Chapter Ninety - Rival - Damian's POV

My body becomes tense instantly. I slowly release Maya from my side, but not entirely. I keep my hand on her waist, ground us both. Simon's chest heaves, his eyes wide with urgency. 'Where?" I snap. 'What is going on? I need updates now." 'To the south. We weren't expecting them there and they've already crossed into the woods. No one was on patrol down there because of the meeting and most were staying on the northern end." I curse under my breath. First Luce. Now this? Someone is trying to break us from the inside. Maya wobbles on her feet and leans into my side. 'What do we do?" 'You're staying here," I say without hesitation. Though my tone is gentler than usual, she still looks up at me with doe eyes. 'With Evelyn and some others. You're not ready to face anything yet." Her mouth opens to protest, but I shake my head, not giving her an inch to say otherwise. 'I'm not saying you're weak, Maya. I'm saying that I'm not going to risk losing you." She falters, then nods once, finally caving into my command. Evelyn moves to her side, encouraging her to go with her. I know she'll keep her safe, but it makes me nervous. With them headed down the hallway to the safety of the rooms, I turn to Simon. 'How many are there?" He looks a little unsure at first, but finally nods. 'A dozen. Maybe more. All wolves. No vampires." While it's a relief to hear, it's still not good news. I roll my shoulders, already feeling the shift just underneath my skin. 'Let's go." This is what they want. They want us to be distracted and pulled in every direction until something snaps, but they forget one thing. I have never been broken before and I don't plan to start now. I reach the front doors of the estate quickly just as the first warning howl fills the air. The others are already gathering. As soon as I'm out the door, I shift without hesitation. My bones crack and fur bristles as I fall forward onto my hands and knees. Once it's finished, I run. The wind cuts through my fur as I push forward. My legs pound the forest floor in a blur. The scent of intruders comes on the next breeze, hitting me hard. They're not here to talk. They came for blood. Branches whip past me as I weave through the trees. I hear my pack behind me. Simon and Marrack being the closet. When I finally reach the clearing, I find them. They come to a stop, all panting for breath in front of me. They're closer than I'd like, but still not too far in. It's almost as if they waited after Simon sounded the alarm. But why? As I look at the wolves before me, I don't recognize any of them. Their snarls echo through the air. There are at least a dozen of them, just like Simon said. Their alpha stands at the front. He's massive, jet black, with yellow eyes locked straight on me. He steps forward, his lips peeling back in a growl that dares me to make the first move. If I could smirk, I would be. Challenge accepted. I release a low, guttural growl from deep within my chest. Then bare my fangs in return. My pack fan out behind me, silent, but ready. We don't need words to know what we're about to do. I step forward once. Then again. The black wolf snarls at me, taking his own steps forward. I lunge before he can react, colliding with him mid-growl. The impact shakes the ground as we tumble through the dirt and leaves. Claws slash. Teeth snap. He's strong, but not stronger than I am. I fight with everything I have. Behind me, the forest erupts into chaos as both packs clash. I don't care who sent them. Who knows who it is? They're all going to learn the same lesson today. If you mess with me, Maya, or my pack, then you are going to meet your death sooner. As we break apart, the black wolf recovers too fast. But I'm faster. I twist while rolling, using my weight to pin him to the ground. My claws drive deep into his shoulder. He yelps, more out of fury than from pain. I sink my teeth into the thick ruff of his neck. It's not deep enough to kill, but enough to make a point. All I hear is growling behind us. I catch flashes of fur out of the corner of my eye. Mostly Simon slamming a tan wolf into the ground. Marrak tears through two others like they are nothing. My pack isn't just holding the line. We're actually winning. The black wolf bucks, trying to throw me off and succeeds. I land on all fours a little distance away. He circles wide, blood dripping from his shoulder and neck in tiny streams down his front. He's limping and hurt, but doesn't look any less determined. Good. I step forward, daring him to challenge me again. Instead of attacking again, he shifts into his human's form. His lip curls in a snarl, revealing his fangs. 'This isn't over." I shift fast, rising to my feet, ready to meet him in this form as well. 'No, it's not. But you've already lost. Take your dead and leave." He glances toward the trees behind him, noticing what few he has left. They grab the bodies and start pulling them into the woods as they retreat. The fight is done for now. The man spits blood to the side. 'You're just delaying everything. The prophecy doesn't change any of the rules. A human will never hold power." 'If you know what's good for you, you'll leave and never come back. A human may just be what saves you. Talk about her again, and you'll see exactly what I'll do to you." His jaw clenches, but he doesn't argue. Instead, he turns without another word and disappears into the trees. Silence follows. Simon limps closer. 'You good?" I nod. 'Yes, I'm fine. What about you?" He grins through his split lip, blood dripping down his chin. 'Nothing a bottle of whiskey won't fix. Maybe some stitches. I'll be healed by morning." I turn toward the estate, noticing how everyone is injured to some degree. But we're still standing and alive. My heart thunders in my ears as I think about Maya. All I want to do is make it back to ensure she's okay.