Page 62 of Lost Mate

Gunshots pierced the night.

They were close. Too close.

Niles’s voice crackled through his radio. “Incursion on the south side.”

Damn, they were too close to the southern perimeter.

Wolves, head toward the office!

Joe’s alpha order blasted through his head and Ross watched the wolves change direction, away from the south, heading to the new office.

It was too late. Ross saw lights and noise from unknown vehicles head toward them. They weren’t Cavalry men.

Blood pounded in Ross’s ears, adrenaline kicking into overdrive at the thought of the hunters getting near his wolf. He sped up to get between the hunters and the wolves, seeing two other ATVs circle around to do the same. No one was getting near his mate. The ATV jolted violently as he hit a rut, but Ross barely noticed, determined to get to the pack.

More gunfire. One of the wolves went down, but just as quickly regained his footing.

I’m all right. A graze, that’s all.

That was Owen and Ross was relieved he was all right and selfishly thankful it wasn’t Dylan.

Fuck! One of the vehicles had gotten ahead of the wolves in the distraction.

Ross changed direction but he was too late. Six men piled out of the ATV. Run! he yelled at Dylan.

But suddenly it all changed. The wolves became the predators and the men, the prey. Ross could feel the switch in his head from fear to fury. The men shouted and dropped their guns, running as seven wolves charged them. One man turned as a huge wolf leaped on him, and he hit the ground hard. The others bolted away, but one by one, they were brought down.

Don’t kill them!

Ross swore he heard more than one disgruntled growl at Joe’s order. He couldn’t blame them. The shifters wanted payback for what had been done to them.

It was chaos, dust and noise, lights and yelling, snarling from their pack. Two of the hunters’ vehicles swung away but Cavalry men had arrived, blocking them in.

Ross’s only order had been to protect his wolf. He leaped out of the ATV, running toward the wolves, the other human mates doing the same, but he didn’t approach the wolves and their prey until he knew it was safe. One of the wolves seemed to be chewing on something. Ross didn’t want to think what Joe Senior had gotten hold of. The older guy had turned into a wild wolf.

He stayed where he was, his weapon pointed at the man under Dylan, until all the hunters had been taken away. Dylan peeled away from the other wolves and approached him, his green eyes gleaming. Ross kneeled in front of him and slowly reached out to dig his fingers into the fur. Just that touch made him feel connected to his wolf.

Dylan shifted under his hands. He had never experienced anything as sensual in his life. Ross held his breath as the man he loved appeared, his green eyes just the same as the wolf.

“You’re not hurt?” Ross asked. He knew, he just needed the distraction.

“I’m fine.” Dylan chuffed out a breath. “Pack runs aren’t usually this exciting.”

“You’re never going on a pack run again,” Ross ordered. His hands had barely stopped shaking.

Dylan bowed his head. “Yes, mate.”

He took Ross’s breath away. “You’re beautiful as a human and a wolf.”

“My wolf loves that you find him beautiful.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Ross was confused.

“Humans don’t??—”

Ross put a finger over Dylan’s mouth. “I’m your mate. That’s all that matters.”

Dylan kissed his finger. “I need you inside me.”

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