Page 83 of Stealthy as a Wolf

It was only then that I noticed their ears were plugged with some sort of device, blocking my orders and leaving me completely ineffectual against the threat. My only recourse was to wade into battle with just my fangs and claws.

When one of the wolves tried to double up on Matty, I grabbed the still dirty pan from the stove and walloped him on the back of the head. The metal gonged, his skull making a meaty thwack, then the man collapsed to the floor with a thud.

I whirled, arm raised, ready to find my next victim, when someone grabbed my wrist from behind. Acting on pure instinct, I dropped the pan, leaned forward, and twisted my hip…sending my assailant flying over my head.

Not to be outdone, the man kicked my legs out from beneath me. I crashed to the floor and came face-to-face with a very familiar wolf—my personal tormentor, the alpha’s son himself.

Timothy Reigns.

I’d done my best to banish him from my thoughts after all these years, though I hadn’t always succeeded. I even went so far that I refused to speak his name aloud, terrified it would conjure him.

Timothy gave me a vicious smile that looked like he had too many teeth in his human face. Terror rooted me to the spot, and I could do nothing as he rose to his feet and towered over me.

“Ah, my beautiful mate, it’s so good to see you again.” His whisky-colored eyes were triumphant. He was the perfect Ken doll…if the doll was possessed by the devil.

Gorgeous blond hair, shiny, straight teeth, and every inch of him fake.

His voice was so smug that it jolted me out of my paralysis.

I remembered all the harsh words, the unwanted touches, lewd threats, along with every punch and kick he administered during his so-calledflirtingsessions.

Something in me snapped. When he reached for me, I lunged forward and punched him in the nuts with every ounce of my strength. Even as he dropped to his knees, I scrambled to my feet.

“You bitch,” he rasped, his fangs flashing as he glared up at me, his dark eyes promising retribution as he cupped himself. A Ken doll who actually had balls…though I suspected I’d just fixed that problem, making him anatomically correct when I sent his ’nads up into his guts with my fist. “I’m going to enjoy breaking you.”

I stumbled back at the promise in his voice, my body throbbing from phantom pain and forgotten memories.

A quick glance around the room revealed that my men were barely holding their own. The twins worked together like they were an extension of each other. They twisted and moved around the attackers, passing them between them as they systematically eliminated each intruder.

But it wasn’t easy.

They were slowly being whittled down.

Grady held court by the door, a hulking menace as he went in full alpha mode. I swore his form was even bigger, like he’d somehow bulked up. He targeted the wolves with a single-minded focus, systematically taking apart the enemy piece by little piece. He was drenched in blood. While most of it wasn’t his, I noticed his shirt was shredded and hanging from his shoulder, and he was favoring his left side.

While my mates were fierce, fighting with everything in them, it just wasn’t enough. Their injuries were slowing them down. Eventually, they’d falter, and something inside me withered and died at the thought of them ceasing to exist.

Only a few of the invading wolves lay dead, scattered across the floor.

Too many of them were still fighting.

Needing to keep my mates safe was like a compulsion, so I did the only thing that I could. I backed toward the door, then yelled at the top of my lungs, “If you want me, come get me.”

I didn’t wait for a response but instantly took off running. It was a gamble whether they would come after me or not, but I had to take the risk, compelled to protect my men the only way I knew how.

I was out the door and jumping off the porch when Timothy roared, “After her. Don’t let her get away!”

* * *

BOONE

Iwhirled at the sound of Maggie’s voice…then I processed her words, and my brain just fractured. Before I could stop the foolish girl, she darted out the door and vanished, and I swore she took my heart with her.

Claws sliced through the tips of my fingers, and I ruthlessly slashed the throat of the man who was doing his best to disembowel me by trying to dig his hands into my stomach. When he clutched his throat, desperate to stop the flow of blood, I slammed my claws into his eyes as far as they would go, then wiggled my fingers for good measure.

Yanking my hand out, I didn’t even wait for him to hit the ground as I headed toward the door, flinging his juicy brain matter off my fingers as I went.

Only to be cut off by another wolf stepping in my way, volunteering to be killed.

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