Oath Sworn - K.N. Banet Page 0,98

said against my shoulder. “I have a plan.”

“No, sweetheart. No plans. You just need to get to safety. Please.”

“Just keep me safe right here. I’m not moving,” she said passionately, the tears still in her voice. I could feel them dampen my fur. This kid had a broken wrist. Her father was readying to fight for his life.

And yet she was going to watch her father win.

“I knew you were strong. You stay right next to me, am I clear? When Landon and Tywin are free, we’re leaving.”

“Okay, Jacky,” she whispered.

I watched the two wolves continue to circle, also keeping track of where Richard and Dean were. They made a large external circle around the two wolves fighting for dominance.

Emma launched first, missing Heath, who jumped to the side. Dean snapped at his leg, causing Heath to snarl at the uninvolved wolf.

Dirty fucking cheaters.

The next time Emma jumped for Heath, he met her in a flash of fur and growls, the snapping of teeth being the loudest thing in the room. They tumbled around for a moment until they broke the circle being made by Richard and Dean again, who both ran for them.

I resisted the urge to run over myself and leave Carey alone as Dean grabbed Heath’s scruff and yanked him off Emma, tossing him a few feet away.

“There can be no assistance in the fight for Alpha,” he snarled. I bet everyone in an animal form heard that. “You two know better!”

“Stay out of it, boys,” Emma snapped as well, standing up. “I can handle him. Richard, go play with your toy.”

Richard’s dark wolf form snapped the air towards his father, who was immediately distracted as Emma jumped for him again. Dean didn’t back off far, watching the tumbling wolves intently.

As I watched, I noticed one important thing. No matter how fiercely Heath attacked her, she came out seemingly unscathed.

“Her magic,” I said to him.

“No. Assistance,” he barked back at me.

“Jacky…” Carey pointed and I turned to follow her finger.

Richard was walking slowly towards us, teeth bared, drool dripping down from his long yellow-white fangs.

“Carey, does Richard want to kill you?” I asked, using my body to push her towards a door, knowing she wasn’t able to fight back.

“I thought my brothers loved me,” she whispered, a whimper there in her voice. “Richard! Please! I’m Carey. I love you, big brother! Why are you doing this?”

He snarled.

“I’m so sorry, Carey.” I snarled back at the wolf, my hair raising. To him, I said, “I wouldn’t, wolf. I can more than handle you.”

He was shocked by my words in his head for only a second, then the rage came back. “I was promised that this entire fucking family wouldn’t exist after tonight. That I would be the last and the most powerful. I don’t need to fight you. I just need to kill her.”

“Same difference,” I growled, lowering myself. “Carey, stay underneath me.”

She ducked down, holding her broken wrist against her chest. I was more than big enough for her to lie out underneath. If she stayed there, Richard wouldn’t be able to get to her.

He moved forward, fast, almost faster than I could see. I used my head, ducking it down, to stop his advance. He snapped at the top of my head, grabbing an ear and yanking hard. I roared and swatted at his underbelly, raking my claws across it, but not able to get a deep purchase as he tried to pull me away from Carey, moving towards my right side. One of his paws hit one of my gunshot wounds and reopened it.

I hissed, snapping for him.

“Carey, move. I’ve got him!”

The moment she was out from beneath me, which had stopped the initial charge from the wolf, I shook, knocking him off and onto the floor. I pounced for him, but he rolled out of the way.

He ignored me now though. He lunged for Carey. I grabbed his back leg before he made it to her and shook hard, listening to joints break or dislocate. He yelped.

In the background, someone else yelped at the same time, and a vicious snarl sent chills down my spine.

Richard turned and bit my muzzle, but my saber fangs were deep in his flesh now, puncturing all the way through. I pulled him further away from Carey, shaking as I went, snarling with vicious rage.

She’s mine. You don’t deserve her.

When I was certain Carey was safer, I swung my head, taking him along for the ride and into a