Page 136 of Finlay
“Please,” he was begging. “Neil, you don’t want to do this.”
The tallest one snarled. “Yes. I do.”
Reid spun to the female. “Martha, please. I’m your cousin. Please don’t take me back there.”
Her answer was to spit in his face. “You’renothingto meother than an embarrassing aberration.”
I didn’t know if it was her action or her words, but something had my wolf moving.
Martha’s was the first throat I ripped out.
I was already tackling Neil to the ground before the other two shifters even realised they’d been compromised. I didn’t waste time ending him permanently, just as I hadn’t with Martha.
The others could do that when they arrived. My priority was taking them out long enough to get Reid away from here.
As far away as he’d let me take him.
Sharp claws dug into my back, and I threw myself towards Reid’s car, crushing the shifter against it.
“Ev, look out!”
Reid’s warning had me twisting instinctively. My paw swung wildly, colliding with the jaws of the shifter poised to end me.
He landed a few paces away before leaping back up with a deadly snarl.
But his wasn’t the only snarl in the air.
Several wolves burst from the tree line, Finn and Logan at the helm. The latter leaped onto the last shifter, the two rolling as they fought.
Thank fuck.
Confident that the others could take care of everything, I shifted back into my human form. Blood splashed up my legs as I ran through puddles of it to get to Reid. “Are ye okay?”
The tiny human blinked up at me, his skin ashen. His arms were wrapped around his waist like that was all that was holding him together.
“Are ye okay?” I repeated, scanning him for injuries. “I’m so sorry, Reid. I got here as fast as I could?—”
My words were cut off as he threw himself into my arms. Surprise ricocheted through me, and it was only instinct that had me catching him and pulling him tight against my body as he trembled.
“Keep me safe, Ev,” he begged. “Take me away from here and keep me safe.”
I flashed back to thirteen years ago. To the boy who’d asked me the same.
Who I’d failed so spectacularly.
“I’ll protect you,” I vowed, holding him close. “I’ll keep you safe, Reid, if it’s the last thing I do.”
