The silence that follows is deafening.
And then it’s not.
I feel Morgan’s scream in my fucking bones.
We might not be bonded, but my wolf reacts on instinct, rushing to the surface so fast the shift takes me by surprise in a way it hasn’t inyears. I stumble, struggling to adjust to the sudden change in my centre of gravity, and it’s only Jet grabbing me that stops me tripping over my own fucking paws.
Cal joins him, the pair of them somehow pinning me in place, and the roar barrels out of me, scaring birds in the surrounding trees. In the back of my mind, I know that making noise is the last thing I should be doing, but I don’t care about anything but getting to Morgan and stopping whoever the fuck is causing him pain.
There’s another beat of unnatural silence in a forest that should be teeming with life, then mocking laughter echoes through the trees.
“I know you’re out there, Harper,” Birch shouts. “Why don’t you come and say hello.”
“Lynx,” Cal snaps. “Calm the fuck down and shift back.Now.”
No.
I turn and snap at him, intentionally missing his hands, but not by much. He doesn’t flinch, and he doesn’t loosen his grip on me either. I’m both amazed and furious they’re managing to hold me back when I’m putting my whole body weight into pushing forward towards Birch.
Towards Morgan.
I snarl again and that fucking laughter rings out once more.
I want to rip his throat out and tear him into so many pieces his own pack won’t recognise him.
“Shift back,” Cal tries again. “Rushing in there like this could get them all killed.”
That stops me in my tracks, breaking through the red haze clouding my mind.
I shift back before it takes over again.
Neither Cal nor Jet relinquish their hold on me; they only adjust their grip.
“Our people are on their way.” Cal snarls. “Wait for fucking backup.”
“He won’t stop,” I hiss.
“If he was going to kill them, he’d have done it already.”
Maybe, but I can’t risk it.
I won’t.
“Don’t make me hurt him again, Harper,” Birch threatens, and my lip curls back over teeth that remain inhuman. “It’s no fun when they don’t fight back.”
“Motherfucker,” Jet curses, eyes meeting Callum’s, and I sense the change in their scents before they drop their hands from my arms.
I guess we’re not waiting now.
Cal shoves a pair of jeans at me. “Let’s go.”
We make it almost to the clearing when Morgan screams again. It’s long and drawn out, the shocked gasps of Beth and Flint followed immediately by roars of outrage. The sight that meets me through the trees stops me cold.
I’m aware of Jet and Cal beside me, saying something, but it’s white noise in my ears.
Birch lifts his head from Morgan’s neck, fangs coated a sickening dark red, and he fucking grins as he meets my gaze.
The scent of it hits me and my whole world collapses.
