Page 58 of Wolf Claimed
The sound of fighting, growls, and glass breaking down the street spurred Rafe to run at full speed. As he rounded a corner, he spotted wolves inside the bakeshop. A black wolf had pinned Maddox’s wolf by the back of his neck while a silver wolf stalked closer, preparing to move in for the kill.
Still in wolf form, Rafe crashed through the massive storefront window. Glass rained down on everyone as Rafe knocked both wolves off of Maddox. In a flash, the white wolf sprang to his feet and leapt at the silver wolf while Rafe and the black wolf circled one another.
Pain erupted down Rafe as a third wolf, one he’d missed, sank his teeth into the back of his neck. Rafe’s wolf tried to shake him, but the bastard held on. Warm blood poured down his neck. Too fast. Damn wolf had nicked an artery. His wolf would repair it if he could get rid of the brown wolf clinging to him like a leech.
A shot rang out, startling everyone. The pain subsided as the wolf’s teeth slipped free of Rafe’s neck. The brown wolf crumpled to the floor beside him, blood spilling out from his abdomen. A survivable wound, if the bullet exited his body.
A second shot echoed through the shop, and the silver wolf dropped with a bullet in his shoulder.
“Get away from them,” Artemis warned the third wolf. She stood outside the broken window, her arms outstretched as she held her Glock in steady hands.
The black wolf shifted. “You’re as much of a killer as your father,” Fulton said.
Artemis didn’t give away anything in her expression, but her shoulder dipped slightly. She took what Fulton said to heart.
“Leave,” Rafe warned as soon as he shifted. Fulton helped the other shifters to their feet. “Go near her again and I guarantee you won’t survive.”
As soon as the three shifters left, Artemis entered the shop and dropped to her knees beside Maddox. Her hand moved over him, looking for the source of the dark red blood matting his white fur.
Maddox shifted just as her hand reached his abdomen. “Lower, angel. You’re almost there.”
She slapped his shoulder. “I thought you were hurt.”
“Just bites,” he said, pointing to the back of his shoulder. “They’re already healing.”
She checked his back. The wounds were closing as she watched. “That’s incredible.”
“Are you okay, Artemis?” Rafe asked.
“Yes,” she said, her voice stiff as she looked away.
“Look at me, Alyssa,” he ordered.
She dragged her eyes to meet him. It wasn’t like her to avoid him. His Alyssa met confrontation head on.
“Tiernan,” Maddox said, explaining her odd behavior.
Damn. Maddox had told her. Not that they could hide it from her forever.
“I couldn’t find him,” Rafe said.
A huge smile crossed Artemis’s face. “It means there’s still a chance to save him.”
“I’m afraid not,” Rafe asked. “He’s feral.”
Maddox rose and rotated his shoulder to work out the stiffness. “She thinks she can still blood-bond him.”
Even if they could capture Tiernan, blood-bonding a feral shifter would put her at risk. But she was human. . .
“A human blood-bonding a feral shifter has never been done before. It’s possible it could work.” He shook his head. “But the risk is too great even for a human.”
“About that,” Artemis said as she slid her hand into his. “We need to talk.”
* * *
Rafe foundclothing in the shop Artemis pointed out to him. The place didn’t have much in his size, but he found a pair of jeans, a shirt that was on the short side, and hiking boots that fit well. He preferred not to return to the training center naked. Humans grew uneasy when shifters walked around naked, and he wanted to deal with calm humans when they returned to clear Artemis’s name.
“I hope you’re right about taking her back,” Maddox said.
