Page 91 of What a Wolf's Heart Decides

She stepped back, every nerve ending primed. She was no match for Ben. He was bigger and stronger. He was also a Stalwart.

She was Haley the Giftless.

Remy’s French-accented voice whispered through her mind. “You don’t always gotta be the bigger wolf, chère. You just gotta know where to hit ‘em.”

Ben’s eyes lightened a shade, and his voice dropped an octave. “Bard said to stay here.”

She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to fight with you—”

“Then don’t.”

“—but I’m leaving and you can’t stop me.” She flicked her gaze to a point on the side of his neck. Her vision sharpened, her wolf rushing forward.

“The hell I can’t.” He reached for her.

She whipped her arm up, her palm flat like a blade, and struck the side of his neck. It was a move she worked on over and over again in training. She never got it right.

Except this time.

He stayed upright for a second, his jaw slack. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he crashed to the floor, his big body making a sickening thud against the hardwood.

Her breath caught. Oh god, she killed him! She knelt and touched the side of his neck. His pulse throbbed under her fingers, the beat sure and steady. She sat back on her heels, relief pouring through her. A smile pulled at her mouth. She’d done it! She took down a wolf twice her size using Remy’s karate chop move.

“Haley Michaels, badass,” she murmured.

Cold air from the broken window rushed over her, raising goosebumps on her arms.

She stood and started for the hall. After a couple steps, she stopped and reversed course. Cursing, she dashed to the sofa and grabbed a throw pillow. She rushed back to Ben and stuck it under his head. “Sorry,” she whispered. He’d understand.

Once he regained consciousness.

She patted his cheek, then stood and rushed to the mudroom, where she opened the door before dropping to all fours. Her shift this time was agonizingly slow and painful—the result of Turning three times in one night. When she finished, she stood on shaking legs, her sides heaving as she struggled to control her heart rate. Her stomach cleaved to her ribs. When this was all over and she found Bard, she was going to eat a steak and a huge-ass baked potato.

Hunger pangs rocked her, and her belly growled loud enough to make an echo in the small room.

Okay, so maybe don’t fantasize about potatoes right now.

Using her snout, she nudged the door wider and leaned around the jamb. The garage door button was next to the door. She stood on her hind legs and pressed it with her paw. After a second, the door shuddered and lifted, the gears emitting a low groan.

Ha! Who needs opposable thumbs?

She was down the steps and out of the garage before the door finished rolling up. Time was of the essence. There was no way to tell how long Ben would be out. She got lucky with Remy’s karate chop trick once. She wasn’t about to kid herself it would work again.

Snow pelted her, stinging her eyes and flying up her nose. But the snow was tightly packed after a full day of winter storm, and she skimmed over the frozen surface without falling through.

Bard’s scent was easy to pick up. Arrogant Alpha. He hadn’t bothered to cover his trail because it never occurred to him she would flout his orders and overpower Ben.

She kept her nose close to the ground, letting the scent of sandalwood and juniper guide her. Bard’s path followed the road for what felt like forever, and she adjusted her pace, slowing to a steady lope so she could conserve what little remained of her energy. Just as her feet grew numb and her tongue lolled from her mouth, the trail took a sharp right angle.

Straight into the forest.

She stopped, ears perked for any sounds or sign of Bard. The wind whistled. The trees shifted and rustled. Branches creaked.

Beyond that, nothing.

Wind moaned around her, ruffling her fur. Now that she stopped moving, the cold nipped at her. The muscles in her legs fired in a sporadic rhythm, and she shivered. Her belly rumbled, and her mouth filled with saliva. She opened her jaws, letting her tongue loll.

Her gaze fell on the expanse of snow leading into the forest—a pristine sheet of powder like icing on a cake.

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