Page 118 of Stubborn as a Shadow

In all my years as an SC operative, I’d never done anything like this. I held myself to a strict ethical code. I’d maimed. I’d killed. But never in such a brutal way. But no one had ever hurt my mate before. I didn’t care what happened to these people. They deserved whatever came next.

She collapsed to the ground.

I didn’t wait to see if she was dead.

I jumped to the shadow of the man holding Violet. For all his bluster about killing her, he hadn’t done anything yet. It was likely a practical decision. Without her, he’d lose his leverage.

He waved his gun around with a trembling hand, moving it between my shadow and Morgan. I needed to stop him before he realized firing a shot at me would be useless and choose Morgan instead.

Thankfully, whatever they’d used as a tranquilizer was gone from my system now. I moved over the man in the same way as I had Tammy. He shook his gun erratically, trying to aim at my shadow. He got off one round. Another. The bullets piercing through my shadow but causing me no harm. I slipped into his head.

Another shot fired.

His body fell to the ground. He’d just shot himself in the head. I was still breathing, so he might make it. I didn’t care oneway or the other. Although he might wish he was dead, once the SC finished with him.

Then the only remaining hunter was the older woman. Well, I supposed Gary was there too, but he was still crawling feebly toward the trees, so I didn’t consider him a threat.

She pointed her gun at Morgan, and the slight tremor of her hands was the only sign of her anxiety. She stepped slowly toward Gary’s car. The driver’s side door was still open. The keys were still in the ignition.

“Let me leave, and I won’t shoot him again,” she said. She didn’t look away from Morgan, but I knew she was talking to me. “I’m a better shot than the others. The only reason he isn’t dead already is because I thought he’d be useful, but I will sacrifice him if I have to.”

Morgan was panting now, his breaths labored and loud. His ears were pinned back. He grunted.

“I can’t let you leave,” I said. She knew too much. If she left, she would only return with more hunters. They were like a fucking cancer. The only way to deal with that shit was to eradicate it.

“You don’t have a choice,” she said as she stepped over Gary.

She fired at Morgan. He screamed, and the sound ripped me in half.

“Look at all that blood. You better get to him. Say your goodbyes before it’s too late,” the hunter said with a grin.

I could shadow jump to her and take her out like I had the others, but what if those precious seconds were the difference between Morgan living or dying?

There was no choice. I had to go to Morgan. The hunter would get her freedom, and I would hopefully keep Morgan alive.

The SC might fault my choice, because I was allowing a hunter to walk away. Hell, the people of Willow Lake might hateme for my choice too, since she’d never leave us alone now that she knew where we were.

But the only person I cared about was Morgan.

I reached Morgan’s side as he toppled to the ground. My shift came quickly. And I thanked the Eternal Magic for her help. I ripped off my jacket and tried to use it to staunch the worst of the bleeding. But the hunter was right. He was losing too much.

Morgan’s chest, so much bigger than when he was in his human form, was a mess of gaping wounds. His coat—his beautiful coat—was saturated with blood. It seeped through my jacket and covered my hands. It pooled under him.

Blood, blood, so much fucking blood…

My stomach heaved. I pushed harder against the two worst wounds. I needed more hands. I was failing. Again.

I failed at everything.

“Don’t leave me,” I choked through my sobs. “Morgan, you can’t leave me. You’re my life. My sweet. My little rainbow. My everything.”

There was no life without him.

I barely registered the sound of Gary’s sports car peeling out of the parking lot. I didn’t notice anything until a gentle hand squeezed my shoulder.

“Let Teague help,” Gage said.

I glanced up through tear-filled eyes to see Teague kneeling on the other side of Morgan’s still body.