante again. My wolf whimpers, my whole body turning cold. I thought I hated him. I want to hate him for not giving me answers and for keeping things from me.

But a part of me doesn’t believe that he did it with ill intentions as I previously thought. I realize that because of his position in the pack, he was afraid. Because they obviously don’t believe that infrabornes deserve to pass on their genes or some shit.

And now this bastard alpha plans to kill who he considers the weakest member of his pack.

“Go after Zev. I need to help Dante.” The command comes easily enough, and shock rolls through me as Evan and Jeff obey.

“Restrain her for me, my pup. You’re now Twilight Cove’s infraborne.” Robert’s rumbly voice shocks me. His words aren’t intended for me though. They’re intended for Dustin.

It’s now that I realize why he hasn’t left or obeyed me.

Dustin bares his fangs, releasing a low growl. His body trembles, and he slowly steps forward. I can’t do anything as he bows in his wolf form, giving in to the alpha without a fight. And holy shit. The strange disconnect cuts through me, and whatever I felt from Dustin before vanishes. With his bow, he will no longer be able to resist the command of his pack alpha. Not now.

Not like this. I’m no longer of influence.

Jerking around, Dustin crashes into me, planting his big paws on my chest. I snarl and whip my body, biting into the fur on his chest, trying to break away.

“Dustin. Dustin, get a hold of yourself. Don’t do this. This isn’t you. We are part of a pack, remember?” I think the words, trying to send them to Dustin through a mental link.

He doesn’t respond. He doesn’t move.

I don’t want to hurt him, but I don’t want to die either. And the Twilight Cove alpha plans to kill me. That’s his way of getting back at the Sunset Pointe pack for stealing me out from under them. I was promised to Twilight Cove by the Crystalrock pack after all.

“Bring her here. She will watch as you kill this traitorous bastard,” Robert says, the dark eyes of his wolf staring at me as if I’m his prey.

“I’m sorry, Sasha.” The softness of Dustin’s voice hurts me more than his teeth grabbing me by my neck.

I buck my body, trying to break free of his hold. I feel like a small puppy getting carried around. His wolf frame is twice the size of mine, and he easily drags me forward no matter how much I fight. I can’t swing my body close enough to bite him.

Dustin only releases me when Robert grabs me with his teeth next, slamming me to the ground and pouncing on my side, pinning me in place.

I meet Dante’s bright blue eyes, his wolf whimpering with blood staining the white parts of his coat.

“Dustin, please. Please don’t do this. Remember who you are. You’re not some feral animal. You’re a human. You are from the human world. Don’t give in to your beast. You don’t have to do this. Please.” I whimper with my words, my wolf crying with my deep distraught. It’s as if a part of me dies even though I continue to live.

“Do it. Do it now,” Robert snaps, pounding his paws against my ribs.

I howl in pain, struggling to breathe in my new form with the weight of his body crushing me. I expect Ravi to come rushing to my side, but he doesn’t. I don’t know where he is. I don’t know where the others have gone chasing after Zev. They didn’t know that Dustin would fall victim to the call of his alpha so suddenly. I didn’t know that either.

Robert snarls. “Now!”

“Dustin, no!” The words whip from me with a bark, the noise wild enough to strike strength into Dante. He manages to shift his body, but he can’t get to his feet. I bark again, thrashing, putting up a fight. I will not submit to this beast. I will not allow him to treat me like this or let him hurt Dante. “You need to fight with me, Dante. Dustin is lost. You need to fight. You need to turn your back on the Twilight Cove pack. I will take you as my own. But you have to fight. Prove to me you’re worthy of a bond. Fight!”

Robert swings his big head down, locking his teeth to my neck. Pain seers across my body, but instead of incapacitating me, it jolts me into action. I whip my head and snarl, snapping my teeth, trying to bite him anywhere I can. He stumbles, my movements knocking his big paws away, and he automatically releases me. I manage to snag his front paw with my teeth, and I bite as hard as I can. I won’t let go. Someone is going to have to pry me away or kill me. This alpha is not in control. I’m not a thing for him to claim or discard. I’m moon blessed and goddess chosen. I accept the call of the moon. I accept this fate.

Growls sound around us as Dante and Dustin fight, and Dante manages to get to his feet. He locks his jaw onto Dustin’s neck, tearing at his flesh. But he isn’t intent on killing him. He’s trying to slow him down.

Robert drags me around, thrashing his body while snarling and sinking his teeth into my side. I still refuse to let go. I know if I do, I’m a dead wolf. I will never be able to escape this island. I will have let my guys down. My pack. I will have wasted my grandma’s efforts, and I will prove that I’m not worthy of her lineage.

I refuse to believe it. If she could do this, so can I.

Dante breaks away from Dustin, charging toward us. Robert whips his attention to Dante, leaving himself open to me. He grabs Dante by the throat and bites down hard enough to silence the growls escaping his mouth. My vision crowds with pain.

Dante’s pain.

It’s enough to get me to release Robert’s paw, but I don’t let him get far. I knock into him, sending both him and Dante rolling. I do the only thing I can think of. I bite down on his back leg, sinking my teeth not only into his thigh but also into his balls.

He yelps, his wolf wailing with a screech. He spins around, snarling at me, but he freezes. He doesn’t attack. Instead, he rushes away and runs toward the trees. I sink to the ground, exhaustion grabbing hold of me. I know I need to get up. I know I need to keep fighting.

“Little badass, fuck.” Breck’s voice trickles into my mind, wrapping around me.

“Let me through.” Ravi’s giant form stands over me, and he nuzzles his wolf snout into my neck, he glides his tongue over my fur, licking my wounds as if he can suddenly heal me. He releases a deep growl. “Get the traitor.”

Fear clenches my heart, and I whimper, peering at Dustin and Dante. “Please. Don’t.”

As if my words ignite something inside Dustin, he launches to his feet and runs toward the trees. I stare at the empty spot where he was, seeing the blood staining the sand.

“Breck, you have to go after him. We promised.” I think the words to Breck, trying to see him past Ravi, but Ravi blocks his way.

“He has made his decision. You must let him go. You’re too young to face the Twilight Cove pack alone.” This comes from another guy. I think it’s Sean. It’s strange how I can sense it.

A couple of new voices sound through my mind as the quiet murmurs of the men circle around me. It wasn’t only Breck and Ravi to scare off Robert. It was the entire Sunset Pointe pack. They only interfered because they had to. They weren’t going to let me die.

But it’s kind of late for that. A part of me already has. I don’t think that part of me, the human part of me, will ever be revived again.

“We need to take care of the infraborne. He is of no use to us,” Gary says, his muscular wolf form stepping over me as if I’m just some sort of obstacle in his way.

I whimper, my whole body aching. “Please, don’t.”

Gary snarls at my pleas.

He ignores me completely.

Ravi drags me by the scruff of my neck, pulling me away as the Sunset Pointe pack surrounds Dante.

My heart breaks.

Even Breck and Evan join them.

I guess I was stupid to think I’d have a pack.

I have no one.

And I realize now that being alone just isn’t enough. I’ll never be enough.