A black wolf loped along the bank beside her, a gray one mirrored him on the other side.
Her heart beat fast in her chest, and her skin prickled with unease. Damn it, she’d run out of time.
Maisie snarled in her head.
Hey, anytime you want to take over and shift, be my guest, Brenna snapped, letting years of anger, resentment and disappointment leak into her voice.
Maisie went silent, like she always did.
Fine. Brenna would handle this on her own. She withdrew the long hunter’s knife she’d used on her seatbelt and held it out. If she could convince these hungry wolves she was more trouble than a hearty meal was worth, she might have a chance. Things didn’t look good. She wasn’t useless with a blade, but she wasn’t a warrior, either.
Once again, the ache of loss for something she never had punched her stomach. Without a wolf form, Brenna had no natural defence against someone or something bigger or stronger than her. Intelligence only got her so far.
Good brain. The very best brain, Maisie said.
Did you just talk to my brain like a dog?
Maisie gave a mental shrug.
Her wolf’s cavalier attitude grated Brenna while her own fear threatened to bubble up and explode. She swallowed and pushed the emotions down. It couldn’t help her right now. She couldn’t afford to look more like prey than she already did.
“Get back!” she screeched, her lungs screamed from the cold air. Ice had begun to form on the outside of her face covering.
The wolves hopped toward the trees, but kept their eyes trained on her as they continued to pace beside her.
“I’m armed!”
Really?Maisie yawned.What a ridiculous thing to say.
Any time, Brenna snarled, reminding her wolf of her role in their predicament.
The wolves wouldn’t understand her words, but hopefully the message came across in her tone.
The black one opened its mouth and panted, tongue rolling out a little as if he laughed at her.
Argh.
Sweat lined her winter clothing and her heart raced, but she continued forward. Maybe if she kept yelling at them, she’d make it to the cabin. The cold had soaked to her bones, and her body trembled.
The gray wolf tilted his head back and howled. The pack answered all around her.
Brenna’s scalp prickled. She slipped the backpack from her shoulders, letting it fall into the snow with a wet thump and braced for the attack. The wolves launched from the banks and more streamed from the forest toward her.
This was it. Taken out by real wolves. An ironic and insulting way to go.
The candies were a better option, Maisie said.
Brenna crouched and circled slowly, holding her weapon out, trying to gauge which one would reach her first, which side she should defend.
The wolves snarled and rushed toward her.
And skidded to a stop. Silence settled over the forest as plump snowflakes continued to fall from the angry sky.
A low growl rippled through the air behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose and her heart caught in her throat. Brenna turned around slowly. A massive gray wolf stood behind her, his large head a foot from hers. Power radiated from his dense fur. This close and downwind, she should’ve picked up his scent, but her nose was past the point of numb. It didn’t matter. His size and power told her two important things.
Werewolf.
Alpha.
