“You hear how he speaks to your alpha? How he speaks of our pack?” Gavin sharply turned toward Kristi. Her yellow eyes widened as her alpha's words sunk into her brain. Realization and anger blossomed across her face as Gavin stoked her inner turmoil. “Do you truly want to give up your place in the pack for him? A wolf that doesn't even care for you?”
Pain raced across Kristi's heart as his words slammed into her chest. Her palms ached as red crescent marks dug into her skin. Gavin was right. Jay didn't care for her. He was willing to trade her status, her life, and her pack for Goldbridge. Denial clung to her thoughts, spurred on by hope. Too many flurrying thoughts whipped through her mind.
Jay rushed forward, grabbing Gavin by his throat. Claws extended from Jay's fingertips, digging into the alpha's neck. He didn't care about containing his wolf. Let it come out. Gavin deserved every last bit of overkill. “Leave her out of this!”
Kristi numbly watched the scene. Jay's rage coiled in her guts, joining the fray with hot poison. It did nothing to abate the confusion in her head. Her feelings dizzied her, made it hard to think, and lost her. What could she do? Her pack needed her, but Jay was her Mate. But he chose his pseudo pack before her, so why shouldn't she do the same? Her pack was in the right, not Goldbridge!
“Are you going to allow him to run back to Goldbridge to betray us?” Gavin managed to gasp out the words while struggling against Jay's vice-like grip on his neck. His claws raked over Jay's knuckles as he gasped out, “Or are you going to regain your position as my Beta and take care of this threat?”
“Shut up!” Jay growled, the wolf gnawing at his head. He could feel his fangs elongating, his pupils narrowing to slits, the hair sprouting along his body. His grip tightened on Gavin's throat as the man continued to struggle, clawing at Jay's whole arm. Why hadn't the alpha changed, yet?
Kristi's shriek tore through the air, her charging footfalls loud and obtrusive. Jay's gaze snapped to her face just as her fist connected to his temple. He grunted, dropping Gavin suddenly. A torrential wave of pain and confusion and pure rage crashed through Jay. He didn't have time to dissect the emotions. Kristi continued to rain assault on him. He could barely evade her swift attacks. Yet, Jay couldn't find retribution in his thoughts. His arms locked up at the mere thought of striking Kristi.
She, on the other hand, let her anger sear across the pain. With every swipe, every punch, every lash, Jay received an affliction. Even minor, the injuries burned across Kristi's body and in her brain. His confusion and distinct inability to hurt her blossomed in her mind with every impact. She didn't care. Each streak of pain was a reminder of their connection. A reminder of what Jay was abandoning for Goldbridge. A reminder of what to overcome.
Her wolf snapped along her thoughts, taking all dissent into its jaws and shaking it savagely. Scraps of emotion and frayed ribbons of thought tangled in her head. Kristi clung to what was certain: Jay was going to Goldbridge. That mere fact hurt like hell.
With a scream, she plunged her claws into Jay's gut. A pained grunt left his lips, but he clamped down on any yowls of pain. Any signs of weakness, especially in front of Gavin, were unwelcome. Jay winced as the agony cleaved through his flesh, his muscles, to his gut. His spine shuddered as blood spurted out of the gaping wound.
“Look at me,” she demanded as she slid her hand from Jay's torso. Kristi's other hand slammed to his throat, her deft fingers curled around his neck.
Jay's hands pressed to the hole in his stomach, stemming the bleeding as he turned his eyes to her face. The edges of his vision blurred and darkened, despite the wolf in him working fast to mend the dangerous wound.
A cramp sliced through Kristi's stomach, followed by more intense knots of agony. Nausea climbed up her throat as they locked gazes. So many shades of emotion painted Jay's face, Kristi had nowhere to begin. She wanted to see rage and disgust on Jay's face. She wanted to see him for what he truly was.
Instead, his hazel-grey eyes caught the light of the waning moon and seemed opalescent in the open air. Little cuts dotted his face among the livid white scars. His hair clumped with sweat and blood, stuck out at erratic angles. Kristi's hold on Jay's throat flexed, tears burned at the back of her eyes. Warmth and fondness and memories flooded her senses. Love stirred in her heart as the pain pulsated through her torso. Even clinging to his transgressions, knowing where he fled to, Kristi couldn't find enough hatred to slice Jay down the middle.
“What are you waiting for?” Gavin demanded from somewhere behind her. For some reason, he decided to stay out of the fray of battle. Kristi threw a glare over her shoulder, her anger suddenly redirecting. Unaware of Kristi's growing rage, Gavin sputtered on, “Flay him and you can be a Beta again!”