Page 45 of Married to the Wolf

. Sophia wondered when it got there and who put it in there.

“Here’s your weapon.”

Ava tossed the bat to Sophia, and Sophia caught it—barely. The wood burned her hands with the force of the throw. She forgave Ava only because she figured Ava had to throw the bat hard to make sure it reached the top of the stairs.

“We’re going out together,” Ava said. “You’ll stick close to me with Diana and Darla on both sides. If anyone comes at you, swing with all your might.”

“Aren’t you going against Sebastian’s command by doing this?”

She frowned. “You want to see how he’s really doing or not?”

Sophia scrambled down the stairs. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Chapter 13

Someone clicked off the moon, and the night was pitch black. Sophia didn’t even get relief with the outside lights around the property because someone neglected to turn them on.

“Don’t get stupid out here,” Ava instructed. “They know you’re outside, and they’re going to be coming.”

“You just worry about you,” Sophia snapped. She was already nervous and didn’t need Ava adding to things talking about the enemy was coming.

She swallowed and moved as stealthily as possible behind Ava. Before they stepped outside, howls rent the air, along with growls and barks. Now, the night was still. Sophia had the feeling the wolves were listening for her.

“Weren’t they just fighting?” she complained. “Why is it so quiet?”

“Be—” Ava began, but she didn’t get to finish. Wolves were on them, growling and snapping. At the same time, the moon reappeared from behind the clouds. Sophia almost wished it had stayed hidden. That way she could remain ignorant of what went on around them.

Ava shifted into her wolf form in a matter of seconds, but it didn’t stop several wolves from attacking her. Ava being the strongest of the group shook them all off and bit into the side of the nearest wolf. They kept getting up and coming for her again. Next to Sophia, Diana started to dart into the fray—or it could have been Darla. Sophia couldn’t tell the sisters apart when they were in their wolf form.

Ava seemed to sense the other Guard was about to help, and she barked a warning. Even Sophia could understand that it meant don’t leave Sophia’s side. Diana and Darla moved closer to Sophia. They brushed so close to her legs, they almost toppled her over. She held the bat in a tight grip, poised to strike anyone that might come flying up from the dark.

She didn’t have long to wait. Two new beasts came running and launched themselves straight at her. Diana or maybe Darla caught one in the grip of her powerful jaw, and the two of them plunged to the ground. Sophia ducked the other wolf, and it went straight over her head. She readied her swing, but the second sister was all over the enemy.

Fights broke out all around her. She’d wondered where everyone went seconds ago, and it seemed that they reappeared, fighting for their lives. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and she noticed several wolves lying on the ground and not moving. She prayed with all her heart one of them wasn’t Sebastian.

A lone wolf howled from somewhere on the property, and every other wolf stilled. She couldn’t believe the way they all stopped cold. Before she could make sense of what was happening, a man ran up to them. He wore nothing more than dark, ripped slacks. At some point, he’d lost his shirt and his shoes and socks, and there was a gash on his right arm that looked like it needed stitches. She supposed it was already on the mend.

The man dropped to one knee in front of Sophia, and her eyes widened. He bowed his head and waited, but she didn’t know what to make of him. He wasn’t one of Sebastian’s men, at least she didn’t think so. Yet, neither Ava, Diana, nor Darla moved to stop him from getting close to her.

“What is it?” Sophia said, curious.

He looked up. “Mistress, I’m here to escort you to our alpha.”

“Our?” She looked at Ava.

Ava changed back into her human form and unselfconsciously put her clothes on. She appeared calm, but Sophia sensed a suppressed excitement in the woman. When she was done, she faced Sophia. “They all are.”

“Are what?” Sophia didn’t get it.

“They’re all under Sebastian now. He’s defeated the other two alphas.”

“How do you know?”

Ava didn’t appear to want to explain. She started walking and gestured for them to follow. The man stood, but he crowded Diana or Darla out of her position so he could walk next to Sophia.

Sophia extended the bat ahead of her and poked Ava in the back. The shifter spun around and glared at her. Sophia frowned. “Well?”

A longsuffering sigh. “We heard Sebastian in our heads. He spoke to all of us at the same time.”

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