Chapter 5: Blood in Choices

Dawn broke over the neutral territory like the world's worst morning, all grey sky and cold wind that carried the scent of violence waiting to happen.

Hart stood between Jethro and Lewis, wrapped in a jacket that smelled like Cole and trying very hard not to throw up from anxiety and the residual heat symptoms.

"This is barbaric," Lewis said for the fifth time, filming everything on his phone because apparently supernatural secrecy was less important than documentation.

"We should call the actual police, or the FBI, or I don't know, animal control?"

"The police can't help with werewolf law," Jethro said, his eyes fixed on the clearing where Cole stood waiting, already shirtless despite the cold because apparently werewolf duels had a dress code.

"And if you try to leave this area before the duel is finished, the perimeter guards will knock you unconscious and drag you back."

Hart's wrist throbbed where the totem mark was under his skin, and he could feel Cole across the distance.

The bond had gotten stronger since yesterday, probably because of the heat cycle, and now Hart couldn't go more than an hour without knowing exactly where Cole was and whether he was safe.

The assembled crowd parted, and Liam Haanshil walked into the clearing surrounded by BlackY Wolves, and Hart's first thought was that genetics were wildly unfair because Liam looked like someone had taken Cole's features and sharpened them into something crueler and more predatory.

They had same golden eyes, dark hair, and massive build, but where Cole carried himself with controlled power, Liam moved like violence barely contained.

"Brother," Liam called out, his voice sounding amused. "I'm touched you accepted my challenge, though we both know you're going to lose. You always were too sentimental for your own good."

Cole didn't respond. Liam's eyes found Hart in the crowd, and his smile widened into something that made Hart's skin crawl.

"And there's my mate, looking absolutely delicious even from here.”

“Tell me, little human, did my brother explain what happens when I win? That you'll come with me willingly, the mate claim will solidify, and I'll use that pretty totem connection of yours to access power that's been locked away for three thousand years."

"I'm not your mate," Hart called back, because if he was going to watch people fight over him like a prize, he might as well make his position clear.

"And I'm definitely not going anywhere with someone who uses dark magic to forge fake bonds, which is both creepy and pathetic."

Several BlackY Wolves growled at the insult, but Liam just laughed, clearly delighted.

"Oh, I like you already. You've got fire. That's good, you'll need it when I break you in."

Cole moved then, fast enough that Hart barely tracked it, and his fist landed on Liam's jaw with a crack that echoed everywhere. Liam's head snapped back, but he was grinning when he straightened with blood on his teeth.

"There he is," Liam said, and his body started changing, his bones started reforming with fur rippling out his skin.

"Let's make this interesting."

Cole shifted in response, and Hart watched in horrified fascination as the man he'd been developing extremely complicated feelings for transformed into a massive wolf that stood nearly six feet at the shoulder, with black fur and those same golden eyes burning with rage.

Liam's wolf was slightly smaller but leaner, built for speed where Cole was built for power, and when they collided, the sound was like a car crash.

The fight is brutal, both wolves using their claws and fangs with what spoke to years of training. As blood were already spraying across the field.  

The bond screamed at Hart to intervene, and something other than standing here while Cole fought for both their lives.

Liam got his jaws around Cole's shoulder and ripped it open, and Hart felt the echo of pain through the bond.

Cole retaliated by catching Liam's back leg and breaking it with an audible snap that made half the crowd flinch.

They separated, circling each other again, both of them bleeding heavily already.

Liam was limping but his eyes were bright with malicious joy, and when he spoke, his voice came out distorted through the wolf form.

"You're getting slow, brother. Age finally catching up? Or maybe you're distracted by that pretty little mate watching you lose."

Cole lunged again, but Liam dodged, faster than he should be with a broken leg, and Hart saw the wrongness in his move and the way dark magic was holding the leg together artificially.

"He's cheating," Hart said urgently to Jethro. "That's dark magic, I can see it, there's like black smoke or something around his leg."

Jethro's expression went grim. "Blood duels don't have rules against magic use, only against outside interference.

If Liam's using dark magic on himself, it's technically legal."

"That's insane!"

"That's werewolf law."

Liam used his magic-enhanced speed to get inside Cole's guard, and his claws raked across Cole's throat, missing the jugular by inches.

Cole staggered, blood pouring down his chest, and Hart's vision went red with fear and rage and something that burned through his veins like liquid fire.

The totem mark on his wrist exploded with white light.

Hart heard himself screaming, though he couldn't tell if it was in pain or fury, and then his body was moving without his permission, running toward the fight while Jethro shouted behind him.

He hit the neutral ground between the two wolves, and the totem's light spread from his wrist to cover his entire body.

"STOP!" Hart's voice came out layered, like multiple voices speaking in unison.

"I choose Cole Haanshil! I reject Liam Haanshil's claim!"

The light from the totem blazed brighter, and Liam's wolf form convulsed as black smoke poured from his body.

He started screaming, and Hart could see the fake mate mark burning off Liam's skin.

The totem's light faded, leaving Hart standing between two wolves, breathing hard and absolutely certain he'd just done something that couldn't be undone.

Liam looked up at him from the ground, his expression twisted with hatred and something that might have been admiration.

"You just made the worst mistake of your short human life. And I'm going to make you suffer for that choice, and I will make my brother watch while I do it."

He shifted back to wolf form and ran out naked, his BlackY Wolves following, leaving threats and promises of revenge in their wake.

Cole shifted back to human, covered in blood and breathing hard. Hart went to the stand close by and brought him some clothes.

Cole put them on and muttered a, “Thank You”. Hart only nodded, literally still confused with everything happening.

Jethro and Lewis walked towards them. Jethro was about to say something when his phone rang with an emergency tone that made everyone freeze.

Jethro answered. Within few seconds his face went pale.

"Alpha, we have a problem. Liam's forces just hit Veilridge City.

They've taken hostages at Hart's apartment building." He paused, and his next words made Hart's heart stop.

"They have Lewis's girlfriend and Hart's sister Mira.”