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My knuckles no sooner brush the earth and they’re ensnared in the hot muzzle of the animal who rescued me.
Too bad my poor tailbone is still bouncing across the gravel.
A shot goes off too close. Then another. That one hits the creature dragging me beneath it. With a whimper, it collapses on me, crushing me under its huge body. Popping in my chest reverberates through my ears as my ribs break in its dying thrashing.
Shit.
I can’t breathe.
With my arms still tangled in its mouth, they’re pulled above my head as the air seeps from my lungs.
Bursts of light explode behind my eyes. Being suffocated by the huge carcass of an ally wasn’t on my agenda for today.
The noises of battle fade. A pink hue starts to form on the edges of my vision as I gasp emptily at fur.
It’s nice and warm here.
Quiet.
Relaxing.
Feeling filters out of my limbs, but in an easy, radiant way. A nest of heat pulls in all the straws from my arms and legs and coils it in my chest.
Like drifting on a breeze, I feel myself fading into peace.
The weight lifts.
A shuddering breath fills my lungs and my ribs shift into place with a pinch.
One amber eye narrows and stares into mine, inches from my nose.
“Lucky. I’m so happy to see you.” His thick fur feels like heaven on my tingling fingers.
“Grab.” His rough voice coughs out the order as he ducks his broad head.
I dig in and knot my hands in the long guard hairs as he slings me to my feet. He’s half carrying, half dragging me toward the closest gate.
More guns go off.
Wait, did I just see a human fall? Did they get shot?
Who’s shooting?
Three more dogs gather around us, but we’re pushed to the edge of the dam closest to the lake. In the darkness, it seems like a void into space beyond the lip.
One of my pack goes down. It takes three men almost their entire magazines.
I’m slowing the wolves, they’re matching their pace with Lucky.
Another falls.
“Get to safety!” I let go, my legs give out as I land.
Damned restraints.
Two more shots that sound far away make a man cry out and tumble to the ground.
It must be Alpha. He said once he was in the military before he changed.