Protect what's mine

"Calypso isn't the one lying to my face about wanting to kill me. At least she was honest about it," he tossed out. "There's proof that you were against me, Jackson. How could you? You were there for me after my parents died. Why?"

There was a slight waver in his tone, and I slipped my hand back into his.

Jackson rolled his eyes dramatically with a noisy scoff. As he did so, I watched the visible change in the room's alliance. The wolves for Jackson moved to back him, while those who remained loyal to Apollo moved closer to the stage.

Although they outnumbered us, that didn't concern me.

"Your father was weak and so are you! You have no idea what Myst could do for us and our kind! It makes us stronger and faster and the profit, gods, the fucking money!" His laughter was deranged.

"You would really kill me for this, Jackson? After all this time.... There's no turning back for you, is there?"

"Should the wolf apologize to the sheep for being at the top of the food chain?" Jackson scoffed. "No. They accept their role and feast."

His words seemed to be the breaking point of the tension. The growling intensified and skin rippled as wolves pushed to the surface.

Jackson crouched, preparing to leap.

But, oh, I was so much faster than him. Faster than he could ever dream of being.

My body was nothing more than a blur as I leapt from the stage and landed on Jackson. His body fell to the floor with a thud, and it knocked the wind from his lungs.

Black claws sprang from my fingers, gold fur spread up my arms, my ears were long and pointed with fur. My eyes were glowing gold, surrounded by black, and the fangs elongating from my gums ached to bite into flesh.

"What the fuck?" Jackson screeched. "You were human!"

My fingers curled into his throat, and I lifted his face to mine, speaking loud enough for every wolf in that room to hear me. "You were never the only predator here."

"Ah, my little wolf is lovely, isn't she?" Apollo hopped down from the stage and landed next to us. He squatted down and as he did, the wolves still on his side moved to flank him while the traitors backed away.

I felt his fingers in my hair, brushing it away from my face and behind my ear. "My mate is a hybrid." The air in the room went cold as the news hit them.

"A hy-hybrid?" Jackson stuttered, and I dug my claws into his skin, on the verge of cutting off his air completely.

"Yes. Beautiful, isn't she? But damn, she is deadly. Killed a room of a dozen vampires all on her own less than a week ago. Set a warehouse full of Myst on fire. And as you just heard, she disposed of Shane." He stood up and walked around us as he continued. "At first, she thought she was hunting me, but it turns out she was after you all along. Putting the Mathison symbol on the Myst was a clever way to set me up, I'll admit."

"It was all for the good of the pack!" He tried to thrash in my hold and my nails broke the skin. He was a big man, and a powerful wolf, but he was no match for me.

"Silence!" The command of an Alpha danced in my words. Not only did Jackson shut up and gawk up at me in silence, but the other snarling and snapping wolves clammed up as well.

"Callie, your Luna has Alpha DNA. So, between the two of us, I think you know what's about to happen, right Jackson?" Apollo bent down, leering over Jackson's face, glaring at him.

Jackson closed his eyes for a second and I released my grip on his neck enough to let him speak. "You're going to take me back to the pack for a trial."

Apollo barked out laughter. "Gods no. See, you're no true Alpha. You want to go on about how weak I am, but you never really got to witness the true power of an Alpha in my presence. Also, after what I just said about Calli, it's funny you'd think you were leaving this room alive." His eyes went up to the traitors in the room, glaring daggers at him. "No one who betrayed me is leaving here with their life."

"Alpha, have mercy." One wolf protecting his side angled his face to look back. He appeared young, conflicted at the thought of fighting those he deemed family. "Maybe they were coerced or forced into it."

"I am sorry, Devlin, but that decision isn't up to me today. This is s your Luna's decision to make, and she's already decided. If you are truly loyal to me, I warn you, all of you, stay out of her way. I can't protect you from her."

The first rear flash of fear flickered through their eyes as they watched me. And fuck could I smell the fear in Jackson. It was putrid and strong and every second that passed it grew stronger. I reveled in it.

The room stayed silent. I leaned down close, pressing my lips close to Jackson's ear. "I saw you that night at the docks. You were there, and you supervised these other wolves load Mist into a truck. Right before I killed Shane, he told me that there would be a new Alpha, and I suppose in a way he was right, but I'm not replacing Apollo. I'll be at his side, and you'll be dead."

I could have heard a pen dropping with ease in that brief span of silence. In those few seconds before both sides clashed into one another. Wolves burst free from their constricting skin and the war began.

Jackson twisted under me and used his legs to flip me over. I rolled over his head and landed on one knee, ready to propel myself forward. When I looked up, the black of Jackson's suit was splitting and grey fur was bursting through his clothes.

Apollo tensed when Jackson fell on paws and snarled at me. With a quick glance up, I winked at him. I pushed up to my feet and ripped the bottom half of my dress at my thighs, freeing myself from the constrictive fabric.

Without another beat, I sent my body flying towards the large grey wolf.

He jumped. I dipped below him and shoved my claws up, raking them against his tender underbelly. A cry left Jackson's lips when he stumbled to the ground.

"I've been killing motherfuckers like you my whole life." It was the voice of a beast that left my lips. "You're just another name on my list."

Jackson snapped his jaws and growled back.

One of the traitorous wolves tried to jump in the middle of us, but Apollo caught him by the scruff and jerked him back onto the stage. Knowing he could handle that, I focused on my prey.

We clashed into one another. Jackson thrashing and pawing, trying to hit me with his claws, but I was too quick for him. I dodged and ducked his massive frame, continuously striking him in sensitive spots all over his body. Each hit parting his flesh like butter and drawing streams of blood.

The smell was potent, and it only sent me deeper into a frenzy.

At some point, everything around me went black. All I could focus on was Jackson and the rage that burned in my heart, knowing that this man would have taken my mate from me if given the chance. And I could never let him have it.

I would protect what was mine.

The grey wolf's body rolled on the floor as it dodged my attack. He shook his head and barreled towards me. This time when he jumped, I twirled around.

His body passed behind me and my arm snaked out, catching him with my backhand. I caught him mid-leap and jerked him up into the air. Then slammed him down onto the floor.

A bone snapped and a yelp of pain freed itself from his jowls. I couldn't hold myself back any longer.

One hand curled around his maw, and I forced Jackson to look at me. "Look at me! I'll be the last thing you ever see, and when you get to the gods, let them know that I'm sending them Donovan next."

Jackson wouldn't know that name. And it didn't matter.

My hand went through his chest with a sickening crunch. Arm slipping through his ribs. and fingers curling around his pumping heart. A ferocious roar pulled from my chest, and I tugged his heart free..

Jackson's body slumped lifelessly on the ground. The fighting in the room stilled as heads swiveled in my direction.

I rose steadily to my feet and lifted his heart to my mouth. I opened wide and sank my fangs into the crimson, metallic muscle. Gore dripped along my arm and from my chin as I tore a bite from the heart. A deep growl resonated from my chest and around the room.

Then I swallowed, feeling the sinew slide down my throat and sate the hunger of my inner beast.

My eyes snapped to the right and zeroed in on the wolf that had just been trying to attack Apollo. I lifted my hand, fingers dripping red, and pointed at him. "You're next."