“Piece of crap mousetrap,” Igrumbled.
Matt stirred, and I jumped behind the wild rose bush. They weren’t dense enough to shield me, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. The thorns felt like piranha teeth against my skin. I plucked them out, letting out a slew of choice words. Compared to the pain radiating inside my bones, being a human pincushion was peanuts, but still. A twig breaking had me snapping my gaze up, straight into a set of no longer glassyeyes.
I blinked dumbly at Matt. His paw dragged, yet he was already up!How?
Remembering I was naked, I spun around, willing fur to cloak my curves. I squinted so hard that anyone passing by would think me constipated. Thankfully, besides Matt, no one was evenaround.
When I felt a wet muzzle on the knobs of my hunched spine, I almost jumped out of my skin. “Goaway!”
Matt made a noise my human ears couldn’t decipher. And then he released a soft wail that made my skinpebble.
Notpebble.
Change.
His howl made me changeback.
Once cloaked in fur, I turned and nodded to the paw.Can youwalk?
Notwell.
Want to stay here while I go gethelp?
And let youwin?
My shoulders locked up. Hulk’s competitive streak had apparently not suffered from the snare.You’re going to win anyway. I broke the rules,remember.
To helpme.
Still, Ichanged.
I swear he rolled his eyes at me.Come on, LittleWolf.
I snorted, which earned me an amused sideways glance. We began to limp down the hill. Where Matt no longer whimpered, I did, and I felt absolutely no shame.I feel like I crawled through a garbagecompacter.
Your back is one solidbruise.
There goes wearing most of my wardrobe inpublic.
Wolves didn’t laugh, and yet Matt made a sound that sounded almost like a chuckle. And then he asked how I’d gotten the bruise, and I told him about therockslide.
Even though we moved at a slow pace, we moved nonetheless. Soon we’d reached the trees. I caught the scent of cigar and cedar. It wasstrong.
Almost there,Matt said, limping besideme.
A slash of red broke through the greenery. It flapped around Eric’swrist.
I can’t believe we made it,Iwhispered.
Figures shifted through the trees like ghosts. I recognized Liam and Lucas and Cole and countlessothers.
Matt faltered beside me, then landed with a hardthump.
I stopped walking.Come on, Hulk, getup.
Hewhined.
I shoved my muzzle against his furry shoulder.Getup.
