Free Lovers' Tussle by India-Jean Louwe

close to his ears, his fragile throat. Using all his might, he pushed himself upright, taking his unwanted passenger with him. He shook him free even as the sharp claws dug in deeper for purchase. With another forceful push, he threw himself over onto his back, onto his opponent. He came back to his feet, finally free but not finished. “She has made her choice, brother.”
    “Never.” The white wolf was a blur as he leapt into the air.
    Roth barely made it out of the way. “Ask her!”
    “I’ll ask her after I’ve sent you back to hell.”
    Roth growled his frustration. Her final apology niggled at the edges of his conscience. What had she meant? Whatever it was, now was not the time for deciphering. “Don’t make me fight you, Aiden. I don’t want to kill you.”
    “Only if you come back from the dead, brother.” Aiden launched another attack.
    Roth was ready this time. He swiped his claw, ripping a healthy chunk of flesh from Aiden’s back. All he saw was the red stain. It was striking against pure white. “Cease your foolishness before I really hurt you.”
    Aiden seemed to recover quickly from the attack. He crouched. Roth remained on the defensive. Lash after lash he ducked and evaded until he became frustrated. “You really wish for death this night, Aiden.”
    His brother did not choose to answer him with words. Instead he sprung forward, the maws of his beast gaping, and went straight for his throat, deadly paws going for his heart. This time there was not a moment for harmless evasion. Roth swiped again, fully intending on simply swatting the yawning jaws away. But at the last second he felt the hands of a foreigner on Tienna’s body. Apparently at that fatal second Aiden felt the trespass as well. A powerful rage consorted Aiden’s features, and his claws unsheathed. Aiden’s jaws snapped shut inches before his face. Roth’s eyes widened in stunned silence, as his chest was suddenly aflame.
    Aiden yanked his claws back and away. But it was too late. His aim had been deadly, his weapon lethal, and the wound fatal. His gaze mirrored the stunned, horrified look in his brother’s eyes.
    “ Oh God! What have I done?”
    Roth stood motionless. “ Won.”
    Aiden’s eyes never lost the sheen of disbelief even as his own glazed over. It was a mercy when they finally closed. Roth fell with a mighty crash, his gray coat no longer glorious. The red overpowered it, staining everything in matted darkness, and continued to spread its disease to the earth.
     
    * * * *
     
    Snowy-white fur caressed the ground, soaking the blood as Aiden dropped to his haunches. He nuzzled the fallen thick fur. It remained motionless. So very warm, yet so very still. “Roth.” He got no response. Aiden’s paws scratched at his brother, begging him, pleading for his return. He vowed to leave and never come back. He promised to hand over Tienna. He cried he would take Roth’s place in death. Dark silence greeted his oaths.
    Tears gathered and trickled freely down his face. His entire frame shook with the force of his grief. And yet all he wanted to do was run. He had to get as far from this sin as he could. He had to flee his shame. But the Gods were unmerciful. They would not take him and send Roth back.
    Grief turned to hatred, and that spewed forth into fury. He wanted to tear someone, something, anything to pieces. The rage spread through him until he frothed foam like a rabid dog. The swirl of emotion was dark, evil, and sent him spiraling over the edge of his sanity. With death in his nostrils, filling his lungs, and murder on his mind and damned soul, he rose slowly.
    Tienna was frozen, staring at his fallen brother on the ground. But Aiden’s attention was on the man beside her. The man who had touched her for just that fateful moment. The man who had made him kill his own brother. He growled as he went straight for the villain’s jugular. Tienna screamed and dived out the way. Aiden brought his enemy down and