Page 59 of Tangled Fates

Seams popped and fabric ripped as my boys did exactly as asked. With my eyesight sharpened, I watched as six bears charged their way toward us from the back of the cave. I couldn’t sense Brody. Hell, I couldn’t even hear him. Which meant we had to fight our way through these assholes in order to figure out where the hell he was.

That was, until Levi finally spoke. Retreat! Retreat!

What? Hudson asked.

Dean spun around. Where are you, Levi? I’m coming.

No, you don’t understand, Levi said as he kicked a bear off his back, I don’t sense Brody. He’s not in this cave.

What!? I exclaimed.

WHAT IS RIGHT!

I swiped my claws across a bear’s face and listened to it roar for mercy.

He’s not here! I was wrong! Retreat!

Levi’s frantic voice caused me to tuck tail, turn around, and book it for the mouth of the cave. My men fell in line behind me, bringing up the rear as those bear shifters chased us out of the cage. And as we tore back into the woods, outrunning the maimed animals in the process, I quickly whipped around.

Before Levi skidded to a stop in front of me.

Your soul? You’d bet your damn soul on it, Levi!?

He shook his head. Trust me, I’m just as confused as you are. I don’t know what the hell’s happening.

Hudson nudged me further into the darkness. We can argue later. Right now, we have to run!

I’d never pushed myself so hard in all my fucking life. The idea of retreating without Brody made me so sick that I had to swallow the bile creeping up the back of my throat. Smoke wrapped around us, threatening to choke off our ability to breathe as the throng of bears that battled the fire stayed occupied with the flames. It enabled us to get back down the mountain. Back down to where we had spent the night in that cave. And as I peered over my shoulder, looking up at the dark smoke billowing into the sky, my heart broke.

I couldn’t save my cousin, and I felt terrible for leaving him behind.

I promise, Brody, I’m going to find you. Just hang on for me.

Dean nuzzled against me. I know it’s hard, but we have to keep going. We’ll figure out another plan when we’ve got more back-up.

I shook my head. The pack can’t handle something like this right now, and you know it. We have to go back. We have to find a way to?—

Bears! Hudson exclaimed.

Before I turned around just long enough to see him tackled to the ground by a behemoth black bear.

20

RAVEN

Dean, look out!

The second I watched that bear leap over his head, I knew he was a goner. Dean rustled around on the ground, attempting to avoid the harsh bites and slashes that came from the bears themselves. And as the bear crashed into Dean, I focused my gaze on their claws.

Their shimmering, coated claws.

Their claws and bite are poisonous. They’ve got that shit on it. Be careful!

Levi’s voice bellowed through my mind. They want you! Get out of here, Raven!

We were being attacked from all sides. I spun around, watching in horror as bear after bear tackled my men to the ground. They slashed their claws over stomachs and faces. They sank their teeth into arms and legs. Anything they could get their hands on. And one by one, my men roared out in pain.

In horror.

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