attacked Charles and Isabel. What had
that fool been thinking taking her out into the wild like that?
The beasts
kept their distance, and William pretended he hadn’t noticed them and journeyed
forward. He’d need to find Charles before the sun rose or the wolves would tear
him apart in his sleep!
Dawn
lightened the sky by the time Isabel’s scent overtook William. He urged the
horse into the woods and came upon a small hut made of timber. The mare and
gelding were tied to a tree by a little creek and both looked as weary as his
stallion.
Climbing
off, he led his horse to the water and secured it before running to the door.
It swung open as he reached for the handle, and Isabel stared at him- a leather
canteen hanging limp in her hands.
“William?”
she said as if she were seeing a ghost.
“Yes. A
million times yes,” he said and took her in his arms. He felt as if he hadn’t
seen her in a year when it had really been less than a day. She gripped onto
him like she had the night before, burying her face in his neck.
Charles and
John stepped out. The stable hand looked shocked, but Charles merely smiled at
him.
“However did
you find us so quickly, dear brother?”
“You know
how,” William said and smiled back.
After a moment,
Isabel slipped out of his arms and walked down to the stream to fill the
canteen and John followed her, removing the saddlebags from the horses.
Good. He
needed to speak with Charles in private. “They followed me here. We need to get
rid of them before the sun comes up lest we’ll be helpless.”
Charles
frowned and looked into the shadows of the woods. “Perhaps they’ll go now that
I’ve joined you.”
William
stared at him. “You know these beasts will not back down once they spot a meal.
I’m not putting Isabel’s life in danger on a whim!” he snarled.
The snap of
a branch drew William’s attention to the horses. He moved, but not before the
wolf, twice the size of a normal beast, leapt from the bushes and launched
straight at Isabel’s crouched form. He watched as her head moved toward the
sound and caught sight of the animal, jaws opened wide, lounging for her.
A moment
later, Isabel was sprawled on the ground, her dress wet and muddy, with John on
top. The wolf clung to his arm. Without thought, William jumped forward, pulled
the creature off John and threw it against a tree. It made a satisfying snap of
bones, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough to kill it.
The horses
neighed, pulling at their tethers, but William only had eyes for the wolf that
tried to attack Isabel. “You will pay for what you did,” he whispered as the
animal got to its feet.
The sky was
lighter now, the last stars fading in the predawn blue.
“Stop this!”
Charles cried.
William paid
no attention. All he saw were the beast’s glowing yellow eyes and the sharp
teeth. The scent of John’s blood filled his nose, reminding William he had yet
to eat that day.
Suddenly,
claws dug into his back, ripping through his shirt to the flesh beneath.
William leaned forward and flipped the animal off him- this one was smaller and
slighter, probably an omega. He sunk his teeth into its neck and sucked the
blood through an unpleasant mouthful of fur.
Hands
gripped his shoulders and pulled him back, ripping his fangs from the wolf in
front of him. The animal limped away, its tail between its legs as it crouched
next to the larger animal.
“What the
hell are you doing, Charles?” William said, the warmth of the blood dripping
down his chin. His whole body shook and the only thing he wanted was to kill
the wolves that almost stole his future from him.
“Let them
go,” Charles said calmly, his hands digging into William’s shoulders. “We’re
safe now. They won’t come after us again.”
As if they
understood him, both wolves disappeared into the brush just as the first rays
of sunlight lit up the sky.
William
wiped his chin and willed himself to calm down. Glancing at the stream, he
that fool been thinking taking her out into the wild like that?
The beasts
kept their distance, and William pretended he hadn’t noticed them and journeyed
forward. He’d need to find Charles before the sun rose or the wolves would tear
him apart in his sleep!
Dawn
lightened the sky by the time Isabel’s scent overtook William. He urged the
horse into the woods and came upon a small hut made of timber. The mare and
gelding were tied to a tree by a little creek and both looked as weary as his
stallion.
Climbing
off, he led his horse to the water and secured it before running to the door.
It swung open as he reached for the handle, and Isabel stared at him- a leather
canteen hanging limp in her hands.
“William?”
she said as if she were seeing a ghost.
“Yes. A
million times yes,” he said and took her in his arms. He felt as if he hadn’t
seen her in a year when it had really been less than a day. She gripped onto
him like she had the night before, burying her face in his neck.
Charles and
John stepped out. The stable hand looked shocked, but Charles merely smiled at
him.
“However did
you find us so quickly, dear brother?”
“You know
how,” William said and smiled back.
After a moment,
Isabel slipped out of his arms and walked down to the stream to fill the
canteen and John followed her, removing the saddlebags from the horses.
Good. He
needed to speak with Charles in private. “They followed me here. We need to get
rid of them before the sun comes up lest we’ll be helpless.”
Charles
frowned and looked into the shadows of the woods. “Perhaps they’ll go now that
I’ve joined you.”
William
stared at him. “You know these beasts will not back down once they spot a meal.
I’m not putting Isabel’s life in danger on a whim!” he snarled.
The snap of
a branch drew William’s attention to the horses. He moved, but not before the
wolf, twice the size of a normal beast, leapt from the bushes and launched
straight at Isabel’s crouched form. He watched as her head moved toward the
sound and caught sight of the animal, jaws opened wide, lounging for her.
A moment
later, Isabel was sprawled on the ground, her dress wet and muddy, with John on
top. The wolf clung to his arm. Without thought, William jumped forward, pulled
the creature off John and threw it against a tree. It made a satisfying snap of
bones, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough to kill it.
The horses
neighed, pulling at their tethers, but William only had eyes for the wolf that
tried to attack Isabel. “You will pay for what you did,” he whispered as the
animal got to its feet.
The sky was
lighter now, the last stars fading in the predawn blue.
“Stop this!”
Charles cried.
William paid
no attention. All he saw were the beast’s glowing yellow eyes and the sharp
teeth. The scent of John’s blood filled his nose, reminding William he had yet
to eat that day.
Suddenly,
claws dug into his back, ripping through his shirt to the flesh beneath.
William leaned forward and flipped the animal off him- this one was smaller and
slighter, probably an omega. He sunk his teeth into its neck and sucked the
blood through an unpleasant mouthful of fur.
Hands
gripped his shoulders and pulled him back, ripping his fangs from the wolf in
front of him. The animal limped away, its tail between its legs as it crouched
next to the larger animal.
“What the
hell are you doing, Charles?” William said, the warmth of the blood dripping
down his chin. His whole body shook and the only thing he wanted was to kill
the wolves that almost stole his future from him.
“Let them
go,” Charles said calmly, his hands digging into William’s shoulders. “We’re
safe now. They won’t come after us again.”
As if they
understood him, both wolves disappeared into the brush just as the first rays
of sunlight lit up the sky.
William
wiped his chin and willed himself to calm down. Glancing at the stream, he
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