together.”
Vice liked it when they ran. All the wolves did. Stray knew these trappers wouldn’t survive the next five minutes. Normally he’d want to try to get more intel from them, but this time he didn’t care.
He would not let them get Kate. The instinct to save her burned hot through his blood and the intensity would’ve frightened him if it hadn’t felt so right.
It’s for Rogue.
For all his brothers, he told himself, and it was, but it was way goddamned more than that.
He bared his teeth, canines elongating as he caught Kate’s scent. The smell of human—weretrapper—was heavy in the air. He caught sight of police cars moving slowly up and down the street, searching.
He was faster and he had no doubt she was in the woods.
He went through the door that led to the alley, following Kate’s scent, but there was more to it than that. He sensed her, as surely as if she’d called his name out loud. It was odd and had never happened to him before, beyond his brothers. And certainly that had never felt like this.
She was really scared, running for her life. His canines lengthened as he ran in human form. Brother Wolf wanted his turn, but Kate didn’t need to come face-to-face with a wolf now. She was terrified enough.
He stopped. Listened. Felt her presence close by. Took several more silent steps and came up behind her, realizing at the same time that they’d been followed by more trappers.
Hopefully, Vice was on his six too. If not, Stray could handle the trappers. By this point, he was so worked up that he welcomed the opportunity. For him, hunting and sex held a similar pleasure, and the wolf was more than ready for either.
There
, Brother Wolf said. He was in front of Kate in seconds, held her arm and put a hand over her mouth until she registered that it was him. Even then, she struggled, which was weird since her call still echoed in his mind. Brother Wolf growled a welcome inside his head, and Stray pulled her behind him as two weretrappers crashed through the trees and into the small clearing in front of them.
“Don’t run from me. I’ll make sure you get out of this safely. Just don’t run,” he warned her.
He turned and heard her feet crunching on the leaves behind him.
Son of a—
“Get him,” the man said, and the woman with the Taser approached him, said, “Come on, little wolf.”
Stray simply smiled at her. Reached out and grabbed the Taser before she could react. Read her mind.
It’s a Dire,
she told herself as her face drained of color.
He hated being recognized, but he wouldn’t have to worry about them any longer. The Dires’ no-kill rule didn’t extend to this branch of humankind. They’d tortured and killed too many wolfkind for him to take pity on them.
And still, without knowing his name, Kate called for Stray inside his mind.
He Tasered the woman and then the man, broke their necks cleanly—a more humane death than they deserved—and stripped them of clothing and ID. Vice showed then, took the bundle from him. “Go get her. I’ll get rid of these.”
Stray ran in Kate’s direction, determined not to let her go this time.
He would save her. And then ruin her life forever.
* * *
It started to pour as Kate ran deeper into the woods. She slogged through the wet earth, the only sounds, her feet slapping the mud. She could barely see.
She didn’t stop even when she was sure her lungs would explode, not until she saw two figures pop up in front of her. Then she pulled up short.
“Kate, please, what’s wrong?” It was Leo Shimmin. He wore his uniform, had his gun in his hand. And he wasn’t alone.
“There are people . . . after me,” she managed before she remembered that she should be running from him as well. The look on his face told her that things weren’t right here. The fact that he’d been lying in wait for her in the woods confirmed it.
“Just let me help you,” he said. “You need to come with me. For your own good.”
Bitch
Vice liked it when they ran. All the wolves did. Stray knew these trappers wouldn’t survive the next five minutes. Normally he’d want to try to get more intel from them, but this time he didn’t care.
He would not let them get Kate. The instinct to save her burned hot through his blood and the intensity would’ve frightened him if it hadn’t felt so right.
It’s for Rogue.
For all his brothers, he told himself, and it was, but it was way goddamned more than that.
He bared his teeth, canines elongating as he caught Kate’s scent. The smell of human—weretrapper—was heavy in the air. He caught sight of police cars moving slowly up and down the street, searching.
He was faster and he had no doubt she was in the woods.
He went through the door that led to the alley, following Kate’s scent, but there was more to it than that. He sensed her, as surely as if she’d called his name out loud. It was odd and had never happened to him before, beyond his brothers. And certainly that had never felt like this.
She was really scared, running for her life. His canines lengthened as he ran in human form. Brother Wolf wanted his turn, but Kate didn’t need to come face-to-face with a wolf now. She was terrified enough.
He stopped. Listened. Felt her presence close by. Took several more silent steps and came up behind her, realizing at the same time that they’d been followed by more trappers.
Hopefully, Vice was on his six too. If not, Stray could handle the trappers. By this point, he was so worked up that he welcomed the opportunity. For him, hunting and sex held a similar pleasure, and the wolf was more than ready for either.
There
, Brother Wolf said. He was in front of Kate in seconds, held her arm and put a hand over her mouth until she registered that it was him. Even then, she struggled, which was weird since her call still echoed in his mind. Brother Wolf growled a welcome inside his head, and Stray pulled her behind him as two weretrappers crashed through the trees and into the small clearing in front of them.
“Don’t run from me. I’ll make sure you get out of this safely. Just don’t run,” he warned her.
He turned and heard her feet crunching on the leaves behind him.
Son of a—
“Get him,” the man said, and the woman with the Taser approached him, said, “Come on, little wolf.”
Stray simply smiled at her. Reached out and grabbed the Taser before she could react. Read her mind.
It’s a Dire,
she told herself as her face drained of color.
He hated being recognized, but he wouldn’t have to worry about them any longer. The Dires’ no-kill rule didn’t extend to this branch of humankind. They’d tortured and killed too many wolfkind for him to take pity on them.
And still, without knowing his name, Kate called for Stray inside his mind.
He Tasered the woman and then the man, broke their necks cleanly—a more humane death than they deserved—and stripped them of clothing and ID. Vice showed then, took the bundle from him. “Go get her. I’ll get rid of these.”
Stray ran in Kate’s direction, determined not to let her go this time.
He would save her. And then ruin her life forever.
* * *
It started to pour as Kate ran deeper into the woods. She slogged through the wet earth, the only sounds, her feet slapping the mud. She could barely see.
She didn’t stop even when she was sure her lungs would explode, not until she saw two figures pop up in front of her. Then she pulled up short.
“Kate, please, what’s wrong?” It was Leo Shimmin. He wore his uniform, had his gun in his hand. And he wasn’t alone.
“There are people . . . after me,” she managed before she remembered that she should be running from him as well. The look on his face told her that things weren’t right here. The fact that he’d been lying in wait for her in the woods confirmed it.
“Just let me help you,” he said. “You need to come with me. For your own good.”
Bitch
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