Page 84 of Freed

The forest? Shit. “We’re coming!” I yell as we pivot and charge in that direction. The rogues are thinning, but there are still a lot out here. Luckily, our shifter friends are easily holding their own. Finn probably could have taken out most of them on his own, but it’s clear he won’t leave Lexi’s side. I can’t fault him for that. I never should have left Cherry’s side.

“Blaze!” Cherry suddenly yells through the bond.

“Run!” I tell her as I try to peer past the cluttered yard to catch a glimpse of her or Blaze.

I start to run toward the forest, but am tackled from behind by a rogue. Snarling, I manage to get the upper hand, pinning him beneath me before I sink my teeth into his neck and end him.

I hate all this carnage. These rogues probably aren’t even acting of their own free will, but we can’t exactly sedate them, tie them up, and interrogate them. Especially not while my mate is out here, running from the man that’s determined to claim her.

A howl escapes me, then I turn toward the forest and start running. Being bonded to Cherry has made me faster, stronger, sharper, and there is no way I’m going to let Blaze lay a single filthy finger on her.

Not this time. Not ever again. When I finally catch him… He’s dead.

Chapter 30

Cherry

When I was fourteen, I used to pride myself on my speed. I knew I’d be faster than my sisters in a few years. I never got to find out if I would have been quicker than them, but I channel my love for them into me as I run faster than I’ve ever gone before.

Trees and bushes pass me in a blur, and I barely feel the ground beneath my feet. As I weave and dodge around fallen trees and boulders, all I think about is moving faster, letting instinct guide my movements.

I start to worry the guys got overwhelmed with all the rogues, but suddenly I hear them through the bond, sending a huge sense of relief through me, driving me to move even quicker.

“We’re coming!” Hunter tells me.

“We’re right behind you,” Maddox adds.

“Keep moving, angel,” Bain says, his deep voice encouraging me.

“Don’t stop,” Gage instructs as I weave around another tree.

“I’m coming, baby girl,” Chase adds.

I can hear the pounding of Blaze’s feet behind me, and I question how he’s able to run this fast in his human form. It doesn’t seem possible.

After I move past a particularly large bush, I have to skid to a stop to avoid the giant cliff wall that feels as if it’s come out of nowhere. I glance around, but it extends in both directions.

I spin, planning to move back into the trees, but Blaze suddenly steps through them, panting heavily with a pleased grin on his stupid face.

“Stop running from me, Three.” He takes a step closer, his arms wide as if he’s ready to tackle me if I try to move. My eyes roam around the forest, trying to find a way through, but when he speaks again, my eyes fly back to meet his. “Are you ready to come with me?”

This guy is nuts. But then again, if he’s not going to hurt me, I just have to wait for my mates to catch up to us, which should be any moment now. Even if Blaze gets a hold of me, he won’t be able to escape this forest without them finding us.

That eases something inside of me.

Everything’s going to be okay.

Blaze lunges for me, and I let out a surprised yelp before running in the opposite direction, keeping the rock wall on my right as I move through the forest looking for a place to turn, so I can head back toward my mates.

Branches whip against my sides as I push harder, my paws digging into the uneven ground as I race along the base of the cliff. The wall looms beside me, jagged and unyielding, forcing me into a narrow path that twists through thick brush and low-hanging limbs. I can hear him behind me, crashing through the forest without any care for stealth, his breaths ragged but relentless.

He’s slower than me… barely. But he doesn’t need to be faster if he can corner me.

The ground dips suddenly, the packed dirt giving way to loose stones that slide under my paws. I scramble to keep my footing, claws scraping against rock as I bound down the small decline. A shallow stream cuts across my path at the bottom, water rushing over smooth stones. I leap over it in one motion, landing hard on the other side before continuing forward without slowing.

The scent of water helps dull my trail, but it won’t be enough. Not with him this close.

A snarl builds in my chest, frustration and fear mixing into something sharp and hot. I can feel my heartbeat in every step, in every breath, in the tight coil of burning energy that refuses to settle inside of me.