Page 56 of Pack to the Wall

I dove to the side with a whine and yelp as a larger wolf dove at me, jaws open and snarling. This one was a big, grey male, with loathing in his yellow eyes. He’d barely landed when he nimbly launched himself at me again.

I shifted my weight to the side, trying to nip at him as he passed by, but I missed. I’d never done this before. The large grey clearly had.

His nip caught my shoulder. I yowled in pain as he spun again, keeping close, jaws snapping, going for my throat. He kept his head low, so I couldn’t do the same, forcing me to scramble back.

Then something bowled me over from the side: the she-wolf. She landed on top of me, pinning me down. Her teeth tore at my flank. The big grey came for my throat. I ducked my head and hecaught my snout instead. His teeth tore into my tender flesh and I whined, losing strength.

I thrashed, desperate to get away. I snapped back at the grey once he’d released me, but nothing seemed to work. I was too weak, injured, and hungry. I was also far less experienced than these two.

The she-wolf sank her teeth into my right-hind leg, deep. She released me only to bite that same paw, hard, crippling it. Then she jumped back, off me.

The two moved back for a moment, both barking and making that whuffing sound of amusement. Their intentions were clear:run little wolf, we want to hunt you. Give us the thrill of a chase and maybe we’ll end you quickly.

They were playing with me.

I rose slowly. I could barely stand. Agony arched through every part of me and my right-hind-leg couldn’t support me. I wouldn’t get far on only three legs.

Then something solidified inside me. Some part of me knew that I had pups… somewhere… to live for. I had a life, another life, a strange life. And I needed to get back to that life. I needed to live. And running would only tire me more. My only option was to stand and fight, here and now. I didn’t know how I could win, but I had to try. I’d die here, if that was my fate.

My fate…

Fate…?

Fated…

The image of a wolf came to mind, dark fur with splashes of white. I knew that wolf like they were a part of me even though I was certain I’d never actually seen them before. This was my mate, and he would come for me, find me. He had to. If he didn’t… my short life would end far too soon.

I barked my challenge:Come and get me.

The big grey barked once,Fool!

Fool I may be, but I wouldn’t run. This ended now, one way or another.

The big grey charged in, the she-wolf circling, ready to strike.

I barked and crouched low, ready…

TYSON

I smelleda fresh kill ahead of me along with three wolves. Two of them, I’d know anywhere, I’d known their scents all my life: Brick and Ginny. The third was the one I’d been following, the scent of wet grass and warm fur: Jane.

Everything clicked into place. Brick and Ginny leaving had only been a ruse to lull us into a false sense of security, and they hadn’t gone far. They’d hunted the doe to lure Jane into their clutches, knowing she would be drawn by hunger. Sonny had shattered the window to let in the evening air, and Tank had barged in to scare her out. Jane would scent the kill and fall right into their trap and Brick and Ginny would maul her then leave her for dead and no one would be able to prove it was them. Every move had been carefully orchestrated to corner her in their cunning, vicious plot.

My heart pounded, adrenaline surging through my veins and numbing the pain of my own wounds. The scent of blood, mingled with Jane’s alluring fragrance, filled my senses and ignited an urgency to protect her at all costs.

Following the trail of her blood, I raced through the forest in my wolf form. I knew she was wounded, vulnerable andinexperienced as a wolf, which made her a perfect target for Brick and Ginny.

Trees melted into a frantic blur as the scent of the kill and the sounds of the fight drew nearer. Barks cut through the forest’s stillness, the first a challenge to run. Brick and Ginny wanted to hunt Jane for sport like the merciless predators they were.

Then came Jane’s defiant reply,Come and get me.Determination laced her tone, daring them to come after her, and my heart twisted with pride and fear. What was she thinking? If she ran, she’d prolong her life, at least for a moment, giving me time to get to her. But if she couldn’t run…

Fuck!

I pushed my body even harder, muscles straining as I raced through the woods, leaping over obstacles and ignoring the stinging branches that whipped against my fur.

One last bark, from Brick,Fool!

My breath caught, dread clawing at my guts.

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