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A TV turned on, drowning out any noise and giving Payne an opportunity to ease the window open. Anna came over then and used Payne’s thigh to boost herself up and through the window. I pushed aside a spurt of envy at how easy she made it look as she ducked inside. She treaded lightly over to a bed where the boys huddled together sleeping. She woke Monster first, a gentle shake as she held her fingers to her lips. He immediately glanced around, searching, and I waved at him from the window. A huge smile creased his face when he saw me, and I had to swallow the lump that formed in my throat.

She gestured for him to remain and then carefully picked up a still sleeping Nicky. She carried him to the window and handed him off to Payne, who cradled him to his chest. When she turned to go back for Monster though, she found him standing behind her, his own movements so stealthily she hadn’t heard him approach. She shot me a wary glance and I shrugged. He wasn’t exactly known for obeying.

He clambered over the windowsill and before I could decide if I was strong enough to catch him, Dylan plucked him from the window and hugged him like a doll.

Anna swung her leg over the window and lithely jumped down, her landing a barely noticeable thump. Dom’s head swung over us, his yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness. He padded past, leading us back the way we had come. Anna followed him, Payne next with Nicky, then me with Dylan taking the rear, Monster clinging to his back like a monkey.

The continued silence grated on my nerves as I kept glancing over my shoulder to make sure Dylan and Monster were there. We only had to hide once as a Hanley crossed our path and then we were back under the cover of the forest.

I took my first deep breath since we’d started and reached for Monster. He came to me, wrapping spindly legs around my hips as I hugged him tightly. Dom came around, bumping me as he indicated we should continue moving. I nodded, squeezing Monster again before setting him down.

Dom took the lead as Monster held my hand, guiding me through the underbrush. A flicker of movement caught my eye and my heart jolted until I recognized Trent’s multihued fur. He kept pace beside us for a minute before disappearing again. Dylan trailed behind us, his steps surprisingly silent considering his size and I had to check often to make sure he kept pace.

We’d spread out, moving slower with the addition of the boys, and I couldn’t see Dom at all, his black fur blending into the shadows completely. A sharp rustle in the underbrush was the only warning we had as a lean wolf darted out, his entire focus on Anna and her defenseless back. I opened my mouth to cry out a warning when another wolf leapt into view, snarling as he crashed into the wolf targeting Anna. I recognized Trent as Nicky woke up at the sudden noise and started to cry. Payne quickly shushed him but it was too late.

Another wolf stalked into view and I put myself in front of Monster, missing the man coming up behind us. Monster’s hand slipped from mine and I reached for it frantically, my gaze glued to the approaching wolf. Snapping jaws forced me to spin around and I stumbled back as Dom lunged on the man who’d snuck up behind us. My distraction was all the other wolf needed as he prepared to attack.

Payne had dragged Anna out of the way, as Trent continued to fight the wolf who’d initially scented her. Some of her hair had spilled from the beanie and I saw the air shimmer around her right before a howl drew my attention back to the wolf targeting me. Fear coursed through me, both at the fact that he was about to come in for the kill and because he’d warned the rest of the Hanley pack of our presence. Dom was busy with the human who’d tried to attack me, dodging a knife as he went for the man’s legs.

I scrambled backwards, away from the wolf who watched me with hungry eyes, as I tried to grab the gun I’d brought with me. I couldn’t feel it though as I checked the waistband of my jeans where I’d tucked it when we’d left the motel. I patted the ground frantically, wondering if it had fallen out when I’d hit the ground. My fingertips brushed cold metal right as Monster shouted, “Dylan!”

I froze as a wolf rivaling the size of Dom appeared. It took my mind a minute to catch up as the wolf’s rounded eyes focused on Monster a second before he attacked. I rocked back as he lunged, my arm hitting Monster and bringing him to the ground as we fell on top of the gun I’d been searching for.