Page 42 of Kidnapped By the Wolf

The leader of the McGregor bears is one vicious son of a bitch, and I’ve lost a lot of blood. I don’t know how we’re going to fare against DaneandClint.

But then I think of the way Cassie looked at me when I cooked her breakfast and gave her that ukulele. No one had evermade her a nice meal or given her a thoughtful gift. No one had ever treated her with the love and kindness she deserved, and it’s his fucking fault.

Watching the tawny bear charge toward me, all I can think is that these two monsters are what’s standing between me and my wounded mate.

For her, I would slaughter every bear in the state. Hell, I’d burn the world down if that’s what it took. And I will not stop fighting until these males are nothing but a couple of pelts at my feet.

Baring my teeth, I square off against Cassie’s father and let out a low rumble of warning. I take a running leap, maw wide, and when I sink my fangs into his throat, I lock my jaws and refuse to let go.

Sebastian follows my lead. He lunges at Dane, eyes gleaming with a fire straight from the pits of hell as he rips and shreds with his claws.

The air grows foul with the tang of blood as Clint tries to shake me off. I grow dizzy as he bucks and flails, his roars shaking the clearing.

Hot blood coats my mouth, and I sense the fight draining out of him. But then an enormous paw smacks into my side, and I feel Clint’s flesh rip apart as I’m tossed into the side of the camper.

I land awkwardly on my hind leg, and darkness presses in around me. Through my haze of pain and confusion, I see Dane blunder off into the trees at a limp.

Nevermind, I think. I’ll hunt him down later. Right now, I need to finish Clint.

Sebastian must have the same idea, because he leaps onto the tawny bear’s back as his fangs rip through fur. I lose myself in the carnage as I rejoin the fight, claws snapping against bone and my fur growing matted as I bathe in the bear leader’s blood.

But then a new scent edges into my awareness — smoke, along with the scent of burning plastic.

Clint goes down, and I yelp as his weight crushes my hurt leg. But that’s not the worst of it.

Someone knocked over the camp stove and set fire to the dry, brittle grass. Flames are lapping at the camper behind me, and Cassie is trapped inside.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CASSIE

A low snarlinvades my consciousness, and I slowly come to.

My eyes burn as I peel them open. The camper is full of smoke.

Panic swamps me as I try to sit up, my head pounding from the force of Dane’s blow. The inside of the camper is dim — the light fading behind the trees. Smoke hangs in the air, obscuring my vision even more.

There’s a pained roar, and then the world falls silent.

“Dane?” I call, choking on the word.

However much the male hates me, I find it hard to believe he would burn me alive in a shitty old camper.

Rolling onto my hands and knees, I start crawling toward the battered door. But the moment I reach the linoleum, I draw my hand back with a hiss. It’s hot to the touch.

Gripping the counter, I try to stand, but my head pounds in protest. I drop down onto one knee, tears streaming down my cheeks.

How the fuck did I get here?

Smoke quickly fills my lungs, which is making my lightheadedness worse. I cough to try to clear my airways, but the heat singes my throat.

Get up, Cass, I growl at myself.

My face smarts from the heat. My head swims dangerously, and every agonizing breath brings me one second closer to dying in this shitbox.

It hits me that I’m never going to see Adrian again. I’ll never get to tell him how I felt or ask if he had feelings for me.

A sob works its way up my throat, but it turns into a coughing fit. My throat is on fire, and my heart is breaking.

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