Page 60 of Destined Mate

Holding the remaining logs tightly, I spun around, refusing to have my back toward them now that they were showing aggression.

My eyes scanned the area, but all I saw was rain and trees. I couldn’t see them yet, but I heard them well enough. They’d be on me in seconds. I wished like hell I could tap into my wolf. Even though I had excellent vision, especially by human standards, it paled in comparison to normal shifter vision. I knew because Stevie often talked about the differences in her sight when in human form and wolf form.

As usual, I was at a disadvantage. “I’m not interested in fighting you. I’m merely cutting firewood out here.”

Their response came in the signature choking sound that wolves made when they laughed.

This was what Charles did when he was bullying me. “Charles, is that you?”

Three wolves stepped into view. A dark-brown one padded directly in front of me, while a beige wolf appeared between a Douglas fir and a redwood on my left, and a milk-chocolate-brown wolf appeared on the right.

None of them looked familiar, and their musky scents were foreign.

There was no point in feigning bravery, but something inside me still refused to cower. I lifted the axe, hoping I at least appeared menacing. “Don’t make me fight you. Just walk away.”Or run.I wasn’t picky at this point.

The three of them lunged at me.

I stumbled back and gritted out, “I guess that’s a no.”

The two on the sides collided with each other where I’d been standing while the dark-brown one adjusted its attack. I swung the butt of the axe down just as its claws sliced into my left shoulder, but my right hand continued forward, hitting it on the side of the head. The wolf’s eyes rolled back, and it collapsed with a loudthud. The other two wolves righted themselves and turned to me.

I raised the axe just as they lunged. My heart pounded in my ears, but I couldn’t focus on my fear.

Each one targeted a side of my body. Unsure what to do, I moved on instinct. As they jumped, aiming for my neck, I ducked. Luckily, they were already airborne and couldn’t change their momentum. They soared over my head, clawing at me, but I was too low. When their bellies were over my head, I jerked up the butt of the axe and hit the beige one. She flipped over and landed with athump.

When I turned to face them, I found the beige wolf on her back, but the light-brown one was already swiping his claws at me. I swiveled my axe in time to block one paw, but the other paw’s claws sliced the skin of my right leg.

Pain burned up my leg, unfurling in my stomach, and my left shoulder began to ache, too. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the beige wolf roll over.

It was back to two against one.

The light-brown wolf swiped at me again, and I stumbled back farther, my left leg screaming when I put weight on it. As he swiped at me, I roundhouse kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying back several feet into a tree stump.

The beige one charged, paw aimed at my already injured shoulder, while its mouth went for my neck.

They were trying to incapacitate me. I bit the inside of my cheek as I moved forward and downward, the will to live springing inside me.

Snapping teeth had my stomach clenching, but the wolf whimpered as it rolled over my back. As she moved, something sharp jerked my head backward, and a clump of hair was pulled free from my head.

Tears burned my eyes as I pivoted toward her, the beige wolf rolling onto her stomach again. I raised my axe and swung, cutting through the back of her neck.

Acid burned my throat. The wolf whimpered as the life drained from her.

I’d never killed anything. I’d never wanted to. But it was literally me orthem.

The lighter-brown wolf growled as he limped toward me, the injury from hitting the trunk slowing him, but that would only last for a short while. His shifter healing would soon kick in.

I had to do something, and fast.

I didn’t want to scream. With how close the house was to human residences, one of them could hear me. If humans got involved, it would put them in danger, make them ask questions, and possibly cause a wolf hunt. Humans were never to know about us, no matter what.

“Justleave.” My voice cracked.

I raised my axe, the beige wolf’s blood dripping from it.

The light-brown wolf remained still, watching me.

Blood coated my entire left side, and it throbbed so much that I was struggling to think clearly…or maybe that was from blood loss.

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