Page 74 of Fractured Mates
That works for me, I reply, enjoying the feeling of freedom that’s pulsing through my wolf as she runs through the dense forest. The moon is high in the sky, the air is cool, and the sky is dark. A perfect setting for her.
I mean… my wolf starts. I’d rather be letting this sexy wolf beside us chase me through the woods, allowing the anticipation of him catching us to fuel my desire, but sure, it’s a pretty night.
She’s nearly insufferable, but I wouldn’t trade her for the world.
How exactly can you communicate with River? I ask after realizing I’ve never heard of that being possible outside of pack and fated mates.
When we’re inducted as protectors, we meet with a witch, he explains as we run. She ties us together with magic that’s similar to an alpha’s without the pack requirements.
Huh. A loophole of sorts. Weird, but I let it go.
We continue running, our speed increasing and Kyler keeping up with us, staying at our side. We’re quiet for the rest of the way, listening for sounds of other wolves. I can scent them out there, but none seem to be coming close to us.
River says we need to enter on the north side, Kyler says. There are families in those homes, but they shouldn’t bother an unknown wolf as long as we don’t linger. Most of the pack is just trying to survive in hopes that their alpha returns.
Does River actually know where Joseph is? I ask since he seemed to know enough to convince Astor he was helpful in the hunt for the alpha.
Not that I’m aware of, because Maciah has also been looking for him, wondering how the hell any of this even happened.
I have a few guesses, but now isn’t the time. We’re getting closer to the pack, and it’s time to act.
We’re going to need to split up, I tell Kyler, and the way his wolf snarls at us makes me laugh. Do you not trust that I can take care of myself?
My wolf apologizes for the misstep, he says, but there’s another growl from the animal telling me otherwise.
It’s okay, I reply with another chuckle. I can handle overprotectiveness as long as you can handle me kicking your ass.
Now it’s Kyler’s turn to laugh. Another day.
How about—I don’t get to finish speaking. The wind is knocked from our lungs, and my wolf’s body is suddenly ten feet from the path we were on.
As we roll over, another wolf is jumping for us, teeth dripping with saliva and claws ready to destroy.
Not today, motherfucker, my wolf sneers as she envisions the blood of this asshole covering the forest floor.
We get out of the way and back on our feet, but there are more coming. So much for the pack having fewer wolves around while we moved in.
Kyler is battling his own group of wolves. There are five total. Once again, I’ve been underestimated, with only two of them coming for me.
Just means we can play with these two idiots a little, my wolf muses.
No, we need to be ready to help Kyler, and these might not be the only ones around, I tell her as we scan the area. We need to pretend this fight could be never-ending and be done with each wolf quickly. Jules needs us.
That final thought sobers my wolf and has her attacking first instead of playing coy.
Our claws extend, digging into the cool earth beneath us, and we push forward, colliding with the two wolves. There’s a silver one on the left that gets knocked down from the impact and an ebony one that goes to the ground but is back up quickly.
She licks her sharp teeth and charges for us again. My wolf lowers and we roll to our side, using our claws to gut the attacking shifter.
The black wolf whimpers but doesn’t go down, not even with a part of her intestines hanging out of her stomach.
Guess she’s a fighter like us, I say, hating that anyone who should have been my packmate had my life been different has to die, but also not feeling bad enough to back down. Anyone who would fight for Astor doesn’t deserve to enjoy this life.
The silver wolf is back in the game as well. He nudges the darker one, and she snaps at him, but I’m not one for reunions. Not when lives I care about are on the line.
We attack again, this time going for the ebony wolf’s neck. Surviving a broken neck isn’t as easy as ignoring your guts hanging out.
She’s quick, though, and spins around. Our bite lands on her shoulder just as the other wolf plows into our side for the second time. Does this asshole think he’s a bull instead of a wolf?