Silver Claws

37. Fight Dirty

It had started with training. 

Tonight would be our last night here and then we would hunt for Darius. The preparations were complete, a vehicle was packed with supplies and weapons. We would leave early in the morning, and I could hardly wait. My very blood seemed to sing with the thrill of the oncoming fights, the taste of flesh in my teeth and tear of skin in my ears. It made Logan wary, the past few days he had been strange and distant. At first I thought it was just my excitement that had spooked him, but there seemed to be something else. But for now I would focus only on the tasks ahead.

We had been training his wolves everyday. We taught in separate groups, I liked to teach attacks while he covered defense. Reed was walking around shouting encouragement and corrections. I was sparring with one of the younger males while the rest watched, they had all had their turns tasting my wrath.

He was massive in comparison to the others, exuding a low power version of alpha energy. He must have been a son of a ranking wolf, and he waited to go last on purpose in hopes I would be tired. I knew this because he did it every day. Every day he stewed in his defeat, and it made him nastier with each fight. He was ruthless, and had no reservations about trying to land me on my back. I could appreciate his need to win more if it was less about his pride. He wasn't the only one that was like this, though he was the most obvious.

I knocked him to the ground for the second time, his sweaty torso slamming into the ground as I darted back to avoid his meaty hand, hi nails had elongated into claws. If he turned into a wolf I would make him kneel, I specifically said not to shift today. He was strong but not as skilled, and while fighting I was already thinking about the shower I would take.

He came just to his knees and swept his eyes over me slowly, lingeringly.  I waited forhim to ride so he could try again, but he was taking his time. I would allow him to think of his next  move, and then just try to finish him. I wanted that hot water. 

He smiled up at me, just before he threw a clod dirt into my face.

My eyes stung in the grit, I had to fight the urge to bend over and start grabbing my face. I could hear a murmur rising from the observers, a few cries of disbelief. I felt the rush of his feet as he leapt towards me, his footfalls like thunder. I anticipated his forward tackle and jumped out of his way, rolling until I was on the other end of the ring. He followed after, his heavy breaths giving me a clue to how close he was. I jumped up and over him and made it to the other end of the ring.  I tried to blink free of the dirt, a small part of me impressed that he had me on the run.  My eyes watered and dripped, and I could see his blurry form rushing me again. I waited until he was close enough to kick in the head, he had assumed I was still blind.

When he toppled down and didn't rise immediately I smiled. I rubbed my still burning eyes with my arms.

"I would commend you if that had wor-"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Logan had the teen by his neck, fangs gleamed like fresh snow from his mouth. His skin was leathered by the sun, a spectacular gold that made me salivate. Not even yet in his prime, and he was the most powerful contender I had ever seen. He looked beautiful, and for the first time, lethal.

Rage and power radiated out of him, forcing the wolves closest to drop to their knees. The teen couldn't even manage to struggle as a low whine left him. He shook him, demanding again. "I asked you a question!"

"Logan!" I rushed to pull him off, my tugging fruitless, he couldn't be budged. He wouldn't even look at me, I glanced to his hands and saw that he wasn't squeezing hard enough to kill, but more than enough to bruise. I pushed my body in-between his arms and shoved as hard as possible, and his deadly expression centered on me. He released so suddenly I stumbled, and his hands wrapped around my upper arms in a vise.