Rabid (Kingdom of Wolves #6) - Ivy Asher Page 0,79

pain. All that’s left is me and my wolf, our souls bared, our foundation destroyed, and two choices laid out in front of us: leave or stay.

The question is, which one will we choose?

Chapter Fifteen

Our heart thunders as we race down the mountain. Rocks break free under our paws, threatening to take us with them, but my wolf and I leap to safety just as they crash down the steep incline. We charge forward, the dangerous terrain under our paws not even a consideration as we run away. Away from the Ruin Falls pack and the wolves that comprise it. Away from the pain and confusion that have consumed us since we were dumped in this place.

The taste of freedom hangs from our lolling tongue as the rabid wolf and I push harder to break away from the last of the chains holding us back. We traverse the dangerous, rocky surface of the mountain, our steps sure and our mind focused on one thing.

Redemption.

Tyran’s words ricochet in my head, pinballing around, hitting their mark over and over again. Fear fills our nose as we run, spurring us on and assuring my wolf and me that we’re making the right choice. We can do this. We can be everything Tyran said. Not bitter, not ashamed, but strong and proud of what we are. Capable of getting our retribution.

The beast of a mountain goat we’re hunting is much bigger than the one Tyran and I caught. It tries to throw us off his trail by moving closer to a wall of loose and hazardous rocks. The path looks like it recently suffered from a rockslide, but my wolf and I can smell the panic that plumes off the frantic animal as it tries to escape, and we will not be deterred.

We’ve got this. This onyx-horned beast is ours.

The huge male goat slips partially down the incline before it catches its footing again, and luckily, it aims to run further down the mountain instead of up. We’re getting closer and closer to the treeline, and the wolf and I can practically taste this kill on our fangs already. We know it’s going to be harder to bring down this healthy male than it was to defeat the wounded older goat that Tyran and I hunted, especially alone. We need to avoid the horns and the powerful hooves, but if we can get that neck, this fucker doesn’t stand a chance.

My wolf and I spot the perfect in and shove all the energy we have into our legs and paws as we pick up our pace. We aim for a small shelf and leap off of it as though any second we’ll sprout wings and fly. Like we knew it would, the lip of the ledge gives us the advantage, and our huge dark gray body aims for the goat’s back. Just as we close in, the massive male goat turns and catches us in the chest.

It headbutts us so hard it feels as though we were just clotheslined by a runaway train. We yelp in pain as we go slamming into the mountain behind us. The rocks and shale are unforgiving, and the goat is aiming his horns right for our face as it charges us. My wolf barely has time to scramble up and twist just enough to take the blow on our shoulder. Thankfully, the goat’s head is too high, and the point of his horns don’t pierce us. He’s only able to slam the shaft of his weapons into us, but it’s the most painful dead arm we’ve ever experienced.

Our leg goes numb, and we know if we don’t stop another hit, our prey’s about to take us out. It’ll either crush too many bones or knock us off the mountain, and my wolf and I refuse to go out like that. The goat tries to slam into us again, but this time, my wolf and I are ready. We dodge the hit at the last minute and aim a bite at the side of its neck. With all of our might, ignoring the pain now shooting through our battered wolf form, we use our body weight to fling this massive bastard to the side.

We both tumble down the mountain a few times, but my wolf keeps her teeth clenched tightly in the goat’s hide as we skid to a stop. The goat is in shock, but we waste no time getting a better hold of our prey’s neck. We