Page 73 of His Mate

“Not having second thoughts, are we, Blackwood?” she drawled.

I smirked, not letting my tension show. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Captain.”

From the shadows, Silas chuckled softly, the sound as dry as the cracked earth beneath our feet. “Ever faced them before, Blackwood?”

“Plenty of times,” I countered. “How about yourself?”

Silas’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “More than once,” he replied, his gaze shifting out over the abandoned streets. “It’s not easy to take down an entire pack, but it can be done—with strategy, not just brute force.” He turned to Sorin, a faint smile playing at the edge of his mouth. “And with the right people.”

Sorin raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “And here I thought all you had were scouts and messengers.”

Silas shrugged, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “You’re right to be cautious. But when it comes to fighting wolves, we don’t hold back.” He paused, his eyes taking on a far-off look, as though remembering something from another life. “The wolves don’t care who they hurt. When they attack, they come with everything they have, and if you don’t fight back just as hard, they’ll tear through your defenses like they’re paper. So, you can’t hesitate. And you can’t afford weakness.”

The air between us felt heavier, and I saw the briefest flicker of approval in Sorin’s expression as she regarded Silas. She nodded, her eyes intense. “Then it seems we may have chosen the right allies after all.”

Kendra shifted slightly, her gaze fixed on Silas, her voice steady as she spoke. “But why did you choose this fight? What brought you here?” She asked the question with a rare openness, her curiosity genuine, if guarded. “You could have stayed away, avoided all of this. Why are you here now?”

Silas’s eyes softened for a moment, though his expression remained controlled. “I have my reasons.”

He didn’t elaborate.

A somber silence settled over us, the weight of his words filling the air. Sorin gave a short nod of acknowledgment, her eyes squinting as she shifted her focus back to the shadows ahead. She started and narrowed her eyes, and I knew the time had come.

“Enough chatter,” she said, her voice a steely whisper.

A low, distant howl echoed through the empty streets, the eerie sound sending a chill through the air. It was followed by another, closer this time, and I felt my pulse quicken as the howls multiplied, each one echoing and signaling the imminent approach of our enemy.

Kendra’s hand brushed against mine, a silent reminder of her presence, her strength. Sorin’s posture was steady, every muscle coiled in anticipation, her gun aimed at the darkness. Silas’s expression was calm, unreadable, though I could sense his intensity simmering just beneath the surface.

“They’re here.” Sorin’s voice was scarcely a whisper in the quiet.

CHAPTER 23

Rowan

The wolves moved in like shadows, their bodies low to the ground, eyes flashing in the darkness as they crept into the compound. We stayed low, keeping still as each of us watched and waited with bated breath. I could feel Kendra’s tension beside me, the readiness in her, and I gave her a brief, reassuring nod. My heart pounded, and I knew every second that passed would bring them closer, deep enough into the compound that they wouldn’t escape.

Sorin was crouched beside me, her eyes narrowed, the barrel of her rifle pointed at the wolves as they advanced. Her jaw was tight, her focus absolute. I could see her knuckles whiten around her weapon, but her breathing was steady, controlled. She was waiting, counting, letting them get close enough so we could maximize every shot.

“Wait,” she whispered firmly.

The wolves slinked closer, their hackles raised, yellow eyes gleaming with hunger. Each one moved with deadly silence,muscles taut and ready to spring. I knew what we were up against; they were faster, stronger than most humans could comprehend, but they could be killed.

It would just take enough firepower.

Another moment passed. My fingers itched to pull the trigger, but I held steady, waiting on Sorin’s command.

“Now.”

With one smooth motion, she raised a flare gun and fired. The bright red flare shot up into the sky, casting an eerie glow over the compound as it arced high above us, signaling the Resistance forces hidden throughout the town. For a split second, the wolves hesitated, their eyes flicking toward the sudden light—and then the roar of gunfire erupted around us.

Bullets rained down on the wolves from every direction, the sharp crack of rifles splitting the night. Sorin’s soldiers, hidden on rooftops and behind abandoned vehicles, opened fire, their shots precise and unyielding. The wolves were fast, dodging and weaving, but they weren’t invincible. It took several shots to bring each one down—more than any human could survive—but as the Resistance soldiers closed in, the wolves’ movements grew frantic, their snarls filling the air.

Sorin kept her rifle trained on them, firing shot after shot, her jaw clenched as she funneled them toward the courthouse, forcing them into a kill zone. I raised my own weapon, feeling the kick of the recoil as I fired at the nearest wolf, catching it in the shoulder. It let out a yelp, stumbling as the bullets tore through its flesh, but it kept moving, dragging itself forward with a relentless fury.

“Keep them moving! Drive them back!” Sorin shouted over the gunfire, her voice carrying above the chaos. She fired again, hitting a wolf square in the chest, and it dropped to the ground with a snarl, struggling to get back up.

Kendra was beside me, her stance steady as she fired, her face set in determination. Her shots were quick, controlled, each one finding its mark as she kept the wolves from advancing any further. She’d taken to the battle instinctively, her movements sharp, precise. I felt a surge of pride watching her, even as the chaos raged around us.

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