by Dianna Love
If Jaz had been in human form, she would have grabbed her head at the pain. She endured, willing her wolf strength.
Reinhold’s wolf bit and slashed, then bounced away as he’d been doing the whole time. His next move would be to attack from an unexpected direction.
His wolf moved back and forth.
Saliva and blood dripped from his fangs.
That wolf’s eyes burned with the alpha’s madness.
Tarski stood still in spite of her injuries, which had started healing faster after she drew down on their power.
When the alpha’s wolf charged her, it was like facing an enraged bull.
Tarski waited, eased back on her hind legs, then at the last second before his huge head rammed her, she leaped over him. She landed hard on the ground, rolled, then jumped on his back.
She flattened his head to the ground, knocking the air from his wolf. Her claws shredded the back of his neck. Reinhold’s wolf howled and tried to twist.
Tarski never gave him the chance.
Ripping his head off his body, she finished the kill.
When Jaz’s golden wolf stepped off after the brown wolf drew his last breath, Tarski howled in victory.
First the pack cowered in her presence, staring at her as the devil incarnate.
They had no idea.
In the next moment, all the shifters bonded to their alpha howled at the pain for their dead alpha and damaged bond.
Tanza wailed from where she’d been imprisoned.
Asking for the human body while the pack was confused, Jaz caught her breath from the gut-wrenching quick shifts so close together.
The ravaged body of Reinhold’s dead wolf shifted back into the human form.
Having lived with this bunch, Jaz could attest to the fact that the pack neither respected nor liked Reinhold. They feared him and just accepted that was how a pack worked.
If they knew her Kodiak clan, they’d know the truth.
She stood, dripping blood from multiple claw wounds and naked to the world.
Like she cared?
That’s when she looked up in time to see the Blood King’s wolf shifter running flat out. Not from fear.
She’d just outed the Blood King and killed his brother.
That wolf was on his way to report.
Jaz took in the motley group of wolves still sitting on their hands. But one pulled his hand free and stared at it, surprised he’d defied his alpha’s orders.
It wouldn’t take the rest long to figure out the power behind that order expired with their alpha.
She had seconds before the Blood King’s wolves attacked. Dragging up enough voice to gain their attention, she told the pack, “You have an alpha. Tanza is the rightful heir and more deserving than Kaiser or Reinhold. Listen to the truth in my words. I killed Kaiser out of self-defense. I’m glad Reinhold gave me a probationary period before bonding me to this pack or I’d be suffering with the sickness, too. That makes sense now. He’d planned to have me disappear like all the other women. Like he'd intended for his own daughter. You have a lot of problems. Don’t make me one. Attack me and it will be your last bad decision. Stand beside me and I’ll fight the Blood King with you. Run, and face him alone.”
One wolf got to his feet. “She tells the truth. I can scent it. I feel like poison is leaving my body. I’ll fight.”
Two more grunted and stood.
Then all of them followed.
She had no idea how many the Blood King would send, but her bunch still needed as much muscle as possible. In fact, the Blood King probably had backup nearby for his wolf since he had to know she’d come for Adrian.
Sending a worried glance at Red, she debated a nanosecond on turning him loose. She couldn’t leave him in there any longer.
“They’re coming!” one of the wolves shouted.
Howling from the woods on the other side of two pastures erupted. Wolves exploded from the tree line.
Twenty. More like thirty.
No time left to play what ifs.
She dropped down and reached for the clasp to open the cage door.
Red snapped at her, snarling a steady guttural sound.
Tarski whispered in shock. Red is ... gone.
No! Jaz shouted back telepathically. We will not lose them.
She snatched the clasp free and jumped back to shift again. This one hurt her and Tarski, but they both knew what they had to do.
Red unfolded his body and stepped from the cage with his head low. Fur stood along his neck. He growled like something dragged from the depths of hell.
Tarski stood on all four legs and shook off the dizziness of the quick change again.
Wolves attacked the pack.
They were fighting and clawing in a chaotic battle. A big wolf ran straight for Tarski.
Red didn’t move.
Tarski watched Red, who seemed to be deciding who to kill first. When the attacking wolf dove at her, she dropped and rolled away. Smart wolf.
Red attacked that wolf, ripping into the animal with savage determination.
Tarski jumped up and dove into the mash of wolves battling. If she hadn’t known Reinhold’s wolves by their scents, she would’ve been lost in this massacre.
Whining and howls played a backdrop to the vicious battle. Claws raked across Tarski’s back. She swung around hard, knocking the big wolf on its side. That one had no idea how fast Tarski had shredded the alpha.
Her wolf gave him a personal demonstration.
Blood spewed and bodies flopped on the ground. Whines and growls mixed in a deadly cacophony. Lifeless wolves shifted back to human form. It seemed forever until two of the Blood King’s last wolves raced away with their tails tucked.
Their boss never showed.
He’d sent men to die.
Jaz asked Tarski to look around and see what happened to the others. There was no way she and Reinhold’s wolves had taken down all of them.
Reinhold’s pack lacked the training to kill that many even with her help.
Everything quieted as Tarski circled around to find five dead Blood King wolves that had changed to gutted human bodies missing parts.
Red stood in the middle of that slaughter.
Adrian’s wolf shoved one wolf body as if urging the gasping wolf to get up and fight again. It took a last breath and shifted into one more mangled human form.
Red suddenly lifted his head.
Dead yellow eyes glared at Tarski.
Should Jaz shift? Would Adrian’s wolf attack her wolf?
Tarski said, Do not shift. If Red does not recognize me, he would definitely kill you.
Her wolf lowered her head, but not in an aggressive way. She stepped forward slowly.
The skin around Red’s fangs pulled back.
He snarled deeper.
Tarski explained to Jaz, I will try to reach him, but he may kill us.
Jaz told her, You have always supported all my decisions. This is probably the biggest one of our lives. I trust you completely. I also do not blame you if this ends badly.
Thank you. That was the last Tarski said before she took another step forward.
Chapter 32
Adrian’s vision through Red’s wolf eyes blurred, focused, then blurred again. He saw that beautiful golden wolf he’d watched battle an ugly male wolf.
Reinhold. That had been his name.
The golden beauty had killed him. Bad-ass female.
Red snarled in between yelling at Adrian. Kill everything!
Adrian had lived this hell before. He couldn’t put his finger on when. His mind was stuck on replay of blacking out and waking to the same chaos with no idea where he and his wolf were.
Red continued repeating, Kill. All die. Kill.
Tired to the center of his soul, Adrian told Red, You killed wolves. At least two.
Five, Red shouted back in his mind.
Adrian couldn’t make sense of anything going on. Were they in the jungle? The pretty golden wolf b
linked into view once more. Red howled and gnashed his teeth.
He showed his fangs and kept growling.
At the golden wolf? That didn’t seem right. Adrian told his wolf, Don’t attack.
Shut up. I hurt. I kill, Red sent back.
His wolf’s vision distorted and darkened as if night had fallen, but then the blur lightened. Adrian fought through layers of murky fog and forced out the only words coming from his heart. No. Protect ... golden ... wolf.
That seemed important.
Adrian’s voice faded. Pain buried his mind. Why couldn’t he make the pain go away?
His wolf still didn’t answer. Probably no longer able to put sentences together.
They’d lost everything in the jungle.
Time passed in jagged moments. His wolf fought, then he didn’t.
Then a strange woman’s voice came into his mind. You like the golden wolf. She is special to you.
Red shook his head. He grumbled, Stranger.
Adrian struggled to think. Who could be in their head?
Red’s gaze swept across the bodies on the bloody ground surrounding him.
His head snapped up at a tiny movement.
Time kept coming and going.
The golden wolf walked toward them. His wolf lashed out. A savage mix of gold and claws followed.
Red’s fury blasted through Adrian’s mind. His wolf attacked the faceless opponent.
Adrian screamed, begging to climb out of this hell.
His eyes rolled up in his head.
Chapter 33
Jaz couldn’t believe what she saw through Tarski’s eyes.
Adrian’s wolf really had attacked her wolf.
Tarski gave as good as she got, but she took on more pain than necessary. Her wolf clearly would not kill Red.
That’s why Tarski had warned Jaz they might die.
Every time Red bit Tarski, Jaz felt a pulse of Adrian’s energy. But Red didn’t seem to recognize Tarski.
Percee’s voice jumped into Jaz’s head. You will not kill each other. I forbid it. You are a gift to your kind. A rare gift, dammit.
Jaz no longer questioned how she could hear that woman’s voice and yelled back, My wolf is doing all she can. Since you have a direct line to my mind, why don’t you try talking to Adrian and make his wolf stop trying to kill us?
Is that his name?
“Shut up and help us, dammit!”
Tarski dodged Red’s attacks and snapped at him, biting, but not ripping skin. She spun to go back at Red, but Adrian’s wolf stopped dead still and cocked his head.
The wounded pack kept their distance. They were smart enough not to remain in place and run with a predator like Red around them and still hungry for blood.
Jaz told Tarski about Percee talking to her.
Tarski asked, How does that woman talk to us?
I don’t know, but she might just be talking to Adrian.
Red started snarling and growling again.
He yelped and looked around.
His dead gaze morphed into one of confusion. He shook his big head, slinging saliva and blood from his mouth. He began snarling again then yelped once more and spun, hunting for something.
Had Percee caused that?
Red turned his head and stared at Jaz’s golden wolf as if he was lost and just found something he recognized.
Tarski moved toward Red again.
Jaz warned, No. Stay back.
Ignoring Jaz, Tarski kept going until she and Red were nose to nose. Tarski licked his face.
Red’s jaw went slack.
Percee spoke to Jaz again. Adrian is a hot mess of problems, but he’s honorable to the core, just like his shifter brothers.
Jaz replied, I know he is. He’s just damaged and needs time to heal.
Yes and you can heal him, Percee agreed. You are more than a healer of bodies, Jaz, you can touch his mind through a bond and help him when he can’t do it himself. You need to heal as well. He can help you. You’ve carried the weight of guilt for a long time. What your mother did is not your burden to bear. I heard truth in your words, because no one can lie to me. Kaiser was a mercy killing and his father died better than he deserved. Your path will be rocky, but you can have a partner with Adrian.
Red had started licking Tarski’s face and nuzzling her.
Jaz told the woman, We have no future. If I stay here, I will be caught and pay for Kaiser’s death with my life. These wolves can’t use their noses, and I fear Daisy is dead. I have no real evidence to prove my side of Kaiser’s death.
Percee asked, Do you trust Adrian?
Yes. Jaz didn’t need to think about her answer. Red and Adrian had to have been out of their minds in that cage. She would not hold them at fault for attacking Tarski when Red had no idea who he attacked.
Not giving up, Percee asked, Would you take Adrian as a mate?
Yes, I love Adrian, Jaz replied softly. But if I stay, get locked up, and die, he will not survive that happening to me. It would be as bad as losing a mate.
Percee came back sounding fully exasperated with her. And you’re sure he’ll survive you walking away? He wants you as a mate, too.
Really? Jaz’s heart pounded with a crazy beat.
Percee grumbled something that made no sense. How many times do I have to say that you are both gifts to this world? Vercane chose well. You need to show her your appreciation by accepting your destiny and not wasting it. As such, you have a responsibility to use your powers to save each other first. Reach out to Adrian.
Jaz wanted to so much. She asked, How?
Don’t be a pussy, Jaz. Just do it!
Jaz mentally yanked herself back from Percee shouting at her. In a hurry to see if Percee knew what she was talking about, Jaz said, Tarski, I need the human body to see if we can fix our mates.
Taking a couple steps back, which caused Red to cock his head to the side, Tarski gave up her wolf form as Jaz shifted.
She silently apologized to Tarski for the abuse they’d suffered today with so much shifting.
Adrenaline kept her going at this point.
She glanced at the wolves still alive. The pack had lost two. Not too shabby for this bunch. She spoke softly to the pack. “Please drop down and help me calm the red wolf.”
As one, the entire group in their wolf forms went to the ground with front legs extended.
Turning her attention to Red, she knelt and asked, “Please let Adrian come out to talk to me.”
Nothing.
She extended a hand and Red’s lips pulled back, showing those sharp fangs again. Jaz said, “I know you care for my wolf and Tarski wants you safe, Red. Please don’t bite me or she’ll be unhappy.”
The skin around his mouth drooped back into place.
She slowly moved a finger to gently stroke the top of his nose. He didn’t lower his head in a welcoming gesture, but neither did he chop off her hand.
Using all her fingers, she softly massaged his scarred muzzle. He closed his eyes.
Energy buzzed up to her fingers. Her energy flowed from her fingers to meet theirs.
Adrian’s voice came to her from a distance. Who is that, Red? What’s happening? It’s quiet.
She called to him mentally, This is Jaz. Shift back to your human form.
Garbled words followed.
He either hadn’t heard her or hadn’t understood her.
She felt every pair of eyes on her, probably wondering if the Red wolf was preparing to kill her first, then all of them. She had no answer for that.
Red backed out of her reach and began shifting. In the next minute, Adrian appeared on all fours. She held her breath that his eyes would not be glowing yellow.
That he would recognize her.
He lifted his head and stunning brown eyes stared back. His voice sounded raw as if he’d been screaming a lot. “Jaz? Is it you?”
She pushed up as he stood. Their gazes locked. Walking over, she opened her arms and he grabbed her to him.<
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He rasped out, “I’m sorry we attacked. I wasn’t any better than Red at realizing what was happening. He would never intentionally harm Tarski. He actually ... “
She moved her head from his shoulder to face him. “He what?”
“You already know I’m crazy. Might as well tell you this. Some woman’s voice I didn’t recognize came into our minds. She told Red he was hurting his future mate. To be honest, Red claimed Tarski was his mate a while back.”
She smiled through tears falling. “I heard that woman, too.”
“Shit fire.” Ragged breathing and hoarse, he mumbled, “That means you’re as crazy as me if you start claiming that.”
But he clearly did not believe her.
“Good. That means our crazy matches.”
He lifted a worried look to her that turned reverent and finally his eyes cleared then he smiled. He kissed her, eating up her lips and all the love she felt for this man.
He murmured, “I love you, too, babe,” between kisses.
She caught his chin, pausing his kiss.
He squinted his eyes. “What?”
“Did you hear me say I love you?”
“Yes.” He grinned. “Did you hear me?”
“Yes, but I didn’t speak out loud.”
He still admitted, “I heard you clear as a bell.”
She argued, “In your head. Not your ears.”
Realization dawned. His mouth gaped open. “How can we—”
A line of three sport utilities came roaring up on the property. When the first one stopped fifty feet away, Scarlett jumped out from the driver’s side with her mate exiting the passenger side.
Scarlett started toward them, “Dammit. We’re late. Are you okay, Jaz?”
Four big men poured out of the other two vehicles. She’d seen a couple of those shifters at the tiger’s compound where Scarlett’s father had tried to kill everyone with his magic. They belonged to Adrian’s eagle-shifter boss.
The pack wolves swung their attention from Jaz to Scarlett and the men.
Jaz ordered the pack, “Stand down. These are friends.” Tanza would rule, but having killed the alpha, she carried the power for now.
A huge bird flapping quickly, flew hard from the south, banked and dropped to the ground in a spectacular stop. As it did, that giant sea eagle shifted into a man, complete with clothes.