“Wait … all of you are?” He eyed every single girl in the group. “I thought there were only five or something like that. But you’re saying there’s nine?”
“Oh, no.” I hadn’t considered that he’d think every female here was marked. “Just the female hybrids. Beth and Ada are full shifters, and those two ladies are pure witches.”
“Will it hurt?” the girl asked as Amethyst placed her hands on her neck wound.
“No, dear. I promise.” Amethyst smiled. “What’s your name?”
“Sunny.” Her voice sounded so raw.
“That’s a beautiful name.” Amethyst’s voice was calming as magic filled the air.
“What’s your name?” Logan lifted a brow at the alpha guy.
“It’s Eric.” His eyes stayed glued on Sunny and Amethyst. “Do I get the pleasure of knowing all your names?”
Beth took the liberty of introducing us.
“There, you’re all done.” Amethyst lifted her hand from her neck. A scab remained where the cut had been.
Sunny tentatively touched her neck. “Thank you.”
“See, witches aren’t all bad.” Samuel puffed out his chest to appear larger.
“Look, you don’t have many options here.” Honor held out her hand. “What are you going to do with her?”
“I … I don’t know.” Eric rubbed a hand down his face. “I just don’t understand why I couldn’t kill her.”
“Wow, that’s so romantic,” Ada snorted. “Guys are assholes.”
In all fairness, Aidan had been an asshole for over four years. I couldn’t argue too much.
“Look, the longer we wait out here, the likelier a wolf will come looking for you,” Ivory said softly. “It’s best if she comes with us.”
“I don’t want her to go,” Eric grumbled as he kicked the ground.
“If you don’t want her to die, she needs to come with us,” I explained, hoping to show him logic, something he couldn’t dispute. “We’ll take care of her.”
“That sounds nice.” Sunny sighed. “After my pack turned me away …”
“What do you mean your pack turned you away?” Coral asked, an edge to her steady voice.
“I was raised there, but when they saw the mark, the alpha denounced me.” Sunny grimaced. “They didn’t want to deal with the fallout, but they wouldn’t tell me what it meant either. My dad died last year, so I have no one to stand up for me. That’s why I was trying to cover the mark. It has to mean something bad.”
“She’s not safe here.” Aidan looked at the alpha. “We can protect her.”
“Fine.” Eric inhaled sharply as he walked over and paused. “This is fucking crazy. I already miss her, and I’ve known her less than thirty minutes.” He pulled Sunny into his arms and lowered his nose, smelling her bloodstained hair.
Her eyes widened as her hand inched up to hug him back, but she forcibly dropped it by her side. Confusion was etched on her face.
“But I need to be able to contact her,” Eric said as his eyes met mine. “I need to be able to check in on her.”
“Fine.” I’d do anything to get her to leave, and if I pushed too hard, he’d make things difficult.
She pulled back slightly from his arms and retrieved her phone from her pocket. “Here …”
“No, we’re leaving your phone behind.” Aidan took the phone out of her hand and threw it on the ground. “If someone gets hold of your old pack, they could track you. We can get you a new phone later.” Aidan crushed the phone with the heel of his foot.
Approval shone in Eric’s eyes. “Maybe she will be safer in your hands.”
“For the time being, use mine.” I handed my phone to him. “Call yourself, then we’ll have each other’s numbers.”
“Fine.” He dialed a number, let it ring once, and hung up. As he handed it back to me, he tensed. “Shit, they’re coming.”
Not wasting time, I reared back and punched him straight in the nose. It cracked loudly.
“What the hell, Emma?” Samuel hollered. He blinked like he couldn’t believe his eyes.
Aidan chuckled. “Well, she beat me to the punch.”
Blood poured out Eric’s nose, and he nodded at me with respect. “Again, and then you all need to run as fast as possible.”
“Let me.” Sunny rammed her knee right into his crotch, and he fell to the ground in pain.
“Holy shit,” he groaned, tears springing to his eyes.
She kissed his cheek. “That’s what you get for cutting me.”
“Is this normal?” Coral glanced from Sunny to Eric.
“It is when we need the wolves to think he put up a fight.” I waved them on. “Let’s go.”
Our group moved out, with Sunny, Aidan, and me hanging back. I took her hand. “You can call him tonight, but right now, we have to go.”
“Fine.” She glanced at him one last time. “Don’t die, okay?”
“I’ll try not to,” he said through clenched teeth.
Sunny took off, and I followed, with Aidan taking up the rear. Our group ran as fast as we could without worrying about noise. The wolves would check on Eric first, and he should buy us some time.
Halfway to the car, I heard running footsteps in the distance behind us. Dammit, they’re catching up to us. I’d hoped we would be closer to the vehicles.
They know the woods, so they have the advantage. Aidan didn’t even bother turning around. They were at least ten miles behind but gaining ground. “Hurry up.”
Remus was leading the charge, and he took off even faster.
“Everyone, run as fast as you can.” We’d have to slow down for the witches, but hopefully, the three of them could run a little faster.
With each step we took, the wolves caught up by two. I hated feeling like prey, but dammit, that’s exactly what we were.
The trees flew by as we pushed ourselves to the max without trampling over the witches.
The wolves’ heavy breathing became audible. They were literally breathing down our necks. We wouldn’t make it to the car before they caught up to us.
“Everyone, keep going!” I shouted. “Get in the cars.” The guys liked fighting, but Remus and Logan were too far in front.
Yes, those idiots would hear us, but it sounded like there were only two chasing us. More might be on their way, but we should be able to keep these morons at bay.
The clearing came into view, and we exited the woods, away from the humans.
Aidan spun around and ran right at a wolf as it lunged through the air. He lowered his body to the ground and raised up right as the wolf was about to attack him. He pushed his arms forward, and the wolf flew backward, hitting the ground hard on his back.
The second wolf charged in as Aidan fought off the first wolf.
Oh, hell no. I pushed my legs as hard as I could and steamrolled the wolf right in the side. It hadn’t expected the force and stumbled, unable to turn and use its claws against me. I slammed it hard against a tree as the first wolf bounced back onto its legs.
If you get hurt, let me know immediately.