Page 24 of Brutal Mate

When he was just within reach of the other wolf’s tail, he stretched his neck as far as it would go and clamped his teeth down on the other wolf's appendage.

There was a tug, and then the resistance gave way, as if the clamping on his tail had halted the wolf entirely.

He spun on Kane, snarling, lashing out with tooth and claw until Kane was forced to release him.

At just the right moment, Kane rolled away, narrowly missing a bite to the shoulder as he went.

The second he made it back on his paws, he darted forward, slithering under his opponent like a snake.

When he shoved himself upward, hard into the other wolf's stomach, his opponent was thrown clear into the air, landing a few meters away.

But Kane didn't relent. He turned on the other wolf again, pouncing and pinning him to the ground. Leaning over him, he growled a warning in his ear, hoping he would get the message easy enough.

When the other wolf started to snarl back, snapping his jaws in a menacing yet futile manner, Kane attempted the next best thing to killing him.

Lunging hard to be sure it hurt, he grabbed hold of the wolf's scruff and bit down until he tasted blood, pulling the skin away from his neck to be sure he left no permanent damage that couldn't be undone by a little wolf healing.

One death for the night was enough on Kane's conscience, even if it was in the name of saving Miley.

The wolf seemed to get his point, and his body grew limp, submissive even. He whimpered and scrambled his paws frantically until Kane finally released him.

With another snap at the wolf's heels, Kane turned his attention to Miley.

He could no longer see her, but he could sense her. The sweet scent of her wafted through the trees on the warm, late summer breeze, and she was slapping her feet so hard as she ran, he was surprised she hadn't woken the entire forest. She was certainly no werewolf.

With a deep sigh, Kane started to run again. He had to be certain she was safe.

Who knew how many other wolves were in the woods. Sure, his own packmates might be around, but who was to know? And if anything should happen, he would never forgive himself.

It was only when he glanced down at his paws, having almost tripped on an upturned root, that he stopped dead in his tracks.

What am I doing? he thought bitterly. He was a fool. Here he was in wolf form, huge, black and menacing, chasing down a terrified human girl who had absolutely no way of knowing who or what he was.

All she would see was another wolf coming to kill her. No, from this point on, she was better off alone.

He had done what she needed him to, even if it was he who'd needed to be certain she was safe.

Lifting his head, he sniffed the air and listened. Her scent grew weaker. The sound of her footsteps receded. She was slowing down. He could just hear her panting on the very edge of his hearing. If she had risked stopping, she felt safe enough to do so.

He listened still, reaching out for any other signs of danger. If he saw, smelled or even heard an inkling that there were more enemy wolves within the woods, he would not think twice about it. He would run to Miley, shift and show her his true self if that was what it took to keep her safe.

As her husband, he would have to do that sooner or later, anyway. How could he possibly keep a secret like that for their entire married life together?

Werewolves didn't believe in divorce. Even if he had been human once and was set to marry one now, he wouldn't even consider it. If Miley would have him, he would be hers for good. The small part of him that had ever considered marriage or mateship had always been quite certain on that.

It was even more certain now that he had felt the determination to protect Miley. She was going to be his, and no other person—wolf, human or otherwise—was ever going to lay a hand on her again.

Even if he did have to keep his distance in order to stop from scaring her.

Luckily for him, and perhaps even luckier for her, he didn't sense anything but Miley's relief at being left alone.

With a grim heaviness in his stomach, he thought, you have this night alone. Tomorrow, everything will be different.

Chapter 10 - Miley

How she made it back to Lauren's house, Miley had no idea. But by the time she stood on the porch, she was aching all over, and her lungs hurt so badly that she struggled to breathe.

When she rang the doorbell, her throat constricted. How she hadn't felt the wound on her forearm, she also didn't know. It was bleeding heavily, soaking through the sleeve of her jacket.

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