Page 64

SASHA

I watched in horror as Rick launched toward the porch, rushing at the innocent children.

“Damn it! Hell no, not the kids,” I snarled, racing toward the porch—it was a battle between who would reach the youngsters first. It would be impossible to aim at this speed with the sniper’s rifle.

I whipped out my handgun and fired at Rick.

He slowed somewhat as he tried to evade my bullets.

It was enough, and I reached the children first. I spun around and hefted my rifle and raised the scope to my eye.

A clawed paw knocked the weapon out of my arms. The children screamed.

Rick’s claws caught my shoulder. I cried out, falling back against the porch railing—my gun flying out of my grasp.

Rick reared onto his hind legs, looming above me, and let out a deafening roar, spittle flying from his maw.

More wails from the children sounded behind me. A quick glance told me they scurried further beneath the porch steps. They cried out to me, one voice peaking above the rest.

“Alpha, please save us!”

Melody…

Fangs went straight for my throat. And my being ignited, thinking about the terrified children. I can’t let them die! I won’t let them die or allow him to harm them!

My inner wolf threw its head back and howled.

All the cells inside my body fired off and lightning whipped through my veins like an electrical storm.

Then, a tearing sensation assaulted my limbs.

Brilliant white light flared, and I slammed my eyes shut.

I heard the snarling sound. Yet, I felt no pain. No flesh tearing from my throat.

I cracked my eyelids open. An audible gasp ripped from my lungs.

An enormous wolf made of light tackled Rick, its hooked fangs in the bear’s throat.

I gaped at the wolf and Rick twisting over each other.

Rick tried to slam the wolf under his weight, crushing it to the earth.

Yet, the wolf remained in its position. Its translucent body held on with grim determination.

A shield of light erupted from the ground at my feet like a wave as it ascended. It moved fast and enveloped me and the children. I reached out with a hesitant hand and tapped on the massive bubble. Electric pulses fanned outward from where my hand made contact, but no shock zapped me.

Rick tore away from the wolf, and a heartbeat later, the bear leaped toward us.

I threw my arms out to shield the children.

An ear-rupturing bang pierced the air as Rick collided with the barrier.

His body ricocheted off it and went sailing into the air.

He hit the ground hard, his sides heaving as vibrations of electricity swept over his massive frame.

With widened eyes, I stared at Rick before eyeing the shield.

It’s a barrier… but where did it come from? What is it made out of?

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled.

I was being watched. My gaze snagged on the lighted wolf.

It stood not too far away from where Rick had landed.

The wolf stared back at me, its tail lifted, ears pricked as if it felt proud.

Waves of pure light radiated from its body, like the solar flares from the sun.

Is it waiting for me to do something?

My memory rushed to the surface of my mind. Damon recounting events to me I did not know of, back in the forest when I had fled the rampaging werebear.

You were dying from a fatal wound, and then you stood up, Damon had said. A wolf glowing of light erupted from you. Your eyes blazed with energy that you controlled with a flick of your hand.

I blinked back at the wolf. It watched and waited, but I raised my arm, staring through to its soul. Then I extended my hand toward the lighted wolf. Fight with me. Protect the pack! I thought, trying to channel my mental request to the wolf.

The wolf paused. Its eyes flashed in acknowledgment, then she dipped her head.

I turned to face a group of my sentinels cornered and outnumbered by four werebears.

My face twisted in a snarl. I flipped my hand in their direction toward the light wolf.

She rocketed across the ground. With a powerful leap, it slammed into the nearest bear, bringing the beast to the ground.

The bear roared in agony as the lighted wolf tore at its flesh in a frenzy.

The bears roared their outrage, advancing on the glowing wolf.

I outstretched my fingers, a silent bid, willing her to engage.

The gigantic wolf whirled around and snarled before leaping onto one of the bear’s—tearing out its throat before bringing down its partner.

More gunfire erupted to my right. I breathed a sigh of relief upon sighting my warriors advancing on the bears, hemming them in. Shots rang out from above, leaving bears falling where they stood. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed the snipers up on the roof.

Hope renewed, I sent my light, shining wolf after a pair of bears that were mauling some of my submissive pack mates.

Movement stirred out of my periphery. My upper lip twisted.

Rick pushed to his paws. A low growl punched up from his throat.

Hate bled from his glowing eyes. With claws extended, he lunged.

The barrier rippled as he launched himself at it.

He bounced off the shield once more, buffeted by the swirling arcs of light.

He howled while rising on his hind legs and slashed at the barrier.

Again and again, he ripped at the shield.

Sweat beaded my brow. My limbs trembled and mounting pain speared my stomach, branching out across my body.

Rick slammed against the barrier again, and a fresh wave of pain lanced through me.

Shit! This shield connects my powers. The idea hit me like a light going off inside my head.

My eyes snapped wide as a thin crack lined across the shield. Rick scraped his claws over the shield again. More fault-lines appeared. They veined together—spreading like spider’s webbing.

The shield is breaking and I can’t allow that!

I strained in desperation, trying to push whatever energy I had into the shield.

Rick’s attacks only intensified. I yelped in pain as the blows against the shield radiated to me in agonizing waves.

By that time, the children were wailing in panic, for they too saw the shield buckling.

By the gleam in Rick’s eyes, so did he. A few more well-aimed strikes and it would shatter.

Heartbeats passed until the shield exploded in a shattering array of light.

Rick leaned back, his lip contorted in wicked satisfaction.

With my heartbeat pounding in my ears, I swallowed before diving for my handgun that lay on the ground.

Rick’s paw flew out, pinning me to the hard ground.

My ribs cracked in protest against his massive weight.

I cried out, blood spewing from my mouth.

Rick’s thoughts entered my mind, using his telepathic ability that the Werekind possessed.

I’m gonna enjoy this, you useless little latent. After I rip you limb from limb, I’ll focus on the children. Hell, maybe I’ll let you watch as I tear their throats out. One. By. One.

Melody’s lower lip trembled. The children whimpered and pressed in closer together. Their bodies seemed too frozen in terror to run. I felt his heated breath fan across the nape of my neck and a graze of fangs. Then nothing .

His weight disappeared off me, and a roaring noise followed.

I coughed and heaved for breath while scrambling to my hands and knees.

I turned around. My brows shot up. Rick battled with another bear.

The newcomer was bigger than Rick—taller and wider.

He slashed Rick’s brow. Deep gouges raked the smaller bear’s head and muzzle.

Then the new bear latched his fangs around Rick’s shoulder and tore a huge chunk of flesh out.

Hot blood sprayed the air. The bear groaned in agony and, after several poor attempts, broke from the bigger grizzly’s hold and wheeled around.

He fled. The enormous grizzly snarled and raced a couple of paces in pursuit of Rick.

Then he paused and faced us. He began lumbering our way.

I reached for my gun, not taking my eyes off the now bigger threat. My fingers encircled the handle. After whipping the weapon around, I aimed. The bear paused, chuffing.

Sasha, don’t shoot. You’re all safe. It’s me.

My jaw slackened. “D-Damon?” I exhaled a long, shaky breath.

The bear lowered his head in a nod.

Rage swelled inside my chest, overflowing like an erupting volcano. I pulled the trigger, hitting Damon in the shoulder. He growled as the bullet blasted into his flesh.

What the hell, Sasha?

“You betrayed us!” I jerked my head toward the carnage. “Look around… You sent your bears here to destroy my pack! I was such an idiot to trust you…”

You believe I’d save your ass if I was intent on killing you and your pack? Think about it, you little idiot!

I paused, my hands lowering somewhat, my mind fast at work.

More groans and roars met my ears. I searched around, glaring at Damon.

Bear fought bear. All along the clearing I watched the grizzlies and black bears launch an assault on the initial bears that had ambushed us in the middle of the night.

I gasped. The bears were retreating, tearing across the camp as they fled into the forest. Damon’s bears charged after them.

My heart ached, the traitorous muscle yearning to believe him.

To trust my fated mate. But an insidious part of me whispered, No bear, nor wolf pack has ever found our camp.

Its position is tucked away near the mountains.

Only Damon has been here and seen our camp during the investigations.

This… this was a trap. Damon commanded his bears to attack us, leaving half his warriors back in reserve to ‘rescue’ what remained of my pack.

This was nothing more than a ploy. I faced Damon, my eyes flaring with fury.

The bullet had worked its way out of his fur before clinking to the ground.

Damon’s eyes shone with such earnestness, but mine narrowed in doubt…

I swear, Sasha, I had nothing to do with this! I didn’t call for an attack on your camp. He growled. I don’t know what the hell is going on. Perhaps the Dark Fae influenced my bears somehow.

My upper lip curved, fangs lengthening. “There was no metallic scent of Dark Fae on them. No dead look in their eyes.” I rose to my feet, holding the gun at my leg.

I threw out my arm to the side. A shimmer of light appeared around the cabins.

The lighted wolf bounded toward us. I made it stop a few feet away.

The wolf bared her fangs at Damon, a menacing howl rumbling from its throat.

Damon turned his enormous head toward the translucent wolf, astonishment playing across his face. But I didn’t believe it for one second.

“Your bears were acting out of their own fucking free will!”

Damon swung a pleading gaze toward me. Sasha, please…

“Get out.” My voice shook, and I steeled myself against the raw pain of betrayal. Damon remained, refusing to move. “Leave!” I shouted at him.

HIs head sagged.

A tremor of grief wracked my body. I bit my lower lip to keep the tears at bay—the taste of blood filling my mouth.

“The only reason I’m letting you live,” I hissed, “is because you’re my wolf’s fated mate. But I will never mate with you… a monster, a bear .”

The light faded in Damon’s eyes. He paused for a long moment before he turned and padded away. His remaining bears that hadn’t given chase fell into step with their alpha. Then I watched until they were nothing more than smudges within the shadows of the forest.

I swallowed past the dry lump of emotion lodged in my throat and the sting of tears behind my eyelids. I refused to shed a single one over Damon.

I’d die first.