The Salvation Trials ✔️

Forty-Four

Winnie Melbourne

The words of some random wolf shatters the joyful aura surrounding the area. A chorus of snarls and growls echo off the trees as the sound of breaking bones fills the air. Wolves shift left and right just as the Clans break from the surrounding forest and slam into our crowd. Yelps and howls are heard as my mates and I join the fight.

Bronze, Ezra, James, and Ren all shift, tearing into the first Clan wolves they see. A wolf lunges at me and I catch him by the neck, slamming him down onto the ground before slamming my fist onto his chest. The bones cave and I hear his heart stutter twice before stopping. Snarling, I turn and catch the next wolf coming at me.

I see red as everything catches up to me. The Clans have ruined a perfect night and put my family and mates at risk. My scream of rage turns into a howl as my face elongates, claws and fangs making an appearance, and my body grows taller and covered in fur.

The wolf in my clutches whimpers and thrashes around, fighting against my half shift form. I snarl and dig my claws into his stomach, spilling his intestines onto the ground. Once I drop, I throw my head back and roar. The trees shake violently and I hear glass shatter in the distance.

Wolves scramble out of my way as I make my way through the crowd, maiming or killing any Clan wolf I come across. It's only minutes into the fight when I feel something in my chest snap and then my chest burns.

I howl in agony, closing my eyes as I reach for the broken bond falling away, trying desperately to save it. I'm able to snag it and hold it for just a second, only to hear a voice that makes me lose it.

"I love you, Winnie. I'm sorry.", James whispers before the bond disappears completely, only leaving the jagged remains of my side.

My eyes open and I slowly bring my head level with the crowd. Mountain wolves and Clan wolves scramble back in fear and I see my red eyes in the reflection of their eyes. I snarl, the sound coming from deep within as my wolf claws to the surface.

When the fight starts again, the Clan wolves avoid me like a plague. They step out of my way, attempting to run but find they're not fast enough. With a growl, I grab a large blonde wolf and hold him off of the ground. He whines and whimpers in my grasp but I don't show mercy as I grab his head with one clawed hand and his body with the other before separating the two. I throw the carcass to the side and then reel back my arm, throwing his head so hard it knocks another wolf off his feet, giving Alpha Kayson a chance to end his life swiftly.

Alpha Kayson looks up from the now dead wolf and stares at me with wide eyes. My shoulders rise and fall with my heavy breathing. Blood drips from my claws as he approaches me, rubbing against my legs in comfort. I reach down and lightly scratch behind his ears with my claws before turning and going in search of Marcus Salvar.

I catch sight of him quickly and my heart pounds in fear. His jaws are locked around Ren's throat and once Marcus catches sight of me, he growls and rips my mate's throat out.

The searing pain is brief as I shift to my human form and tackle Marcus, digging a knee into his ribs as I plant my fist onto his eye over and over again. I barely register that I'm screaming and I don't register as he twists and catches my fist in his jaws, crushing my bones.

Marcus scrambles to his feet and I fall off of him. As he stands, I clutch his fur in a tight grip and yank, pulling him back to the ground. Snarling, I grab one of his ears and rip it off. He howls and turns, snapping his jaws. I'm quick to grab his muzzle and hold it close, growling and snarling as I look him in the eyes. Marcus frantically moves his eyes across my face, seeing the determination and rage, and knowing he fucked up big time.

He puts his hind legs against my chest and pushes, shoving me back and digging his claws in. I try to call on a shift but find my wolf unresponsive, taken out by losing two mates within minutes of each other.

Fine. I'll do this the hard way.

I get to my knees and lunge forward, grabbing onto his other ear and pulling him to me. Marcus whines and twists, snapping down onto my arm and forcing me to release him but I don't let up. With my free hand, I land a solid punch onto his ribs and he yelps as bones crack under the pressure. Releasing me, he jumps forward and knocks me over.

He's on me in mere seconds, biting and snapping at my skin. My throat burns as a roar bubbles from my chest, bursting past my lips in pure rage. My wolf is up again and she is pissed beyond belief.

The shift is quick, only taking two seconds at best, and I'm snapping my jaws back at him. Marcus's eyes widen in surprise as I flip us, pinning him down with my weight. He's small compared to me and I grin, baring my teeth in amusement.

Before he has a chance to react properly, my head surges forward and I lock my jaws around his throat. He scrambles out from underneath me but my hold is too tight and I follow his movements.  Marcus frantically looks around, searching for a wolf to help him, but the Clan wolves surrounding us stay back in fear of me.

With a snarl, I tighten my jaws even harder and yank, ripping his throat out. Marcus collapses, bleeding out as he looks at me in anger. Even though he's dying, my anger is not quelled. I grab the scruff of his neck and take a chunk of skin and muscle off, doing this with every part of his body. I rip him to shreds, only leaving behind small pieces of him everywhere.

Once my wolf and I are satisfied, the Clans submit. The fighting ceases and the Clan wolves lay on their bellies, whining.

The fight is over. But two of my mates are dead.