Remus, Logan, and I formed a circle, with our butts almost touching. We were protecting each other’s backs. I could see Remus’s brown fur on my right and Logan’s almost white fur on my left.
The two douchebags were in their wolf forms as well. It was easy to distinguish the two despite their slight differences in color. The alpha was huge, which was making fighting them more difficult.
I hated linking with Emma and scaring her. But the douchebags were strong, and I’d needed to get a sense of where they were. We’d been fighting them and holding them off, but it was taking all three of us against the two. Backup would be here any second, and when they were, we’d be screwed.
We needed to take them down and get to the vehicles. Even though the three of us couldn’t communicate, I was pretty damn sure we were on the same page.
Remus launched at the beta, leaving me and Logan to take down the alpha. We were trying to switch it up so they weren’t sure which one of us would attack who.
I glanced at Logan, and he nodded. We hunkered to the ground while the large alpha ran toward us.
We needed to catch him off guard. I dug my paws into the ground and charged right at the alpha. He anticipated a fight, and when he was two feet from me, he stood on his hind legs, ready for me to do the same. Instead, I dropped to the ground, and the asshole stumbled over me and fell to the ground.
Logan must have read my mind because, as soon as the douchebag fell, he was on top of him, digging his teeth right into the guy’s throat.
Okay … we weren’t communicating clearly after all. The point had been to weaken them so we could get away, not kill them.
A second passed before I forced the shock away. I needed to save this guy. We didn’t need both The Hallowed Guild and another psycho pack hunting us.
Before I could reach him, Logan yanked his head to the side, ripping the guy’s throat out.
No … no! This couldn’t be happening.
The beta must have felt his alpha die because he stumbled back from Remus and ran over to his packmate.
Logan bared his teeth at the beta, blood dripping from his mouth and onto the ground.
No, we couldn’t do that. If I thought taking these two assholes out would make a difference, I wouldn’t pause, but other men would eagerly take their places. Their pack had been raised to behave like this, and it would take something out of the ordinary to break the cycle.
Emma, I need you to get Gabby to tell Logan to come there now. I hated to put her in the middle, but Gabby was the only one who could make him leave. Otherwise, he’s going to kill again.
Again? Horror filled our bond, her words almost breathless. What do you mean “again”?
Babe, I’ll tell you everything, but right now, I need Gabby to link with him. I didn’t mean to be short with her, but she was my only hope. I didn’t have time to keep repeating myself.
Okay.
Our connection went completely silent, and I watched Logan closely. At the first sign of him attacking the beta, I would intervene.
Right now, we needed to be searching for the next girl, not killing.
Logan stilled, which gave me hope that Gabby was working her magic.
She’s talking to him. Emma connected with me. Honor just informed us that she lost her link with her alpha. Did Logan have anything to do with that?
He killed the alpha. I couldn’t stop it. I felt so damn responsible. We can’t communicate, and Logan went dark.
It wasn’t your fault, Emma said softly.
Maybe. I couldn’t help but feel guilty. Emma was the girls’ leader, which meant I should be the men’s. This was all on me.
Logan’s white eyes flashed to mine, and he nodded.
He’d come back down from whatever had possessed him and not a moment too soon. I jerked my head toward where we needed to go, and Remus took off.
I watched Logan’s freaky eyes glance back to the beta. The beta was howling in pain at the loss of their leader.
He was calling the others.
Without giving another damn, I turned and followed Remus for a few steps, hoping that would wake up Logan. We needed to get back to the girls we loved.
After a few strides, I spun around to see what Logan would do.
The white wolf flicked his head back to me and then the beta. After a second, he huffed and turned to follow me.
I pushed my legs hard to catch up with Remus. The trees flew past us as we raced to safety.
I kept listening behind me, ensuring Logan stayed behind us. I didn’t need him turning around and trying to finish the job.
Remus slowed, waiting for us.
It made me like him more. He wouldn’t abandon us. It wasn’t something I’d expect Logan to do.
As we ran, I surveyed the surrounding trees. We were getting closer to the base of the mountain, but I wasn’t relieved yet. I was sure the pack was hunting us down.
After what felt like hours but was only minutes, we were almost at the cars. Emma, we should be there in ten minutes.
Okay, great. Emma sounded relieved. We are here and waiting on you. I’ll tell the others to be prepared.
Sounds great. I needed to be with her again.
The trees thinned around us, giving us our first hint that civilization was close. My heart had begun to slow its rapid pace when several pain-stricken howls came from behind us and fairly close by. The wolves were on the hunt.
Emma connected with me again. Please tell me you’re still okay.
There was no question. She’d heard the howls too. Yes. They’re after us, though. We should be fine. Just be ready.
I swear, each place we go, it gets crazier and crazier.
She wasn’t wrong. After a few minutes, the two Suburbans came into view. They were right at the edge of the road, by the cliff.
Both vehicles’ back doors were open.
That had me running even faster.
Paws pounded behind us. The pack drew closer. They knew the woods and could navigate them quicker and more efficiently.
The three of us sprinted harder. Remus jumped in Samuel’s vehicle with Ivory, while Logan jumped in then squeezed into the backseat with Gabby.
Emma pushed open the passenger side door for me. She sat straight in the driver’s seat, and I leaped into the vehicle.
“I’ve got it.” Honor slammed the door shut for me right as a few wolves broke through the tree line and came toward us.
Samuel peeled out with Emma following right behind, driving as fast as possible to the city.
I lay down on the front passenger seat, facing Emma. I was finally home again.
Emma
It scared the living hell out of me to watch those three run to us with fear in their eyes. They were being hunted like prey, which pissed me off. This had been the theme this past month since I’d learned what I was.
We followed the main roads into the city, making sure not to take side roads where we’d have to slow down. My eyes kept going to the rearview mirror, but I hadn’t seen the wolves chasing after us for the last five miles.
Samuel got on the interstate and headed south. We followed, racing to put some distance between us and the wolves. The guys needed to shift back into human form so we could figure out our next stop.
“What’s our plan?” Honor asked from the passenger side, middle row seat.
Crap, I hadn’t really told her anything. “We’ll pull over soon to let the guys shift and perform the spell that’ll tell us where the last girl is.”