Intransigent

Intransigent | 34

Chapter 34
Emma

    I glanced back at Ashton over my shoulder as I stepped closer to Max.  I felt horrible for what I had done, but he hadn't understood.  I had to kill Max.  I needed it.  I deserved it.  It was me that had been trapped in those dungeons for two years, being beaten to within an inch of my life every day.  I had to stand up to him, show him he underestimated me and then kill him for what he had done.  Standing on the sidelines and watching my mate fight my battles for me just wasn't something that I was raised to do.

    Still, guilt tickled my guts as I saw him fighting against my father and Alpha Jackson's restraining hands.  I should have talked to him more, worked on him, but it was too late now, and I still didn't believe I could have gotten him to give in.  I would apologize after this was all over. 

    I turned my attention back to Max.  "Just you and me," I told him.  "They won't interfere and Jeremy isn't going to either or my companions will kill him."

    An evil grin spread across Max's face and he crossed his arms as he stepped off the porch to face me.  "You think you can beat me, little girl?" he asked in disbelief.  "You spent two years in my dungeons.  I got you there and I kept you there!"

    I snorted.  "No, Max, your pack got me there and it was your pack that kept me there.  You didn't do anything but spout your crap and try to be intimidating." 

    Max's face twisted in a snarl and he seemed to explode as he shifted.  I responded in kind and circled as Max did.  I inspected the way he moved, looking for weaknesses that I could exploit or anything that would give me an advantage over him.  I knew he was doing the same with me.

    His back left leg is weak, Melanie told me.  I didn't see it, but I wasn't going to question her instincts. 

    I lunged, my jaws clamping onto his back leg as he tried to block his front legs, misinterpreting my lunge. Max howled angrily and twisted, trying to sink his teeth into my scruff.  I was quick to release his leg and skitter out of the way, his teeth scraping along my scruff and drawing blood, but not able to clamp down as I danced back.

    We circled again and I observed him limping proudly.  I decided that I would focus on his legs and work from there.  I'd have to change my target if he caught on, but if I could get one more leg, my advantage would grow. 

    His other back leg, Melanie suggested.

    No, he's not going to fall for that again. I could feel her agreement.

    The choice was taken out of my hands when Max lunged at me this time, heading straight for my throat.  You couldn't say he was subtle.  I tried to twist out of his way, but wasn't fast enough and we went rolling in a ball of snarling, biting werewolf.

    I yelped slightly when his teeth got purchase on my shoulder and immediately retaliated, sinking my teeth into the first thing I could reach, his tail.  It broke us apart and I was able to throw him into a tree and shake myself out, feeling out the injury.

    It was deep, but it wouldn't impair my movement.  Not like my bite to his leg would.  Biting his tail didn't do much for me, but he'd pissed me off and it was right in my face.

    A scuffle to my right drew my attention and I saw Darren fighting Jeremy.  The idiot probably tried to jump into the fight and help his father.  He wasn't faring too well with Darren either. 

    Max slammed into my side and I cursed myself for getting distracted.  I needed all of my focus on this fight.  Ashton would be pissed if I got hurt any more than I already had.