Dozens of wolves race across the clearing, their fur is matted, and their eyes glowing with a red light. Their jaws snap as they come at us.
Oh, fuck! My chest seizes at the sheer number. I grab Jessica and run to Raven.
Jessica steps skim over the ground as she tries to keep up with me.
There are too many of them for us to fight them all. Running is never weak when you know you're outnumbered. And we can't risk the female especially if she's the one the witches' prophesied about.
"Take her," I push her to Raven. "You're the fastest runner out of all of us. We'll lead as many away as we can."
She pales, shaking.
"If me or Aspen are bitten, you might as well kill us now. Otherwise by nightfall, we'll become undead." No shifting back into our human forms. No feelings or thoughts whatsoever except to hunt and kill.
"Go with Raven. Do it," I force every bit of Alpha power into my voice so she'll have no choice but to obey me as an Omega.
She lifts her trembling chin and
She lifts her trembling chin and that little defiance has me wanting to bend her over my knee and teach her how to obey an Alpha.
There's no time for argument and Raven scoops her up over his shoulder. She looks at me, her eyes pinching at the corners with her beautiful lips in a frown. I wonder if I'll ever get to kiss her as Raven races with her through the trees and increases the distance between us.
"Ready to have some fun?" Aspen snarls, already starting to shift into his gleaming white wolf.
Tingles race across my skin in preparation. My bones break and realign and reform into a whole different shape. Every time, I tell myself I'm used to the pain by now, and every time I feel like I'm being tortured. Agony flares through me and I swallow my scream. My body twists and coils, jerking my body into my wolf form. Dark gray fur sprouts across my body.
My senses sharpen into those of my wolf. The stench of the undead wolves chokes the air.
Aspen and I bark in a challenge, hoping to lead the undead wolves hoping to lead the undead wolves away from the clearing, away from Raven and Jessica . I scamper across the forest floor sticking to the light and away from the underbrush so we're easy to spot.
Howls ring out behind me.
Our claws scratch against the ground as we race ahead of the lost ones. I have to be strong in order to keep Juniper safe. Something about that thought fuels me and I push myself harder, faster.
If the lost ones bite even a single part of our body, they can turn us in less than a day. The air burns my lungs as we run faster and still I feel like their putrid breath is hot on the back of my neck.
Flashes of shadows to my left and right, bodies darting through the underbrush. Leaves and grass whip by. Frigid air snarls through my mouth,
branches slicing my belly and legs. The landscape around us becomes a blur. I glance behind me to see how many are following.
Fuck. A little more than half their pack. Raven better get himself and Jessica to safety quickly.
The undead wolves move too fast. Harsh barks and snarls fill the air. My
lungs burn and my muscles threaten to cramp. We can't outrun them forever.
I spin to face the first one. Its jaws snap at me. White breath gusts from its nostrils. Slobber drips from its fangs. Its fur is caked with mud and blood.
Before I can catch my breath, the mangy wolf lunges. Its teeth gnash at my neck. I snarl throwing my weight against him.
Both of us tumble sideways. I drive my claws into his belly. He yelps and falls back but gets up fast. We circle each other.
A second wolf springs in front of the first, trying to distract me. It stinks of blood and rot, making my stomach turn. A growl rumbles from my chest. I race forward, leaping to meet its attack. It snaps at my flank, but I twist to the side.
I swipe my claws across its face. It yelps, turning away from me for a second and exposing its weakness. I drive my teeth into its neck. Hot blood fills my mouth. Its guttural cry sends tremors through my body.
I jump back as it falls to the ground Dead
ground. Dead.
Quickly, I spit out the blood. There shouldn't be any danger, but I can't stand the foul taste in my mouth, and I don't want to take any chances. My stomach clenches and I force myself to breathe. The venom is in their bite, I repeat to myself, like a snake.
But the others are still coming.
Fucking undead wolves.
Aspen is fighting a small foe that he'll dispatch soon enough. With my hackles raising, I face the others. My gaze locks on three more charging toward me.
I step sideways, except I'm too slow.
The wolf's claws drag against my shoulder, shredding my flesh. The pain feels like a thousand needles jabbing into me. My stomach rolls, and I brace myself for the bite which will turn me into an undead. I stare into its eyes, waiting for the change.
Aspen darts backward and the wolf's jaws snap nothing. Good thing it's not their blood or claws that are venomous, just their bite. And with all these mouths full of razor-sharp teeth, it's like playing the old game of dodgeball with grenades.
I swivel to face the next one.
And the next.
I fight and fight until I can't fight anymore. My body is drenched with lost ones' blood. I can't see straight and my legs feel like they're made of lead.
I stumble to the ground.
The undead circle around me.
One of the wolves lunges, and I'm ready for it. I sink my fangs into its throat and the beast falls limp at my feet.
I'm not sure how many I've killed, but there seems to be no end to them. Claws slam into my shoulder, reopening my wound, and I yelp. My shoulder burns, muscles tearing. Pain shoots through my body. At least it's not a bite.
Shoving my head into the wolf's foreleg, bone snaps. I jolt backward to avoid his retaliation and he crumples to the ground when he takes a step toward me. That will slow him down a bit.
I bound forward and knock another wolf aside.
Fucking wound in my shoulder stings, but with any luck, I might avoid infection.
A sharp velp echoes from behind