Avenger(68)

“Oooh, she wants a fight,” Travis grinned. “I’ll give you a fight, sweet Sophie, and in the end you’ll be begging me to end your life, and I’m going to drag it out as long as possible. I’ll make sure it’s extra painful too and that your mate here gets to watch,” he nodded at Caeden who stood in front of me in his wolf form, growling.

“Bring. It. On.” I said the words slowly and carefully, staring him down the whole time. I wanted him to know that I wasn’t afraid of him. I had a child to protect, and that erased all my fears for myself.

“Consider it brought.”

With a roar, his body exploded in midair and a white wolf stood in front of Caeden.

I shifted too and jumped over Caeden’s body. I sank my teeth into Travis’ shoulder and he yelped in pain. But he was bigger than me and easily shook off my hold. I went flying through the air and smacked into one of the walls. It hurt something fierce and there was a dent left behind in the wall, but I surged forward like I had felt nothing.

Teeth. Claws. Growls. I didn’t know who was who and I sincerely hoped I didn’t hurt Caeden by accident. I was unstoppable in that moment, my adrenaline alone giving me a strength I didn’t know I possessed, not to mention the strength of a mother protecting her child.

Blood coated my mouth and tongue with a rusty taste. It was disgusting, but my mouth was my best weapon. My teeth tore into Travis back leg and blood spurted across my face. He cried out in pain as my teeth ripped through flesh and muscle. That was definitely going to hurt like a bitch and slow him down.

Good job she-wolf. Caeden said.

My jubilation didn’t last long though. Travis smacked into me, knocking me off balance. I fell to the ground and he climbed on top of me. His paws pressed painfully into my unprotected belly. He dug his claws in, shredding my skin like I had done with his leg. His lifeless black eyes gazed down at me. He felt no sympathy for what he was doing. Killing was second nature for him.

Suddenly he was knocked off of me and I rolled over to see him grappling with Caeden. I forced air into my lungs, wincing at the pain in my abdomen. A wheezing noise escaped me and blood began to fill my throat. I wasn’t a doctor but I was pretty sure he’d punctured one of my lungs. This was bad. But I wasn’t going to let it keep me from taking the son of a bitch down. I forced myself to my feet. My vision was blurry from blood loss and I swayed precariously. I pushed myself forward, one foot at a time as Caeden grappled with Travis’ white form. I wanted—no, I needed—to be the one to kill Travis. I knew Caeden wanted the honor, but this was my fight, not his.

I inserted my body between Caeden and Travis’. Caeden let out a howl of protest.

I need to do this. I told him.

He didn’t have a reply because he understood.

Travis and I were both weak from fighting, but I had something he didn’t. What was that you might ask? I had everything. A husband, a child, family, friends, a life. Travis, well, he had nothing to live for.

With a renewed strength I sunk my teeth into his throat. He screamed—and a wolf’s scream was nothing like that of a human. It was an unnatural sound. Wolves aren’t supposed to scream. I bit into his body in different places, ripping straight through the flesh, and watching as his blood seeped over the floor. The sticky red substance coated my muzzle and paws, but I didn’t care, because I was watching Travis’ black eyes fade to a dull gray as his life left him. His body shimmered, transforming back into that of a human. Pieces of his skin hung in shreds and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He was dead.

Dead.

Finally.

I shifted back to my human form, a cry tearing from my throat. He was actually dead. I had done it. I had killed Travis Grimm. Not Caeden. Me. I’d been the one to kill him. He couldn’t bother us ever again. It was over. It was finally over.

Caeden shifted too, placing his hand on the bare skin of my back. I was hunched over, fighting tears of happiness, and struggling to breathe. My lungs were slowly repairing themselves and I felt a slight stinging pain as they knitted back together.

“Are you okay?” Caeden asked. His voice seemed too loud in the suddenly silent room.

“I’ve never been better,” I answered honestly. My words were true. For the first time in a year I could breathe a sigh of relief because it was over. Travis was dead, which meant he could never torment us again—except in the memories that would probably always haunt me. But we wouldn’t have to look over our shoulders anymore. We didn’t have to live in fear. We could finally be normal, and go back to being Caeden and Sophie. Well, Caeden and Sophie plus Beau.