Each breath is little more than a desperate gasp as I vault over another fence. This new speed still feels alien in my body—like soone downloaded parkour skills directly into my muscles while I wasn't looking.
I leap from a shed roof to a fence top, my ntal map of the Blue Mountain territory flickering like a half-rembered dream. No ti to check my phone. No ti to slow down.
Can't hear Ellie and her goons anymore, but that ans nothing. Wolves move silent as shadows when they want to. And they definitely want to right now.
Where the fuck am I supposed to go?
Back to the camper ans leading Ellie straight to the kids. The image of her near Bun makes my stomach twist into knots. And the alpha lodge is too far—Caine might be there, but I'd never make it without getting caught.
And, considering how our relationship telepathy is going, who knows the consequences of going there. Though it's better than dying.
I spot the camper through a gap between houses, painfully close. I veer right instead, away from the children.
Better than them.
One more fence. I gather montum, pushing off from a garden planter, and launch myself over—
"OOF!"
My body slams into sothing solid. Soone solid. Arms and legs tangle as we tumble, sharp pain shooting through my hip and leg as we roll. When we stop, I'm straddling a body, my hands pressed against a familiar back.
"What the fuck?" Andrew groans beneath , his face half-buried in dirt.
"Shit! Sorry." I scramble off him, my hip throbbing where it collided with his shoulder blade, or sothing else pointy and hard. "I didn't see you!"
He flips over, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. "Since when do you drop out of the sky like a human missile?"
His irritation vanishes instantly when he sees my face. Whatever I look like, it sobers him imdiately. "They're after you."
I nod.
"Damn. I was hearing a lot of chatter across the pack link, but…" His face twists into annoyance as he looks in the direction I ca. "Hurry up and get to the kids. I'll deal with this."
Hah.
Like Andrew can deal with Ellie.
But his face is set and his eyes are dark as he pulls out his phone. When I don't move, he looks at again with impatience. "Get out of here!"
I hesitate, glancing from Andrew back toward the camper. Even in this mont, I'm not entirely sure how far I can trust him.
But a desperate victim can't exactly throw away allies.
"Thanks," I manage to squeeze out between pants, the word feeling inadequate paired with my long-held suspicion of his motives.
"Go," he snaps, not even looking at and completely unaware of the guilt scrawled all over my face.
The last glimpse I catch is his determined expression as he pulls out his phone. Ti to cross my fingers he can actually handle Ellie and her pack of loyal attack dogs. He is Rafe's best friend, but…
Well.
Things change when mates are involved. Especially mates who've beco Luna to the pack.
My lungs burn with each stride, the supernatural speed from earlier still coursing through but fading. Every step is slower than the last, my muscles starting to feel wobbly and jelly-like.
Then I can hear Sadie's muffled frenzy of barking.
I force more speed out of my exhausted muscles, barely making it up the steps. A quick yank of the door shows it's locked, which is a good thing but mildly irritating in the mont.
I pound on it with a closed fist. "Open the door! It's !"
The lock clicks, and the door swings open to reveal Ron's worried face, Bun balanced on his hip. Her eyes are wide, three fingers shoved into her drooling mouth, and Sadie's barking doubles in volu.
"Grace, what's—"
I don't hear the rest because two furry missiles launch themselves out the door before I can hop inside.
The white cat slips between my legs like a snake, while Sadie slams against my knees with enough force to nearly topple backward down the stairs.
"What the—Sadie, no!" I grab at nothing as they both dash past , their bodies aid like arrows in the direction I just ca from. The cat's back arches, fur standing on end as it hisses, a sound so vicious it seems impossible from its elegant form. Sadie's barks turn deeper, more threatening than I've ever heard from her.
Huh.
I cock my head, montary confusion cutting through my panic. They're facing Ellie's direction, not cowering behind .
At least they're loyal, I guess.
If sowhat stupid.
Can a cat and dog stand up to wolf shifters? The answer is no. Unequivocally so.
"Grace?" Ron's voice pulls back to reality. Bun sneezes, her tiny hands clutching his shirt for balance with the force of it. "Are you okay? You look like—"
"Get inside," I snap, waving him back into the camper as I rember I'm in frantic urgency. "Now!"
He hesitates, his eyes darting between and the animals. "But Sadie—"
"I said get inside where it's safe!" My voice cos out too sharp and shrill, but there's no ti for gentle. Not with Ellie potentially seconds away and Andrew's efficacy as a guard in question.
Ron steps back obediently, pulling Bun closer to his chest. She buries her face in his shoulder, still staring at with wide eyes.
"Get in here!" I shout at the animals while motioning behind again for Ron to retreat further inside.
He finally complies, but I remain frozen on the steps, torn between safety and responsibility. Sadie continues her frenzied barking, hackles raised. The white cat prowls in tight circles, raising its head in yowling little growls.
They're my responsibility now, aren't they? These weird, possibly supernatural animals that have attached themselves to our bizarre little family. But they're being complete assholes, not listening to a single command, and Ellie is sowhere behind with every intention of tearing my arms from my body.
Sadie's barking reaches a new pitch of hysteria, her entire body vibrating with the force of it, and I keep thinking about what a terrible person I'd be if she mutilated the pets because I was too scared to bring them inside.
"Fuck it," I mutter, abandoning rational thought as I lunge toward them.
I grab Sadie's collar with one hand, my fingers barely getting purchase on the leather as she twists and pulls. With my other arm, I scoop up the white cat, who imdiately becos a hissing, clawing furnado.
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