Page 4 of Corbin
But any gambler would say odds are never dependable.
A niggle of worry argued with Corbin’s confidence, but he had no time to kick this around. After stripping down, he tucked both his boots and clothes into the backpack. He dropped onto his knees and hands, then called up the shift.
Ares needed no help. His monster wolf intentionally blasted out of their skin fast to punish Corbin for making him wait. It felt like hot needles stabbed into every muscle.
The minute Ares shoved his head and paws into the backpack openings provided, he wiggled his body, moving the pack to where he wanted it, and got serious.
Corbin always did his best to leave his wolf alone when on the hunt.
He only hoped Ares could keep his head screwed on in the right direction.
Ares dropped his snout to the ground, sniffed a couple of places, and took off at a steady trot. He’d covered twenty yards when he paused, lifting his head and sniffing. Then he lowered his head, continuing to scent everywhere as he moved more slowly.
Minutes ticked away too quickly in Corbin’s mind. He remained silent. Pushing his wolf to run could get them caught in a trap or killed.
Ares suddenly paused and abruptly backed up.
What is it?Corbin asked.
Trap. Hole in ground.Bear scent heavy a few steps forward, but skunk scent dripped in a line going out to left and right. Sniffing faster, Ares made his way around the boundaries of the hole, which was well-camouflaged by brush and very likely armed with vertical spikes. Ares had a talent for sorting scents and quickly determining if any seemed out of place.
The skunk scent should be more concentrated in one spot, not dribbled in a straight line.
Smart move by the bear shifter, though. Where a natural animal would more likely change directions and avoid the area, a shifter hard on the hunt would leap over the stench to keep moving forward and land in the pit.
Not Ares.
He and Corbin had learned about traps the hard way over the years.
Without access to his watch, Corbin had no way to be sure of time, but it felt as if they were down to less than ten minutes. Ares paused again and lifted his head. Looking through his wolf’s eyes, Corbin spotted a tiny flicker of light through the trees.
He urged his wolf,Keep moving but without making a sound.
You insult me. Ares started forward, avoiding downed branches and anything else dead that would make a snapping sound to alert the shifter kidnapper. Forty yards from a small shelter that had once been a decent shack, Ares hesitated again.Bear scat everywhere.
Corbin had caught a whiff, but the lack of sounds in the cabin worried him more than a shifter right now.
Were they too late?
He told Ares,Let’s move closer.
We are upwind, his wolf argued.
True. The wind had shifted while they headed this way. Regardless, he had to know if the woman still lived.Be careful and get close enough to hear if one of them is speaking softly.
No argument this time. Ares had all but tiptoed a short distance when a woman screamed, “Noooo! Don’t touch me!” Sobbing followed.
A loud roar came next that should have shaken the old wooden shack into a pile of rubble.
Ares stepped behind a thick bush and held his nose up to catch scents.
Corbin had to get to the young woman. He couldn’t handle seeing any female being abused.Give me the body.
No.Ares lowered his head and backed out of the pack he’d been carrying. He wanted to fight.
Give. Me. The. Damn. Body,Corbin shouted at Ares internally.
Wait. Bear coming out in human form.
