Page 73 of Noah

Blood.

It wasn’t fresh, but it wasn’t old either. My gut twisted. I bared my teeth, a growl rumbling deep in my throat as I slowed, keeping low to the ground.

The cabin came into view, a dark silhouette against the backdrop of the woods. Light flickered inside, shadows shifting beyond the broken windows.

Then I caught another scent.

Karl in human form.

I moved fast, silent as a ghost, circling around until I spotted him standing near the front of the cabin. His posture was alert, his nostrils flaring as he scanned the area.

He knew someone was coming. He just didn’t know it was me.

Good.

I launched myself at him.

Karl barely had time to react before I crashed into him, claws raking against his side as we tumbled to the ground. Despite his injured arm, he managed to shift to his wolf form.

He let out a startled yelp, but recovered fast, twisting beneath me and snapping his jaws at my throat.

I dodged, feeling his fangs graze my fur, and struck again, slamming him into the dirt.

He snarled, lashing out with his hind legs, knocking me off balance. I hit the ground, but before he could take advantage, I rolled, lunging back at him.

Our bodies collided in a brutal tangle of fur and claws. I felt his teeth sink into my shoulder, pain flaring white-hot, but I didn’t let it slow me down.

I wrenched free, blood dripping from the wound, and clamped my jaws around his injured foreleg.

Karl howled in pain, but I didn’t let go. I twisted, forcing him down, my weight pressing him into the dirt.

His struggles weakened as his breaths came in ragged gasps.

I was winning.

Then a massive force slammed into my side, sending me flying.

I crashed against the ground, momentarily dazed. I blinked, shaking my head, and growled low as I forced myself to stand.

My body ached, but I had no time to dwell on it.

Adrian stood between me and Karl, his massive wolf form looming in the moonlight. His eyes gleamed with rage and something darker—something unhinged.

I snarled. He returned the sound, lips peeling back to reveal long, sharp fangs. He wanted a fight? He was about to get one.

We clashed with the force of a thunderstorm. Adrian was bigger than me, heavier, but I was faster.

I ducked beneath his first strike, lunging at his exposed side, but he twisted, catching me off guard. His claws raked my flank, fire-hot pain shooting through me.

I retaliated instantly, clamping my jaws around the thick ruff of his neck and throwing my weight forward.

We tumbled, dirt flying, snapping and tearing at each other. I landed a brutal bite to his shoulder, and he let out a furious snarl, shaking me off.

Karl was moving again, his form staggering toward us, ready to turn the tide of the fight. I was outnumbered.

I wouldn’t back down, but my odds were shrinking by the second.

Then, out of nowhere, another wolf lunged into the fray.

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