Page 89 of The Piece You Stole

Next time, I won’t miss.

Rylan spins and launches Saige at flames consuming a nearby bush.

I squeeze the trigger as I mentally scream at Kade.Get her!

My bullet punches through a tree branch as Kade springs toward Saige, shifting in mid-air. I hold my breath.

Inches from the flames, he catches her, turns and rolls, flames raking his back. But other than igniting the trailing ends of the white sheet, they don’t touch her.

I start breathing again.

Close call, Kade. Too close.

A flash of dark fur rips my focus left, and I take in the large black-brown wolf sprinting toward Kade’s back.

Distract and attack. That’s what he was doing. He had no intention of leaving Saige.

I squeeze the trigger.

And miss.

“Turn around, Kade. Turn around,” I breathe.

I squeeze the trigger.

Miss again.

Kade is patting the fire out of the white sheet, trying to rip it off Saige, so he doesn’t know, can’t know he’s about to die.

Fuck.

I shoot again. Twice now in fast succession.

And miss both times.

Why can’t I fucking shoot straight?

“Kade!” I scream.

Kade darts a rapid glance over his shoulder, spots Rylan, and drops into a deeper crouch, shielding Saige with his body.

He won’t survive.

He must know that he won’t survive.

I take my shot too fast and miss.

I force myself to slow, to focus. This shot is too important to rush.

The next shot punches through the wolf’s shoulder.

He doesn’t even slow.

No!

Rylan lunges, and I’m out of time. And so is Kade.

A large white wolf comes out of fucking nowhere and smashes into Rylan.

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