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Riley stared him down hard, his voice like chipped ice. "I don't care how strong you think

you are. I'm going to tear your throat out."

In the next instance, he flashed into a wolf and caught Dominic off-guard. With speed

I've never seen, he leapt on him, knocking him to the ground. His powerful jaws gnashed at his

stepbrother like a rabid animal. The wounds he inflicted on him bled profusely, and it took

Dominic a few seconds to shift into his wolf form. Once he did, he quickly turned the tables on

Riley.

He flipped him on his back and nipped at every part of Riley’s body his teeth could reach.

Riley's reflexes were quick, and he blocked and avoided many attacks. Soon they became a blur

to my eyes and fought in a whirlwind of black and white. Fur of both colors flew in the air, blood

and spittle sprayed everywhere.

When I heard a yelp, my heart dropped. The gray blur disappeared and I saw Riley lying

on the ground. Blood spattered over his beautiful white fur and I noticed a huge gash on his

shoulder. He tried to stand, but Dominic pinned him and bit his back. He yelped again, his neck

craning to bite back. Dominic's jaws came away with a mouthful of Riley's fur and I screamed.

He grabbed his hind leg, yanking and pulling as he dragged him across the grass. He shook his

head as if he was trying to tear it off.

Riley howled in pain, twisting his body to get his leg loose. He kicked Dominic in the

face with his other leg, but he wouldn't let go. Riley's jaws couldn't reach him, and Dominic kept

a firm grip until I heard a loud pop. Riley howled again and struggled to free himself.

Finally, Dominic released him. Riley snarled viciously and tried to stand, but he fell

yelping in pain, his hind leg twisted and broken. Dominic went on the offensive again, this time

going for his exposed underbelly as he lay on his side.

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Riley was quick on the defense and snapped at his face, grabbing his muzzle between his

strong jaws. Dominic shook his head again to try to get free, but Riley held on tight. He got to

his feet, limping, and dragged his stepbrother, jerking him from side-to-side. Then he lowered his

body and positioned himself to the side as if he was trying to snap Dominic's neck.

In one split second, Riley lost his grip and Dominic took advantage and jumped on him.

He tore at Riley's injured leg again, causing him to yelp loudly and crumble to the ground.

Dominic released him, blood and white fur hanging from his mouth. Riley lay on the ground,

panting and bleeding onto the grass, every part of his body matted with blood.

A few seconds ticked by, but Riley didn't move. Dominic growled menacingly and

looked him over as if he was deciding what to do next. I knew what he would do. He wanted to

end this fight and come out the victor. He wanted to kill my fiancé. Dominic approached him

slowly, his yellow eyes wild and crazy with blood lust.

My entire body shook with fear.
Was this the end
?

My voice pushed through my constricted throat. "Riley! Get up! Please!"

Riley closed his eyes and exhaled harshly.
Was he giving up
? Dominic looked at me, his

lips peeling back into a snarl. Before I could blink, he turned toward Riley and I screamed again.

I tried to run toward them, but Quinn tackled me to the ground. I struggled against her, my arms

reaching out desperately toward Riley.

"No! Leave him alone! Don't touch him!"

Dominic turned his attention on me, his sharp teeth stained with Riley's blood. He

growled and stepped toward me. I kicked and punched Quinn as she restrained me. I had

forgotten she was my friend. All I knew was I needed to protect Riley. She pinned me to the

ground on my stomach, but I still cried out to Dominic.

"Fight
me
! You want me? Then fight
me
! I'm not afraid of you!" I squirmed and clawed at the ground, but I was no match for Quinn's
Varulv
strength.

Riley opened his eyes and looked at me. Quiet sobs racked my body, but I mouthed the

words, "I love you."

Our gazes locked, but Dominic entered my peripheral vision. He approached Riley lying

helpless in a pool of his own blood. I couldn't control my shaking as I watched him go in for the

throat bite. Riley surrendered and seemed to accept defeat and embrace death. He didn't try to

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defend himself, but Dominic wouldn't show mercy. He wanted to take Riley's life to avenge his

dead father.

The night was nearly silent except for my sobs of anguish. I closed my eyes because I

couldn't bear witness to this injustice any longer. I couldn't watch Riley's life drain from his

lovely amber eyes.

Suddenly, I heard him growl. I opened my eyes, and he jumped to his feet and knocked

Dominic over. He didn't have time to react because Riley used his speed and agility to pin him.

His head leaned over Dominic's throat, and I saw ribbons of dark flesh and tufts of black fur fly

into the night. A mist of blood then painted the grass crimson.

I heard a guttural scream and saw Celia reaching out toward her son. Aidan restrained her,

but she flashed into a wolf, her clothes ripping and falling off her body. Lifting her head toward

the moon, she howled in grief.

Riley turned around slowly, still limping and panting rapidly. Raw flesh and blood hung

from his mouth. I lay on the ground motionless and stunned. Dominic still laid in the grass, his

throat torn out almost to decapitation. Riley walked toward me, but he collapsed after a few steps.

A weight lifted off my back. Quinn had released me and I got to my feet and ran toward

her brother. Blood covered Riley, but his eyes were half-open and fixed on me. He wheezed with

uneven breaths. All of a sudden, his body shook. I gasped when I noticed he struggled to shift.

The top half of his body was human while his lower half remained a wolf. He shook more

violently as he tried to shift again, but he wouldn't change completely.

When Riley finally shifted into a full human, I looked down and saw his left leg twisted

in the opposite direction. He shivered as if he was cold, so I gathered his naked body in my arms

and cradled him to my chest.

"Oh Riley," I sobbed. I smoothed his wet hair and rocked him gently. I noticed he had a

wolf's tail, and knew he wouldn't be able to hold his human form much longer. His lips parted

and he whispered my name. "Shhhh, baby don't talk." I cried harder and pressed my forehead

against his.

He gasped, "I...told you...I'd beat him." I pulled back to look at him and his lips spread

into a grin. "I would die...before...I let anyone...have you."

I gave him a tender kiss and held him tighter. He continued to shake and I felt helpless

because there was nothing I could do. Suddenly, the tremors stopped.

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"I love you, Paige." Then he closed his eyes and flashed into a wolf.

Aidan knelt beside me and spoke softly. "Let him go, Paige. He needs to be taken to the

infirmary."

I shook my head vehemently, my voice loud. "No! I can't..." The sheriff reached for him

and I clutched Riley to my body protectively. "Don't touch him!"

"He'll be all right, but needs to see the doctor. Please let me take him."

I glanced at Dominic's lifeless body and saw a man carrying him away. Then I looked at

the sheriff with tear-filled eyes. "Don't put Riley next to him. I don't want Riley anywhere near him."

He nodded. "I understand."

The sheriff reached out slowly and unraveled my arms from around his unconscious son.

I let him take my injured beloved away. I looked down at my trembling hands covered with

blood. That's when I noticed my clothing was soaked in Riley's blood too.

Quinn put her arm around my shoulder. Her clothes were dirty and her hair was a tangled

mess.

She spoke quietly. "It's over, Paige. Riley won. He'll be okay, you'll see. He heals quickly,

so he'll be home before you know it."

This time I managed to give her a sad smile. The nightmare was finally over.

Quinn and I walked through the dark forest back to my cabin. After I had changed out of

my bloodstained garments, I realized I was down to the last of my clean clothing. Now I

seriously had to do laundry. While I got dressed, Quinn left the cabin, but returned with her

father's police SUV. I was grateful to her because I didn't have the strength to walk into town.

When we arrived at the infirmary, she left me alone in the cramped waiting area. She said

she wanted to speak to the doctor about Riley's condition. I sat with my knees bouncing while I

bit my fingernails. The room smelled of faint pineapple and flowers, and I wondered where they

hid the Glade plug-in. It was quiet except for a small television on the wall playing a rerun of

Friends
.

About fifteen minutes later, Quinn walked into the waiting area. She wore a grim

expression, and my breath caught because I thought she had bad news. She sat beside me, and

fidgeted her hands while she looked forward. She opened her mouth, but only to take a deep

breath. Filled with anticipation, I stared at her with my eyes wide.

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"Something happened to Riley," she said quietly. I started breathing rapidly and my lips

quivered. "He's healing, but not the part that allows him to shift into a human."

"What do you mean?" I yelled in panic.

She looked at me with teary bloodshot eyes. "The doctor said something is wrong and he

can't shift into a human."

My jaw dropped. I guess the nightmare wasn't over after all.

"We don't know why, but sometimes this happens when
Varulv
are injured badly in wolf

form. Either a part of our wolf anatomy won't change into a human part, or we can't change back

at all. I think Riley damaged something when he was struggling to shift into a human after the

fight."

Tears streamed down my cheeks as my world crashed and burned around me. I couldn't

look at Quinn, so I stared at my lap.

She reached over and grasped my hand, her voice gentle. "I know you fell in love with

Riley when he was human, but that part of him is gone now. I'm sorry."

I doubled-over and sobbed loudly. Everything was my fault. I ruined her brother's life

and destroyed their family. How would Aidan and Celia get through this? His son killed hers,

and now he would never be human again. I wished I had never returned to Black River.

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The reality of everything that had happened set in as I cried a river in the waiting room. I

felt cheated and wanted to scream at the injustice of my life. It seemed like every time something

good happened to me, something bad followed and robbed me of my happiness.

I didn't think my body could handle any more anguish. I had lost my father only weeks

ago, and now I lost the first man I had ever truly been in love with. The two men who meant the

most to me in the world were taken away, both prematurely and under tragic circumstances. My

father was my family support. He was the parent who understood and listened to me. Riley was

my soul mate. I intended to let him mark me so we could seal our bond.

According to Quinn, being Riley’s mate was equivalent to being his wife. Once I became

his wife, it was literally 'until death do us part'. Divorce didn't exist in
Varulv
society because they believed in commitment in every sense of the word.

Riley was still alive, but his human form was gone forever. I had grown to love him as a

human, but now I had to love his wolf form the same way. I know some humans form strong

bonds with their dogs, but Riley would never be my pet. We were lovers and had a human

relationship once. Now he would live the rest of his life as a wolf, and never speak words to me

again. My whole world was about to change---again---and having a romantic relationship with

Riley would be my most difficult challenge.

Quinn rubbed my back while my tears fell onto the carpet. I appreciated her comfort, but

was in too much pain. I still had to see Riley and face our future. Sniffling, I lifted my head and

wiped my eyes.

"It's okay," I said. I tried to show strength, but my voice trembled. "I still love him and I won't leave him. It's just going to be harder to communicate with him."

She gave me a small smile, her eyes nearly identical to mine. "I know, but I'll help you