Page 79 of Plus-Size Sold Mate
“Stop this,” I tell her, keeping her pinned even at a distance.
With her panicked look shining back at me, she glances over at her father, where he’s still locked in the fight, trying to find a vantage point, and for the first time, true doubt emanates from her.
She might’ve put her faith in her father before, but right now, even she doesn’t see this succeeding.
For a beat, none of us moves. Then, the tension breaks as Naia pulls back, scrambling to get her footing again. Freeing herself from my hold, she retreats and bolts toward the tree line.
Without needing to be told, several other wolves follow her instantly, and while the chaos returns, our pack is ready as they flank from all sides.
Just as I think we’re in the clear, a flash of something from my left causes me to lock up.
Hayes bursts out from the trees with wild eyes, aiming for either Eve or me with our guards down. It happens so quickly that I can’t even raise an arm to defend us.
Though he never reaches us.
Dominic tackles him hard, crashing into him with a fierce protectiveness in his eyes. Teeth at his throat now, he snarls and doesn’t let him up. A beat later, Isaac is there, covering for us on the other side.
The display is clear in its message, and the remaining Wraith Peak wolves hesitate.
Even with their Alpha fighting still, many of them pull back, withdrawing before they become collateral.
Something physically changes in the air, as if the tide has shifted, and we all feel it.
When I turn my attention to Luke and Dawson now, my heart squeezes even harder.
Both look worn down from the fight, still showing force and hitting back as hard as they can. The smell of their bloodmixes in the air, and it gleams on their teeth, yet they keep going. They keep pushing because neither of them can risk losing.
I feel Eve’s hand slide into mine once she shifts back, firm and grounding.
With her support, I pull in a deep breath and silently pour what I can into the bond. Everything I have left, I give it to him.
All I can do now is wait and hope it’s enough.
Chapter 28 - Luke
In a flash of fur and teeth, we collide again and again, snapping and snarling.
I slam into Dawson’s side, driving him sideways as we crash through the underbrush. Every movement jostles more than the last, and even in his tiring state, he twists beneath me in pure desperation.
By now, this isn’t just about honor or titles anymore. Now, this is about his crumbling pride and him refusing to crawl back to his pack, beaten all over again.
Surging up, Dawson snaps at my throat, but I jerk back in time, causing his teeth to graze fur instead of flesh.
Still, he fights harder, pushing and biting like this is his last chance at redemption, and I know that to be true.
Sera’s alarm spikes through the bond, rushing at me in the same breath that Dawson does, but I sidestep him and regain my footing before sending reassurance back at her without breaking focus.
She hasn’t stopped worrying since this whole thing began, but now, I feel it concentrating on me rather than being split between the fight and the chaos happening around us. That must mean the others have a grip on the situation at least, and now everyone is waiting to see who will walk away from this fight victorious.
Dawson isn’t as strong as he was a few minutes ago, regardless of the front he puts up. There’s more urgency than intention in his movements, and with the amount of blood he has lost already, he’s reckless.
He goes low, aiming for my legs to throw me off balance. When I pivot again, he catches my hind leg, sending a shockwave of pain through me as he drags me down.
We hit the ground hard, but even as he scrambles on top of me, reaching again for my throat, I don’t give in. This isn’t just a challenge for Sera’s possession…not when he’s trying to aim for the kill.
I had no intention of taking it this far, but with everything I have on the line, I have to give it right back. All he needs is the right opening, but I won’t give it to him.
Slamming my legs upward, I shove him off balance before rolling over in a mess of dirt and leaves. Pinning him, I growl against his throat in warning, waiting for his next move.
