Page 6 of Eclipsed Heart

I raced over to him and nuzzled his neck.Babe?

I’ll be fine,he replied, returning the affection.You need to stay ready to fight.

A shiver ran down my spine as I turned toward the new wolves closing in on us. I didn’t know how, but I knew they weren’t some of our territory’s wolves coming to aid us. These were foes, and there were only six of us, with Bodey badly injured.

I had to get him out of here and eliminate any threat that tried to follow us.

Head to the car,I linked as I crouched, ready to protect him.

Not without you,he answered.

And our roles had reversed. Talk about karma.I’m going with you. Trust me.

The sage wolf that had been play attacking Theo and Stevie backed up, waiting for his allies to arrive.

Coward.

Twenty wolves barreled toward us. I could tell they were stronger than the first ten, and we were even more outnumbered.

Bodey took off toward the vehicles, moving much more slowly than normal. I stayed beside him while glancing over my shoulder to find all twenty new arrivals focused on us and gaining ground.

I wanted to fall back, but I knew Bodey would stop if I did. He wouldn’t leave me—like I refused to leave him. For better or worse, we were in this together.

Stella, Janet, and Theo moved to the back of the group and began to fight three wolves, but the other eighteen, which included the cowardly sage-furred wolf, raced past them in our direction.

With each step we took, they took two.

My blood turned to ice. I focused on all the most sizable connections in my chest, hoping that their prominence meant that those wolves were the ones closest to us.If anyone can help us, please come. We’re outnumbered, and Bodey’s hurt.

The fur on the nape of my neck rose as I prepared myself for a slaughter. I could hold my own just fine against a few wolves, but not eighteen.

A smoky wolf led the charge, and I knew, without a doubt, this would be the hardest fight I’d had yet. I could feel the strength of his wolf rolling off him.

Each time Bodey touched the ground, pain shot through his back and sides, making my own breath catch.

When the smoky wolf reached Stevie, my time was up. I had to make a move before he reached Bodey.

I took a hard right and noticed Samuel and the other advisors racing up behind us.

The smoky wolf’s eyes bulged just before I crashed into him. He didn’t have time to correct course as I slammed into his side, driving him into the wolves on his right while I rolled over and knocked the feet out from under the wolves on his left. The first three wolves hadn’t expected me to sacrifice myself, and their paws tripped over my outstretched body. I kept twisting, trying to take down every single one of them while I could.

Callie!Bodey somehow yelled through the new chaos of the pack links, and I could tell he was slowing down because the jarring sensation coming through our bond wasn’t quite as intense.I’m coming.

Bodey, keep going!Jack linked.They really are targeting you, and your mate is trying to save your ass. Lucas, Zeke, and I are almost to her. Just keep moving.

The rival wolves I’d knocked into were now piled on top of me, and I grew dizzy from lack of oxygen until they got back on their feet and took off.

I’d slowed them down, but not for long. And the smoky wolf had already charged ahead.

I jumped up and raced after them. Janet, Theo, and Stella were ahead of me by a few feet, and two advisors closed in on either side of the other pack.

The smoky wolf had almost reached Bodey, and I pushed myself harder than ever before. My paws pelted the ground, the sharp sting of my injuries burning through my body in a near-constant state.

I darted ahead of the other wolves, who barely acknowledged me, and reached the smoky wolf just as he was about to strike.

Shit. I wouldn’t stop him in time.Move sideways!

The wolf lunged, and Bodey sprinted left, causing the wolf to be able to only claw at his side. Thrown off balance, the smoky wolf hit the ground.

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