Page 22 of Wolf Heart

Another wolf jumps into the fray, snarling, bringing Aspen down. I launch at the new wolf, sinking my teeth into the fur of his back. His fur rips beneath my fangs and he yelps. He kicks out, knocking me away.

I push off the ground and race back to Aspen, who is still battling the two wolves. Growls and snapping jaws fill the air. I leap onto the first wolf and tear into its shoulder. The wolf thrashes and I barely hang on. I tear out a hunk and the wolf snarls.

The second wolf lunges at me, and I swing my head around in time to dodge his razor-sharp claws.

Aspen shifts forms and manages to get his hands around the wolf’s throat and the wolf goes limp. The other wolf turns on Aspen and rushes him. I shove my body into the wolf, knocking him off balance.

It scrambles up onto all fours, a low threatening growl vibrates in the air between us.

It pounces at me, but I spin away at the last second. I clamp down on the wolf’s neck. The beast lets out a whimper and struggles to get away, but I cut off its cries and I rip the beast's throat out.

Next to me, Aspen tears open another wolf’s stomach. The rest of the wolves scamper away. Except they don’t appear like they’re fleeing us, rather as if they sense easier prey.

Shit. That’s the way Juniper and Raven fled.

Aspen looks up at me and we exchange glances. Without hesitation, we both race in the direction the wolves ran.

Aspen darts between the trees, much faster than me. His white fur is tainted with the blood of the undead wolves and I hope to the moon goddess that he hasn’t been bitten.

I fight the urge to call for Raven and warn him about the surge of undead wolves headed their way. But he and Juniper already had half a dozen wolves chasing them that didn’t fall for our retreat. He’ll have enough on his hands without me diverting his attention from fighting and protecting Juniper.

The pain of my wound throbs and my head spins. I’m so fucking tired. Yet, I push one paw in front of the other. We have to find them. I’ve been hurt worse and healed, but I can feel a chill deep in my bones.

I push myself faster and faster.

My shoulder hurts like fucking hell and my legs feel like they are on fire.

It is hard to keep up with Aspen as he rushes to catch up with the others. My heart pounds with every step, but I can’t get the image of Juniper with her blue hair splayed across the forest floor, her pale skin flawless.

Or the crimson stream of blood from her throat ripped open out of my mind.

---