Page 22 of Hunted (Haven Realm Chronicles 1)

It was Oryn; his black fur and larger size confirmed it. What was he doing saving me? So he could force me back to the cabin as his prisoner and personal medicalcaretaker?

I darted forward, but the next wolf was on me. I grabbed a branch off the ground and spun fast, swinging the weapon, catching the hound across thehead.

Another came at me, fur bristled, fangs bared and salivating. Wildness captured itsgaze.

I jabbed my stick into his ribs, driving the mutt away, and swung at the third one. All three of them fanned out in front of me, a tree at my back, foliage my onlyammunition.

Holy heavens.My lungs refused tofunction.

“If any of you are shifters, let’s talk about this.” I crouched in slow motion, collecting a big rock. A quick glance behind revealed woods as far as I couldsee.

The bigger wolf in the middle stepped closer, its headlow.

A numbing sensation engulfed me, paralyzing me to the spot. Was this how my parents had felt when they’d faced off a pack and died? What chance did Ihave?

My pulse was a drum in my skull. Grandma had always told me to fight for what I believed in and damn, I wasn’t ready to leave thisworld.

When the other two wolves approached, I hurled the stone at the larger one, nicking an ear, and it snapped. I jabbed the other wolf’s snout, but he sized the stick and bit throughit.

A dark form shot forward from my left, and the giant brown wolf swung to face off with Oryn. Both wolves knitted in a brawl, fur flyingoff.

I whirled, jumped up to a low-hanging branch, and threw my legsup.

Something snagged on my pants, ripping the fabric from my butt and tugging the material down my leg. A wolf’s teeth. The creature dragged me backdown.

The scream caught in my chest burst free. My fingers slipped, and I imagined myself falling into the mutt’s jaw, ripped toshreds.

I kicked the hound in the nose on the way down, loosening him. The second wolf latched on to my other leg, teeth piercing flesh. Screaming didn’thelp.

I tensed, my armsflailing.

Two wolves facedme.

When a third opponent staggered toward us, I gasped as I recognized Oryn. Blood mangled his fur and dripped from one ear. His snarl had both wolves snapping toward him, and without hesitation, they both attackedhim.

I turned to run but stopped at the sounds of whimpers andgrowls.

Oryn had protected me, and I never walked away from injured animals or those inneed.

I picked up another piece of wood and rushed toward the brawl. Not thinking, I brought the weapon down on the hound’s rump. It released its hold of Oryn’s front leg. “Leave him alone.” I jammed the end of the stick right into his mouth. He stumbled sideways, choking as I yanked the wooden stickback.

“Get out of here,” I called out to scare itaway.

When it didn’t, I jabbed it once more in the neck, stepping closer and at once the beastretreated.

Yes, I’d stood up to awolf!

I whirledaround.

But a huge form struck me in the stomach. The air gushed from my lungs, and I tumbledbackward.

Another wolf’s incisors hovered inches from my face, drooling on my chin. I shuddered, dread swallowingme.

I didn’t remember bucking, but I fought with every ounce of strength, shoving against the assault. The animal flew off me in a flash, and there stood Oryn as a wolf, bleeding, one leg bent. I pushed myself up and approached him. With a shaky hand, I touched a wound on his back. A zip of energy skipped from my finger and across his back. What was up with myability?

He jolted as if I’d shocked him. With a growl, he lifted his chin, pointing back toward thehouse.

Leave now. I gotit.

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