Page 16 of Claimed By the Hunter

Tamara turned and then screamed up at her. “You fucking whore, you’re going to pay dearly.”

Nicole gasped when the naked woman started to climb toward her. She scrambled as fast as she could, but the woman was gaining on her. She decided to stop on a branch that would let her balance enough to fight. She broke off a thin dead limb that was three feet long. It was next to impossible, but she wanted to use it to push the woman back. If that didn’t work, she’d use the chain. She was just afraid the woman would grab it and pull her down. She lastly had the knife in her pocket and was ready to use that if necessary.

When Tamara was within three feet of her, she smashed the branch down on her face. It caught her off guard enough that she dropped from the branch onto the one below it.

“You are going to pay dearly,” Tamara said when she got a grip again.

“Fuck you. You’re crazy. What the hell happened to you?” Nicole yelled. “You’ll die today because my mate will never let you live once you hurt me.”

Nicole slammed the branch down again, but Tamara grabbed it and yanked it from her hands this time. She picked up the chain and swung it as hard as she could, and it hit the other woman in the head. She fell several feet, and for a minute, she thought she had killed her or she’d passed out, but the bitch shook her head before she glanced back up at her.

The unholy light that came into Tamara’s eyes terrified her, and she knew without a doubt that she’d be torn apart unless something happened or she got in a good hit. God, she wasn’t ready to die. She wanted to live longer to be with Hunter and make babies.

A thought popped into her head that scared her more than anything. How was this going to affect Hunter if she died? She’d heard the male shifters went through hell if they didn’t find their mates. What would happen if she died?

Fuck, if there was a chance, he’d die too, or go feral like Blake had done before he found Simone. She had more than herself to protect. She was battling for Hunter’s life, too, and she wasn’t going down without a fight.

Chapter Ten

Hunter and Blake ran when they heard the furious howl. It seemed to take forever, and when he came upon them, he saw his mate high up in a tree and Tamara fighting to get to her. He lost it.

Blake grabbed him when he started climbing. “Throw her down to me while you get your mate. I’ll hold Tamara for you to deal with later.”

Hunter nodded. “Thanks, man.”

He couldn’t remember climbing as fast as he was. Neither girl was aware of him, so he’d catch Tamara off guard. When he was able to reach the wolf, he grabbed onto her ankle and flung her out. He heard her crash through the branches and a thud when she hit the ground. He didn’t look at the wolf because all he cared about was his mate.

He put her out of his mind and looked up at Nicole. Goddammit. She had cuts, scrapes, and blood all over her.

“Mate, come down to me,” Hunter said.

He heard her breathing slow, and then her sniff.

“It’s about time you got here, Mate,” Nicole said.

He couldn’t help but smile. Everything was going to be all right if his mate could complain. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

“You’re damn right you will,” she said.

“Come on. Climb down.”

She shook her head and looked down. He saw when she started to panic.

“Oh, my God. I can’t. I’m terrified of heights,” she said, pressing her forehead against the trunk.

“All right. Hold tight. I’ll come for you.”

She nodded and tightened her grip on the tree.

When he got to her, he wrapped an arm around her. “Are you okay?”

She nodded and sniffed again.

He could tell she was fighting back tears, and he couldn’t have been prouder of her. Her fighting Tamara with a fierce and aggressive rebellion against the wolf and holding it together, even knowing she had to be in severe pain from the mating heat and her injuries, made him thank the universe for making her his mate.

“All right. We’re going to go slow. Don’t look down, just do what I say. I won’t let you fall, love.”

His hand grabbed onto the upper arm. “Slide this way so you’re in front of me.”

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