Omega's Tarnished Heart [MxM] (Moon Cave Book 2)

Chapter 35

A/N: Just to clear up something from the last chapter - Amari can shift! He just chooses not to because he is not confident in protecting himself or others in his wolf form. Raven is tiny and as we saw in the last book, is not trained adequately in combat at all due to anxiety. Amari is a beast in his human form and that's his preferred defensive stance. That's why he refers to not being able to shift.

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MIKA • POV

Screaming in wolf form wasn't quite the same as doing so in human form, but there was nothing I could do to stop the strangled howl that erupted from my throat as a wolf ambushed me from behind, jaws sinking into my right hind leg and tearing as it tried to yank me backwards, sending the sensation of agonising fire blazing through the now mangled flesh there.

Sammy's little wolf-pup body squirmed and tumbled from between my jaws and the panic I felt underneath the terror and pain couldn't even manifest as I lost my grip and he scampered off across the leaf mulched ground, running blindly in a panic into the trees. He disappeared from sight, his black colour camouflaging with the darkness.

No! I had to protect him!

"Protect us first!" Robyn yelled, trying to drag me back into the present from my initial shock of being bitten. I turned, feeling my defensive instincts kick in. Now that Sammy wasn't occupying my mouth, I could use my jaws and teeth to defend myself and I snarled, biting at the muzzle still clamped around my thigh, trying to spin out of his grip.

The wolf was unrecognisable, with a dark brown, muddy coat, beady black eyes and a scarred nose. I didn't identify it to be an alpha, but it was a dominant wolf, which was still dangerous. I was outsized by the stronger beast. He let go of my thigh to escape being bitten on the face, and to protect his vulnerable eyes, but that didn't stop him from lunging again as he targeted my stomach next - another delicate kill zone.

I tried to remember Papa's training, tried to recall everything he'd ever taught me about defending myself, but it wasn't so easy. I was in so much pain, I was terrified and my mind was straying towards Sammy's wellbeing. Where had he gone? I needed to get to him and make sure he was safe!

"Mika, let me take over!" Robyn demanded and although he was just as terrified, his animalistic instincts to survive were greater than my own and I felt adrenaline surge through him. I didn't question my wolf, trusting him to protect us as I allowed the shift in consciousness between our bodies. He took over his wolf shape fluidly and without missing a beat, he lunged into action.

I was a mere bystander at the back of his mind, but I felt everything and I supported him as much as I could as he tore us out of the other wolf's grip. Robyn spun and snarled, running forward without fear, snapping his jaws and latching onto the other wolf's shoulder. He tore, ripping his head from left to right, eliciting a howl of pain from the wolf.

Things became bloody and nauseating quickly - a part of violence Papa's training hadn't really prepared me for and my stomach roiled. I just wanted it to be over with. We took bite after bite, slashing claws tearing apart the flesh of our face and underbelly over and over, but Robyn never gave up. He fought hard and in a sheer moment of luck, was able to latch onto the other wolf's briefly exposed neck.

His teeth clamped down, locked, and Robyn tugged hard, ripping through the flesh of his throat and severing the artery there, ending things finally. Blood spurted into our mouth, metallic and foul tasting and I fought the urge to gag and empty my stomach.

"Thanks Robyn, you saved us," I praised my wolf weakly and felt a surge of affection from him. He was panting, stumbling, trying to lick at our bleeding wounds. Everything hurt. It hurt so bad, that I feared I'd pass out.