Chapter 87

Although the white wolf whimpered a little and screamed in his animal language, his suffering turned into fury and very soon there were growls instead of yelps. His fingers squeezed the lion’s flesh even harder, and he stopped the second blow by locking his free arm on Haydar’s wrist. He roared in his face, showing him the power of his ferocious fangs, and slammed his knee into the center of his stomach. The lion wanted to bend forward, in pain, but the white wolf’s grip on his neck did not allow him to move. In the next attempted blow, Ivan caught his adversary’s hand and twisted his entire arm back, always keeping his chin tucked against his chest so that his own throat would not be exposed and vulnerable.

His voice was like prodigious thunder in the hollow space of the shed:

“Did you think I was going to let you win so easily? I HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED!”

He pressed the lion against the machine and immobilized his legs using his own. He risked releasing the beast’s