Everything was quiet on the Clarkson front. A little too quiet, if you asked me. It was almost like the calm before the storm. I knew they were preparing their strike. We all did. The more time that passed without anything happening, the more tense we all became.
Then, when the hit did come, it didn’t land where we’d been expecting it.
Reid wasn’t targeted.
Chester was.
Just as with Reid’s place, Chester’s had been protected by myself, Finn, Logan, and Calan.
Which meant we all felt it the instant Clyde crossed the wards.
I was just leaving my parents’ place when the alarm surged through me. I shifted before my next breath, letting the ground vanish under my feet as I tore through the woods.
Three other wolves appeared in the night beside me, racing in from different directions. Finn took point, pushing harder than all of us to get to his mate’s side.
They weren’t mated yet, but we all knew that was where it was heading. Without a bond though, Chester was vulnerable.
I pushed down my fear as I chased after Finlay, driving my muscles harder than ever before. We had to get there in time. We had to.
We wouldn’t let Finn grieve another love.
As we drew near, we caught glimpses Chester’s house through the trees. Clyde was outside.
With Chester.
That was when the details registered. My heart jumped into my throat as I reacted instinctively.
By jumping onto Finlay’s back.
I wasn’t the only one. Logan landed a split second later, our combined weight pinning the frantic wolf to the ground.
Calan skidded to a halt in front of us, shifting back to his human form. His eyes were wild and furious, his hands spread wide. “Finn, stop.”
Finn snarled, thrashing as he tried to throw us off. I understood. I completely did. If Reid had been the one inChester’s place right now, I’d be reacting exactly the same. He wanted to charge in to save him.
But in doing so, he might lose him.
“Finlay,” Calan said urgently, grabbing his brother by the scruff of his neck. “Snap out of it. Clyde’s got Chester by the throat. If you go charging in, he’ll snap his neck before you can get close enough to stop it.”
Finlay whimpered as Calan’s words sank in. As he realised precisely why we’d intervened.
I released him, transforming in the same moment Logan did. My human eyes weren’t as sharp as my wolf’s, but I could see the terror on Chester’s face as plain as day.
Beside me, I knew Logan was clocking the same thing. “Motherfucker. How fucking dare he?”
Finn was the last to transform, his bones protesting the shift as his wolf fought him for control. “We need to save Chester at all costs. Calan, what’s the plan?”
Calan’s calculating gaze swept over the two on the banks of the loch, noting every detail. As the pack enforcer, this was his area of expertise; something I didn’t envy him for. He was trained to assess risks and determine the most efficient way to eliminate them. “Clyde’s going to use Chester as a human shield. We need to separate them.”
My stomach flipped. Calan was right. Whatever Clyde’s play here was, he was going to use Chester to achieve it.
“Evan, take the roof,” Calan said in clipped tones. “On Finn’s signal, take him down from above. I’ll sneak into Chester’s house and go through the window.” He pointed at Logan. “Shift and approach from the rear. Don’t let him hear you.”
Logan rolled his eyes. I knew that in any other situation, he’d be reminding Calan just how silent he could be in the sassiest way possible.
But there was too much riding on this for flippancy.
“Finn.” Calan grabbed his brother by the shoulder. “Hold it together, okay? We’re going to save him. Just keep Clyde talking long enough for us to get into position.”
