Dawn came too quickly and not fast enough at the same time.
I spent the hours before sunrise not sleeping, but preparing. My wolf paced restlessly, alternating between confidence and fear. Through the bond, Darius's wolf mirrored the restlessness.
We'd gambled everything on a fight that could end with us dead or exiled.
No pressure.
"You should eat something," Celeste said, appearing with food I didn't want. "Combat on an empty stomach is a bad idea."
"Combat against two experienced Alphas is also a bad idea," I pointed out. "But here we are."
She set the food down anyway. "For what it's worth, I think you made the right call. Surrendering would have destroyed morale. This at least gives everyone something to believe in."
"Or something to watch fail spectacularly."
"That too." She smiled slightly. "But I'm betting on spectacular success instead."
