Page 46 of Crystal Luna

Though he shot to attention, his voice was calm in her mind. ‘Keep your mind open. We’re coming!’

A moment later, Rayan’s mind was with hers, following the bond to her location.

“A gorgeous morning with a beautiful woman.” His low, rumbling voice held a sinister lilt that made Velora shiver.

She turned so her back was no longer exposed to him. “You should leave.”

“But I just got here.”

“You’re not welcome.”

He laughed, then the façade dropped. “I’m never welcome, sweetheart. I stopped waiting around for invitations.” He stepped into the water, slowly closing the distance between her and him. “I’m surprised they let something this pretty come out here all by herself.”

“I’m not alone.”

He looked around with a grin that made her shudder. “I don’t see anyone. I don’t feel anyone.”

You wouldn’t, she thought to herself and started picturing herself in the mirror, still deciding who she wanted to shift into.

He stopped moving—far too close for her comfort—and reached out. She slapped his hand away mere millimetres from her face, which made him chuckle, clearly amused.

“Fierce. I like it.”

Leaves rustled and twigs cracked as two more men emerged from the treeline, eyes just as dark and greedy as the first.

“What have we got here?” one snarled.

“A fighter this time.”

“Well, we better make it worth our time then,” the third one chuckled.

Velora forgot herself—briefly. For a split second she reverted back to that girl in the kitchen who couldn’t fight off Ely.

A hand around her throat snapped her from that memory.

She grabbed the man’s wrist, her nails turned claws shredding his skin from his bones. She swung with her other arm, sending her fist into the man’s carotid. Before his friends could make a move, he stumbled and crashed into the water.

She shifted. The bigger one was her next target. Teeth bared, she hit the ground just before she could strike.

The other one shifted, jumping to his friend’s defence. She rolled to her side, claws digging into her skin but she was too pumped to feel the pain. Her wolf took over, clawing the male so deep that blood splattered from his stomach.

It worked. He howled and released his grip. Velora shot to her feet, slashing at his side. Two new wolves rushed over to the bleeding one, ready for revenge and Velora knew wasn’t going down without a fight. She lunged, slashing one across the face.

Pain shot through her haunches as the second wolf sank his canines into her flank, beginning to drag her towards the water. She reached around and clawed his side, but he didn’t even flinch. Just when she couldn’t ignore the pain anymore, a dark flash latched onto the wolf.

His neck broke with a loud crack.

She was free.

More shadows appeared from the trees. The pain made it hard to decipher what was happening around her, but she sank to human knees as Rayan and Alpha Heath rushed towards her.

“Velora, stay with us!” Alpha Heath commanded. Worry painted his voice.

She couldn’t help but giggle. “Like a command would keep me from passing out.”

Rayan kneeled before her and took in her injuries. “Alex is on his way.”

She nodded, chest heaving for each breath as she clung to consciousness. “That didn’t go as planned.”