A couple of wolves pile onto me, but Kiran throws himself on his back, rolling over them before jumping up and using anopening to dash past them and towards a strong-looking wolf who is currently battling it out with Maddox. It must be the angry dude, the one who attacked us first. Definitely a high-ranking wolf!
With a loud growl, Kiran claws his sides, successfully getting him off Maddox. Maddox’s wolf nods at Kiran, immediately jumping behind him to keep his back free from attackers.
Yeah, not sure how much longer we can keep this up. Dad did say that help is on the way, and we are not too far from Silverlake, so maybe-
A loud screeching sound startles all of us for a moment.
Kiran’s eyes wander upwards, spotting a small bird fluttering towards us. It looks like Tiger. Wait… itisTiger! Did that tiny bird just make that loud, screeching sound? I can barely wrap my mind around what Gwen’s pet-bird is doing here when it suddenly swoops downwards, opens its beak, and a long tongue shoots forward, wrapping around one of the wolves who is currently trying to bite Maddox’s back.
Tiger’s beak grows, sharp little teeth appearing before she pulls her tongue, with the wolf wrapped in it, back up, and swallows it!
“Felix!” Another voice yells.
That’s Arden!
A car halts with screeching tires right behind the huge tree trunk. In the blink of an eye, Aurelia is jumping out of it, shifting and lunging into the group of wolves. Now, she is a different force to be reckoned with. She is well-trained and has some insanely powerful gifts, and she is not scared to jump into battle.
Together with Tiger in her monster form, it’s obvious she has the upper hand.
Maddox shifts to his human form. “They are running,” he exclaims.
He is right. The group splits into several directions and runs for their lives. “I will go after them,” Maddox yells.
Arden grabs his arm. “No,” he says shortly. “You are hurt!”
I will follow them. We just need one of them to tell us what they know!Aurelia links me, before taking off with Tiger right behind her.
“Felix,” Arden says. “Aurelia, has it covered. It’s okay.”
It amazes me how cool he is with her putting herself into danger, but then I guess that’s the price of being mated to an alpha. It’s the same for Marius. He doesn’t like Celine getting into danger, but he also knows she has to. He has faith in her and her abilities, just like Arden does with Aurelia.
Kiran hands me back control, allowing me to shift back. “Are you okay?” Arden asks, immediately walking over to me.
“Just some scratches,” I reassure him.
Maddox is holding his side, a wound there is bleeding profusely. “You were great, Felix. Thank you. I’d have no chance without you.”
“I’d say we helped each other,” I point out. “Just someone, please tell me if I just imagined Tiger morphing into a wolf-eating creature?”
“No, I saw it too,” Maddox mutters.
“Me too.” Arden stares in the direction Aurelia and Tiger disappeared to before turning his head to his car. There on the car roof, is Titan sitting proud and regal like always, and simply looking at us. “Birds of a feather, I guess,” Arden mutters.
I could swear that Titan frowns at his words, but I might be losing my mind. Who knows?
Arden makes Maddox and me sit down, handing us spare clothes, before he checks on Maddox’s wound. “It’s not too deep,” he says. “But still, someone should definitely stitch you up.”
“Arden, they were following us all along,” I tell him. “Probably from when we left the pack.”
“Right.” Maddox frowns. “They were also expecting someone else in the car.”
“Gwen,” I mutter. “Probably Gwen.”
Arden’s head snaps up. “Damn it,” he huffs. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Felix. I promise you. Elden is already on his way, and let’s hope that Aurelia returns with her prey.”
He is right. Not twenty minutes later, a second car rolls up to us. In it, I not only spot my father but also Gwen, instant warmth filling me when she jumps out of the car and rushes towards me.
Right behind her, I can see Charlie, looking equally worried, as she runs towards Maddox. Well, judging by her panicked expression, it seems like things aren’t too hopeless for him.
