Page 38 of Chess

“Not again,” Noah said, tensing.

“Our bullets are low after our last werewolf situation and we don’t want to attract more unless we have to,” Maddie said.

He hadn’t brought a gun from the palace and by the looks of it, Ever hadn’t either. Perfect. Not that they would’ve trusted him with a weapon anyway. “Better get running then,” he said, scanning the forest for any sign of the beast. Fighting a werewolf with his bare hands wasn’t at the top of his bucket list.

A large black blur shot out from the shadows of the trees and tore straight for them. It was smaller than most, nearly as big as Chess. An adolescent that likely strayed too far from pack territory without realizing.Fuck.They were almost worse than the adults.No, theywereworse.Hunting vampires down for sport, tearing them apart without bothering to eat them. Regardless, the adults would come looking for it, if they weren’t already. Which meant they would get to deal with an arsehole child and an overprotective parent.

The werewolf released a deep roar and eyed its prey.

Eyedthem.

Then its footsteps pounded against the ground, shaking the trees, its body snapping branches as it barreled past them.

The Knave lifted Mouse over his shoulder and dodged out of the werewolf’s path. Noah and Maddie had already disappeared into the trees while Chess was focused on the charging beast. He bolted after them, following a flash of white that had to be Ever.

The thunderous rumble of galloping paws pounded behind him as he pushed himself faster, closing the distance between him and the queen. Only … it wasn’t Ever. The white he’d seen was a shirt hanging out of Noah’s backpack. Chess took a hard left behind a tree as the werewolf raced by.Where the fuck is she?

Doubling back, he frantically searched the woods for any clue to where Ever might be. Had she followed Ferris and Mouse instead? “Ever!” he shouted. Fuck the risk—he was faster than the werewolves. “Ever!”

“Shut up, Princeling,” she snapped.

Whirling around, he nearly knocked her over. His heart caught in his chest and he pulled her to him. “I couldn’t find you.”

“I was running toward the castle, you big idiot.” She pried herself out of his grip and took his hand. “Hurry.”

Another growl came then, this one deeper,angrier. And from behind them. Ever took off toward the castle a second time, pulling Chess alongside her. A parent had come for their offspring and smelling vampires near their child would only make things more dangerous. They moved as fast as they could, weaving between trees, with the werewolf on their heels.

From nowhere, the young werewolf leapt in front of them, releasing a vicious roar that showcased its rows of sharp teeth. Ever stopped so fast that she fell forward. Chess’s hand slipped from hers and she landed on her stomach. The younger werewolf chose that moment to surge forward. Chess bolted sideways in hopes the beast would follow.

And it did.

But the second werewolf had caught up—a female, judging by the narrower frame. Chess looked over Ever’s shoulder just in time to see the adult beast yank her white hair and roll away. “Hey!” he shouted, turning on his heel. “Over here!”

The older werewolf’s lips curled at the same time the younger pounced. Chess dug his feet into the ground and brought a fist back. “Get the fuck out of the way,” the prince growled. He swung his fist upward, connecting with the underside of the younger werewolf’s jaw. The teeth clacked together as the beast’s head swung backward with a loud, pained yelp.

Ever thrashed, fangs exposed, clawing at the adult’s snout when it snapped its head toward Chess. The werewolf released a deep growl, rattling the branches. At the sound of her offspring’s agony, a malicious glint shone in her eyes. Dragging Ever by her hair as though she were a ragdoll, she sprinted toward Chess.

“Fuck,” he hissed under his breath. How was he going to fight off two of themandsave Ever? He jumped toward the nearest tree, scrambled up the trunk, and flung himself onto the first stable branch. Ever screamed, bucking her body wildly, when the adult stopped near the adolescent. The younger werewolf shook his head violently while Ever swiped at his mother to break free.

“Drop her, mutt,” Chess warned the adult.Fucking arse.He was just toying with the werewolf now before he found a clean shot and went in for the kill.

The younger werewolf padded forward, head hung low, tilted to the side as if in pain. Even then, the adolescent’s hungry gaze was focused on Ever.Shit.He was out of time. With a deep breath, he dropped from the branch and landed on the younger one’s back as hard as he could. A bone snapped in its back under the impact—nothing that wouldn’t heal—but the adult dropped Ever in response.

Ever scrambled to her feet with her hair a wild mess. Her gaze flicked between him and the beasts.Run, she mouthed.

“You first, Queenie,” he said, climbing from the collapsed body, edging slowly away from the prowling werewolf. Ever hesitated as Chess sidestepped closer to her. “Any time now.”

She bolted, but the werewolf must have anticipated it because she lunged, maw open wide. Chess didn’t think—didn’t question what he was about to do. He simply acted. Jumping in front of the werewolf, he shoved Ever out of danger’s path.

A crushing pain burst in his shoulder and he cried out wordlessly.Fuck!The werewolf had his entire shoulder in her mouth. Her teeth carved through his shirt, the flesh, and crumbled the bone. Stars burst behind his eyes.

Boom!

The blast rattled his ears. And then … nothing. Silence rung through his head. The werewolf didn’t shake him like she had Ever. Didn’t gnaw on him or use her paws to rip at his body. He shook his head to clear his vision and found himself kneeling on the forest ground. Ever was in front of him, lightly slapping his cheeks.

“If … you wanted to hit me…” He tried to smirk but failed. “You could’ve saved it for the bedroom.”

“Bloody hell, I think my ears are bleeding from that statement,” Maddie scoffed from his side. The boom… She’d shot the werewolf. For him.

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