The second the wolf's dead body reaches the ground, I become fair game. Most of the pack ignore Leena and come after me.
“Leena, get out of here.” The wolves block my view of her, coming at me from all sides. I do my best to stay in the fight, but it's clear that I'm being overwhelmed.
I throw my heavy fists around, bludgeoning them, but I'm under too much pressure to transform freely.
Some wolves get close enough to breach my skin, sinking their fangs into me as deep as they can go. I try my best to break free, but the number of wolves that keep coming is too much.
Suddenly, I'm hit with a force that sends the wolves around me to the dirt. Leena appears, baring her claws. I watch as her eyes glow. She begins to attack the wolves as best as she can.
“What are you doing?”
“I'm not going to leave you,” she promises, rushing to my side. We stand facing opposite directions as the wolves that are still alive gather themselves.
The adrenaline pumping through my veins doesn't feel like it's enough to keep me going fully, but I don't have a choice. “Leena, if things end here, I want you to know that—”
“No, don't do that. Tell me when we're out of here—safely.”
“It's a promise.”
The fight is absolutely brutal. The wolves take advantage of my multiple injuries, attacking where I'm weakest. I yell in pain as blood begins to blur my vision.
Leena stays close to me, but also begins to get overwhelmed by the continuous attacks that come our way.
I drop to the ground, turning to see Leena already in a heap. A wolf tries to go for her throat, but I growl at it, jumping forward to scare it.
I'm hit in the side, landing me on the ground. I crawl toward my mate, longing for the warmth of her body. She doesn't move, but I can still hear her breathing gently as she tries her best to cling to life.
A painful yell explodes from my throat, driving the wolves back a little. They pause, confused by the sudden outburst, but this is the sort of surprise that they get over quickly.
They circle us again, but just as the first one attacks, it's sent flying into a tree. Graham appears in his human form, towering over the wolves. They hardly have time to recover before Nate enters the fray.
Both of them make short work of the wolves that are still brave enough to try and have a taste. The ones who aren't that courageous live to fight another day.
Graham and Nate rush to my side. “Are you okay?” Nate asks. “Shit, we should have come sooner.”
“Get us out of here,” I instruct. The pair obeys immediately, with Nate helping me to my feet while Graham picks Leena up from the ground. I fight the urge to take her from him, but that'll only slow us down.
“Wait—the hunters,” I state.
“Hunters?” Graham asks. “You fought hunters?”
I walk toward Leena, who collapses right into my arms. My eyes are on her when I speak. “I killed them.”
We hear more voices coming from the direction of the pack house. Jackson and the twins appear, rushing to help as well.
I try to carry Leena, but only end up stumbling again. The twins move to support me on either side while Jackson takes over and carries my mate.
“Get the bodies,” I tell Graham and Nate. “They may be useful.”
Both men nod and head into the woods while the rest of us finally make our way back to safety.
Chapter 23
LEENA
I fight the urge to sleep just a little more. As I roll around in the bed, pain moves through me the same way blood does.
“Ugh…” I groan, writhing uncomfortably. The soft mattress beneath me isn't something I've felt in a long time, and that's what finally gives me the willingness to open my eyes.
