Page 35 of Midnight Hunt (Wolves of Midnight #4)

34

GRIFF

I hit the ground hard, the thin layer of snow absorbing some of the impact. Seconds later, four more booms shook the earth.

As Kolton, Jagger, Mason, and Reid straightened from the fall, I was already moving. I’d seen her from up above. Seen the male bite into her neck. And I’d nearly lost it. The four other males in the helicopter had to stop me from jumping out too soon and blowing our cover. A few more helicopters were on their way, but I hadn’t been able to wait any longer.

The magic that bound us together was thrumming loudly, practically shouting that I’d finally reached my destination. Reached her . But I wasn’t quite there yet.

Several feet still separated us, and I quickly ate up the distance, my sights solely set on her. All around me, chaos ensued, but I didn’t pay it any heed. The others would take care of it.

My mission—my only mission—was her.

As I raced toward her, Vi cried out my name and stumbled forward. I picked up speed, my heart in my throat as she came nearer and nearer. A few more feet, and we collided. I immediately crushed her to me, holding her impossibly tight. When I felt her warmth seep through my clothing, I cried out in relief and crashed to my knees in the snow.

Her body shook against mine, her tears saturating my shirt. I finally let my own tears fall, the nightmare I’d been trapped in for the past day slowly fading away. Rocking her in my arms, I whispered over and over, “I got you, baby. I got you.”

I allowed myself to rock her for another few moments, but when several more booms shook the ground, I rose to my feet and tucked her against me. A quick glance around the clearing showed that many of the rogue males had scattered like cowards, not willing to face the growing army of alphas.

“Don’t let them reach the compound. They left their weapons out front,” Vi said, and I was so relieved to hear her speak that my knees weakened again.

“Kolton,” I called and quickly relayed the message. Several alphas from different packs took off after the retreating rogues, including my brother. The rest stayed to fight the males still in the clearing. Many had already been killed, though, probably from fighting each other or the females. A few females were injured, but I couldn’t see any dead ones.

Noticing that Desirae had been bitten too, I watched as Reid slowly approached her. She was gripping a device in her trembling hands, but when he held out a hand toward her, she dropped it and hurried over to him.

As he enveloped her in a hug, Vi hummed and said, “That could work, actually.”

I glanced down at her in surprise. “Are you matchmaking right now?”

She shrugged. “Maybe.” Then, “Your entrance was a little showy, don’t you think?”

I cracked a smile. “We needed the element of surprise. There are traps and alarm systems all around the perimeter. It’s like Fort Knox up here. Bill Andrews and several other SCA operatives are dismantling them right now. Good thing you were all out here tonight. Rescuing you was almost too easy.”

Vi scoffed. “That’s because the other females and I already did most of the work. We were just about to shift and gain the upper hand right before you arrived.”

“Are you saying you didn’t even need rescuing?”

She shrugged again. “Not really, but I’m still glad you’re here.”

As she tipped up her face to smile at me, I wiped away a lingering tear on her cheek. “I was so scared,” I whispered.

“Me too,” she whispered back, her chin quivering.

I lowered my head to softly kiss her lips, and she sighed against my mouth.

A throat from nearby impatiently cleared. “All right, you two. We’re still not done here,” Jagger said. “What do you want me to do with this dirtbag?”

I glanced up and immediately locked eyes with the bastard who’d bitten Vi. Now that she was safe, my fury from earlier returned with a vengeance.

Kill him , Whiskey said with finality.

As much as I wanted to tear him limb from limb for marking my mate, I glanced down at Vi again and said, “It’s your call.”

She looked over at the male and tapped her chin in thought before saying, “Toss him in a cell and let him rot for all I care. He’s a slimy worm and doesn’t deserve to see the light of day again.”

The male pulled his lip back in a silent snarl. “I see now why you have such a mouth on you, spitfire. The males in your life never taught you to heel.”

Oh, he did not just say that. Let me at ‘im , Whiskey growled, fighting with me for control.

I almost let him take over, beyond furious now. My eyes must have started to glow yellow, because the male suddenly lost some of his bravado, his gaze wavering.

“Say what you want, old man,” Vi spoke up before anyone else could. “Your pack is gone, and you won’t be mistreating females ever again. Your short reign of terror has ended.”

He was noticeably trembling now, and when he saw Kolton approaching our group, he looked at me and barked, “I claimed her. She smells like me now, not you. If you want her back, you’ll have to fight me for her. Fair is fair.”

“Gladly,” I replied, letting go of Vi so I could whip off my shirt. “I accept your challenge. Give me your best shot, gramps.”

Whiskey howled with glee, surging up so quickly that fur erupted over my chest and arms.

The male’s eyes widened, unmistakable fear flickering in their depths. I grinned at him, revealing my lengthened canines.

“Show off,” Vi muttered under her breath, and my grin broadened.

“This fight needs to be fair ,” the male said, clearly starting to lose his nerve. “Fight me as a man, not as a beast.”

“ Fair? ” Vi snapped, taking a step toward him. As she did, I noticed that several of the other females had come closer to watch the spectacle. Whiskey puffed up his chest, pleased to have an audience. “Was it fair when you tore these females from their homes? Was it fair when you put collars on them and threatened them with violence to force their submission? Was it fair when you sent a feral pack of males after them to claim and rape them?”

At that last part, I couldn’t hold back a growl. Stepping forward, I pulled Vi back against me, needing to feel her before I completely lost it and took the male’s head off.

“No, Atticus,” she continued, drawing more and more females over with each bravely spoken word. “You don’t deserve fair after all that you’ve done. So either face my mate—my alpha mate, by the way—or run like the coward you are. If you choose to run, we’ll give you a head start. But the second you’re out of sight, we’re coming for you. How’s that for fair?”

When she was finished, one of the females loudly cheered. Another joined in, and soon, they were all hooting and hollering, even Desirae.

Vi glanced at them with a wide smile, then turned back to Atticus and said, “That’s your cue, old man. Fight or run. The choice is yours.”

He stared at the teeming crowd, not a single one of his pack members in sight. Took one last look at me. And then . . .

He turned tail and bolted.