Enemy Red by Marie Harte Page A

and he gasped.
    “Stay here. Rurik will be back soon. He always knows when we’re in need,” Jericho grumbled.
    “No. Have to find…Red. Make sure…she’s…okay.”
    “That’s what you want?” Jericho sounded odd.
    “Find her,” he growled, his werewolf wanting the woman right the fuck now. He had to see her safe.
    “Whatever. Come on, furball.” Jericho helped him take several steps on the path towards Rudra’s house.
    A flurry of people raced from that very direction. Rudra among them.
    Fenris pushed away from Jericho and almost fell into her arms. He steadied himself and looked her over. Still golden-eyed, red-haired and annoyed with him.
    “I leave you alone for a few hours and this is what happens?” she asked, glancing away from him to scowl at Jericho .
    “You okay?” Fenris gripped her chin in his hands and turned her face to clearly see her. “No attacks?” He hissed when she hugged him to keep him from falling.
    “ Damn it. You’re bleeding everywhere.”
    “Most amazing damn thing I’ve ever seen,” Brody mumbled in the background.
    “Saved our asses, big time,” Gibson added, angling to get closer.
    “What happened?” Rudra asked.
    Her father and mother suddenly appeared in front of them, the way the smoke creatures had. Fenris wasn’t at the top of his game and took a swing, not expecting anything but trouble.
    Thankfully, Rena ducked to avoid a slash across her throat.
    “Shit,” he mumbled, having a hard time focusing. “Sorry, Rena. Thought you were someone else.”
    “Bring him inside,” he thought he heard Rurik say.
    Then someone pressed down hard on his ribs, and he passed out again.

    Rudra stared in horror at Fenris, wondering if he’d make it. He looked terrible. Covered in blood, his face pale and waxy, his body burning up.
    Yet he wanted to see how she fared.
    Was it any wonder she couldn’t think around him? She hurried after Jericho and the others carrying Fenris into the house. Before she entered, she spun to stop the crowd gathered behind them.
    “Is it true Fenris is a werewolf?” Nine-year-old George Hankler asked with wide eyes. “Becky said she heard Gibson tell Netta that—”
    “Okay. Everyone, disperse. Brody, Beckett? Put everyone on alert. We have sorcerer troubles again.”
    The brothers groaned.
    “Gibson? Fill the council in on whatever’s happened. I want them to instil a curfew until we figure this out. Everyone to the village centre. Now.”
    The crowd scattered, and she hurried inside. Her father had Fenris on the dining table and was working spells over him. Her mother spoke quietly with Jericho and a few red wolves. Spotting Rudra, she left them and pulled her close.
    “ Jericho was telling me what happened. I knew Fenris was a werewolf, but seeing him up close… By the Wolf, he’s impressive. And he saved your beta, did you know that? Tell her.” She shoved Rudra at the bear before moving to help her husband.
    “Well? Spill it before I hurt you,” Rudra snarled.
    Jericho recounted everything. About Fenris’ relationship to Mike Barton, about his transformation and how he’d saved the small group. And about how he’d looked like death and could barely stand but wouldn’t stop until he’d seen for himself that Rudra was safe.
    “I liked him before, but I can’t say enough about him, now. He’s yours, Rudra. And you know it,” Jericho growled. “So stop being such a dipshit and take him to mate. Sometimes I wonder how you manage to be alpha, as slow as you are.”
    She blinked in shock, not used to Jericho ’s criticism.
    “Well, you know it’s true,” he muttered. “I love you. I respect you. But I know you. He scares you. He won’t bow down to you and do whatever you tell him to. And that’s exactly what you need. I like him.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
    “Yeah, because he saved your life.”
    “No. Well, okay, yeah, because of that. And because he’s strong enough to put you first. I saw him in all