Her Daughter

HD ~ Chapter Twenty-Six

I watched as my mother's claws swiped him again and Cole barely dodged it. I didn't understand what was happening. Cole was a better fighter than this. I'd seen him train and he was able to take down his opponents easily. He seemed distracted or he holding back.

That must've been it. Cole had to be holding back. My mother was striking to kill, but he was only trying to fight her off. After everything, he wasn't trying to kill her. Was he doing this for me?

I didn't have much longer to ponder the thought because my mother faked a lunge towards Cole, getting him to put a bit of weight on his bad leg before actually going in for the hit. Cole let out a piercing yelp. My mother's teeth sunk into the side of his neck just above Cole's right shoulder. My mate struck back as he furiously clawed at her side to shake her off. She hung on a bit longer before jumping back, leaving Cole to fall to the ground.

No!

I bolted towards their fight, dodging wolves that stood in my way. I kept my eyes trained on my mother as she crouched low and bunched her muscles. She was getting ready to deliver the kill shot as Cole struggled to get to his feet.

I pushed myself faster than I ever have. My legs ate up the ground, but it seemed to take agonizingly long to get to the white wolves. Just as I was about to break through the crowd of wolves that were watching the scene unfold, my mother lunged in Cole's direction.

In a last-ditch effort, I launched myself towards my mother.

We collided midair as my head found her ribs. She cried out in surprise as she tumbled to her side a few feet away. I landed ungracefully on my feet and shook my head, trying to shake off the slight pain. Behind me Cole whined and I my heart broke as I saw him laying on the ground, bleeding profusely.

Quickly, I made my way towards him and nuzzled his face with my snout. I would not let things end here for us. I maneuvered my body so I stood over Cole and braced myself for what was coming next.

My mother steadily got to her feet and shook out her fur before letting out a fearsome growl. She bared her teeth and stalked towards us. After a moment, she seemed to realize I was the one who knocked her down. Her steps faltered as she regarded me stationed over my fallen mate. Her gaze was cold and calculated.

I bared my teeth at her and took up a defensive crouch. There was no mistaking it anymore. I'd chosen a side in this war and it wasn't hers. It was time to make her see what all of these years of fighting was doing to her family.

Fighting around had ceased for the time being as everyone on both sides of the battlefield looked to see what Clarity would do. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Garrett and my father push through the crowd of wolves surrounding us. I heard steps come behind me and when I briefly glanced over my shoulder, I was relieved to find Declan and Zach at my flanks.

My attention turned back to my mother and I watched as her body trembled slightly before she stood on two legs once again. "Well, now I know where your allegiance lies, Felicity," she said in a hard tone.

I let out a soft sigh before transforming back into my human form. I stepped in front of Cole and gave her a sad smile. "This isn't an us versus them situation. But until you realize that, I choose to protect my mate and fight with him."

The wolves from my pack that weren't aware that Cole was my mate, turned to look at each other. They may have known that the situation was complex, but the fact that Cole was my mate complicated things further. Having my pack fight against my mate was an impossible test of loyalty for me and now they knew it.

"How can you say that?" Clarity ground out. "He declared war on me."

I only shook my head. "But you made the first move."