Page 25 of Wolf Heart

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Raven

Stupid fucking Alphas. Both Aspen and Dex refuse to budge. I have no choice. If I flee, they will follow, but so will the undead wolves. We're fucking tired and they aren't even panting.

I latch on to Juniper’s waist, then take off at a run, twisting and turning through the thick forest.

She struggles against me, but I hold her tight, refusing to let go.

"No, let me go," she yells, struggling to hold onto her stick. "We can't leave them."

The sound of the undead's heavy paws pounding the ground follows us.

I dart left, then right, then left again. I need to get her somewhere safe. I don’t look back because I know Aspen and Dex will be following. I just run.

Think, Raven. Find a place to hide.

I dodge to the right. We’ve been running for at least five minutes. Still no sign of shelter.

I turn again. A cabin’s stone fireplace breaks the horizon in the distance and I let out a jagged breath that burns my chest.

If we can make it. My legs burn, muscles cramping, but I will each fucking step after another. Wolves howl and snarl behind me. I can’t stop, can’t look behind me to see if Aspen and Dex are holding them back.

If I stop, we all will die.

A twig cracks behind me and I grit my teeth. A small wolf lunges at me. Juniper kicks and scratches, aiming her branch at the wolf, but it’s no use.

I push her down and pivot on my back foot, kicking my boot into its side. I grab its jaws and snap its head back. It kicks and claws, but I don't fucking let go. I hold on until its body goes limp. Then I toss it away.

The undead wolves are closing in. Their snarls and barking echo across the forest.

Where the hell are Aspen and Dex? My heart turns into a cold stone in my chest. Have they been killed? Bitten and we’ll have to fight them too?

I meet Juniper’s gaze. She frowns, her brows creased. Her body is tense, her muscles quivering. I know what she’s thinking; that it was a mistake to leave Aspen and Dex.

She swings her branch into a stray wolf tearing toward her. The branch breaks on the top of its muzzle. It shakes its head as though dizzy. But five more hurry forward to take its place.

I rush at her, yanking her off her feet and under my arm as I race to the cabin. It’s our only chance.

"What are you doing?" she screams.

"Saving you," I bark back, pushing forward.

She struggles, trying to pry out of my grasp. “But Aspen and Dex—”

Whatever she was going to say is lost as the air gushes out of her as I leap over a fallen log. I tear through the forest. My only focus is getting us to the cabin fucking now.

We reach the cabin and I don’t bother to knock, but ram the door open with my shoulder, dragging her inside with me. I throw the door closed and the first few thunks of the wolves hitting the wood set my teeth on edge.

It’s fucking pitch black in here and I can’t see a damn thing. If we’ve stumbled upon a fucking vampire’s lair, I’m going punch it into a coma. My eyes slowly adjust to the darkness and I move deeper into the strange cabin for something to barricade the door. There's only a weather-beaten couch covered with dust.

“Aspen and Dex are still out there,” her voice is a hoarse whisper like she’s been screaming a lot. She stands by the door, her hand on the handle.

I growl, the sound low and guttural. "Move or I will move you, human."

I grab her wrist and yank her toward me.

"Ow, ow, ow," she yelps.

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