Page 74 of Wolf's Mark

I issued a low growl and shifted my attention to Riker.

“They’re not yet ready to turn,”I told him.

“They’re fucking dead. Dead. And they’re coming back to life. I feel like I’m watching a zombie flick.”

“Worse, brother. Worse.”

So it was true that the dead could rise. While our deaths didn’t come easily, we didn’t return to life once we’d entered the final darkness. The knowledge was good to discover.

It was also disturbing as fuck.

The lore was real.

They were now running, not yet shifting into the monsters they were about to become.

But soon.

Too soon.

We needed to stop them.

As we neared where they were, Riker and I stopped, eyeing one another. We could easily communicate in our wolf form. We’d developed a range and type of speak when we were kids that was entirely our own. At least that was working as it should.

The four humans had been mauled by one of them, all coming together like a bloodied group of monsters from any slasher flick. I gathered a whiff of blood and drooled from the thirst that threatened to push me over the edge.

Normally two to four wasn’t the best odds even for dangerous wolves, but at this juncture, the men were little more thancadavers, although eager to transform. They stunk to high heaven of the fucking beast who’d turned them. I wondered if one had killed all four or if there were others.

A deep whiff indicated a single creature had done them in. At this point, their brainwaves were still not functioning as they soon would. We had two options. Allow them to shift into whatever they would become, which meant they would be stronger.

Faster.

Becoming indiscriminate murderers.

Or we could humanely end their lives.

“What’s it going to be, bro?”Riker asked mentally.

Killing of humans was against our laws, those of the Wolfen. But they were no longer human.“We strike.”

CHAPTER 20

Sedona

“Rise and shine, pumpkin girl.”

“What?” I stirred from where I’d dumped myself on the bed, now struggling to lift my head. Hearing Mattie’s chipper voice almost made me want to throw my pillow.

Of course the real reason was because I’d seen werewolves jumping from behind every building and tree line on the way home. Imaginary of course, but the thought had terrified me. My mind had worked overtime based on exhaustion, confusion, and yes, fear.

“I let you sleep in, but I need to get to my first appointment not long from now. I’m shocked you came home.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Uh-oh. Mr. Prince Charming a toad instead?” Mattie winked.

Smashing my hands against my pillows only made her laugh. “No, I had a work thing.”

“You work on dead people. Couldn’t that have waited until after your hot date?”

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