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“We need to stay ahead of them.” I stroked her hair back. “Colbie is on her way.”

Greer nodded. I put her down and she winced.

“Are you hurt?”

“It’s just a scratch.”

I saw blood on the torn bottom of her pants. “North.”

The medic crouched. “It’s not as bad as Jameson’s scratches, but it’s deep.” He fished out an injector and pressed it to Greer’s calf. “This will help.”

“Can she run?” I asked.

“I’ll run.” She set her shoulders back. “I have no plans to be monster-dog dinner.”

The growls and snarls of the dogs were closer now. Too damn close.

North finished wrapping a bandage around her ankle and rose. “That’s all I can do for now.”

Nodding, I took Greer’s hand.

“Hunter Squad, let’s get the hell out of here.”

We ran. The trees blurred in the darkness as we sprinted. Greer was limping, but she didn’t stop or slow down. The dogs got louder.Fuck. I heard them crashing through the bush.

We hit a clearing and I spotted an old building. It looked like some sort of maintenance structure. Maybe for the dam. It was dilapidated, and nearby were some mounds of sand and gravel that had weeds growing out of them.

We were halfway across the clearing when the pack of dogs broke the tree line.

My gut clenched. There were dozens of them.

So many. Too many.

Greer gasped. My squad turned and opened fire, all of us walking backward. I gripped my carbine as I sprayed the monsters with laser fire. Greer fired her blaster. I looked over and met Kai’s gaze. I saw my own thoughts reflected in his eyes.

There were too many for us to fight.

We weren’t going to make it.

Fuck that.

I never gave up. My parents had taught me that. I had too much to live for. My friends. My family. And this beautiful, strong woman fighting beside me.

I ripped my last grenade off my belt and tossed it.

Boom.

It exploded, several of the dogs yipped in pain.

But more kept coming.

Then a light speared across the clearing, blinding us.

“About damn time,” Marc said.

The Talon swung into view overhead. The small auto-gun on the front of the quadcopter swiveled and laser fire traced across the monster dogs.

“Let’s go!” I yelled.