Page 60 of Brutal Mate

Whimpering, she submitted, aware that the third man had shifted to join his friends.

And just when Miley thought things couldn't get any worse, she heard a commotion coming from outside the bedroom door.

The sounds of snarling and growling told her there were even more wolves outside. She didn't stand a cat in hell’s chance of escaping.

Whoever these guys were, they clearly had friends coming up the stairs to help them.

At least, that was what she thought, until the growling and snarls turned to whimpers of pain, agonized yowling and something else. Was that gurgling?

Miley gulped. Whatever it was, it sounded horrendous, and it made her feel sick.

She was only distracted from the sound by the pounding of thunderous paws and the following crash and bang of the bedroom door as it was thrown open.

For only a second, panic reigned in Miley's chest.

Then, she sensed the reaction of the other wolves in the room as a fourth stepped in, and she knew without a doubt, whoever he was, he was no friend of theirs.

Two of them stepped forward, blocking her view of the newcomer before she could get a proper look at him. The third pinned her down hard, his fangs clamping hard in her scruff once more.

His growl warned her not to try anything, but Miley couldn’t have even if she thought to. She was far too distracted by the fact she could feel her bones beginning to ache again.

No! Not now! How was she supposed to go back to being a human when she was surrounded by wolves? Why would her wolf choose to abandon her right now? It felt like a horrendous betrayal, but there was nothing she could do about it as agony enveloped her.

It might have taken only a few seconds, or maybe a minute, but it felt like a lifetime as her body was thrown into agonized writhing.

Still, the werewolf tried to keep a grip on her neck, making it excruciatingly painful, and Miley thought that he might tear her skin right off if he didn't let go soon.

In the time it took her to shift, the newcomer fought off the two wolves that tried to hold him back. And though Miley was almost entirely overwhelmed by her own pain and suffering, she was distinctly aware of the newcomer's speed, agility and swiftness.

He dispatched his opponents so quickly that by the time she lay cowering, naked and human once more, he had yanked the third wolf right off her, leaving her with her skin intact.

She just barely managed to scramble out of the way as the two battling werewolves came rolling back toward her.

Pinning herself up against the edge of the bed, she watched in astonishment as the gray-black wolf pinned his opponent to the ground and lunged at the back of his neck.

The strength that surged through his jaws snapped the other wolf's neck like a twig. It was quick and clean and left Miley breathless.

When the wolf then turned on her, his jaws dripping with blood, Miley's human self had the distinct sense that she should be terrified. Yet, she wasn't.

From the second she looked into those charcoal eyes, she knew exactly who this wolf was.

He stalked toward her slowly, the sneer on his jaws softening. And when he placed his snout against her cheek, she closed her eyes, relieved to feel the warmth and tenderness of his touch even through his wet nose.

Chapter 23 - Kane

They had been in the middle of coming up with a plan when Kane had heard the commotion coming from inside the farmhouse.

Sensing Miley's fear and anger, knowing all too well what that first shift felt like, his instincts had taken over.

Whether she lived or died during this first shift, there was no way he was going to let her get to the end of it alone.

And he was already yanking off his leather jacket in order to shift when he heard the loud banging sound that suggested wherever Miley was, she was trying to escape.

A newly shifted, out of control werewolf was dangerous. And if the guys creating them were ruthless enough to steal humans right off the streets to do so, he wouldn't put it past them to end the ones that caused too much trouble during their first shift.

“We have to get in there, now!” Kane snarled, throwing his jacket down.

“Kane, no! We stick to the plan!” Jack protested, stepping forward.

---