Page 15 of Stalked By the Wolf

I can’t believe he followed us here to my territory. Dane Murphy is a coward, and yet he camehere. All because I took what he thinks is his.

A deadly snarl rips from my throat at the thought. Claire ismine, and so is the child she’s carrying. I don’t care if it has bear genes. I’ll raise it as my own.

Murphy isn’t getting anywhere near my mate.

Possessed by my thirst for blood, I follow the bear’s ungodly stink. But then I catch another shifter’s scent on the wind, and I realize he didn’t come alone.

I may be hellbent on slaughtering Murphy, but I’m not stupid. I’m outmatched against two bear shifters, but they’re on my land. My scent is all over these woods, which will make me difficult to track. They don’t know that I’m aware of their presence, which gives me a momentary advantage.

Breaking into a dead sprint, I double back towardmy shed. I shift mid-run when the building comes into view, darting inside and picking up one of my burners.

I call Adrian first, but it just rings and rings.

Shit.

There’s only one reason my alpha wouldn’t pick up the phone, and that’s if his mate has gone into labor. I didn’t think Cassie was due for another three or four weeks, but if the pup decided to make an early appearance, it couldn’t have picked a worse time.

I dial Maddox next, who picks up on the second ring.

“Bears,” I croak. “My place.”

“How many?”

“Dunno,” I huff, raking a hand through my hair. “At least two.”

I hear Maddox speaking to someone in the background — probably Paige, his mate. “I’ll be there in fifteen.”

He hangs up without another word, and relief floods my system. My hands shake as I dial Nick. Like Mad Dog Maddox, the delta wolf in our pack is a cold motherfucker, which is exactly what I need.

Once my pack brothers have been dispatched, I shift back into wolf form and slink out of my shed, leaving the door cracked for easy access. My black fur allows me to blend into the night, my eyes glowing like twin torches ready to burn the whole fucking world down to protect my mate.

I pick up Murphy’s trail along the back of the house just as pain explodes in my side.

For a moment, I am airborne, and the world tilts on its axis.

Glass shatters as the giant bear drives me through a window. We hit the floor in a heap of fur and claws, bits of glass embedding in my coat as we tumble across the polished concrete.

My back hits the fireplace, but I roll to my feet, facing off against the black bear snarling in my living room. I bare my teeth, ropes of saliva dripping from my maw, and Murphy rises onto his hind legs with a roar.

If I were in human form, I’d be sneering. Everything is a dick-measuring contest with bears. They try to dominate with their size alone, but wolves are faster and meaner.

In this moment, I’d gladly take on ten bloody bears. This male hurt my mate, and now he has the fucking balls to come onto my land, intomyhouse?

Cowards like Murphy who prey on those weaker than them don’t deserve to live. Slaughter is the only option.

I lunge at Murphy, feigning left. He swipes out one huge paw, but I change directions and sink my teeth into his soft, fleshy side.

The bear roars and tries to shake me loose, but I cling on for dear life. Only when his blood pools in my mouth do I let go, rebounding off the hearth and aiming for his throat.

This time, Murphy catches me with one giant paw, and pain ricochets out from my ribs. I smack into thecouch, but before I can get my legs under me, he swipes at me again.

I yelp as claws rip through the tender flesh along my belly, but the pain only sharpens my focus. I roll back up and circle out, ears flat against my head.

The bear must see the crazy in my eyes, because he starts backing away. Broken glass crunches under my paws as I drive him out the giant hole he made in my living-room window.

A strangled scream from the staircase draws my attention, and I turn my head to see Claire standing on the bottom step.

My distraction costs me. Murphy stops his retreat and barrels toward me on all fours. I jump out of the way, but not before his claws rake across my spine.

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