Seraphina (Book 2C of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 9

Slowly but surely, I started to be able to get in control of my emotions again while I fought my cousin. I was injured somewhere, and I knew that I was bleeding from cuts on my body, but I couldn't stop fighting, no matter how much I wanted to.

My cousin didn't seem to mind that she was also covered in blood, either from me or her; I couldn't tell which, but she made sure to test me and put me through my paces while I put her through hers.

'Well?' my cousin asked while we fought tooth and nail, and I had a feeling that she wanted to see where I was at mentally and if I was able to control my emotions better than I was doing at the moment. 'How are you feeling?'

I growled and didn't respond. I wasn't in the best mood to tell her that I wasn't ok, and I had a feeling that my cousin understood because all she did was hum and nod.

She nipped my side and moved away from me when I lunged at her, not showing any weakness. 'I guess you are still out of it,' she said, and I growled again while she smirked. 'Awww, you poor baby.'

'Don't,' I mustered finally while I attacked her again, and she shoved me away with her body before she danced away from me. 'Don't jest me, Cass. I could hurt you.'

She scoffed a laugh and rolled her eyes, but I could tell that she was relieved when I started to talk to her. 'Please,' she said, and I growled softly. 'I'd still jest you even if you couldn't hurt me. You know this TJ.'

I didn't respond because I knew that she would, even though a part of me wished she kept her mouth shut.

What if there was a time I accidentally killed her if she kept up the jest..?

I wanted to stop attacking her when I thought that, but the anger and annoyance was stronger, so no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't able to stop.

'Don't force yourself to stop,' my cousin warned when I growled in pain and pressed my ears to the back of my head. 'You'll hurt yourself worse if you do that.'

'But I don't want to continue to attack you,' I said and lunged at her again. 'Please, how can I get this to stop?'

'You can't,' Cass said and ducked away from me. 'Not until the vengeance has ceased and you learn how to control it.' She sighed and shook her head while she kept an eye on me. 'It's the curse of being a child of vengeance.'

I gritted my teeth and growled before I turned around and faced her. 'Is this what you have had to go through?' I asked, earning a breathless chuckle from her.

'Something like this,' she replied and flicked her tail in annoyance. 'But it was a hell of a lot worse. Sergio can attest to that, even though I mainly fought Charlie.'

I took a deep breath and let it out before I attacked her again, praying that there would be a way for her to get me to stop, at least for right now because I was done and tired and wanted a shower.

'There is...' my cousin said and trailed off as if she read my thoughts, becoming hesitant. She flicked her ears to the back of her head while she stared at me. 'However, because you are an Alpha, it will piss off your wolf and could lead us to another fight this evening.'

'Do it,' I said. 'Whatever you are thinking of, please do it. I can't do this much longer.'

Something in my cousin's gaze changed, and for a moment, I was afraid of what I had asked her to do. She nodded and cleared her throat. 'Be prepared about the repercussions of this tonight, TJ,' she warned while she slowly started to circle me, becoming the predator instead of the prey. 'You aren't going to like it.'

I flicked my ears to the back of my head and growled while I held my ground. I could still feel the vengeance coursing through my veins, but it didn't affect me while she held my gaze and waited for something.

She stalked closer toward me and narrowed her eyes, and I bared my teeth and growled, feeling very uneasy. 'Are you ready?' she asked, her voice leveled and cold.

'Yes,' I said hesitantly before I narrowed my eyes. 'What are you going to do?'

Cass took a deep breath and released it while she closed her eyes, and for some reason, I didn't attack her like a part of me wanted to.

Power started to come off her body in waves, and I had this urge to bow, but I didn't because of the vengeance that coursed through my body.

She opened her eyes again, and her eyes were gold, and the power that I felt grew stronger while she locked eyes on me. My cousin took another threatening step toward me and growled, and I answered her growl with one of my own but took a step back.

This was why she was the Champion...

'Are you ready?' she asked, and her voice filled with the same power that came off of her and surrounded me.

'I don't know,' I admitted, and she bit back a small snort but rolled her eyes. 'I don't think I have a choice, though, because I did say that I wanted you to do it.'

'Hmph.' She nodded and took another step toward me, and I took another step back and flicked my tail becoming more nervous.

'Cass...' I said but trailed off while I growled and backed more away from her while I tucked my tail. 'Don't.'

Cass snorted and held back an eye roll. She lowered her head and growled, challenging me. Her teeth were bared, and her top lip was curved back, showing all of her teeth.

I growled again and narrowed my eyes, even though I wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

My heart pounded hard in my chest while I waited for her to do something, anything to help with this anger and confusion that I felt.

'This is your last chance, TJ,' she warned and took another step toward me, and I stayed rooted in my spot. 'Are you sure that you want me to do this?'

No... I wanted to say, even though I had no idea how much longer this would last. I changed my mind. Don't do whatever you are planning.

Instead, I nodded and said, 'yes.'

My cousin knew about my doubt but knew that I was too exhausted to fight and not have control over myself again.

Slowly, she nodded before she lunged at me, and I was too slow and couldn't get out of her way.

I grunted when she shoved me to the ground and took my throat in her jaws. I tried to fight back, but it was hard to get her off of me.

'Submit,' she commanded and bit down harder on my throat until she tasted blood. 'Now.'

Ancient power washed over me, chasing away the feeling of vengeance and leaving me feeling exhausted but relieved because I did what she ordered me to do; I stopped fighting and submitted.

'Shift,' she ordered and released her hold of my throat just a bit but not enough for me to be out of her control.

I paused, trying to fight her command but failing while my whole body slowly turned back into my human form. 'Bu-'

'Do it,' she said, interrupting me. 'Trust me, TJ. I know what I am doing and will let you go after you are more than halfway into your human form.' She paused before she sighed softly, but she didn't shake her head. 'The longer you fight this command, the more painful it will be.'

She was right, it was painful for me to go against her command.

I stopped resisting the urge to not shift and started letting myself fully shift into my human form, and like she promised, as soon as I was halfway into my human form, she released her hold on my throat and moved off of me so that she wouldn't crush me under her body weight.

As soon as I was in my human form, I closed my eyes and laid my head on the ground, alive and relieved.

I was exhausted, mentally and physically, but I didn't feel the urge to attack anyone, even though I was worried about tonight.

Please don't let it be as bad as she said it would be, I prayed while I pursed my lips in annoyance. Please...