Tiger's Mate

Chapter 41 prt. 1

•Ethan•

I threw him back with a snarl.

We drew back from one another, panting heavily.

Stay away from him! I snarled again. It was the first time in ages since I had used Alpha-command to speak telepathically in this form. It wasn't something all werebeasts could do — that's what all the stories got wrong.

Alpha-command could only be done by those with direct Alpha blood, or in other words, Alpha predecessors.

As wolves we communicated through movement and gestures and sounds of our own, but, Alpha-command was a gift bestowed by the same DNA that gave Alpha's the strength to lead. It was meant to be used as a means to ensure orders or commands from a pack leader, even at a great distance, but I had never put much thought into it, knowing I would never need it the way it was intended to be used for; by a leader. But here and now, as Kallen threatened my mate, all rational thought was gone.

My brother's eyes shone, reflecting a gleam of putrid amusement that made me growl.

Little brother, I never thought I'd see you stoup so low. His glance moved pointedly past me — to my tiger. Father will not be pleased with you...if I don't kill you first. Along with that rogue of yours.

I saw red.

And I leapt.

He met me head-on and we rolled across the ground once more. Kallen's strength — as much as I hated to admit it — surpassed my own, maybe even by a long shot. He was bigger, faster, and more experienced fighting in the kind of form and domain that I was. Me — I fought with human jackasses here and there. Kallen...well, he trained with wolves.

I knew quite soon that my fight with him would not last much longer. He was beating me. No matter how hard I fought against him, he was still the stronger one.

And Katski...

I didn't dare risk looking away from Kallen for an instant, but I could smell it: my mate's blood like a rancid dread. It was bad. I needed to get him to safety. Somewhere. Anywhere.

But how was I supposed to get him out of here when I was the only one stopping Kallen from tearing him apart?

Katski, I begged. Get up...please. Run.

It was the only way out I could see. If I could hold my brother here long enough for Katski to get the a water source and disappear, Kallen wouldn't be able to track him.

Even if I didn't get away, he would, and that was all I cared about.

You have to run.

But it was useless. I couldn't use alpha-command with someone who was not a wolf. I couldn't speak to him. I couldn't shout for him to run. I couldn't plead for him to get up.

I could smell his pain. And it was as if I could feel it myself. As my own.

He wasn't going anywhere. Not in his own, with that injury.

I had to do something. I had to protect what was mine.

I barrelled into my brother from the side, running on nothing but fumes and adrenaline.  My breath was coming out in such sharp pants my chest hurt. There were scratches and open cuts around my body that stung with the invasion of dirt.