“So, ready for your punishment?” Anatoli said as he came closer.
“You bastard!” Darius hollered. “You’re not fit to be leader of The Family.”
“Your Grandfather was already weak and dying,” Anatoli sneered. “When he passed away, the mantle was passed on to me, fair and square, as they say in America.”
“Why did you kill them?” Darius asked. “What did we ever do to you?”
“What did you do to me?” Anatoli fumed. “Your father was going to steal what was mine! When Mother died, Father found the letters she had been hiding for years. Letters from your grandmother telling him that she was his True Mate. He immediately sent for your father. And just like that, Demetri became his favorite son. My father hated me because of what my mother had done and he was so grateful to have your father here. Meanwhile, I was the one shunted aside, even though I worked myself to death to help him build The Family and took on his beatings when he needed someone to act as his punching bag.”
Darius was stunned. He never knew this. “You didn’t have to have them killed.”
“Oh, yes I did.” Anatoli let out a distasteful sound. “When I found out that he chose your father to be his heir and not me, I had to do something.” His lips spread into a wide grin. “When they,” he cocked his head toward the mage, “approached me and said they would help me take over The Family, I knew it was my chance. Watching my father die of heartbreak was the icing on the cake.”
“You bastard!” Darius railed.
“Now you will die, nephew,” he said mockingly. “Take him away and kill him.”
“No!”
Darius turned his head. It was Adrianna. Her mother and sister were holding her back, but she was fighting them with all her might. “Adrianna! Don’t!” He couldn’t let her get into their hands. There was only one way he could put a stop to this. “Anatoli Corvinus!” he shouted at his uncle. “I challenge you to a death duel.”
Anatoli laughed. “There will be no duel, only your death. I said take him away,” he barked at Remus and Simion.
“Stop!”
“What the—you!”
Alexandru stepped forward. “You’ve been challenged to a death duel, Anatoli Corvinus.”
“This is preposterous,” Anatoli sputtered. “I am the leader of The Family! By the rules of the old ways, it is my right! Our ancestors said only the strongest of us can lead. They’d been killing each other for centuries for the right to rule.”
“That is true,” Alexandra said. “But death duels are also the way of our ancestors as well. So, you must accept and fight or concede defeat.”
Anatoli let out a strangled cry and his face went red. “Do something,” he hissed at the mage.
“This is your mess,” the mage scoffed. “You clean it up. I just want what’s mine.” He turned to Adrianna. “I will take you when this foolishness is over, and once I do, I will drain every last drop of your blood.”
“Damn you,” Anatoli sputtered.
Alexandru motioned to Remus and Simion. “Let him go.”
“Darius!” Adrianna broke free and ran to him. “Darius, please … don’t do this!”
He wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. “I must.”
“But why?”
“To keep you safe,” he said. “Please forgive me for—”
“No, don’t say it! I should have known you wouldn’t … Darius please I need to tell you something.”
He silenced her with his mouth, savoring the kiss like it was his last. “I need to tell you something too.”
“What?”
“I love you, Adrianna.”
She froze in his arms. “Darius—”
“You can tell me later,” he said. “For now, I must do this.” For you. For my family. Once Anatoli Corvinus was dead, he would kill the mage next. “Please,” he said, calling to Julianna. “Take care of your sister.”
“Darius!” Even as he untangled her from his arms, she fought him. Julianna soothed her, prying her away.
It pained him to ignore her, but he had to focus. Anatoli may be older, but he would not give up without a fight. Besides, even if he killed Anatoli, there would be the mage to deal with. Who knew what that scoundrel had up his sleeve?
“Ready?” he asked Anatoli.
His uncle had already stripped his clothes. “You fool. I will kill you and enjoy every minute of it.” Anatoli began to shift into his wolf—a large, dark gray wolf that matched Darius in size and bulk. He could feel Anatoli’s rage and that’s what made him so dangerous. He had everything to lose in this fight and victory would mean he could get rid of Darius and gain two major territories.
But, looking at Adrianna, Darius knew he had everything to lose too. He called on his wolf, and he didn’t have to wait long. It was ready to duel to the death to protect her.
The two wolves circled each other, sizing up one another. Anatoli made the first move, bounding forward with paws raised. They swiped and clawed at each other, dodging and parrying off attacks.
Darius’s wolf let out a growl and advanced, snapping its gigantic jaw. He thought to push him back until he had no place to go. But Anatoli’s wolf wouldn’t let itself get boxed in. Much to his surprise, it came forward, leaping up to pounce. Claws scratched at his face and blood blinded Darius’s vision.
Anatoli took advantage of the momentary weakness and attacked again. This time, it was his uncle who underestimated him. He rolled to the side and Anatoli went splaying to the ground. The dark gray wolf sprang to its feet and faced him, fury evident on its face. Darius knew it was time.
Attack!
Darius’s wolf jumped at Anatoli. The gray wolf raised its front legs, but Darius twisted to the side at the last minute and raked his claws down the other wolf’s right side, digging in as deep as he could. It let out a yelp of pain, and Darius’s wolf held on, feeling the flesh underneath his claws tear open. They sprawled to
