Caged

Chapter 16

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**| Sang's POV |**

When my wolf and I broke into the clearing, we didn't pause to take in the scene. We charged straight on, smashing into the brown wolf currently pinning a nearly all white wolf down.

My senses easily picked up the scent of berry and moss. Victor. The other wolf smelled of the wild, of deep earth. The rogue.

We rolled with the wolf, taking him by surprise. By the time the momentum stopped, we had our teeth buried in the wolf's neck. We shook our head hard and warm blood filled our mouth. Still we didn't let go until there was an audible snap and the wolf went slack.

We let go, noted the four other wolves trying to get at Victor and Gabriel. Gabriel's wolf was a rich brown with parts of his fur a little on the orange side, blending in together flawlessly. The biggest wolf stalked him, approaching him with determination, death in his black eyes. This wolf was serious.

We growled out a warning and Gabriel's wolf looked at us. The other wolf used that as the moment to attack but we were already there to intercept.

He would not touch Gabriel. Our wolf bodies tangled together as we smashed into the ground. Something poked into me but I pushed the pain away and focused. Pain never had room in a fight.

We snapped at the rogue, aiming for his stomach but he twisted away and got back to his feet and whirled to face me. The two of us froze, staring at each other, assessing.

Fighting continued around us but none of it reached us. We were in our own little arena and one of us would go down and not get back up.

The wolf was easily twice my size, black eyes, ruffled fur, covered in dirt. None of it took away from the fact that his frame was packed full of muscles. I used that moment to gain more control over my wolf and she allowed me, understanding that strategy was coming into play now and I excelled at strategy. Especially against a wolf like him.

An Alpha.

His energy lashed out at me, demanding I listened to him.

I shook him off. He wasn't as powerful as Alpha Blackbourne. Close, but not close enough. I would not bow down to this rogue.

His eyes grew wild, calling out to a small part of me. It was the same part who liked his scent, liked the idea of smelling of the wild, of the freedom it represented.

But I knew better.

The rogue's ears were erect and his fur bristled. His lips pulled back to show off his dangerous canines.

I mirrored him, showing him my teeth were just as impressive.

He didn't like that and snarled. He crouched down, ready to attack. The bluffing was over and now we were going to enter the real fight.

He jumped at me and I danced away, turning my body to keep him in sight. He landed on his feet and turned to face me. The fury in his expression nearly did me in. Just for a moment, I felt the hot dirt beneath my paws, the scorching sun on my back, the copper scent of blood in the air as I faced my next foe. A rogue determined to win, to show off, to rise in the ranks, not caring that his opponent wasn't doing this for honor but to live. To survive.

Something hard smashed into me and I realized I wasn't in the Gallows. I was in a field, about to be torn apart by a rogue wolf.

Anger unfurled from with me and expanded through my entire body.