Pain explodes through me, my own howls ringing through the woods as Sarah’s labored breathing starts to slow down.
No, no, no…
I won’t let her die. She and Reese need to have at least one sex injury or break a wall. We haven’t had a chance to have our pancake date yet. I want to get to know Reese’s mate, to see him have pups.
He’s waited so long for this. He was so scared he wouldn’t find his mate. The only thing worse than that would be for his mate to be killed before they have ever had a chance to fully get to know each other.
I won’t fucking let her die.
I tap into that rage, the determination, and push through the pain. Somehow, I manage to escape their clutches, turning my attention to the closest wolf I can find.
I’m fast, managing to grab a hold of his back leg and yanking it in the opposite direction. A yelp stammers out and I waste no time in crushing my teeth through the bone, feeling it crunch in my jaw.
Toppling over, I just manage to rip a chunk of flesh out of his ass before the other wolf tackles me. It’s not enough to kill his friend, but it incapacitates him momentarily, giving me a fighting chance at getting Sarah and I out alive.
I can do this. It’s practically one-on-one now.
If I can go toe-to-toe with Beta Alix, I can surely handle this dickhead. Injuries will heal, I can recover tomorrow. But you know what you can’t recover from?
Death.
Dr. Madison is good, but she’s notthatgood to bring me back from the grave. Plus, you know, the whole if I die the world is doomed thing…
Just a minor issue. No pressure at all.
The two of us attack with energy and force, chunks of fur flying as the stench of blood lingers heavily in the air.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’m vaguely aware that someone is calling my name. The rational part of my brain knows it’s Alpha Daxton, but at this point, I’m entirely focused on keeping Sarah alive. His voice is nothing more than faint background noise.
Still, hope blossoms for a split second. As my leg screams in pain and I choke on blood—mine and theirs—I realize it means help is coming. I just have to hold on a little longer.
Alpha Daxton is fast. He always turns up in the nick of time. Beta Alix is probably right behind him, and now that I’ve basically taken out two of the three wolves, this will be over the moment they arrive.
I just have to hold on…
Just a little bit more.
A few seconds longer.
Snap.
There’s a loud pop and cracking noise as my body tumbles to the ground in a harrowing manner, a howl ripping from Mira before I can attempt to mute it. In the black abyss, I’m screaming too, mimicking her roaring.
Intense, agonizing pain shoots through my entire body, making the wound on my leg feel like a papercut. It’s easily the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my entire life, and for the first time since Reese violently awoke me with his cries for help, I forget about everything entirely.
All I can focus on is the blinding, torturous agony that’s wrecking my whole body. Nothing else exists around me.
I beg and plead through my internal screams to make it stop.
To my horror, even more pain ignites and shoots through my body. Under the dark sky, I’m blinded by white as stars explode in my vision, but I’m eerily aware of what’s happening.The horrible, familiar feeling of sharp teeth piercing my skin registers as the wolf snaps at me repeatedly.
But I can’t move.
Even through the pain, I’m stuck, limbs lifeless. I can’t even cower or curl into a ball at some futile attempt to protect myself. I’m completely paralyzed.
Oh, my fucking Goddess. This is it.
It was all for nothing.
