Page 101 of Chosen Destiny

The bullet lodged between the shifter’s eyes. I hadn’t practiced shooting often, but I wouldn’t complain about hitting my target.

Callie, I’m coming,Bodey replied.

He’d mistaken my surprise for something worse.I’m fine. Focus on your own fight.

Something clamped down on my hiking boot and started dragging me a few feet off the ground. I swung my arms, careful not to fire the rifle, just as the lighter wolf swiped at my side.

I turned to my left, her nails missing me by millimeters. Then I swung my arm back to the right, aimed my gun at her chest, and pulled the trigger.

A shrill whimper strangled out of her as she hunkered down, but I’d missed her heart by a good several inches. I’d managed to hit her shoulder, which was more in line with what I expected of myself.

At my feet, the darker wolf shook its head like it was trying to kill my boot or take it off. It growled, reminding me of a puppy with a stuffed animal, but this was not cute. This was my foot, and I was damn lucky he hadn’t pierced through the shoe.

With my free foot, I kicked the darker wolf in the snout, and a dark-beige wolf bounded toward me. The dark wolf jerked back, releasing the boot and dodging my second blow at his nose.

Something had to give. We hadn’t even made it to Kel’s mansion, and Bodey and I were already injured.

More wolves are coming,Reggie linked.Behind us.

I tensed. Reinforcements were here. We should’ve known Kel was paranoid as fuck.Do you need us?I sure hoped they didn’t, but I refused to let my people and King Sutton’s be slaughtered.

We’re fine,Reggie replied.Just wanted to let you know to watch your back.

Another time, his choice of words might have been funny, but not with the dark-beige wolf breathing down my neck.

Holstering my gun, I tried to remove the dagger from the sheath again, but I wasn’t as quick with my injured hand. The beige wolf was on me, literally. Her claws dug into my shoulders, and I whimpered.

A gunshot went off, and the wolf landed hard on my chest. For a second, I was confused until blood poured from the back of her neck and dripped all over me, soaking my black shirt. I gagged. Not being in wolf form during fights like this was hard to stomach.

Pushing the wolf off, I stood and took in the damage. Edward’s shirt was torn, and blood dripped down his jeans. King Sutton was fighting off a charcoal enemy wolf with his dagger. It looked like he had a bite on his forearm. The four royal advisors had a few scratches, but they hadn’t taken the brunt of torture like Bodey, King Sutton, Edward, and I had.

Dina had a dagger in her hand, and blood dripped from the end of the blade onto the dead wolf at her feet. Surprisingly, she had no wounds.

Most important, there was no sign of Lynerd.

The bastard had run off.

Bodey rushed over and scanned me as the four royal advisors helped King Sutton kill the last wolf.

Baby, you’re hurt.He grimaced.We need to get one of the witches to heal you.

My lips tipped up.Says the man with huge slashes on his back.I examined his wounds. The bleeding was slowing down due to his shifter healing. If he’d been human, he’d have been in danger.

I blew out a breath. No nightshade. Thank gods.

“Did the bullet lodge in her back?” Dina asked, wiping her blade on her dress before sticking it back in its sheath.

Bodey examined my shoulder. His hand touched the bullet wound, which still stung but was nothing compared to the deep throb in my hand.

He exhaled. “It just grazed her. The wound’s not that deep.”

“Good.” Dina came over and took a look herself. “That would’ve been bad.”

“That bastard ran off like a fucking coward.” Lucas’s nose wrinkled. “I’m going to beat his face into a bloody pulp before killing him. That’s what he’ll get for turning on us.”

Not only was Lynerd personal for me, but he was for Lucas too, since they’d fought just after Lynerd had betrayed us.

“Was that the man?” King Sutton placed a hand over his wound, putting pressure on it. “The one who informed Kel that my people aided you?”

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