The puppies were barking and whining in the truck and Carter could hear them. Did they feel the hyenas close by? Hear them? The loud cries broke Carter’s heart. Making getting to them and keeping them safe priority one.
Okay. He could do this. Help was on the way. Carter just needed to get to his truck.
The hyenas spread out around him.
Carter lengthened his stride so that he would reach his truck faster. The biggest hyena seemed to be ready to strike.
The hyena crouched down on his back legs.
Carter counted. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
Just as the hyena launched himself toward Carter, he ducked and raced to the back passenger door of his truck. He yanked open the door and threw himself inside before slamming the door closed and locking it. A heavy body crashed against the door but Carter had made it inside. He fumbled with his phone, dropping it under the seat.
Shit! He tried to reach down to retrieve his phone, but the hyenas’ snarls and growling made him think twice. He needed to warn Aaron though. People were coming. Hudson would be with the fire department. Had he led innocent humans to the slaughter? Guilt settled into his gut. Carter didn’t know what else to do.
Straining to reach his phone, Carter cried out in triumph when he found the small device and sat up. His truck was surrounded now. He could drive off except that would leave the hyenas to attack whoever showed up first.
‘Hyena pack,’Carter sent to Aaron.
‘Are you okay?’
‘Made it to truck,’Carter sent.‘They are surrounding us.’
‘Almost there.’
Hopefully Aaron and whoever was with him would beat the fire department. Carter was still worried about the fire but that was less of an issue now when his brother could be attacked. Scrambling into the front seat, which wasn’t easy with him being such a big guy. The puppies were still crying and whimpering.
“It’s okay, little ones,” Carter cooed to them. “It’s okay.”
Legolas was barking and chewing at the front of the carrier. Arwen had wedged her way into the back of the carrier with Aragon blocking most of her tiny body with his larger one.
A bike engine approaching caught his attention just before one of the hyenas leapt onto the hood of his truck. Carter laid on his horn, hoping to capture the attention of the bike driver. And it wouldn’t suck if he scared the hyena away.
Instead of being scared, the hyena dragged his long claws over the paint of Carter’s truck. Huge gashes left behind had Carter narrowing his eyes.
“Fucker!” Carter shouted. He was pretty sure that his insurance wouldn’t cover shifter damage. He snorted. That wasnot a helpful thought. Funny though. He could just picture the insurance adjuster getting a report about shifter claws on his hood.
The hyena leaned against the windshield, baring his teeth and dripping saliva onto the glass.
“Fuck you,” Carter yelled. He really wished that he had his gun. Or any weapon.
The hyena laughed. His fangs gleamed in the sunlight. This was a brazen attack in the middle of the day. Aaron had been right. These shifters were dangerous. Where was his help?
Since he was pretty useless in this situation, Carter settled for glaring at the shifter. The truck started to rock as it was hit from every side by big heavy bodies. Using his mirrors, Carter watched the other five animals before the hyena on the hood began to hit the windshield with his paw.
“It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay,” Carter told the puppies, who were really barking up a fuss now. Carefully, he moved the carrier from the passenger seat onto the floorboard. He didn’t want his little ones to be injured if the hyena managed to break the window.
Straightening, Carter spotted the motorcycle he’d been hearing barreling onto the scene. The bike kicked up dirt and debris as the rider stopped it not far from Carter’s truck. Bastian jumped off the back of the motorcycle, barely taking the time to turn it off.
Okay, the cavalry had arrived. Except it was just Bastian. One man against five? Carter didn’t like those odds.
Lifting his hands to his lips, Bastian let out a sharp whistle. He’d already had the attention of the shifters on his arrival but now the five hyenas on the ground backed away from Carter.
As the one Carter was assuming was the leader of the hyenas, still on his hood, also turned, Carter pressed down on his horn again. Maybe he could at least keep that asshole busy.
The hyena ignored him. It was obvious that Bastian was the bigger threat.
Bastian looked like a total badass, standing a few feet away, motioning for the hyenas to come at him. This was the man, shifter, paranormal, that Carter’s brother was committed to. And Carter couldn’t let Bastian get hurt. He needed a plan.
