Sugar

Forty Two

Get up, sugar, Dominic urged in my head. Quick. He's going to get on top of you.

"Let him," I muttered outloud, but I know he heard it. Getting to my feet right now would only make me get more dizzy.

Jeff's panting let me know he was approaching. When I glanced at him, there were multiples, wavering like I was looking at him through water-logged goggles. This wasn't good. But I could see that the wolf was limping and there was a wheeze in his breaths. Could I have punctured a lung with that messed-up rib of his?

Seeing him in his wolf form made me realize that this was a completely unfair advantage on his side. He had claws and teeth for weapons. I bit my nails short. Why couldn't I just let them grow long enough to scratch his eyes?

My vision finally cleared. Just in time to see a paw, with claws outstretched falling down to strike across my sternum. This time I couldn't help the screech that escaped me.

But once again, his anger was blinding him. Because his side was left open. I used my knee again, knocking him off of me enough that I was able to stand.

Glancing down, blood was seeping into my shirt and I almost wanted to vomit at the sight of my skin hanging from my chest. That wasn't good at all. EVeryone watching must have agreed, because several people sounded like they were choking on air while others gasped in disgust.

"That was a good one, Jeff," I confessed. "Really good."

Caroline, admit defeat. It's okay. This isn't worth your life, Dominic ordered me. You're going to get yourself killed.

I'm not letting you give this up because you think you know what I said last night. You didn't stay long enough to hear me finish and tell you that it was okay. So let me show you and stop distracting me.

Jeff and I did a dance for several minutes, where I bounced out of the way of every attac and he would quickly retract to guard his weakspots. By the way he was moving, I knew it wouldn't happen again where I landed a solid hit. So this time, I decided my main point of contact should be his eyes and snout.

It sounded like he was struggling to breathe with the rib jabbing his lungs, so if I could find a way to get his muzzle closed and make it impossible for him to breath through his nose, he could possibly pass out. That had to be my only chance.

I would have to get on his back in order to do so. And how the hell was I supposed to do that?

My gaze moved to the empty space behind him and I tried to adopt the most concerend face possible before saying under my breath, "What's Nina doing?"

Like hte concerned mate he was, Jeff immediately threw himself around. Even though Nina was actually behind me. Lesson learned, worry always overpowers rationality when it comes to mates who are pregnant.

As if he was a wild bronco, I hopped onto his back and tightened my legs around his middle so tight that I was hurting myself. Originally, I was going to go for his snout, but my arms were able to wrap around his neck in the perfect position where he couldn't bite my arms or hands.

Tighter than I had ever hugged anything before, I embrace his throat, pressing my fingers into what I assumed was his windpipe as Jeff began to thrash himself around. He rolled, flipped, bucked, clawed at me with his back paws but I was not moving.

My injured sternum was pressing into his back, the most painful part of anything he was trying. So painful that tears were dripping down my cheeks and had Jeff not been making horribly loud choking noises, everyone probably could hear me whimpering.