The Pack-Retribution by LM. Preston Page A

eyes. She grabbed Hedi by the hand. “Don’t let them see you chicken out. I’ve got you—let’s do this together.” Shamira tugged Hedi along as she started to run. Hesitantly, Hedi ran alongside her, then started too relished in the new adventure and sped up.
    Valens called behind her. “Duck and roll when you land!”
    “Gotcha!” Shamira held tightly to Hedi’s hand while they leaped off the side of the building. “Don’t look down!”
    “No way.” Hedi squeezed Shamira’s hand tighter.
    Shamira dragged Hedi with her. She spied the top of the building.
    Mitch and Dion waved them on. “Now! Flip now!” Mitch yelled.
    Shamira yanked Hedi’s arm forward to force her into a spin. They flipped together landing on their knees with their hands still tightly clasped together. They looked at one another in silence for a moment. Both Hedi then Shamira burst out in laughter. Behind them several thumps and bumps from Valens, Kurt and Anthony signaled that they landed.
    “It’s good to be back. Ye-ah boy!” Kurt exclaimed and slapped hands with Anthony.
    Shamira’s chest filled with butterflies of adrenaline. She jumped side to side on each foot ready for the next building.
    Valens pulled her in a hug. “Like that, don’t you?” His voice deepened.
    “Just what I needed,” Shamira answered then kissed him, butterflies tickling her stomach at his closeness. “Ready for the next one?” She nipped his bottom lip with her teeth.
    Valens squeezed her tighter and whispered. “Yeah. Dion’s got Hedi. You want to do it with me or by yourself?”
    “I can go it alone this time.”
    Valens shook his finger and tsked. “Yeah, but then you’d miss out on this new move I’ve got up my sleeve. I’ll teach it to you and then you can do it yourself on the next building.”
    Her curiosity and thirst for a challenge piqued. She grabbed his hand. “Let’s do it.”
    Valens let out a chuckle and pulled her forward. “I’ll dive first and pull you over my head. You dive over me and pull me with you.”
    “Got it. So you land first and I’ll land over you.”
    “Yep.” They started running.
    Valens whooped. “Top this, suckers!”
    Dion answered. “You are wrong. So wrong—in so many ways. Hedi won’t make it.”
    Anthony shouted. “You go boy! But Kurt and I got something for you!”
    Shamira sped up.
    Valens yelled. “Now!”
    They sailed through the air. She felt like she was on fire with tingles of awareness and a pure high. “Yes!”
    Valens flipped her. She pointed her toes like a ballerina. Dragging him over her, she sailed through the air. He flipped forward and with a thump then a roll Shamira followed to land in front of him. She stumbled slightly and he hauled her forward into his arms and kissed her. “See, we’re made for this.”
    Her hand rested on his rapidly beating heart that matched time with her own. “Yeah. We are.” She closed her eyes when Valens leaned in for a hungry kiss. Melting, she let out a small groan.
    “Man, cut that out. Get a room,” Anthony snickered when he landed.
    Shamira and Valens broke apart to grin at a grouchy Anthony.
    “Stop hatin’.” Mitch hooted then landed out of his flip behind Anthony.
    Kurt followed with the grace of a ninja warrior and landed silently behind them. “Ya’ll have to work on the landing.”
    Dion and Hedi staggered noisily behind them. Dion slid Hedi into his arms for a quick kiss before turning to Kurt. “No one’s got it down like you, Kurt. You were one of Monev’s best assassins before you went rogue on them to join Valens.”
    “Yeah, man, you got style—finesse, but to me, a kill is a kill.” Anthony scratched his wrist.
    “What’s wrong with your wrist?” Shamira asked.
    “Stupid rash. It’ll be okay though.” Anthony stretched. “You going now or what?”

Chapter 11
    They climbed down the last building on the block. Lights framed the structures and traveled alongside the sidewalks. Shamira stuffed one hand