The shifter didn’t respond verbally, but backed up until his tail was brushing against me. I didn’t know who he was, just that he wasn’t one of the inner circle.
Fuck, I hope they’re on their way.
“Go get help,” I urged him, my hand scrabbling behind me as I searched for the door handle. Being in the car probably wouldn’t save me, but maybe it’d slow them down. “Don’t stay here. You’ll get yourself killed.”
He might have been a wolf, but there was no mistaking the withering glare he gave me. He backed up even closer, his message clear.
He wasn’t going anywhere.
That was when I saw them.
Jaguars.
There were five. My stomach flipped as I recognised each of them. All deadly warriors. Some of them related to me.
I doubted that would save me.
The wolf didn’t wait for them to get close. He attacked with a snarl, his haunches bunching as he launched himself towards them.
A jaguar fell almost immediately, blood spraying liberally.
Problem was, there were still four more. Four more who immediately circled him.
I cried out as he disappeared under them. More blood was flying, whimpers proving that the jaguars’ teeth and claws were finding their marks.
Then, a desperate howl pierced the night. It came from my guard; the brave soul who was sacrificing himself for me. It drove me forwards, stumbling through puddles of blood as I raced for the mass of shifters.
“Stop,” I cried out desperately. “I’m here. I’m right here! You don’t need to hurt him. Stop,please.”
Were those more howls in the distance? Or was it just my wishful thinking?
Three jaguars split away from the wolf and shifted. As they did so, my eyes fell on the body on the floor. On the wolf who wasn’t moving.
My heart leaped into my throat.Please don’t be dead.
I forced my eyes away from him to the approaching shifters. I knew them all. Neil, Martha, and Gavin.
None of them had liked me when we were kids. I doubted anything had changed since then.
“Hullo, Reid,” Neil said, shooting me a sinister grin. “Long time no see.”
“It’s very rude,” Gavin said as they drew nearer. “Running out on your family like that.”
Martha gave me a patronising smile. “It’s a good thing we’re here to take you home.”
I backed up fast, my shoulders colliding with my car. Tears filled my eyes as my worst nightmare came true. “Please. Neil, you don’t want to do this.”
He snarled, malice in his eyes. “Yes. I do.”
Desperate, I turned to Martha, trying to appeal to herbetter nature. “Martha, please. I’m your cousin. Please don’t take me back there.”
Saliva hit my face. “You’renothingto me other than an embarrassing aberration.”
Welp. Guess she didn’t have a better nature.
I raised my hand automatically to wipe her spit away. I’d just lowered it when another wave of liquid hit me.
Blood.
