Page 26 of Howling With Wolves

“Nico located and extracted Claire Richards. She’s on her way to our house now. Claire wasn’t the only one he found. Or more accurately, Sam Richards found Nico. Nico will explain it all to us later. For now, we’re going in. Anthony, you’re with me. Donovan. On Cyan. Simon’s with us. The five of us will draw them out from the front. The rest, along with the Rigton wolves, will get those who try to sneak out and box us in. Cyan takes the lead on this one. He’s the one Richards is after. Understood?”

Anthony and I both nodded.

“Shift and move out,” Bas ordered.

Paws hit earth as we gave our wolves rein. Howls split the air. No need to stay silent now. We wanted them to know we were coming. Rowan and his group were already in place, and we were coming right for the front fucking door. Richards and his men were on the porch, waiting for us.

“Well, well, well. Looks like the trash brought itself to be taken out.” Richards laughed and those with him joined in. Until we shifted to human form in front of them.

“What the fuck?” someone murmured.

“That’s Bastion James,” another whispered.

Maybe not all of them had known what pack Cyan was in? Richards might not have shared the information, but it wasn’t as if Cyan had hidden where he was. He was our pack beta.

“Who fucking cares?” Richards called. “They’re all dead men walking.”

Cyan laughed. “What’s a matter, Clayton? Didn’t tell your boys exactly who you were going after?”

“They know who we’re here for, welp. A bastard wolf who snuck away before his daddy’s body was even cold.”

“Snuck away?” Cyan shook his head. “Is that what you’d have them believe? How does a young boy sneak away? You wanted me out of the way, so you could fuck my mother without a visual reminder of the man who came before you.”

“I mated the goddamn bitch!” Clayton roared. “More than your father did.” He snickered. “More than he had time to do.”

I noticed several wolves edging back. Cyan had nailed that one. Not all the wolves with Richards knew Cyan was part of the James Pack.

“What the hell does that mean?” Cyan asked.

“Send the rest of them away,” Clayton ordered as if he were the one calling the shots. “This has nothing to do with them.”

“Threaten my beta and you threaten me,” Bastion corrected.

“Fuck.”

I wasn’t sure which of Clayton’s wolves had spoken, but several seemed to agree with that summation. Slowly, the males on the porch sorted themselves for us. The ones who were pack, but not aware of everything, were sliding back from those who’d obviously been promised something from Clayton Richards. Maybe, some type of hierarchy position in the pack? Promises he didn’t plan to keep. I had no doubt of that.

“Nice call sending Emma here,” Cyan said.

“I’ll be taking her back with me. That virgin pussy will connect me with another pack. Until I absorb them.” He snickered again, and I marked every one of the motherfuckers who laughed with him, even as I growled.

“Too late,” Anthony snarled.

Clayton only laughed. “Even I know the James Pack doesn’t assault women.”

“No, but we don’t get between mates,” Bastion said, and it was like dropping a bomb. Richards’ face went red with rage.

“You?” he snarled at Anthony.

“Me,” I called, drawing his attention my way, letting him see the rage lurking inside me.

“Both of us,” Anthony shared.

“If I’d known she was a slut, I would have allowed those loyal to me to have her.” The words were as hard and mean as Richards was.

“We can still enjoy her,” one of the men beside him said with a sneer.

I almost lost control then. Almost went for throats. Until I caught the shake of Cyan’s head. He wanted us to hold off for some reason. Anthony didn’t catch the signal.

---