Joel’s words drifted towards him.
“Why can’t I have them now?” he whined like a toddler. “Chantelle might not even last until tomorrow! Then I’ll never get to have any fun with her!”
Rusty went stiff with rage and let out a very low growl.
“But if you mess her up too badly, she won’t survive the shift,” Perry argued. “Wouldn’t you rather have two mates?”
“Who cares?” Joel growled. “We’ll just grab another one. Give me the fucking key to the cage!”
Die. Die. Die.
They crept closer and closer.
Almost there.
Ten yards to the cabin.
“Fine,” Perry said resignedly, pulling the key out of his pocket. “I never could say no to you.” He handed it to Joel, who said, “Thanks, Dad!” with boyish glee, and dashed inside the cabin.
The wolves burst from the woods, slinking low to the ground.
Five yards. Perry saw them and let out a high-pitched shriek of terror. Frantic, he aimed his rifle at them and fired wildly.
A bullet hit Rusty in the side, and Cliff could smell the silver and hear the sizzling of Rusty’s flesh. Rusty let out a howl of anguish. Truman pounced on him and clawed the bullet from Rusty’s ribcage, as Mandy shot forward. A bullet hit her in the shoulder, but she barreled forward and knocked Perry off his feet onto his back.
“Joel! Help me!” Perry screamed, his shots going wild now.
Joel shot out the door in wolf form and ran right past his bleeding father, disappearing into the woods. Perry kept shooting, hitting Cliff and Truman. Their packmates jumped on them, clawing out the bullets and the burning flesh they had touched.
Cliff and Rusty, blood pouring from their wounds, leaped onto Perry, who’d run out of ammo.
“No! It’s not fair! I did it to help my son! He’s one of you, one of you!” Perry cried. The stink of urine filled the air – he’d peed himself. He curled up in a ball, sobbing in terror. “Joel, Joel, come back!” he wailed, but Joel was running for his life, leaving them far behind.
Cliff’s jaws clamped down on Perry’s neck. He shook his head, and there was a rending of flesh and then a hot, salty gush of blood as Perry gurgled his last, panicked breaths.
Cliff released him and raced into the cabin, with Rusty scrambling at his heels.
Taylor and Chantelle were in a cage.A cage.Cliff ran over, still in wolf form, and with Randy, using his superhuman strength, ripped the door of the cage from its hinges.
Taylor looked at Cliff with a weak smile. “I forgot to mention something,” she said, her voice a hoarse croak. Her lips were dry and cracked. “I love you, too. Times infinity. I love you, Cliff.”
* * * * *
Serafina and Dax sat next to Anita on the bleachers by the final obstacle course. Jerrold was staring at Serafina in a horrifyingly creepy way…licking his lips and wiggling his tongue.
Grant was deliberately distracting Austin, Serafina saw. He’d started an argument with Austin, and Austin was too busy yelling at him to notice what Jerrold was doing. Austin didn’t realize it, but Grant was helping him – because with her Uncle Austin’s temper, he was liable to go ballistic and attack Jerrold. Or try to. As usual, Jerrold was surrounded by his packmates.
“This whole stupid, stupid Alpha Trials thing is so stupid,” Serafina muttered. She looked at the road that led to the obstacle course for the millionth time. The day’s trial started in fifteen minutes, and Cliff wasn’t back yet, and neither was Roger. She felt sick. She’d been too stressed out to eat that morning.
Anita followed her gaze, looking at the road and then at Jerrold. She nodded resolutely. “Come on,” she said abruptly, standing up. “We’re leaving.”
Serafina looked at her in confusion. “Where are we going?”
“We can’t risk what will happen if Jerrold wins. I want to get you off pack property. I know someone who’s a member of the Network.”
Serafina gasped, scandalized and delighted at the same time. “You do?” The Network helped smuggle rogue wolves to safety. They helped wolves escape abusive situations and moved them to safe packs. It was strictly forbidden. Getting caught could result in being executed, depending on which pack caught them. “They’re so badass.”
“You said ass,” Dax whispered with a faint smile. He was desperately worried about his brother, and trying not to show it.
