He made a dive at her but she leaped beneath him, catching his inner leg with her forepaws and punishing him with another sharp nip. They locked in combat, scraping at each other with their claws, yelping, and biting.

The Pack started barking instructions at the fighting dogs.

“Go for her belly!” Mickey called.

“Fight him, Snap!” yelped Whine. “He’s only Omega; you can beat him!”

Then Snap pulled away, panting. “One more bite and you’re a dead dog!” she snarled.

“Don’t speak so soon,” Lucky barked. “You’re half my size!”

“And twice your speed!” Snap ducked into the mist again, disappearing from view. Lucky growled, squinting. He could just make out the outline of her wiry fur.

“We’ll see about that!” Lucky gathered up all his strength. I have to win this! he thought urgently. I can’t be Omega anymore; I have to show everyone how good a Pack Dog I can be!

He lunged at Snap, pretending to go for her stumpy tail. At the last minute, he swung around, throwing open his jaws and aiming for her neck. Snap darted away with a yelp, leaped in the air, and launched herself at Lucky’s back leg, burying her fangs into his flesh and squeezing.

Pain shot through him. Lucky howled as blood spurted from the wound. He felt it sticking to his fur. Snap would not let go. The other dogs barked excitedly as the hot, red scent rose on the air.

The mist swirling through the meadow seemed to drift inside Lucky’s mind, into his eyes, blurring his vision. His pulse thundered at his temples, drowning out the frenzy of barks. The pain was dizzying and Lucky stumbled, a sickness rising in his throat.

“Enough!” howled Alpha. The dog-wolf trod toward the Pack, mist swirling around him. “The fight is over. Snap has defended the challenge.”

Instantly Snap released her grip on Lucky and shrank back. A sharp jolt of pain shot up his leg—it was even worse now that she’d let go—but the wave of sickening dizziness was passing. Lucky ducked his head to lap at the wound, trying to stanch the flow of blood.

“Are you okay?” Mickey asked.

“Does it hurt?” pressed Bella, taking a tentative step toward him.

“I’ll be fine,” Lucky replied, his tail clinging to his flank. He wanted them to leave him alone. Alpha was already walking away, and he wished the other dogs would do the same.

Snap approached him, her tail wagging. “Now we’re even,” she told him with a friendly lick. All hostility was gone.

Lucky limped past the Pack, his head lowered. The shame prickling in his fur was worse than the pain of his wounds—much worse.

Sweet bounded after him. “Omega, I want to talk to you,” she called. Her tail was thrashing and her eyes were shining like tiny Moon-Dogs.