*

na's words, but he didn't respond right away. Instead, h

s," he sa

early unimpressed. "You're just going to

istled at

ok away from he

ives the nig

stomach

ni

motioned toward the dark forest behind t

nce fell ove

sun-bleached hair-let out a low chuckle. "Yo

lse quicken

tly. "No better way to se

"Well, this s

ere talking about, but she ref

d her chi

long moment before nod

*

, hidden by thick brush and towering trees, it was n

Primitive.

arp glint of blades being sharpened. Wolves-real wolves, not just men

ter of it all.

as she stared at the mas

own from countless battles. It smelled

ound the edge, their express

ou wanted to fight. Her

d hard. "What d

ward the other

nd a scarred lip was already stepping in. His arms wer

stomach

ht him?" she a

slightly. "Fight. Surv

cracking his knuckles. "Try

d through the w

fists, something hot

ldn't b

t

ver a

forward. I

e closed

-the fig

*

e to take a breath be

fist slammed into her ribs like a sledgehammer, knocking the air from

erupted in

ed, cracking his knuckles. "This isn't some c

teeth, forcing he

hem the satisfactio

again, but this ti

away from his outstretched arms. His moment

drove her elbow into his ribs, t

cted. He whirled on her, his eyes burning wit

sed, rolling his shoulder.

nd. She couldn't wa

ed every ounce of

ue's

again-but slower this

ed he was tes

ngs. He wanted to se

he'd sh

ked, shifting her weight at the last second an

ected s

t instead of staggeri

s heart

yanked her off balance an

cross her back.

rowd

ced herself up. But the rogue was already there, grabbi

react before his fist

st behind

filling her mouth. The metallic taste sp

pered in her mind. This is why

a differe

deep in

an what they ma

ed into her. The silver-eyed w

eneath her

eyes snap

e, she didn'

hing t

over her, rea

na m

n she ever

isted, snapping his wrist

e used his own weight against him, flipping him over

ed through

give him tim

r fist slamming into his face with a

primal t

ed, her knuckles stung

uldn't

til he

all of t

t some weak, d

was

ned, his face bloodied. Hi

ned, her breath heavy,

ll into stun

a slo

turned

the pit, arms crossed, an

aming with something unreadable. "Looks l

d from her mouth and

" she said,

ose to