Blood Challenge (18 page)

“They were ambushed.” Davinia’s canines sharpened as she spat the words. Her gaze focused on Istal and Belia, who stood with a small group, wearing smug expressions. “This is not our way.” She shouted the accusation. “You are cowards.”

“You know nothing of our ways,” Belia said. “You are not one of us.”

“She is the Lupae, and I’m Lupina. We are the Pack, not you.” Ellie wondered where the anger and courage came from that propelled her forward. “You are the ones who don’t belong. You would betray your own members and traditions to seize power.”

To her surprise, several members of the Pack followed her. Davinia stood at her side, having transformed into wolf-form while Ellie’s attention remained focused on Belia. When she turned her head, she saw more than a dozen members had broken from the circle and stood with them. She recognized Lia, Lasile, and Jan in their wolf-form, closing in on her mother.

“End this charade. Challenge Rica the right way. The Pack will not accept you as the Alpha if you don’t.” The remarks were addressed to Istal, but Ellie kept her gaze on Belia as she spoke. She knew who was behind this scheme.

Growls of agreement issued from those behind her, and even from those in the circle, who had obviously decided not to intervene physically.

There was fear in Istal’s eyes as he stepped away from Belia. “Leave them.”

The men circling Rica and Viggo hesitated, but broke away when Istal growled at them. They didn’t attempt to join the circle. Rather, they hovered away from the rest of the Pack. They must surely have realized by now that there would be no place for them in the Pack if Istal lost the challenge.

Viggo backed away from Rica, keeping his eyes on Belia as he did so.

Istal stepped into the circle, and sweat gleamed on his skin. He had discarded his fur loincloth, and Rica now shed his shirt and jeans.

Although their posture was similar to that of challengers during the Mating Moon Ceremony, Ellie could sense the different atmosphere this night. There wasn’t the underlying hint of excitement and arousal in the members. Only fear and anger were revealed on those whose countenances didn’t hide their emotions. Her own stomach knotted with fear. Normally, Rica would crush Istal easily, but she knew he was still weak.

As one, they changed to wolf-form. Rica leapt first, landing on Istal’s back and rolling him to the ground. He howled with umbrage. His outrage turned to a yelp when Rica buried his teeth into his neck. Istal twisted and jerked, finally dislodging Rica from his back. He was quick to seize the opening by twisting onto his side and attacking Rica’s exposed stomach. The transformation had healed the wound left by the men who had ambushed Rica, but Istal’s teeth formed a new gash.

Rica was silent as he used his back paws to remove his enemy. He kicked out at Istal, who tumbled away, landing on his back. He scrambled up, but not quickly enough to keep Rica from landing on him and ripping into his left flank. Istal’s cry resounded around the clearing, echoing up the mountain.

He bucked under Rica, and his movements were frantic. Somehow, he pushed Rica away, but didn’t have a chance to attack. Rica moved with fluid grace, pinning Istal to the ground. His teeth clamped around the other man’s throat, cutting off Istal’s growls. His fur rose as he bit harder. Istal twitched under him, and a feeble howl escaped him. Rica cut it off ruthlessly. Soon, Istal started convulsing.

Rica loosened his hold and moved back, remaining in wolf-form. His eyes never left Istal while the other man convulsed. Even after he fell silent and his chest stopped moving, Rica remained by the body of his challenger. Finally, he threw back his head and howled. The sound echoed around the clearing, and those already in wolf-form took up the call.

As Ellie watched, those around her transformed, shedding or ripping clothes in the process. She stood in the midst of two hundred wolves, each crying out their relief at Rica’s victory. The only ones who remained silent, besides herself, were those who had conspired to overthrow Rica. Their fear covered them like a shroud. All except Belia, whose deadpan expression revealed nothing.

It happened quickly. Ellie barely had time to follow with her eyes as Belia withdrew something from her fur covering and ran at Rica. She didn’t transform, so she was slower than she might have been otherwise.

“Rica, behind you.” Ellie’s warning wasn’t loud enough to carry over the howls around her, and she began running. Rica’s back was to Belia, and the other woman raised her arm, revealing a wooden-handled knife with a silver blade. Somehow, Ellie found the strength to increase her pace and interceded between Belia and Rica, just as her mate turned. He must have finally heard Belia over the howls of the Pack.

Silence descended, but Ellie wasn’t more than peripherally aware of the Pack watching. All she could concentrate on was trying to keep Belia’s arm from lowering and plunging the knife. The other woman had changed her aim, and was now trying to push the knife into Ellie.

Her arms trembled. She knew Rica must be changing behind her, but it wouldn’t be in time. Belia’s arm lowered, and the knife found its mark in her side. At least she had managed to deflect the blow from her stomach, although that didn’t seem to have made much difference.

The pain was intense, and her strength fled. She fell to her knees, and Rica’s paw brushed the top of her head as he leaped. He hadn’t changed form after all. He hit Belia with enough force to knock her to the ground. His mouth was at her throat before she had a chance to reposition the knife or transform. There was a horrible ripping sound, and then silence returned.

Ellie slumped onto her hands and knees as the wound throbbed. She couldn’t seem to focus on anything, and darkness was trying to take her. She was mildly aware of the sting of Rica’s hand when he slapped her cheek. She forced her eyes open to meet his gaze. She tried to speak, but couldn’t find the strength to.

“I’m going to heal your wound, but it will take a lot of saliva. Much more than we have ever exchanged. The quantity of enzyme you’ll receive will cause you to change. Ellie, can you hear me?”

She nodded, finding it too difficult to mull over the ramifications of accepting the transformation. All she cared about was living, so she could be with her mate. She managed to whisper, “Do it,” but lost consciousness as Rica laid her on her back.

Chapter 13

An incredible feeling of freedom filled Ellie as she ran. Never could she have imagined it would feel like this to be a wolf. She retained her own thoughts, but animal instinct definitely reigned. Her only regret was her inability to speak to Rica in wolf-form, since she didn’t know any of the wolf calls yet. She wanted to call out, asking where he had disappeared.

She craned her neck, still growing accustomed to the way her new set of muscles moved. Other than a trace of the pain that had accompanied the transformation, she didn’t hurt anywhere. The knife wound had closed, and her back didn’t hurt at all. She should be whole again when she returned to human-form.

She was a little apprehensive about that. Changing to a wolf had happened while she was in a stupor, so she didn’t know how her body had done it. Would she be able to return to her normal form? What if she were stuck in a wolf’s body forever?

Her ears perked when she heard someone approaching her from behind. They were moving with stealth, but her senses had heightened during the hours she had spent as a wolf, with Rica as her guide, and she heard the telltale movements.

She stopped running and tried to stop panting, so she could hear each furtive movement. She was listening so intently that she forgot to use her eyes. She saw a blur from the side seconds before a furry body covered hers, pushing her to the ground. She recognized Rica’s scent and relaxed.

Her eyes widened when he mounted her from behind, pushing her front paws harder into the ground, while keeping her rump elevated. Excitement spiraled through her when she realized he was going to mate with her in wolf-form. A disconcerting image of transforming back to her other form during the process flashed through her mind, but she dismissed the fear.

There wasn’t any foreplay, but she didn’t seem to need any. Her pussy accepted his cock easily, tightening around it. As Rica thrust into her, a howl broke free from Ellie. He joined in the cry, and her pussy tightened further around him.

No, that wasn’t it. His cock was growing inside her. It had thickened and expanded. Ellie felt a moment of alarm, wondering what was happening. Then she was too caught up in sensation to wonder about anything except when she would climax. His hard thrusts excited her sensitive flesh, causing her pussy to convulse. Her muscles contracted, and she released another howl as an orgasm swept through her.

It wasn’t the same as when she was in human-form. As a woman, the orgasm often ricocheted through her whole body. This release was more intense, centering just inside her pussy, and triggering another orgasm. The duration wasn’t as long either, but she was amazed when several small orgasms ravaged her, building in intensity until her pussy was clenched so tightly around Rica’s cock that she didn’t know how they would ever separate.

Rica cried out when he came, pumping into her with renewed vigor. His cock spasmed with greater intensity, and for a longer period, than any other time they had made love. It was a long time before he softened inside her and withdrew his cock.

Ellie collapsed to the ground, panting. It seemed to happen naturally that she morphed into human-form again. Rica followed suit and drew her against him. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath, and her heart still raced. There was a deep ache in her pussy, but it wasn’t from pain…unless there was such a thing as too much pleasure.

“Was I too rough? Your scent was driving me insane. I couldn’t wait another minute.”

She shook her head, brushing her hair against his bare chest. “It was amazing. I never would have thought…” She trailed off with a satisfied sigh. He had been there. He didn’t need a recap.

“How do you feel otherwise?”

She bit back a yawn. “Sleepy.”

“I mean your wounds. Have they healed?”

“Yes.” She arched her back, pressing her breasts against his stomach. “I feel wonderful. So alive.”

“I love you, Ellie.” His tone was gruff.

She smiled, cuddling closer. “I love you too. I was so afraid of losing you when Istal challenged you.”

“I thought I’d lost you too.” His voice deepened, becoming harder. “You aren’t leaving when the snow thaws. You know that, don’t you?”

She bit back a giggle. She could make an issue of his Alpha attitude, but why bother? She didn’t want to leave. She was going to stay with him forever. “Yes, Rica,” she said meekly, while laughing inside. Let him think he was taking charge. It would mollify him to believe he had made the decision for her. She knew better. She was staying because she wanted to.

* * * * *

“Leave and never come back.” Rica’s profile could have been etched in stone as he turned his face from her, sending a signal to those gathered in the square.

Ellie’s heart stuttered with fear, but she refused to give in to it. She cast a glare at Sorin and Lucian, whose arrival had caused Rica’s rage. Damn them for revealing her original purpose for coming to Corsova. Not three days after the snow melted, they had arrived to expose her.

She shifted with discomfort, knowing she couldn’t place all the blame on them. She’d had months to tell Rica why she had come, but had been afraid to upset their relationship. Things had been so perfect between them that she was terrified of telling him the truth. It hadn’t seemed that important. After all, the werewolves stayed to themselves. She hadn’t expected the queen of Corsova to send her emissaries to inform Rica about the traitor in their midst.

She stiffened her spine. “I’m not leaving.”

He turned back to her, and his fury caused her stomach to quiver. “Why? Don’t you have enough information to expose us yet? Light your torches and bring your mob into our midst, Ellie. I’d think you would be eager to escape this primitive place and return to where you belong.”

“I belong here.” She dared to look at those assembled, finding only Golatia met her eyes. Even Davinia refused to look at her. She felt the need to throw up.

“No one wants you here. Leave while I’m allowing you to.” Rica turned his back on her and began walking away. As one, the Pack turned their back on her too.

Ellie was amazed by the sympathy she saw in Lucian and Sorin’s eyes. A sense of desperation filled her. She had to make them understand. “Please, Rica, don’t send me away. I love you.”

He stopped walking, but didn’t turn. “How can I believe that? You’ve lied about everything else.”

“Yes.” Her shoulders sagged with the admission. “I did lie. I lied to all of you. I thought I had good reason for my deception, but I’ve realized I was selfish. I planned to use the Pack’s existence to secure tenure and the chair in my department.” Her words didn’t do anything to soften his stance, but she continued speaking, letting the words fly from her without thought. She was speaking from her heart.

“I didn’t expect any of the things that happened to me. I didn’t expect to find my first real friend among your people.” Her eyes moved to Davinia, who slowly turned around. She hated the pain she saw in her eyes. “You welcomed me when no one else would, because you knew what it was to be an outsider. You’ve treated me like a sister, and I used you. I’m sorry.”