Victory at All Costs, Part 2

"What"—I glanced forward, my gaze narrowing in annoyance—"holy Hel!" 

For an unknowable reason, the great wolf wasn't dead. Rather, it was refusing to die because it was already beginning to rise from the ground—albeit, much slower than before—and was moving its head in my general direction. 

A pair of all-too-human blue eyes glared at me with unrestrained rage, and I knew I was up shit creek without a paddle once again. 

"Vargr…" I was nearly resigned to having to redo this battle for the third time. Nearly. But, just as its head snapped toward me and we exchanged death stares once more, a cannonball struck it from above and exploded like a fireball against the beast's spine.