46. Mai

Brock and Hayley stepped back, putting a little distance between us. Ryan and I did the same, our eyes locking for a brief second—I sent a pulse of my love through our bond. If we don't make it out of this, I love you. I always did.

Ryan growled a warning at me. Not gonna happen. We're gonna win this thing.

I smiled softly at him, then Brock lunged. His body was a blur of motion as he aimed a punch at Ryan.

I dived at Hayley as Ryan parried Brock's blow, then snapped his forehead into Brock's nose. Brock staggered back, anger flashing across his features as blood poured down his face.

I collided with Hayley with a thud that sent both of us flying off the platform. Landing on top of her, I wasn't quick enough, and she scissored her legs around my waist and twisted. We flipped, me slamming into the ground with Hayley on top. I punched out, and she reared back, a snarl escaping her lips.

"Stupid, Mai!" she hissed, wiping a trickle of blood from her lips. "Just like your brother. He didn't see it coming either."

Hayley started raining blows to my head, face, and chest. I threw my arms up to block her, then bridged up sharply. She flew over my head, rolling as she landed, then charged at me before I could get to my feet. Her foot smacked into my chest, knocking the wind out of me. I fell back, gasping, my ribs screeching at me.

From the corner of my eye, I saw across the platform that Ryan had Brock in a headlock. Brock's face was red, his eyes bulging as he struggled for breath. Hayley had seen it, too. With lightning speed, she leaped and hammered her elbow into Ryan's face.

Ryan's grip loosened for a split second—enough for Brock to break free, slamming his fist into Ryan's abdomen again and again. Hayley twirled around to face me. I wanted to go to Ryan, but I couldn't. I had to trust that he could handle Brock. My fight was in front of me.

The crowd's excitement reached a fever pitch, their roars and cheers mingling with the grunts and snarls on the platform. The noise pounded against my eardrums. I shut it out, concentrating only on Hayley. Every nerve in my body was humming. This was it—the moment I'd been waiting for. It was either Hayley or me.

She came at me, her fingernails sharpened into talons, aiming for my throat. I saw what she intended to do, saw the bloodlust in her crazed eyes. I dodged her, but she was fast—too fast, and her nails slashed along my skin. If I'd been a second slower, she would have ripped my throat out. The pain was sharp, fire erupting under my skin, and I could feel my hot blood soaking into my top.

"Is that all you've got?" I spat through gritted teeth. "I expected more from someone who killed their own mate."

Her eyes narrowed to slits. "You"ve got no fucking clue what I"ve been through. Someone like you could never understand my pain. But bring your skanky little ass over here, and I'll show you what pain is really like."

My wolf growled within me, hungry for justice, for retribution, for blood. I whirled around, grabbed her arm, and punched with my other hand. Her joint popped out of its socket. Then I brought my knee up and slammed it into her midsection. She doubled over as the air was forced from her lungs. I stepped closer, ready to finish her off, but she came up swinging with her good arm, pounding her fist into my face. My head snapped back, stars exploding behind my eyes. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth where I'd bitten my tongue. She followed it up with a strike to my temple that rattled my skull. The platform tilted. I blinked, trying to clear the dark spots swimming in my vision. Then, somehow, I was kneeling on the ground.

Fuck.

How did that happen?

I looked up. Hayley loomed above me, her foot coming straight for my face. I rolled, and her foot swept past. I threw myself forward and grabbed at her legs. She hit the ground hard. I didn't hesitate, jumping on top of her, using my body weight to pin her down. I wasn't going to let her get back up. My wolf screamed inside me, clawing for me to end it, to snap her neck and tear her apart. The crowd was a distant roar, but in that moment, I could feel their eyes on me, their anticipation of her death.

I reached around and clutched Hayley's neck and head. I had her, and she knew it. She started to buck wildly, trying to throw me off, but I held on. All my rage—at losing Jem, at his betrayal by his true mate, all the frustration I felt for not being there to stop it or to prevent Brock and Hayley from decimating the Pack that Jem had worked so hard to create—it all came pouring out of me. I tightened my grip, ready to twist and end it all. I felt the fight go out of Hayley. She sobbed once, then stilled, waiting for the end.

I hesitated. I don't know why. I could end it, end her, right here. The dark part of me, the part still raging with pain over losing Jem, desperately wanted it. Wanted vengeance. Wanted blood. But as I looked down at Hayley, broken and defeated, I realized I didn't need to do this. Killing her, as satisfying as it might feel in the moment, wouldn't bring back Jem. And I knew in my heart he wouldn't want this—wouldn't want me to kill his mate.

"You murdered my brother," I said, my voice low and cold. "I'll never forgive you for that, Hayley. Leave. Leave our Pack and our lands and never come back."

I dropped her, stood, and took a step forward, feeling a strange sense of finality wash over me.

That's when I felt it—a sudden spike of danger prickling my bonds. I turned just in time to see Hayley lunging at me, her eyes filled with a crazed desperation, her sharpened nails aimed straight for my heart.

There was no time to think, only react. I twisted my body to the side on pure instinct, and as she stumbled past me, carried by her own momentum, my hand shot out. Only it wasn't a hand any longer. Razor-sharp claws swiped at her.

Huh. That was new.

Unlike Hayley, I wasn't on ripple, but I was an Alpha. I could Shift and partially Shift.

Hayley's eyes widened as she clutched at her throat, blood spilling between her fingers. She stared at me with a look almost of relief on her face. She wanted this. She wanted to die, to finally pay for what she'd done. She wanted to let go and be with Jem again. With a final sigh, she fell to her knees, then collapsed onto the ground.