Page 17 of Fractured Mates

My threat gives him a brief pause as he smirks. “I actually think you’d do that.”

“Maybe you’re not as stupid as I thought.”

That has him moving back into action. He manages to open the tall window with me still in his arms. He holds me with only one hand, his fingers digging into my thigh as I hold on to his neck.

I could easily get away, but now that the window is open, I can hear the others. They’re at the front shouting at us. If we don’t get the hell out of there, we’re about to be severely outnumbered.

Kyler sits me down gently in front of him, his eyes casting quickly over my very naked body as the towel and clothes drop to the ground between us. “You’re going to have to shift and leave your stuff behind.”

“The hell I do,” I mutter, shoving my feet into my boots first. I take a few steps back, then call my wolf forward. This isn’t the first time we’ve made a quick escape.

She grabs my stuff with her mouth, and we glance at Kyler. He hasn’t shifted yet, but the moment I hear someone shout, “They’re back here,” he finally moves into action.

We don’t bother to wait for him. If he’s as good as he seems to think, then he’ll keep up.

Thankfully, my wolf agrees.

She sprints through the forest, making our way back to the car. The jeans in her mouth are the only thing I really care about. It has the keys we’ll need to get the hell out of this area.

If we don’t, these wolves won’t stop hunting us.

I knew they were after me. I should have trusted my gut and not stopped running until we were far enough away from the pack to properly regroup.

I’m sorry, my wolf says, but it’s not necessary.

She trusted Kyler, and he messed up. What’s done is done. At least we know now. Though, I am curious how the pack seems to have broken through the cloaking spell.

Kyler is close and gaining on the lead we have. I can hear the other wolves behind him, their heavy pants and the pounding of their paws against the forest floor. We’ll only have a few seconds to get in the car and speed away. Kyler better hope he’s in that passenger seat when I start the engine if he wants to come with me. I won’t be waiting even a second for his ass.

Not even when I know the way my skin pebbled under his scrutiny just moments ago had nothing to do with the cool, evening weather.

Chapter Seven

Kyler

I’ve never had a cloaking spell fail. Yes, I knew we’d left scent behind by just walking, but it should have faded enough to throw anyone off our trail by the time we got to the cabin. One that should have looked abandoned to those wolves. Instead, they knew exactly where we were.

Sophie had been right, and I hate to admit it after I asked her to trust me. Still, there’s no time to dwell on that.

Wolves are gaining on me, and if I don’t hurry, I have a feeling Sophie is going to disappear and I’ll have to hunt her down.

That thought has my wolf reacting, but I can’t make sense of his emotions. He’s both annoyed and bloodthirsty, which is good since we’re not going to be able to keep running for long.

The group behind us is fast, and the race could go on for hours. It’s better to just end them now.

With a snarl, my wolf seems to agree. He whips around, skidding to a stop. There are three wolves who stop and two more who keep going, assumingly after Sophie.

Normally, I’d be concerned for the person I’m supposed to be protecting, but after seeing a bleeding heart in her palm earlier, not so much this time.

My wolf takes full control, and the rage we normally keep firmly under lock and key finally gets to unleash itself. Our teeth snap, and saliva drips from our jowls as a loud, warning growl echoes from deep within.

None of the three wolves back down. They dig their claws into the forest floor and charge forward. A brown one leaps over my back and bites at my spine while an ebony one aims his teeth for my neck and the lighter grey wolf goes for my legs.

The ebony one sinks his teeth into us, but we’re quick to act, ignoring the two trying to get us on our back. My wolf’s claws extend and rip across the ebony wolf’s face, taking out at least one eye.

He releases his bite on our neck and backs up just as I suspected he would, but I don’t for one second believe he’s down for the count.

We move our attention momentarily to the grey wolf closer to our front. Using razor-sharp teeth, we grab hold of his neck. Canines break through skin and blood trickles into our mouth, but my wolf refuses to relent.