Page 84 of Tangled Fates

How the hell did I not know that panther shifters existed?

He chuckled. Plenty of shifters exist.

Couldn’t have told me that sooner?

He walked in front of me. You really pick the worst times to argue, huh?

Hudson, stop!

That same mirage appeared right in front of him, and he stopped in his tracks.

Can you see that? I asked.

He straightened his back. You mean, can I see the air in front of me physically moving? Yeah.

Without thinking, I lunged at it. I had no idea what the hell it was, but I wanted it gone. I wanted all of this shit gone. I wanted the bears gone, the panthers gone, and all of this bullshit just fucking gone. I tore through the mirage, watching it disappear as if I had just burst it, like a balloon popping because of too much pressure. And just as my feet touched down upon the ground, something amazing happened.

What the hell? Hudson asked.

The scurrying of feet all around me drew my head in a million different directions. But it was our collective groupthink that told me what was going on.

They’re leaving!

Yeah! Get the fuck out of here, bitches!

We did it! We saved our town!

Honor to our Alpha! Honor to Raven! Honor to Ironcrest!

The bears retreated. The panthers hobbled back into the hellhole they had crawled out from. And as wolves took to the streets to rejoice and feast upon the bodies we had claimed in order to regain their strength, I flopped to the ground.

I flopped down and simply… sat.

28

HUDSON

As I watched the animals retreat back up the mountain and into the woods, I stood there in shock. We hadn’t overwhelmed them. We hadn’t shown them what was what. Hell, we honestly hadn’t killed many of them, either. Sure, there was some blood and a few downed bodies, but nothing that I would have expected to come with the kind of victory we had just pulled off. And yet, they were all racing back to the hell they had come from.

Like we had done something special.

Everyone, listen up.

Raven’s voice caught my attention and I turned around to find her perched on top of Brody’s chalet. She stood on all fours, her head held high in the sky with the strength and fervor of what any pack would have expected from their alpha.

I’d never been prouder of her than I was at that moment.

While this may be a victory for now, we know they’re going to be back. Something big is brewing, and until we can figure out what it is, protect yourselves at all costs. Reduce the number of trips you have to take into the city. Don’t go on unnecessary runs or hikes. Stay within the confines of our neighborhood and keep a close watch on your children. If you need something, my Inner Circle is at your disposal. Dean, Levi, and Hudson are at your beck-and-call but allow Brody to rest for now. And if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to come knock on my door. I don’t care what time it is.

I managed to pull my attention away from her long enough to look around me, and what I found made me shake my head in disbelief. We hadn’t been a uniformed pack since Colin’s shocking death. The news of his passing had sent us all reeling and spiraling into what seemed like an endless depression that casted a dark cloud over all of us. But as the sun shone down upon Raven’s wolf, shimmering her in the sunlight, every single pack wolf had their gaze turned up to her.

Unified.

The way we always should have been.

Ironcrest now! Ironcrest then! Ironcrest forever! “Aaaaaaaah-OOOOOOOOOOW!”

The pack chanted her phrase in our groupthink.

---