(SHILOH)
We were outnumbered by three. Just as my wolf managed to get to his feet, another wolf threw himself on top of . Around , wolves roared, and I felt the pain of my shifters through their bonds.
My claws ripped through flesh, but they had the advantage. I needed to get to my feet.
Distantly, I heard Mira scream again. There was a flash of orange, and fire seared my fur. Two of the wolves yelped and released their grip on . I rose to see Mira standing with a flaming log in her hand. Twisting, she picked up another log and swung it like a damn baseball bat.
Rising, I gripped the one wolf still attached to and snapped its neck. It fell, lifeless, to the ground, and I launched myself at the other two. One jerked away just in ti, and the other one and I rumbled to the ground. It was smaller and leaner but scrappy. It got in a few good blows before I tore its throat open.
Turning to search for the one who got away, I watched, in horror, as Mira pulled out the flare gun from the bag. She aid it at Forrest and the wolf he was fighting. As soon as she pulled the trigger, a wolf was on her.
Shift.
I pushed the command through our bond. She was human and could barely pivot on that knee. She wouldn't last two minutes under the claws of the wolf.
Instead of shifting, she fell, pinned under the wolf. Her screams seared into , and my wolf roared with rage as we threw ourselves and shoved it through the fire and to the other side of the camp.
There was strength behind all that matted fur. Strength that, at any other ti, I might have admired. Tonight, I just wanted him dead for daring to touch my mate.
He put up a good fight, and by the ti it was over, the campsite had quieted. Dead wolves lay at our feet. I turned to assess the damage. Everyone was in wolf form except Kai. He leaned over Mira, and he was paler than he'd ever been.
"Shift," he said hoarsely. "You have to let your wolf heal you." Instantly, I shifted and raced over. "How bad is it?"
I imdiately checked her head and neck, but they were both fine. There was a nasty gash across her shoulder, but that didn't explain the tightness in Kai's voice.
Then I saw her leg. "Her femoral artery has been slashed. If she doesn't shift in the next few minutes, she will die," Kai said. "Soone get a belt."
"Shift," I told her in a low voice. "You are going to die. You have to shift. Now."
"No," she rasped. "No, I can't."
"Yes, you can. Shift, damn it. Shift!"
Panic seized . A shadow swept over her, and she imdiately tried to shrink away.
Forrest handed Kai a belt. "Will this work?" He asked in a low voice.
"It'll buy us more ti." Quickly, Kai made a tourniquet at the top of her thigh. "But not much. Shiloh."
"Twenty feet periter. Now," I commanded hoarsely. "Everyone." "But..." Rhiannon started.
"Do it!"
My voice thundered, and everyone turned and raced to follow their orders. Kneeling by Mira, I placed a hand to her heart. "When I took you in, you swore an oath of loyalty to , and I to you. You are in no danger here. It's just you and . I'm going to shift, Mira. Your wolf has to know that under no circumstances would my wolf ever hurt you. He will die to protect you.
Let her out. If not, you're choosing death for her. You're choosing death for you both."
There was nothing but pain and panic in her eyes, and for a horrid mont, I wondered if she even understood what I was saying. "Don't do this," I whispered, and I let my wolf out.
She cried out, but the change was even faster than usual. My wolf was more than prepared to co out, to watch over and nurse her. I gave him complete control, and he whimpered and butted his head against her.
Precious seconds ticked by.
Then, like a miracle, she closed her eyes and exhaled. The change was long, far longer than it should have been, but when a small and honey-colored wolf whimpered under , it was alive.
She was alive.
Sitting back, I howled, and my wolves returned. They perford a tight periter around us, and Kai stretched over.
"She's pretty," Rhiannon comnted.
"She is," Kai agreed as he ran his hands over her leg. "And terrified. Give us more space please."
Instantly, the wolves moved out. My wolf leaned down and gently bit her nose. It was a sign of affection. One he hoped would be returned.
Instead, she just stared at us, her eyes glassy with fear.
Turning my head, I grumbled at Kai. "Don't look at . I'm not hurting her. The wound is already closed, so I'm almost done. I just want to see..." his voice trailed off. "My God."
My wolf rumbled at him again.
"Mira, I'm going to turn you over to your stomach," Kai said in a gentle but strained voice. "Please do not be afraid."
He tried to turn her, but she wiggled and tried to push away from him. She didn't growl.
There was no aggression in her at all. "Shiloh, a little help here. It's important."
My wolf leaned down and nudged her with his head. With a whimper, she flipped over.
Fury washed over when I saw what Kai had felt. Scars. Her wolf was covered in scars.
Instantly, I yanked the reigns back from my wolf and shifted. When I put my hands on her to part her fur, she yelped, rose, and bolted.
Blaine started after her. "Leave her," I commanded. "Rhiannon, follow on foot please. Take her so clothes."
With a nod, Rhiannon disappeared. "You're certain she won't run?" Kai asked in a low voice.
"She has too much at stake. Her freedom," I said flatly. "She'll finish this."
"She was right. This path to Ashenveil is far too vulnerable," Forrest spoke up. "We haven't even entered the woods, and we were attacked."
I nodded short. She'd been right, and I put my wolves in danger by not listening. I would not make that mistake again.
"There's only one thing I know of that would leave scars like that on a wolf," Kai said tightly.
Wolfsbane.
Was it the reason Mira had been hiding her wolf from us? She didn't want us to see the scars? She wasn't hiding her red wolf, that was certain. Her wolf was the color of Mira's hair. It wasn't out of character for a wolf and its human to share so features, but her coloring was completely unnatural for a wolf.
She and her wolf were close to each other. Very close. In most cases, it was a sign of an alpha.
"She won't stay in wolf form," I said in so frustration. "Will that affect how she heals?"
"Certainly. She'll be weak." Kai looked at and sighed. "I will leave my pack with you with so instructions, but you'll need to find shelter. It'll be at least a full day, maybe even two, before you can enter Ashenveil."
"What is he talking about?" Eden demanded. "Where is Kai going?"
"Not just Kai. Mira told that we were going in with too big of a group, and she was right. We're attracting too much attention. Stealth is key here."
Blaine snorted in disbelief. "You're going there alone? With her? You trust her?"
"I don't have a choice."
My comnt was t with silence. I could tell most of them wanted to argue. A few minutes passed before Rhiannon returned, a dressed but pale and shivering Mira by her side. She had shifted the first opportunity she had.
"What's going on?" Rhiannon asked as she helped Mira to a stump. Kai imdiately crossed the camp site to her.
"He's ordering us back," Eden said tightly. "He and his mate are going alone."
I snarled just a little at him, but Rhiannon nodded. "Sure. I get it. She won't shift with us."
"You get it?" Forrest echoed. "Really?"
"She saved your life with that flare gun stunt, Forrest," Rhiannon snapped back. "If I were you, I'd be grateful."
Forrest snapped his mouth shut. Rhiannon had a point.
"It doesn't matter what any of you think. I've made my decision. We go alone."
Eden bared his teeth. "If you don't co back, we'll hunt her down to the ends of the earth."
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