Page 81 of The Tracker's Revenge

“If only there had been more blood left in the cup,” he mumbled to himself.

My thoughts cartwheeled for a bit until I understood what he meant. He and Bernadetta hadn’t created these hybrids before the coven temple. He had made them after he escaped, using the blood left in the cup.

At last, Stephen’s frustration seemed to get the best of him. “Dammit! I’m gonna kill you, Knight.” Then, turning to Marlowe, “Let’s find him.”

To my surprise, Stephen threw down his weapon, cracked his neck, and shifted.

In an instant, a russet-colored wolf stood in his place. At the sight of his animal, my fury roiled, and it took all of my willpower not to attack.

They will tear you to pieces, Red,my human instincts hissed, trying to prevail over Red’s desire to make mincemeat out of that traitor. One paw moved forward involuntarily.

Red!I chided, cutting a glance in the hybrids’ direction, a reminder that there was more than Stephen and Marlowe to deal with.

Marlowe shifted next, then the two wolves headed west, away from me.

I expected the hybrids to run after them, but they just stood there like statues, unmoving and expressionless. My thoughts reeled as I tried to decide what to do. Should I keep looking for Jake? It didn’t seem like a good idea. For all I knew, he was already miles away from here. Leaving would’ve been the smart thing to do. Except, when I heard a rustling of bushes behind me and I whirled, my hackles standing on end, I discovered he was still here.

Jake’s massive wolf blinked at me. Nearly jumping for joy, I walked to him, pressed the side of my face against his, and sighed in relief. The touch of his fur against mine was electrifying. A low purr rumbled in his chest, then he pulled away and gave me a critical glare with those silver eyes.

“What are you doing here?”He demanded, his alpha thoughts ramming into mine. I took two steps back and stretched to my full height, which was barely enough to get my eyes to the level of his thick neck. I let my own alpha power flow forward. I would not be intimidated by him.

“You’re stupid if you thought I wouldn’t come looking for you.”

He huffed, blowing air through his nose, then moved his focus toward the stiff hybrids behind me. He scanned the area critically, his posture tensing by degrees as he evaluated the situation. Suddenly, he shook his big head as if angry at some realization, then an urgent thought sliced through me.

“Run!”He nudged me in the direction of the road. I hesitated for a moment, not understanding his panic, then, as a shape materialized from behind a thicket of brush to our right, I understood.

I had screwed up. I had, somehow, made my presence known to Stephen.

Chapter 27

The russet wolf slunkcloser, his head low, his teeth bared. At a shake of his head, a second shape appeared to our left. Marlowe. He looked as menacing as Stephen did, and for a moment, I was almost intimidated by them, then realized...

They’re no match for us.

Of course, that was Red talking, the human side of me wasn’t so sure. Because, clearly, Red had forgotten about the hybrids.